47 complaints reported

2008 Chevrolet Impala Power Train

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
47
Crashes
3
Fires
0
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Mar 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ACCELERATION POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2014
Jan 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATE 20 MPH, THE GEAR LEVER SHIFTED OUT OF THE DRIVE POSITION INTO NEUTRAL INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. PAM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2014
Oct 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE KEY WOULD NOT DISENGAGE FROM THE IGNITION. ADDITIONALLY, THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD SPORADICALLY FAIL TO MOVE OUT OF PARK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2013
Oct 2013 Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR REPAIRS OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2013
Sep 2013

I TURNED MY CAR ON, PUT ON MY SEAT BELT, PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES, AND TRIED TO SHIFT MY CAR OUT OF PARK AND INTO DRIVE. I COULD NOT PUSH THE BUTTON ON THE SHIFTER IN, AND THE SHIFTER WOULD NOT MOVE OUT OF PARK. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THERE IS A QUICK RELEASE BUTTON UNDERNEATH THE CENTER CONSOLE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. I HAD TO PUT MY EMERGENCY BRAKE ON, TURN ON MY CAR, HAVE SOMEONE REACH UNDER THE CENTER CONSOLE FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE TO PRESS THE BUTTON, AND SHIFT INTO DRIVE WHILE THEY HELD THE BUTTON. I STILL AM UNABLE TO SHIFT MY CAR OUT OF PARK UNLESS SOMEONE IS HOLDING THAT BUTTON. *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2013
Sep 2013

SHIFTER IS LOCKED - AGAIN - AND WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2013
Sep 2013

SHIFTER LOCKED AND WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY GEAR. SERVICE FOUND BROKEN WIRE AT TRANSMISSION SHIFTER. THEY REMOVED CENTER CONSOLE AND REPAIRED WIRE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2013
Aug 2013

SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR,IT GETS RANDOMLY STUCK IN PARK. IT USUALLY IS IN A DRIVEWAY ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. IT TAKES 20 OR 30 MINUTES OF PUSHING THE BRAKE AND STARTING AND RESTARTING TO FINALLY GET IT TO SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED IT WAS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS ON AN INTERSTATE DRIVING IN THE FAST LANE WHEN I CAME UPON STOPPED TRAFFIC. THERE WAS A BAD ACCIDENT AHEAD AND TRAFFIC WAS NOT MOVING AT ALL. AFTER ABOUT 20 OR 30 MINUTES I TURNED MY CAR OFF AND WAITED FOR TRAFFIC TO START MOVING. WHEN TRAFFIC STARTED MOVING, I TRIED TO PUT MY CAR IN DRIVE AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE. I WAS NOT ON AN INCLINE. I WAS ON LEVEL GROUND. I WAS IN THE FAST LANE AND HERE I SAT UNABLE TO MOVE AT ALL, COULD NOT PULL OF THE ROAD. IRATE DRIVERS AND 18 WHEELERS COMING UP ON ME AT 70 MILE AN HOUR. I WAS SO SCARED, I THOUGHT I'M GOING TO GET KILLED AND SO IS THE DRIVER THAT CRASHES INTO ME. I DID EVERYTHING I KNEW TO DO AND AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES IT FINALLY WENT INTO GEAR. HAD IT NOT, I WAS GOING TO ABANDON THE CAR BECAUSE I KNEW IT WOULD GET CREAMED. MY ONLY CONCERN WAS THE PERSON THAT WOULD HIT THE ABANDONED CAR WOULD BE HURT OR KILLED. WHEN I GOT HOME I CALLED THE GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE IT TO MY LOCAL CHEVY DEALER. I TOOK IT TO THEM AS WELL AS ANOTHER MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD, I WOULD HAVE TO BRING IT IN WHEN IT HAPPENED BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT GET IT TO DO IT AGAIN SO THEY COULDN'T REPAIR IT. WELL DUH, IF I COULD BRING IT IN WHEN IT HAPPENED I WOULDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM. ONE TOLD ME IF IT WAS A STICK SHIFT, HE WOULD KNOW WHAT IT WAS BUT SINCE IT WAS ON THE COLUMN, HE HAD NO IDEA. AFTER SPENDING MONEY AND TIME I STILL HAVE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IN MY EYES. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2013
Jan 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER DECELERATING TO A STOP OR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY SHIFT INTO LOW GEAR AND START TO JERK VIOLENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE ANY FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2012
Dec 2012 Crash Injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. AS A RESULT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE DURING THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS. THE DRIVER AND THE CONTACT SUFFERED A CONCUSSION. THE CONTACT ALSO SUFFERED AN ANKLE INJURY. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE SUFFERED A LEG INJURY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE HAD ALSO OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER OR MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2012
Sep 2012

ACCELERATING AT APPROX. 30% ONTO INTERSTATE ON-RAMP, ENGINE RPM FLARE WHEN SHIFTING INTO 3RD FROM 2ND, AND INTO 4TH FROM 3RD. HAS REPEATED OFF AND ON INTERMITTENTLY SINCE. FLUID IS NOT BURNED/DETERIORATED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2012
Aug 2012

