2018 Chevrolet IMPALA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2018 Chevrolet IMPALA has 87 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is other problems (18% of all complaints), specifically: while driving on highway, went to touch the hazard button but pushed the engine start/ stop button instead. engine shut off. had to pull off the road, engage brake, put transmission into park to be able to start car. the hazard lights button is waaayyy to close to the start stop button. especially w.

7 crash reports 2 injuries

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

OTHER

16 complaints

18%

• WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, WENT TO TOUCH THE HAZARD BUTTON BUT PUSHED THE ENGINE START/ STOP BUTTON INSTEAD. ENGINE SHUT OFF. HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, ENGAGE BRAKE, PUT TRANSMISSION INTO PARK TO BE ABLE TO START CAR. THE HAZARD LIGHTS BUTTON IS WAAAYYY TO CLOSE TO THE START STOP BUTTON. ESPECIALLY W
• I OWNED A NEW 2014 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE 2014 IMPALA HAD A BACKUP CAMERA SYSTEM WHICH WAS OUTSTANDING. I NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH WHAT I SAW ON THE REAR VIEW MONITOR SCREEN WHICH WAS ON THE DASH OF THE IMPALA. I TRADED IN THE 2014 CHEVROLET IMPALA FOR A 2018 AND NOW THERE ARE TWO MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH
• THE FORWARD COLLISION ALERT SYSTEM WHICH IS STATED TO WORK OVER 40 MPH DOES NOT GIVE ADEQUATE WARNING AT ANY SETTING. THE SYSTEM SHOWS A GREEN ICON WHEN FOLLOWING ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE ICON CHANGES TO AMBER WHEN FOLLOWING ANOTHER VEHICLE EXTREMELY CLOSE (WAY TOO CLOSE) AS A TAILGATING ALERT. IT IS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, WENT TO TOUCH THE HAZARD BUTTON BUT PUSHED THE ENGINE START/ STOP BUTTON INSTEAD. ENGINE SHUT OFF. HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, ENGAGE BRAKE, PUT TRANSMISSION INTO PARK TO BE ABLE TO START CAR. THE HAZARD LIGHTS BUTTON IS WAAAYYY TO CLOSE TO THE START STOP BUTTON. ESPECIALLY W”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

11 complaints

13%

• THIS WAS A HERTZ RENTAL CAR I PICKED UP AT THE ORLANDO, FL AIRPORT. JUNE 2, 2019. THERE WAS NO OPERATORS MANUAL IN THE CAR. IT WAS 10 PM AND I HAD TO DRIVE 90 MILES TO MY DESTINATION. ABOUT 30 MINUTES ON THE HIGHWAY TO CHECK OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I TRIED TO CLEAR THE NOTICE BY PRESSING SEVERAL BUTTON
• SIDE DETECTION DEVICE NOT WORKING. CAR WAS PURCHASED IN JUNE AT A REPUTABLE DEALER. THE DEALERSHIP IS NOT SAYING THERE IS A PROBLEM, BUT THE SENSOR IS CORRODED. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER CASES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.
• I WENT TO THE STORE AND CAME OUT TO LEAVE. I ATTEMPTED TO START MY CAR AND THE RADIO CAME ON, LIGHTS IN THE CAR FLASHED A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THEN I TRIED AGAIN. THEN IT STARTED MAKING A CLICKING SOUND.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“THIS WAS A HERTZ RENTAL CAR I PICKED UP AT THE ORLANDO, FL AIRPORT. JUNE 2, 2019. THERE WAS NO OPERATORS MANUAL IN THE CAR. IT WAS 10 PM AND I HAD TO DRIVE 90 MILES TO MY DESTINATION. ABOUT 30 MINUTES ON THE HIGHWAY TO CHECK OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I TRIED TO CLEAR THE NOTICE BY PRESSING SEVERAL BUTTON”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

