RoadVitals

2009 Chevrolet Impala Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Jan 20, 2024
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
2%
of 824 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. 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. 14 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.

Owner reports naming visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Visibility
Filed Jan 20, 2024

Front defroster not working AND windshield wiper not working consistently.

NHTSA ID
11566631
Incident
Jan 19, 2024
ElectricalVisibility
Filed Oct 2, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR WINDOWS BECAME INOPERABLE AND COULD NOT BE MOVED UP OR DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DIVER CHEVROLET (2101 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, WILMINGTON, DE 19806, 302-504-8313) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT ALL THE WINDOW MOTORS WERE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,000.

NHTSA ID
11132983
Incident
Aug 1, 2018
Mileage
72,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 9, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DEFROSTER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10934116
Incident
Oct 9, 2016
Mileage
111,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 6, 2016

WINDSHIELD CRACKED INSIDE WITHOUT ANY VISIBLE IMPACT. CRACK WIDENED WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MILES ON I 78 WHEN HEAT WAS TURNED ON. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS AROUND 40 DEGREES. NOW CRACK IS ALMOST ALL ACROSS WINDSHIELD. THE CRACK IS INSIDE.

NHTSA ID
10818366
Incident
Jan 2, 2016
Mileage
17,330 mi
ElectricalVisibility
Filed Sep 24, 2014

I HAVE GOTTEN THE BLEND DOOR / AIR DOOR ACTUATOR CHANGED ABOUT 8 OR 9 MONTHS AGO. ONCE THE UNLOCK BUTTON IS PRESSED THE TICKING NOISE BEGINS TO GO ,OFF IT MAY GO FOR 3 MINUTES OR LONGER BUT IT WILL EVENTUALLY STOP, I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST MY CAR HAVING AN ISSUE BUT WHEN I DID SOME RESEARCH I DISCOVERED THAT IT'S ALOT OF IMPALAS ON OTHER IMPALAS AS WELL EVEN BY WORD OF MOUTH PEOPLE HEAR THE NOISE AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE STATED THAT THEIR CAR USE TO MAKE THE SAME NOISE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10638605
Incident
Oct 16, 2013
Interior & seatsExterior lightingVisibility
Filed Sep 10, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHENEVER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR, THE METAL LATCH PINCHED HER FINGER. THE REAR PASSENGER REAR WINDOW SQUEALED WHENEVER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE WINDOW UPWARD OR DOWNWARD. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SIGNAL BLINKER GENERATED FALSE COMMANDS INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURES OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

NHTSA ID
10632124
Incident
Jul 1, 2014
Mileage
36,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Aug 25, 2014

ACTUATORS THAT CONTROL THE HEATER AND AIR CONDITIONER WHICH OR SEVERAL UNDER THE RADIO AND UNDER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. THEY ARE TICKING LOUDLY AND ONE SIDE BLOWS HEAT AND THE OTHER SIDE BLOWS COOL. I KNOW OF MAY WHO OWN THIS YEAR AND MODEL IMPALA THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME TROUBLE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS MATTER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10627962
Incident
Jan 30, 2014
Visibility
Filed Jun 17, 2014

MY VEHICLE STARTED HAVING A KNOCKING NOISE FROM THE GLOVE BOX AREA OF THE VEHICLE WHICH I FOUND OUT TO BE THE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR. THERE ARE TONS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PART FAILING IN IMPALAS WITH NOT THAT MANY MILES ON THEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10598724
Incident
Sep 17, 2013
Mileage
75,000 mi
EngineVisibility
Filed May 24, 2014

