2011 Chevrolet Impala Air Bags
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that the passenger's side air bag inadvertently deactivated while a passenger was seated in the passenger's side front seat. The air bag warning light was illuminated and the Air Bag System message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who advised the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that the occupant sensor in the passenger’s seat occasionally failed to recognize an occupant seated in the passenger’s side front seat. The air bag off warning light would remain illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where he was informed that the part to repair the vehicle was not available. The contact was referred to a junkyard for assistance with finding a replacement part. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000
Airbag light won't go off
When someone sits in the passenger seat the air bag light comes on. This has been going on in the both of the Impala's that we have had. This is the second one different year.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR FAILED TO RECOGNIZE AN OCCUPANT SEATED IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DON FRANKLIN CHEVROLET BUICK GMC INC (345 S. HWY 27, SOMERSET, KY 42503) AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SUBJECTED TO A RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS PROVIDED AN ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIR. AN EMAIL WAS SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.
WHEN YOU SEAT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE SERVICE AIR BAG WILL COME ON. MY IMPALA ISN'T THE ONLY VEHICLE THAT IS DOING. I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. ITS THE SAME YEAR AND THE SAME VEHICLE. AND WHAT I WAS TOLD THAT IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT MY AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE PASSENGER. AND COULD LEAD TO A LAWSUIT TO CHEVROLET. MY CAR ONLY HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT. IT SHOULDN'T HAVE ISSUES WITH THE AIRBAGS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THE SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE A PASSENGER WAS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT, THE SENSOR FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS A OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NEITHER A DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP, ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A RED LIGHT AND COLLIDED DIRECTLY INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, BACK, NECK, CHEST, AND SHOULDER. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. POLICE REPORT NUMBER: MP19030877 WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN LOCATION WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT AND CHIME IS CONSTANTLY GOING OFF. AT FIRST IT WAS RANDOM AND INTERMITTENT BUT NOW IT IS FREQUENT. THIS IS WITH NO ONE IN THG HE SEAT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE AIR BAGS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
MU AIRBAG LIGHT KEEP COMING ON. REPLACED SENSORS AND ATILL HAVEN'T FIXED2
"TAKATA RECALL?' CHECK AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON CONTINUOUSLY. DEALER STATES IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND WILL COST OVER $400. TO CORRECT. NOT CLEAR IF THIS LIGHT COULD BE AN ACTUAL WARNING OF MALFUNCTION CAUSING RECALL.
"TAKATA RECALL" ? CHECK AIRBAG LIGHT IS CONTINUOUSLY ON. DEALER STATES IT IS NOT RELATED TO RECALL AND NO RISK. THEY WILL REPAIR FOR A RIDICULOUS CHARGE. IF THERE IS NO RISK, I WILL NOT CONCERN MYSELF. THE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE ON A ROAD TRIP. IT IS UNKNOWN WHAT PART IS AT FAULT OR IF CONNECTED TO TAKATA ISSUES. IT HAS BEEN OVER 6 MONTHS.
"SERVICE AIR BAG" WARNING COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY: WHEN STARTING UP AND WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS AND HAVE FOUND MANY TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED BECAUSE THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO HER VEHICLE HEAD ON. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BRUISED RIBS AND NECK INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED WRIST AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE UNKNOWN REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON WHEN START. WILL RESET TILL RESTART. DEALER QUOTE WAS 550 FOR PART 200 LABOR. JUST NOW 3 YEARS OLD WITH ALL OTHER COMPLAINTS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECTIVE SAFETY RELATED PART. CHEVY AND GM APPEAR TO BE IGNORING THIS ISSUE AND MAKING A GOOD PROFIT ON DEFECTIVE PARTS. COME ON GM HOW ABOUT BACKING UP YOUR PRODUCT. WE BAILED YOU OUT HOW ABOUT MAKING THINGS RIGHT WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL BUYING YOUR CARS. THIS MAY BE MY 3RD AND LAST GM PRODUCT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURY TO THE CHEST AND BACK. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER OF THE OPPOSING VEHICLE SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HANDS AND CHEST. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO ASSIST AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATES THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000. UPDATED 9/19/11 *CN
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2011 Chevrolet Impala has 19 Air Bags complaints on file. 5 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.