Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
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Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Chevrolet Impala submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 65 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 65, in the owner's own words
A piece broke off and had fallen off of transmission when stopped at a redlight when put in gear car didn't want to move had to manually shift to get off the road and towed it home. The piece that broke fell into pan when changing transmission fluid. Believe it's off flywheel possibly forward band.
POWER REDUCED TO ENGINE AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COME ON AND LOSS OF POWER
CAR CONTINUOUSLY GETS A REDUCED POWER MESSAGE AND GOES DOWN TO 25 MPH. IN MID JANUARY DID THE SAME THING, BUT STALLED ON I90 OHIO TURNPIKE. ALMOST HIT BY A SEMI TRUCK. HAVE HAD THE CAR IN THE SHOP NO LESS THAN 5 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. AT GM AND NON GM REPAIR SHOPS. WE HAVE HAD THIS SAME REDUCED POWER ON CITY ROADS, AND THE HIGHWAY, IT SEEMS ALWAYS WHEN IT IS WET, RAINY OR SLUSHY. IT REALLY APPEARS TO BE A WATER CAUSES THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE PAID FOR TWO SETS OF THROTTLE BODY, SPEED CONTROL SENSOR AND HARNESSES. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO PERSIST AND APPEARS TO BE DANGEROUS.
GEAR SHIFT IS STICKING IN PARK. *TR
JUST KEEPS SHOWING WARNING SIGNALS A TRACTION CONTROL. THE FRONT LEFT STRUT COVER IS CORRODED WHICH WAS TOLD TO ME EVENTUALLY THE STRUT WILL COME THROUGH THERE. SHOWING NO SIGNS OF THE FAN WORKING TO COOL THE CAR DOWN WHICH THEN READS ENGINE TOO HOT TURN OFF AC. *TR
WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR IN MOTION IT COMPLETELY LOSES POWER. HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS WHILE ON HIGHWAY, INTERSTATE, AND IN TOWN ROADS. SO PROBLEM OCCURS AT ANY SPEED, AND RESULTS IN VEHICLE COASTING TO A STOP AS THE STEERING AND BRAKES STOP WORKING TOO. HAS HAPPENED TO ME HUNDREDS OF TIMES AS WE CAN NOT PIN POINT PROBLEM, AND HAS REPLACED NUMEROUS DIFFERENT PARTS TRYING TO SOLVE IT. WHEN POWER LOSS OCCURS THERE IS VERY LITTLE TO NO TIME AT ALL FOR DRIVER TO COAST & STEER VEHICLE & OCCUPANTS TO SAFETY AREA ON SIDE OF ROAD. THE DASHBOARD INFORMATION CENTER WILL STATE "STARTING DISABLED, SERVICE THROTTLE" ALSO ENGINE POWER REDUCED" AND "SERVICE STABLITRAK." A NEW THROTTLE HAS BEEN PUT IN VEHICLE AND STILL DOES SAME THING. OVER THE YEAR IVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE IVE NOTICED IT DOES IT MORE IN WARM WEATHER. AFTER VEHICLE COAST TO A STOP AND IS PUT IN PARK AND TURNED OFF, WAIT 5 TO 10 MINUTES THEN VEHICLE WILL START UP AND NO INFORMATION OR LIGHTS DISPLAY IN DASH CENTER, LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED.
DROVE MY VEHICLE TO ATTEND CHURCH ON A SUNDAY MORNING. AFTER CHURCH, RETURN TO MY VEHICLE TO GO HOME. I STARTED MY VEHICLE AND PUT IT IN DRIVE GEAR. THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE. I SHIFTED IT TO 2ND GEAR AND IT MOVED SLOWLY AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME. I GOT NO PRIOR WARNING OF ANY PROBLEM BEFORE PARKING. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND IT SCARED ME BECAUSE IT COULD HAVE OCCURRED WHILE I WAS ON THE BUSY INTERSTATE. I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED BECAUSE THE PROBLEM CAN'T BE ISOLATED BY THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOPS BECAUSE THERE IS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED FINE PRIOR TO THIS. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 117,000 MILES.
"TAKATA RECALL" HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ROTORS, TIRE END RODS, AND MOTOR MOUNT.