10 complaints

11%

• TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, ROUGH SHIFT AND BUCKING BACK AND FORTH. HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY AT LOW SPEEDS AND IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AS WELL AS HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND WHEN PASSING.
• GEARS SKIPPING AND SHRUDDERING BETWEEN 2ND AND 4TH GEAR. CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDED ENGINE MOUNTS REPLACES WHICH WAS A FALSE DIAGNOSE. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSING, THEY REVEALED THAT MY TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR 6200$. I PAID THE 6200$ AND NOW TRANSMISSION SHIFTING HARD
• THE EVAP CORE STARTED LEAKING A MONTH AGO HAD THE CAR FOR 2 YEARS AND AS I READ ONLINE ITS A COMMON ISSUE AND CHEVY DOESNT WANT TO FIX IT. SOMETIMES THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD BUT DOESNT HAPPEN OFTEN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, ROUGH SHIFT AND BUCKING BACK AND FORTH. HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY AT LOW SPEEDS AND IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AS WELL AS HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND WHEN PASSING.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

8 complaints

• I WAS DRIVING AND LADY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT RAIL ROAD TRACK AND I COULDN'T STOP I RAN INTO THE BACK OF HER
• IN FEBRUARY 2019 I PURCHASED A 2018 CHEVY IMPALA PREMIER, UPON DRIVING THE CAR I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING LIKE MY 2018 CHEVY CAMARO BUT I CHUCKED IT UP TO THE CAR BEING HEAVIER AND PAID IT NO ATTENTION. FOR MONTHS I HAVE BEEN THINKING THAT MAYBE I JUST NEED TO GET USED TO THE BRAKES
• TIRES-TIRES KEEP LOSING AIR PRESSURE, THEY APPEARED NEW BUT WHEN TESTED PROBLEMS WAS FOUND, THEY WERE WORE TO THE OUTSIDE AS IF ALIMENT WAS NEEDED, NEW TIRES WAS PURCHASED ELECTRICAL/BATTERY-THERE IS A FREQUENT SHUT DOWN OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE LIGHT COME ON, FROM THE DRIV

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 5 crashes

“I WAS DRIVING AND LADY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT RAIL ROAD TRACK AND I COULDN'T STOP I RAN INTO THE BACK OF HER”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

8 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REVERSING THE VEHICLE AND PLACING THE GEAR SHIFTER IN DRIVE, THE STEERING WHEEL STIFFENED AS THE "POWER STEERING, DRIVE WITH CARE" WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MCELVEEN BU
• the vehicle had a sudden loss of power steering. No warnings or indications of any isues just immediate loss of the ability to steer
• As I was driving home from my place of employment which is exactly 30 miles from where I live my Steering Assist went out and it was very hard to steer and to even stay in the lane which I was driving I managed to get the car home and did an under carriage inspection and there was no damage still ki

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REVERSING THE VEHICLE AND PLACING THE GEAR SHIFTER IN DRIVE, THE STEERING WHEEL STIFFENED AS THE "POWER STEERING, DRIVE WITH CARE" WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MCELVEEN BU”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 87 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
OTHER: WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, WENT TO TOUCH THE HAZARD BUTTON BUT PUSHED THE ENGINE START/ STOP BUTTON INSTEAD. ENGINE SHUT OFF. HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, ENGAGE BRAKE, PUT TRANSMISSION INTO PARK TO BE ABLE TO START CAR. THE HAZARD LIGHTS BUTTON IS WAAAYYY TO CLOSE TO THE START STOP BUTTON. ESPECIALLY W
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: THIS WAS A HERTZ RENTAL CAR I PICKED UP AT THE ORLANDO, FL AIRPORT. JUNE 2, 2019. THERE WAS NO OPERATORS MANUAL IN THE CAR. IT WAS 10 PM AND I HAD TO DRIVE 90 MILES TO MY DESTINATION. ABOUT 30 MINUTES ON THE HIGHWAY TO CHECK OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I TRIED TO CLEAR THE NOTICE BY PRESSING SEVERAL BUTTON
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, ROUGH SHIFT AND BUCKING BACK AND FORTH. HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY AT LOW SPEEDS AND IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AS WELL AS HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND WHEN PASSING.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: I WAS DRIVING AND LADY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT RAIL ROAD TRACK AND I COULDN'T STOP I RAN INTO THE BACK OF HER
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)