2016 Chevrolet IMPALA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2016 Chevrolet IMPALA has 177 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (17% of all complaints), specifically: when traveling on the highway or local roads. my vehicle would warn me to shift into park to stop the engine. the after 3 notices it would shutdown completely.. ⚠️ 6 fire reports filed.

6 fire reports 10 crash reports 11 injuries

177

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

30 complaints

17%

• WHEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY OR LOCAL ROADS. MY VEHICLE WOULD WARN ME TO SHIFT INTO PARK TO STOP THE ENGINE. THE AFTER 3 NOTICES IT WOULD SHUTDOWN COMPLETELY.
• ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:20 A.M. I WAS PARKING MY CAR IN A CENTER CITY PARKING GARAGE. I WAS APPROXIMATELY 2 CAR LENGTHS FROM THE PARKING SPOT. I WAS BACKING MY CAR INTO THE SPOT. THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND I REMOVED MY SAFETY BELT AND LOWERED THE WINDOW. I PUT THE CAR IN REVE
• VEHICLE SOMETIMES DOESN'T WANT TO STAR(YOU TURN THE KEY TO START AND IT DOES NOTHING ) ALSO WHEN CAR GOES ON AUTO STOP AND COMES OFF AUTO STOP IT CLUNKS LIKE IF THE CAR HAD BAD MOTOR MOUNTS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“WHEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY OR LOCAL ROADS. MY VEHICLE WOULD WARN ME TO SHIFT INTO PARK TO STOP THE ENGINE. THE AFTER 3 NOTICES IT WOULD SHUTDOWN COMPLETELY.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

22 complaints

12%

• WHEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY OR LOCAL ROADS. MY VEHICLE WOULD WARN ME TO SHIFT INTO PARK TO STOP THE ENGINE. THE AFTER 3 NOTICES IT WOULD SHUTDOWN COMPLETELY.
• ON APRIL 2ND, 2018, I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AROUND 4:50 A.M. DRIVING ON THE 303SB ONLY ABOUT 7 MINUTES INTO MY DRIVE I NOTICED THAT MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO LAG AND STALL OUT, I BEGAN TO NOTICE GREY SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD AND THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. WHILE TRYING TO AVOID TRAFFIC
• THE ENTIRE TRUNK FILLS WITH WATER WHEN IT RAINS. IT SITS ON THE SPARE TIRE AND WILL EVENTUALLY ROT OUT THE TIRE AND TRUNK. IT'S UPSETTING AS THE ITEMS INSIDE THE TRUNK HAS GOTTEN DAMAGED

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports

“WHEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY OR LOCAL ROADS. MY VEHICLE WOULD WARN ME TO SHIFT INTO PARK TO STOP THE ENGINE. THE AFTER 3 NOTICES IT WOULD SHUTDOWN COMPLETELY.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

20 complaints

11%

• I WAS STOPPED AT THE TOP OF THE HILL ON A PRIVATE ROAD. WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS AND I PRESSED DOWN ON THE BRAKE. THE BRAKE WAS VERY WEAK AND IT TOOK 50-60 FEET AND ALL OF MY PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BRING
• WHEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY OR LOCAL ROADS. MY VEHICLE WOULD WARN ME TO SHIFT INTO PARK TO STOP THE ENGINE. THE AFTER 3 NOTICES IT WOULD SHUTDOWN COMPLETELY.
• I WOULD LIKE TO PLACE A COMPLAINT ABOUT MY 2016 CHEVY IMPALA LTZ THAT I PURCHASED FROM CAR MAX IN GLENCOE, IL ON NOVEMBER 11 2016. I AM A FREQUENT TRAVELER TO CENTRAL MICHIGAN AND ON MY RETURN TRIP TO CHICAGO ON JANUARY 6, 2017, I WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON HIGHWAY 127 JUST SOUTH OF MT. PLEASANT MICHIG

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“I WAS STOPPED AT THE TOP OF THE HILL ON A PRIVATE ROAD. WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS AND I PRESSED DOWN ON THE BRAKE. THE BRAKE WAS VERY WEAK AND IT TOOK 50-60 FEET AND ALL OF MY PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BRING ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

16 complaints

• I WAS STOPPED AT THE TOP OF THE HILL ON A PRIVATE ROAD. WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS AND I PRESSED DOWN ON THE BRAKE. THE BRAKE WAS VERY WEAK AND IT TOOK 50-60 FEET AND ALL OF MY PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BRING
• ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:20 A.M. I WAS PARKING MY CAR IN A CENTER CITY PARKING GARAGE. I WAS APPROXIMATELY 2 CAR LENGTHS FROM THE PARKING SPOT. I WAS BACKING MY CAR INTO THE SPOT. THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND I REMOVED MY SAFETY BELT AND LOWERED THE WINDOW. I PUT THE CAR IN REVE
• WAS DRIVING ON THE WAY TO WORK IN THESE LIGHTS CAME ON DON'T KNOW WHY BUT I JUST BROUGHT THIS CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP NOT EVEN MORE THEN 30 DAYS IN THIS COMES ON WTF

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

16 complaints

• DRIVING ALONG A FOUR-LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY WITH A 50 MPH LIMIT WHEN WITHOUT WARNING AN ONCOMING VEHICLE TURNED LEFT INTO ME AT AN INTERSECTION. MY ESTIMATED IMPACT SPEED WAS 35 MPH. THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE OTHER CAR'S AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I WONDER IF THE AIRBAGS IN THE CHEVROLET WERE EVEN IN
• I WAS GOING UP THE HIGHWAY AND A MAN HIT ME FLYING OUT AN PARKING LOT AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER WENT OFF AND I WAS GOING 35 TO 40 MPH, AND HIT AN SUV. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS CAME OUT. SO NOW I HAVE HERNIATED DISK IN MY BCK AMD ALSO LENDONS OUT OF PLACE EVERYWHERE.
• TAKATA INFLATORS, MY AIR BAG PAT KEEPS COMING ON AND I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET IT CHECK AND IT CONTINUES TO COME ON.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“DRIVING ALONG A FOUR-LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY WITH A 50 MPH LIMIT WHEN WITHOUT WARNING AN ONCOMING VEHICLE TURNED LEFT INTO ME AT AN INTERSECTION. MY ESTIMATED IMPACT SPEED WAS 35 MPH. THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE OTHER CAR'S AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I WONDER IF THE AIRBAGS IN THE CHEVROLET WERE EVEN IN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 177 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: WHEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY OR LOCAL ROADS. MY VEHICLE WOULD WARN ME TO SHIFT INTO PARK TO STOP THE ENGINE. THE AFTER 3 NOTICES IT WOULD SHUTDOWN COMPLETELY.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: WHEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY OR LOCAL ROADS. MY VEHICLE WOULD WARN ME TO SHIFT INTO PARK TO STOP THE ENGINE. THE AFTER 3 NOTICES IT WOULD SHUTDOWN COMPLETELY.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: I WAS STOPPED AT THE TOP OF THE HILL ON A PRIVATE ROAD. WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS AND I PRESSED DOWN ON THE BRAKE. THE BRAKE WAS VERY WEAK AND IT TOOK 50-60 FEET AND ALL OF MY PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BRING
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: I WAS STOPPED AT THE TOP OF THE HILL ON A PRIVATE ROAD. WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS AND I PRESSED DOWN ON THE BRAKE. THE BRAKE WAS VERY WEAK AND IT TOOK 50-60 FEET AND ALL OF MY PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BRING
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)