I PLACED MY CAR IN PARK, WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING. WHEN I GOT BACK IN, AND TRIED TO PUT IT INTO GEAR, THE CONSOLE SHIFTER SEEMED LIKE IT WAS LOCKED IN PLACE, AND WOULDN'T LET ME PUT THE CAR IN GEAR. THERE IS APPARENTLY A SWITCH UNDER THE CONSOLE COVER THAT ALLOWS ME TO TEMPORARILY FIX THIS ISSUE, BUT I HAVE TO DO SO EVERY TIME I WANT TO PUT MY CAR INTO GEAR FROM PARK. ONLY HAPPENS WHEN MY CAR IS IN PARK. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A RECALL ISSUE OR NOT. BUT ANY REPLY ON THIS ISSUE, AS WELL AS WHAT I NEED TO DO TO GET IT FIXED WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
LATELY, I HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE ACCELERATION OF MY VEHICLE. EVERY SO OFTEN, MY ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND I GET A "ENGINE REDUCED" NOTIFICATION, AND MY VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN. WHENEVER I REACH 40MPH, MY HP METER DROPS AND MY CAR STARTS SHAKING. THERE HAS EVEN BEEN A TIME WHEN MY CAR WOULD COMPLETELY SHUT OFF AND DISPLAY "IGNITION DISABLED". EACH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING ON A HIGHWAY. I WENT TO A SHOP TO GET THE ERROR CODES AND I WILL UPLOAD THEM.
ENGINE SUDDENLY DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND IT ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I WAS ABLE TO START THE ENGINE BACK UP NO PROBLEM. I HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON BECAUSE OF THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR. I HAD JUST REPLACED IT THE DAY BEFORE. I SUSPECT IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT, BUT IM NOT SURE. IF I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY IM PRETTY SURE I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS ISNT THE FIRST TIME THIS CAR HAS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF FAULTY CAR PARTS, THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS.
CAR HESITATES ON ACCELERATION FROM A STOP. RPMS GO UP BUT CAR GOES VERY SLOW, LIKE IF IT HAS LOST A LOT OF POWER. ONCE IT STOPS HESITATING IT BANGS INTO GEAR AND SPEEDS FORWARD. IT CAN POSSIBLY CAUSE A CRASH IF DRIVER IS NOT AWARE ITS HESITATING.
FOR THE LAST TWO DAYS, I HAVE DRIVEN MY VEHICLE. EVERY TIME I WOULD DRIVE OVER 40 MPH, THE ENGINE WOULD LOCK UP. THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK BACK AND FORTH. THE CAR WOULD DO THIS EVERY TIME I WOULD TRY AND DRIVE OVER 40 MPH, NO MATTER THE ROADWAY OR STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. WHENEVER THIS HAPPENED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD STAY ON. A MONTH BEFORE THIS PROBLEM STARTED, MY FATHER HAD BEEN DRIVING THE CAR AND HAD AN AUTO ACCIDENT. *TR
FOR THE LAST TWO DAYS, I HAVE DRIVEN MY VEHICLE. EVERY TIME I WOULD DRIVE OVER 40 MPH, THE ENGINE WOULD LOCK UP. THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND SHAKE BACK AND FORTH. THE CAR WOULD DO THIS EVERY TIME I WENT OVER 40 MPH, NO MATTER IF I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY OR ROAD OR COMING TO A STOP AT A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHENEVER THIS HAPPENED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WOULD STAY ON. THIS PROBLEM STARTED WEEKS AFTER I HAD AN AUTO ACCIDENT. *TR
THE CAR HAS ERRATIC SHIFTING. IT SEEMS AS IF THE GEARS GET STUCK BEFORE THEY RELEASE ESPECIALLY WHEN SLOWING DOWN THEN TAKING OFF, LIKE IF YOU DO A ROLLING STOP OR SLOW DOWN AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT BUT DON'T STOP FULLY BEFORE ACCELERATING AGAIN. IT DOES NOT DO IT EVERYTIME YOU DRIVE THOUGH. THERE IS ALSO A CLICKING COMING FROM BEHIND THE DASH. THE ACTUATOR FOR AIR HAS GONE BAD.
CAR IS CURRENTLY AT 134K MILES AND JUST GAVE ME A "REDUCED POWER ENGINE", "CHECK TRACTION CONTROL", AND A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I GOOGLED AROUND AND CAME ACROSS A LOT OF CHEVY IMPALAS AROUND THE SAME YEAR (07-10) ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING WITH THE "ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITIONER PEDAL SENSOR. ALSO READING INTO IT, IT CLAIMS THAT THIS PROBLEM CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO SUDDENLY STOP FROM 60MPH ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 20 OR ZERO. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT OR KILLED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE INTERLOCK FAILED AND IT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS FROM DRIVE TO PARK. THE SHIFTER FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY DECELERATED AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE ALSO INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN IDLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,830.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND JERKED. IN ADDITION, THE SERVICE STABILITY TRACTION AND POWER REDUCED WAS DISPLAYED ACROSS THE MESSAGE BOARD. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT, AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME ON. LOST POWER TO THE ENGINE AND HAD TO STOP. TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. WAITED 10 MINUTES AND STARTED THE CAR. RAN FINE UNTIL I GOT HOME. THIS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES BEFORE I TOOK THE CAR IN. FOUND OUT IT WAS AN ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION (APP) SENSOR.
