Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Chevrolet Impala submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 35 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 35, in the owner's own words
Filed one complaint already about my car malfunctioning now on May 15 2025 I was.involved in a car accident and my airbags DID NOT DEPLOY!!!it was a front crash hit the front right side of the car and no airbag deployment
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPPING GEARS ON TAKE OFF, WHEELS SOUND LIKE BEARINGS ARE GOING OUT, LIKE A GRINDING NOISE. CHANGED THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS TOGETHER DUE TO WHEEL WOBBLE AND BRAKE SENSORS ON DISPLAY. CONSTANTLY DISPLAYING "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL" ON MESSAGE BOARD. DEALERSHIP HAS REFUSED TO ASSIST WITH THIS ISSUE AS WELL AS ANY FAILURES OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE NOW IS IMMOBILIZED, AND WILL NOT GO INTO A FORWARD MOVEMENT ONLY A REVERSE DRIVE. WHEELS ARE LOCKED UP AND VEHICLE IS STRANDED! STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON THIS USED PURCHASE. PLEASE ADVISE!!!
I WAS TURNING OFF OF ELBERTON ROAD ONTO VERIBEST ROAD & I HEARD THE FRONT TIRE MADE A KNOCKING SOUND ABOUT 3 TIMES WHILE TURNING & CONTINUED TO DRIVE AFTER THE CAR FELT OKAY, THEN I FELT AS IF THE CAR DROPPED OR THE TIRE WAS COMING OFF & THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT STARTED TO BLINK & THE BRAKES WENT OUT & WE CRASH DUE TO ME NOT HAVING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE! ME & MY 3 KIDS WERE BADLY INJURED! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT DID NOT SPECIFY IF ANY INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A GUARD RAIL. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V355000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 214,000.
I'VE RECEIVED A LETTER STATING MY VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN GM RECALL 14299, THANKS FOR THE UPDATE, BUT PARTS ARE NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE?! THE LETTER REPEATS HOW THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FOR ME AT NO CHARGE... WHOOPIE ITS YOUR MISTAKE I SHOULD NOT EVEN HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS TYPE OF THING. AND SO WHAT YOU REPAIR WHAT YOU DIDNT GET RIGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHAT ABOUT THE GAS I HAVE TO PUT IN TO DRIVE OVER 50 MILES AWAY TO GET TO A GM DEALER? WHAT ABOUT THE DAYS I MISS FROM WORK AND/OR MY COLLEGE CLASSES? OH YOU'RE SORRY FOR MY INCONVENIENCE? WHAT GOOD DOES YOUR SORRY DO FOR ME? I WORK FULL TIME, GO TO COLLEGE FULL TIME AND I RUN MY OWN HOUSEHOLD I DONT HAVE THE TIME OR MONEY TO DRIVE THAT FAR TO SIT AROUND A GARAGE FOR AN HOUR OR MORE FOR IT TO GET FIXED. NOT TO MENTION THE STRESS I ENDURE WHILE IM DRIVING IN WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A RELIABLE FAMILY CAR, NOW I AM MERELY WAITING FOR IT TO GO OFF THE ROAD UNINTENTIONALLY MOVE THE KEY AWAY FROM THE RUN POSITION AND LOSE MY ENGINE POWER, POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKING AND THE AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOYING INCREASING MY RISK OF INJURY OR FATALITY?! NOW I AM SUPPOSED TO JUST REST EASY AND WAIT FOR MY FATALITY TO POSSIBLY OCCUR AT ANY MOMENT WHILE IM DRIVING MY CAR THAT I PAY GOOD MONEY FOR WHILE YOU FIGURE OUT WHEN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEND ME A LETTER WHICH COULD TAKE MONTHS AND THEN SET ME UP AN APPOINTMENT THAT DOESNT INTERFERE WITH MY SCHEDULE WHICH IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY AND COULD ALSO TAKE MONTHS. SO UNTIL THEN I AM TO JUST DRIVE MY DEATH TRAP AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT LETTER TO ARRIVE. I'VE NEVER BOUGHT ANYTHING BUT A CHEVROLET BUT WITH THIS INCIDENT IM NOT SURE I'LL EVER BUY ONE AGAIN. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE. I UNDERSTAND YOU MAKE MISTAKES IM NOT BLAMING YOU THERE BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR YOUR MISTAKES NOT ME, A FULL TIME COLLEGE/WORKING STUDENT TRYING TO MAKE MY WHILE THROUGH COLLEGE ON WHAT LITTLE I MAKE. *TR
AS I'M APPROACHING UP THE HIGHWAY 1/2 MILE FROM THE CAR THAT IS SLOWING DOWN AHEAD I TRIED TO PRESS IN MY BRAKES BUT MY CAR REFUSED TO STOP I TRIED TURNING MY WHILE OFF IT FAILED TO TURN. BASICALLY I WENT STRAIGHT IN THE BACK OF THE CAR. ITS LIKE THE CAR JUMP AS I APPROACH THE CAR AHEAD AS IF IT RESET ITSELF THEN APPROACH TO TURN AFTER HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT ME IT WAS A VERY SCARED SITE TO EXPERIENCE. NO AIRBAG CAME OUT IT WAS JUST ME BRACING MYSELF AGAINST THE SEAT HOLDING ON THE WHEEL BRACING HOPING THE CAR STOPS. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE CAR SHUT OFF AND THE STEERING GOT STIFF. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHICH CAUSED ME TO RUN INTO A BRICK MAILBOX. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN ST. PAUL, MN. I STARTED UP AN INCLINE TO EXIT THE FREEWAY. I SUDDENLY LOST ALL CONTROL OF STEERING AND BRAKES. I TRAVELED UPHILL UNTIL THE CAR RAMMED INTO THE CURB ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE EXIT RAMP. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND GOT OUT AND CALLED THE POLICE. *TR
I WAS TURNING FROM ONE STREET ONTO ANOTHER AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A CLANKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR AND THEN THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT ALONG WITH THE BRAKES AND MY ACCELERATION. I HAD TO PULL OVER AND STOP THE CAR. AFTER ALL THIS MY CAR WOULD NOT START AND EVERY TIME I TRIED TO START MY CAR, IT SOUNDED LIKE THE BATTERY DIED BUT I KNOW IT WASN'T THE BATTERY. *TR
1. THE CAR WOULD STOP ACCELERATING AND COMPLETELY TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING. STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK AND WOULD COAST TO A STOP. ALL THE LIGHTS ON INSTRUMENT PANEL AND EVERYTHING WOULD TURN OFF. 2. 3 SEAT BELT LATCHES NO LONGER WORK. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY COMPANY ASSIGNED CAR DOWN A STEEP HILL WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 OTHER TIMES WITH THIS VEHICLE. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I WAS TRAVELING FAST THOUGH. IT'S LIKE THE ENGINE JUST TURNS OFF. THE LIGHTS ARE STILL ON BUT I LOSE THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. IT WAS TERRIFYING AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS COMPLETELY RANDOMLY WITH NO WARNING. IT HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS IN MY COMPANY WITH THEIR IMPALAS. I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER INSTANCES OF CHEVY IMPALAS OF VARIOUS MODEL YEARS DOING THE SAME THING. IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM ITS RANDOM AND OCCURS ABOUT EVERY 4 MONTHS OR SO. I AM AFRAID I WILL HAVE TO GET BACK IN THIS DEATH TRAP DUE TO MY EMPLOYER MAKING ME. PLEASE HELP- I DON'T WANT TO DIE BECAUSE CHEVROLET HAS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS IN THEIR CARS. *TR
WHILE BACKING CAR STARTED TO JERK DUE TO TRACTION CONTROL PROBLEM CAUSED DISTRACTION AND I PAUSED THE CAR AND LOOKED AT DASH BOARD AND CONTINUED TO BACK UP HITTING CAR IN PARKING LOT ISLE WAY- HAD THE CAR REPAIRED SPENT $ 900 ON ABS TRACTION CONTROL AND FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND GM WILL NOT DIVULGE WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM- CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE- YOU CANNOT TRUST TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC CAR STOPS WHEN IT SHOULD NOT. *TR
THE PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD. WE HAD IT SERVICED BY CHEVROLET TWO TIMES AND WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS THE BRAKE STOPPED HOLDING AGAIN. *TR
SERVICE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS COME ON AND FRONT WHEEL GRABS WHILE VEHICLE IS MOVING. *TR
MY CAR WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN 2006. IT HAS GIVEN ME TROUBLE VERY EARLY ON. FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW, MY GAS GAUGE HAS NOT WORKED AND I WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. COULD THE LEMON LAW APPLY TO THIS CAR? ALSO, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY TIMES THAT I FEEL LIKE THE BRAKES ARE NOT GOING TO WORK, THEY SLIP. PLEASE HELP! *TR
ABS SYSTEM LIGHT ALWAYS COMING ON,WHEN DRIVING ON THE ROAD. REPLACE ABS SENOR AND NEW BRAKE SHOE, AND LIGHT STILL ON. *TR
MY TRACTION CONTROL, ABS AND SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST LIGHT CONTINUE TO COME ON DESPITE THE FACT THAT I HAVE HAD THE SENSORS REPLACED 3 TIMES NOW. I WILL HEAR A GROWLING NOISE WHEN I PUT ON THE BRAKES OR GET A FOUL SMELL WHEN I TURN ON THE DEFROST, ALSO WHEN I GET THAT SMELL THE DEFROST DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY THEN LATER THE ABS, TRACTION CONTROL AND BRAKE ASSIST LIGHT WILL COME ON. I HAVE HAD A CHEVY DEALER AND THE DEALER I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM CHECK THE PROBLEM AND SAY ITS FIXED 3 TIMES BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. *TR
MY 2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA HAS NOTHING BUT ISSUES. WINDOW SCRATCH WHEN GOING UP AND DOWN, TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR NEEDS REPLACED, REMOTE START HAS NO DISTANCE, WATER PUMP LEAKAGE, TRANSMISSION LINE LEAKING, ROTORS, TIRES AND ALIGNMENT WEAR OUT PREMATURELY. *TR
I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. IT STARTED OUT WITH TIRE PRESSURING MONITORING, PRETTY MUCH FIXED EXCEPT ON EXTENDED TRIPS STILL GET DUMMY LIGHT. DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS SCRATCHED AND STILL ON OCCASION SCREECH. I JUST APPLY OIL AND IT STOPS FOR A WHILE. TRANNY LINE LEAK - REPAIRED, BRAKE ROTORS WHERE REPLACED 13,000 MILES AGO WENT BAD AGAIN, VEHICLE OUT OF ALIGNMENT AGAIN AND WEARING TIRES OUT. MECHANIC STATES THAT INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT NEEDS REPLACED. CAR HAS 95,000 CHECKED ON LINE AND ALL OF THESE ITEMS ARE KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH CHEVY / GM VEHICLES. *TR
2006 CHEVY SS IMPALA STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH THE DASH BOARD READINGS, THE CAR WOULD NOT START BECAUSE IT WOULD SHOW THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE WHEN IT WAS NOT, THERE WAS NO READINGS FOR THE SPEED, ALL ELECTRICAL READINGS WERE OUT OF CONTROL, FINALLY THE ABS WOULD NOT WORK AND THEN THE CAR WOULD NOT START AT ALL AND HAD TO BE TOWED IN. THE ABS MODULE AT ONLY 75,000 MILES HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY CHEVY, THE REPAIR NEEDED PUT ME IN A SERIOUS DRIVING SAFETY CONCERN AND CHEVY SHOULD NOT SAY SORRY THIS IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR YOU. *TR
WE PURCHASED A USED 2006 CHEVY IMPALA IN 2008 WITH 21,000 MILES AND NOW WE HAVE JUST OVER 55,000. AFTER MORE USE IN DOWN HILL DRIVING ABOUT A FEW MONTHS OF OWNING THIS CAR AND USING MORE BRAKE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL WOBBLE FROM THE FRONT ROTOR(S) WARPING. I TALKED TO A CHEVY DEALER SERVICE MAN AND HE SAID THAT CHEVROLET MADE THEM OUT OF SOFTER METAL AND THAT IS NORMAL, THEY SHOULD STRAIGHTEN OUT AND WORK PROPERLY. YEA RIGHT. I SHOULD OF HAD HIM DRIVE IT DOWN HILL AT 75 MPH AND SEE IF HE CRAPS HIS PANTS. A YEAR AGO I HAD THE ROTORS RESURFACED AND THAT CURED THE PROBLEM TILL NOW 09/01/2010 AND THE PROBLEM STARTS AGAIN. I THINK THE ROTORS ARE MADE FROM SOFT METAL AND IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. I WOULD TAKE THAT TO THE BANK. UPON INSPECTION OF THE ROTORS THE RIGHT FRONT HAD SOME DIFFERENT COLORING FROM THE HEAT AND WARPAGE I THINK. I HAVE BEEN MY OWN MECHANIC SINCE I WAS A TEENAGER. I AM NOW IN MY 50'S AND IT SEEMS THE METAL IS TOO SOFT. NOW JUST GET CHEVROLET TO ADMIT THE ERROR AND REPLACE THEM WITH GOOD ROTORS BY THE STANDARDS OF SAFETY NOT CHEVROLETS IDEA OF A BANDAIDE. *TR
MY 2006 CHEVY IMPALA CONTINUES TO HAVE BRAKE ROTOR PROBLEMS. I HAVE TO CHANGE THEM EVERY SIX MONTHS DUE TO OVERHEATING WHICH CAUSES DANGEROUS BRAKING TO OCCUR. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS; THE VEHICLE WAS CONSUMING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE FUEL SYSTEM ADHESIVE LAYER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 12/07/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRIP COMPUTER, TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM, ABS, TRACTION CONTROL WERE ALL INOPERATIVE. ALSO ALL OF THE LIGHTS FLASH AT TIMES AND STAY ON. UPDATED 12/09/09
WHEN FRONT BRAKE ROTORS FAILED AT 26,455 MILES,CALLED DEALER THINKING IT WOULD BE COVER UNDER WARRANTY, DEALER STATED BRAKES ARE ONLY COVERED UP TO 7,500 MILES NOT THE 36,000 MILES. TOOK ROTORS TO PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE THEM TURNED AND THEY WOULD NOT DO IT STATING THEY WERE MADE OUT OF JUNK AND WOULD BE BETTER OFF REPLACING WITH NEW ROTORS WHICH I DID HOPING FOR BETTER RESULTS. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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