THREE MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT MY CAR I GOT IN IT ABOUT 7 AM TO GO TO WORK. WHEN I PUT MY CAR IN REVERSE I HEARD A NOISE SO I LOOKED AT THE SCREEN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED LIGHT WAS FLASHING AS WELL AND MY CAR WOULDN'T GO OVER 40 MPH. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID TO BRING IT IN AFTER WORK AND THEY WILL LOOK AT IT. THE FIRST TIME THE SAID IT WAS THE THROTTLE PEDAL ASSEMBLY SO I REPLACED THAT. TWO WEEKS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED, THIS TIME THEY SAID I HAD A PINCHED WIRE AND THEY FIXED IT. AGAIN IT CAME ON WHEN I HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND I WAS TOLD THE COMPUTER WAS JARRED SO THEY RESET IT. A MONTH LATER ON AUGUST 18, 2012 I WAS SITTING AT A STOP SIGN WAITING TO TURN RIGHT AND WHEN I WENT TO TURN MY CAR STALLED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A CAR COMING AROUND THE CURVE. I GOT SCARED SO I TURNED AROUND TO GO HOME AND IT STALLED OUT ON ME FOUR MORE TIMES BEFORE MAKING IT 5 MILES DOWN THE ROAD. I HAD MY 3 SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH ME AT THE TIME AND THEY GOT PRETTY SHAKEN UP AS WELL. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2012
Aug 2012

2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA SS WITH 5.3L LS4 ENGINE AND 4T65E-HD TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILURE AT 55K MILES REQUIRING FULL TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION BEGINNING TO EXHIBIT SAME TORQUE CONVERTER SHUDDER BEHAVIOR AGAIN AND WARRANTY WILL BE EXPIRING SOON. 4T65E-HD TRANSMISSION ONLY RATED FOR 280 FT-LBS TORQUE, LS4 V8 PRODUCES 323 FT-LBS. THIS IS CLEARLY NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF GENERAL MOTORS AND A SOLUTION MUST BE REACHED FOR OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2011
Mar 2012

AT A STOP SIGN ON SIGNAL, VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO 1ST UNLESS STEPPING HARD ON GAS. TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP UNTIL ENGAGING AT HIGHER RPM. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS AND HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE LOOKED AT. DEALER CAN'T SEEM TO REPLICATE THE ISSUES I'VE HAD. HAVE HAD DEALER SERVICE MANAGER WITH ME AND IT STILL WOULD NOT TO IT. 10/1/2012. DOING THE SAME THING. 83,000 MILES. GM AND DEALER AWARE OF PREVIOUS ISSUES. HAVE NOT CONTACTED DEALER OF GM THIS TIME. I GIVE UP. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2012
Mar 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKING, THE GEAR SHIFT SEIZED AND THE GEARS COULD NOT BE CHANGED. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE BEING ABLE TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT REMOVED THE COVER ON THE GEAR SHIFTER BOX AND NOTICED THERE WAS A BROKEN WIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEYS HAD BECOME STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE HOWEVER NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,282.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2012
Feb 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM THE PARK POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST PERFORMED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT RECALLED AND DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 39,211. THE VIN INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2012
Jul 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON IT WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DID NOT DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 50,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2011
Jun 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE JERKING INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO INTERMITTENTLY HESITATE WHILE ACCELERATING AND WOULD JERK IN VARIOUS GEARS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2010
Jun 2011

TRANSMISSION SLIPS, ROLLS BACKWARDS WHEN ACCELERATING UPHILL, VIBRATION WHEN ACCELERATING FROM STOP, GRINDING/ RATTLING NOISE FROM TRANSMISSION. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2011
Jun 2011

2008 IMPALA, EACH TIME I DRIVE THROUGH WATER AT SLOW SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING LOCKS UP AND THE BATTERY ERROR SIGNAL ILLUMINATES. THE CAR DOES NOT HANDLE WHATSOEVER AND THERE HAVE BEEN NEAR MISSES ON THREE OCCASIONS. THIS HAS NOT PROVEN TO BE AN ISSUE ON THE HIGHWAY OR ON ROADS AT HIGHER SPEEDS OVER 25 MPH. I INQUIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE NOT HELPFUL AS THE WARRANTY HAS RUN OUT ON THE VEHICLE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2011
Aug 2010

YESTERDAY, MY CHEVY 08 IMPALA WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. I CONTACTED AAA WHO WAS UNABLE TO HELP ME. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO A CAR MECHANIC. HE TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE WIRESUNDER THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER HAD COME UNATTACHED. I WAS TOLD THAT EVEN THOUGH CHEVY WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM THERE WAS NOT A RECALL AND MY MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER IT BECAUSE THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WAS OVER AT 36, 000 MILES. I HAD TO PAY $ 91 TO HAVE THE WIRES RECONNECTED BACK INTO THE PIECE EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE WIRES ARE TO SHORT TO BEGIN WITH AND THAT IS WHY THEY CAN BECOME TANGLED AND TEAR OUT OF THE CONNECTING PIECE. I DO NOT THINK THAT IT IS FAIR FOR THE CONSUMER TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS WHEN IT IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURE DEFECT.. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2010
Mar 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL BACKWARDS BEFORE MOVING FORWARD WHEN IT IS PARKED ON AN INCLINE. WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL AT 5 MPH, THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE WENT FORWARD BEFORE MOVING BACKWARDS. THE CONTACT FEELS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 850. 4/01/09 *NJ UPDATED 04/09/09. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2009

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2008 Chevrolet Impala has 47 Power Train complaints on file. 3 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.