DRIVING ON INTERSTATE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE & QUICKLY DECELERATED WITH ANY PRIOR WARNING. 18 WHEELER ALMOST REAR ENDED ME. INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAYED, ENGINE POWER REDUCED,SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, SERVICE STABILITRAK, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. FINALLY EXITED INTERSTATE SAFELY AND SHUT DOWN ENGINE THINKING IT WAS GOING TO BLOW UP AND AFTER 2-3 TRIES TO RESTART MESSAGES DISAPPEARED AND VEHICLE SEEMED TO BE OK. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC & FOUND CODES EVIDENCING THE LOSS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE TAC AND OR THE APP UNITS CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO INTO LIMP MODE BUT COULD NOT GET THE CONDITION TO REOCCUR. MECHANIC HAD TO REMOVE CODES TO PERMIT TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM, COULD NOT DUPLICATE AND TOLD ME TO WAIT UNTIL RECURRED. WHILE LOOKING FOR REPAIR SHOP WAS SCARED IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN RECEIVED LETTER FROM GM STATING IF THE ABOVE CONDITION HAD OCCURRED THEY WOULD FIX. CALLED GM DEALER MENTIONED LETTER THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS THE MESSAGES WERE PRESENT ON PANEL, REFUSED TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE REFERENCING LETTER, EXPLAINED GM DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR. WAS TOLD BY ANGELA ISSUE WAS SAFETY RELATED PROBLEM BUT GM WOULD NOT ADMIT TO SAFETY ISSUE. GM AGREED TO PAY FOR ONE HOUR OF DIAGNOSTIC TIME TO DETERMINE IF VEHICLE QUALIFIED FOR REPAIR, DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM, REFUSED TO REPAIR. CALLED GM AND WAS TOLD NO REPAIR WOULD BE MADE EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED AS STATED IN THE LETTER AND TO WAIT UNTIL SITUATION OCCURRED AGAIN THEN NOT TO START ENGINE AND TOW TO GM DEALER. WAS TOLD GM WOULD NOT PAY FOR TOW OR INCONVENIENCE AND IF THEY COULD SEE CODES THEY MIGHT REPAIR PROBLEM. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE WHEN THIS OCCURS THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER AND BASICALLY SHUTS DOWN AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND 5 MPH IF AT ALL. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX]@GMAIL.COM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB
REDUCED ENGINE POWER, CAR CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. CHEVY IS AWARE OF DEFECT AND REFUSES TO RECALL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHEN DRIVING UP AN INCLINE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY LOSE POWER OR FAIL TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.
I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED IN 2012. THIS CAR HAD PERIODIC ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND A CO2 SENSOR FAILURE, BUT THERE WERE NO ISSUES COMPARABLE TO A TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. EARLIER IN THE WINTER OF 2015, I NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT UP INTO FOURTH GEAR ON THE FREEWAY UNTIL AFTER TEN MINUTES OF DRIVING. ONE DAY IN ANN ARBOR, MI, I WAS ACCELERATING OUT OF A TURN WHEN THE RPM METER STARTED REVVING TO 6,000 AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AFTER RESTARTING THE IMPALA, THE CAR WENT A FEW HUNDRED FEET TO RED LIGHT AND DIED AT THE INTERSECTION. I EVENTUALLY WAS ABLE TO DROP THIS VEHICLE OFF AT AN AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP FOLLOWING A LONG TRIP FULL OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES AND START-UPS. THE MECHANIC LATER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REBUILT. THE REPAIR COST WAS OVER $1,600 AND THE TRANSMISSION STILL POSSESSES THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT EXISTED PRIOR TO THIS EVENT.
ON 18 APR 2015, MY 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA EXPERIENCED COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. SINCE THE WARRANTY IS 5 YEARS/100,000 MILES, I WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR REPAIR DUE TO BEING 8 MONTHS BEYOND THE WARRANTY PERIOD. THIS DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 74,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME.
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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