RoadVitals

2012 Chevrolet Impala Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting 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.
8
Latest Dec 10, 2021
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.
3%
of 258 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.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Chevrolet Impala submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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 exterior lighting

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

Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 10, 2021

Passenger dim headlight keeps going out causing a unsafe issue. The plug gets hot and is damaged.A service bulletin was put out on this issue in 2014 so gm has known that this was a problem for a long time. I read several complaints on this issue and can't understand why a recall has not been issued unless gm thinks that it is safe to drive with one headlight. I know from experience that our state police department doesn't think that it is since I just got a warning because my headlight was out again.

NHTSA ID
11443397
Incident
Dec 9, 2021
Exterior lighting
Filed Oct 1, 2020

ALL MY LIGHTS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE FLICKER. ALSO PANEL LIGHTS DOOR LIGHTS OVERHEAD LIGHTS MAP LIGHTS.

NHTSA ID
11362186
Incident
May 8, 2019
Mileage
13,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Aug 27, 2019

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH ON CITY STREETS GOING STRAIGHT WITH A SLIGHT INCLINE THE A/C AND RADIO POWERED ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES. WHEN STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT THE DOORS UNLOCKED AND "SERVICE STABILITRAK" FLASHED ON AND OFF THE DASH, THE RADIO POWERED DOWN, AND THE A/C TURNED OFF. AFTER A FEW SECOND EVERYTHING WENT BACK TO NORMAL. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON AT ALL. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.

NHTSA ID
11246694
Incident
Aug 26, 2019
Mileage
40,000 mi
Driver assistanceExterior lighting
Filed Mar 31, 2019

FIRST ITEM,DRIVING STABILITY LIGHT CAME ON TWICE HOW TO GO TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR.SECOND ITEM, PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM LIGHT ISSUE, REPLACE BULB THREE TIMES CAN'T IDENTIFY PROBLEM WITH THE CONNECTION OR WIRING ISSUE. TO REPLACE BULB, REQUIRES REMOVAL OF FRONT END BUMPER IN ORDER TO COMPLETE PROJECT. PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE NIGHT DRIVING ON HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ID
11192727
Incident
Mar 11, 2019
Mileage
107,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Nov 11, 2018

MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS QUIT WORKING.

NHTSA ID
11150859
Incident
Nov 5, 2018
Mileage
86,000 mi
AirbagsElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jul 24, 2018

WHEN DRIVING SUDDEN JERKS OF EXTRA POWER THEN SOMETIMES LOWER POWER/ ALOT OF CLICKING WHEN IM NOT IN THE CAR AND EVERYTIME I OPEN THE DOOR OR TURN OFF THE CAR. LIGHTA FLICKER WHEN ROLLING THE WINDOWS UP OR DOWN AND JUST WHEN THEY WANT RO

NHTSA ID
11113401
Incident
Jul 22, 2018
Mileage
96,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 10, 2018

2012 IMPALA THE PASSENGER SIDE LOWBEAM HEADLIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT, AFTER REPLACING THE BULB IT GOES OUT AGAIN INSTANTLY. SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL ISSUE I'M GUESSING. CAN BE DANGEROUS AND GETTING PULLED OVER FOR IT BY THE POLICE IS NOT FUN.

NHTSA ID
11084256
Incident
Apr 8, 2018
Mileage
60,300 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 9, 2016

WHEN I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE I HAD A 42 MONTH WARRANTY. SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER MY PURCHASE I NOTICED THAT THE TIRES (ALL 4) WERE DRY ROTTING. SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE HEAD LIGHT WAS FOGGING TO THE POINT IT WAS DIMMING THE HEAD LIGHT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO WHERE I PURCHASED THIS AND THE NAME OF THE CHEVROLET DEALER WAS TOM BANNEN AND NOW SERRA CHEVROLET. I COMPLAINED TO GENERAL MOTORS IN MICHIGAN AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE THIS BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE CAR WAS TO BE SEEN BY THE SERVICE MANAGER WHICH I DID AND WAS TURNED DOWN AGAIN FOR REPAIRS EVEN WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I THEN FILED A COMPLAINT WITH BBB AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES THE JERK AT SERRA CHEVROLET SAID THAT SERRA CHEVROLET WOULD NOT HONOR ANY WARRANTY THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER, TOM BANNEN. I THINK THAT SERRA CHEVROLET IN MADISON, TN. HAS AND WILL RIP OFF OTHER BUYERS WHO HAD THE WARRANTIES FROM TOM BANNEN. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER GENERAL MOTORS PRODUCT AND TELL ALL MY RELATIVES AND MANY FRIENDS NOT TO BUY FROM THIS RIP OFF ARTIST.

NHTSA ID
10854583
Incident
Apr 8, 2013
Mileage
20,000 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 .