I TOO HAVE SUFFERED FROM THE ACHING NOISE THAT COMES FROM THE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT, THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN THE IMPALAS. MY IMPALA WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR A WEEK AND I WAS TOLD THE REASON THAT IT TOOK SO LONG WAS THAT THERE ARE THREE ACTUATORS AND THEY HAD TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE IT WAS OR CHARGE ME TO FIX ALL THREE BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T MAKE OUT WHICH ONE IT WAS. I PAID TO GET THE ONE FIX AND A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER IT STARTED AGAIN. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT MAYBE THEY FIXED THE WRONG ONE AND I COULD PAY TO GET THE OTHER TWO FIXED. THIS IS A $40 PART THAT I PAID $238.00 TO GET FIXED. I DECLINED AND FOUND NUMEROUS YOUTUBE VIDEOS AND BLOGS REPORTING MODELS AS EARLY AS 2006 WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I HAVE ENCOUNTERED SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD OR HAVE THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE "KNOCKING NOISE FROM THE DASH BOARD". I AM VERY SURPRISED AND DISHEARTENED THAT THIS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THESE MODELS AND YET GM HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL. HOPEFULLY, I CAN GET OTHERS TO SPEAK OUT ON THIS ISSUE AND FILE COMPLAINTS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10593909
Incident
Mar 18, 2013
Visibility
Filed Apr 22, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DEFOGGER FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS THAT SUPPLIES POWER TO THE REAR DEFOGGER WAS MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

NHTSA ID
10584203
Incident
Oct 16, 2013
Mileage
60,000 mi
AirbagsElectricalVisibility
Filed Jun 24, 2013

MY IMPALA HAS A VERY BAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. MY AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON AND THE MANUAL SAID IT CAN DEFLATE AT ANY GIVEN TIME. MY WIPERS HALF THE TIME DON'T WANT TO COME ON OR WORK. MY HORN AND ALARM SOMETIMES WORKS AND SOMETIMES DOESN'T. THE CAR SHAKES REALLY BAD WHEN I DRIVE IT, ESPECIALLY THE STEERING WHEEL. IT ALSO BURNS OIL LIKE CRAZY.I TRUST MY 99' CHEVY SUBURBAN OVER MY BRAND NEW 09' IMPALA. IT IS THE MOST DANGEROUS CAR I HAVE EVER HAD AND I WISH I NEVER WOULD HAVE BOUGHT IT. IT DEFINITELY HAS TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF PROBLEMS THEN MY 99' SUBURBAN HAD. *TR

NHTSA ID
10521528
Incident
Jun 1, 2013
Mileage
88,000 mi
Interior & seatsVisibility
Filed Jul 18, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER WOULD ONLY BLOW AIR FROM THE WINDSHIELD VENT, AND AS A RESULT, THE WINDSHIELD WOULD FREEZE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LATCH WOULD NOT ALLOW THE DOOR TO REMAIN OPEN, AND WOULD SOMETIMES CLOSE ON HER LEG. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURES DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10413426
Incident
Jun 1, 2011
Mileage
16,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Aug 17, 2010
1 injury reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSENGER HAD HER HAND OUT THE WINDOW WHEN THE WINDOW BEGAN TO INDEPENDENTLY CLOSE. THE WINDOW CLOSED WITH THE PASSENGERS RING FINGER CAUGHT IN THE WINDOW AND SEVERED THE END JOINT OF HER FINGER. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THERE WAS NOT A SENSOR THAT WOULD STOP THE WINDOW FROM CLOSING WHEN OBSTRUCTED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO ASSIST THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,000.

NHTSA ID
10350068
Incident
Aug 15, 2010
Mileage
49,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 19, 2010

I HAVE A 2009 CHEVY IMPALA LT. RIGHT AFTER I BOUGHT THIS CAR, I FOUND THAT THERE IS A VISION DISTORTION WITH THE WINDSHIELD. THE DEALER REPLACED IT RELUCTANTLY, AFTER I DISCUSSED WITH THEM. HOWEVER, THERE IS STILL VISION DISTORTION WITH THE NEW ONE, JUST AT DIFFERENT SPOTS. IT IS DANGEROUS TO HAVE VISION DISTORTION IF I LOOK FAR AHEAD. IT CAUSE DIZZINESS AND TIREDNESS VERY EASILY AND IT IS DANGEROUS TO THE DRIVER AND OTHER ROAD USERS. I AM WONDERING IF THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10339166
Incident
Jun 18, 2010
Mileage
1,000 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .