2011 Chevrolet Impala Engine
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 car was purchased 06/23/2021. Approx 2 weeks or less later the car had to be taken to the shop where it was purchased at due to the engine going in the car. There have been 3 loaner cars given while car is being fixed however after now 4 months the car is still just sitting at the shop where it was purchased at without the engine being replaced or repaired. There is a loan on this vehicle and it is very unfair that the loan has to continue to be paid for when the car is not in possession of the owner. I do not want the car back at this point because it is now out of warranty and has been sitting for a long time without being fixed. I have called many times and have been getting the run around. Now the owner of the shop or workers will not answer my phone calls. My name is [XXX] my contact information is [XXX]. I am helping my son out because he is and have been getting the runaround since he purchased this vehicle from Ecars. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
I WAS DRIVING AND A PART IN MY A/C BEGAN CLICKING LOUDLY, THEN THE AIR SHUT OFF COMPLETELY AND STARTED SMOKING. A LOUD NOISE CAME FROM WHERE THE A/C BLOWER MOTOR IS AND WITHIN MOMENTS THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE STABILIZER TRACTION CONTROL AND ENGINE POWER REDUCED WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.
GET AN ERROR OUT OF NOWHERE STATING SERVICE STABILITRACK, LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
THE ENGINE SPUTTERS AND BOGS DOWN. I HAVE SPENT OVER $300 TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT, AND NO ONE CAN BECAUSE THERE IS NO DASHBOARD LIGHT THAT COMES ON. IT HAPPENS MAINLY AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND A BEEPING SOUND WAS HEARD. THE ENGINE POWER REDUCE WARNING MESSAGE ALSO DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE WOULD DECELERATE, BUT ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED OFF AND RESTARTED, THE ISSUE WOULD BE CORRECTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT ANY TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60, THE VEHICLE STALLED AFTER THE STABILITRAK, TRACTION CONTROL, AND ENGINE POWER DOWN WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON ONE OTHER OCCASION WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,500.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD SHAKE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START. THE ENGINE POWER REDUCE, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL AND SERVICE STABILITRAK WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,679. MA 10/8 *CN
WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED, THE CAR DOES NOT SLOW DOWN. DEALER SAYS CAR IS OK. THIS HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP. THE CAR WILL RUN ALONG AT ABOUT 20 MILES PER HOUR FROM A STOPPED POSITION WITHOUT TOUCHING ACCELERATOR. VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE ON ICE OR SNOW.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO FIND A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,286.
MY FAMILY AND I WERE TRAVELING FROM NEWARK, NJ FROM THE JULY 4TH HOLIDAY BACK HOME TO RALEIGH NC ON 95 SOUTH IN VIRGINIA AND GOING AT A SPEED OF 72MPH APPROX. AND THE CAR/ENGINE JUST TURNED OFF AT THAT RATE OF SPEED WITH 2 CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER WE SAT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 45MIN THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO START AND WE MADE IT HOME TO NC. THE FOLLOWING BUSINESS DAY AFTER THE HOLIDAY I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC GIAO AUTO LOCATED ON CAPITAL BLVD IN RALEIGH NC AND HE COULD NOT DETERMINE WHY THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF THE WAY IT DID. SO I CONTINUED TO DRIVE JUST WITH PRECAUTION. I RECEIVED A LETTER ON 8/21/2014 REGARDING THE RECALL AND WAS LIVID BECAUSE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE! I BELIEVE THAT THIS MAY HAPPEN TO MY FAMILY AGAIN AND DO NOT WANT TO RISK THIS, SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE TO ENSURE THAT MY CHILDREN HAVE A SAFE VEHICLE. *TR
THE A/C MOTOR BEHIND THE GLOVE BOX IS MAKING A CLICKING NOISE AND I HAVE NOTICED ON A LOT OF GM AND CHEVY VEHICLES THE SAME DEFECT. I THINK THIS SHOULD DEFINITELY BE A RECALL CONSIDERING A LOT OF PEOPLE I KNOW HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
JULY 2013 HAD HUB BEARINGS REPLACED IN ORDER FOR CAR TO PASS INSPECTION. ISSUE WITH "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL" HAD NEVER OCCURRED THE PRIOR WINTERS -- CAR SLOWS DOWN, ENGINE SLOWS DOWN -- THIS JUST STARTED HAPPENING AFTER THE HUB BEARINGS WERE REPLACED. ON MARCH 23, 2014, AFTER PAYING TOLLS ON THE TURNPIKE, THE "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL" WARNING AGAIN APPEARED (NO SNOW, NOTHING TO TRIGGER THE WARNING) AND THEN MY CAR STOPPED, NO POWER...THE STEERING LOCKED...FORTUNATELY I WAS GOING SLOW ENOUGH AND SOMEHOW MADE IT TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE. CAR HAD ABSOLUTELY NO POWER...COMPLETELY DEAD. WAITED ABOUT 1/2 HOUR AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART. CALLED GM 3/25 WHO CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR AN APPOINTMENT FOR ME. DEALER NEVER CALLED ME (NOW 4/7/14). I HAVE PLACED ANOTHER CALL TO GM. THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. ASKED GM IF THERE WAS A RECALL AND WAS TOLD NO. I HOPE OTHERS WHO EXPERIENCE THIS WILL FILE COMPLAINTS SO THAT THEY WILL RECALL. HAD I BEEN IN A DIFFERENT LANE, I MAY HAVE HAD SOMEONE CRASH INTO ME AT 65 MPH AND I PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE ALIVE. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. TOO DANGEROUS. *TR
FIRST INCIDENT WAS ON (05-29-2014CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM, AND REDUCED POWER LIGHTS CAME ON. CAR TOOK OFF WITH A JERK. HAD CAR SCANNED FOR CODES. CAME BACK AS THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. HAD THAT CHANGED TODAY(06-06-2014) AND CODE CLEARED OUT. WAS DOING GREAT UNILL THIS EVENING WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME TONIGHT ,(06-06-2014),ON HIGHWAY DOING 56 M.P.H. AND CAR SHUT OFF. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM, AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER. I QUICKLY VEERED OFF INTO MEDIAN AND TURNED FLASHERS ON. THERE WERE SEVERAL CARS BEHIND ME. CAR WOULD NOT START RIGHT AWAY. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES IT STARTED WITH ONLY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. MY CHILDREN AND I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED HAD I NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACT AS QUICKLY AS I DID. OBVIOUSLY I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS SAME ISSUES BASED ON THE INVESTIGATIONS ON HERE. I HAVE ALSO RESEARCHED ON MANY GM FORUM POSTS WITH MANY REPORTING THE SAME ISSUES. GM BASICALLY APOLOGIZES IN THE FORUMS AND TELLS THEM TO TAKE IT UP WITH THE DEALERSHIP. *TR
I WAS DRIVING AND SUDDENLY THE CAR LURCHED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS MESSAGES THAT SAID, "REDUCED ENGINE POWER, CHECK STABILITRAK AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL". I MADE IT HOME AND PARKED THE CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR A DAY AND A HALF AND WHEN I STARTED IT AGAIN, THE MESSAGES WERE GONE BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. I BROUGHT IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER AND WHEN THEY CHECKED IT, IT CAME UP STORED CODE P2122- ACCELERATOR PEDAL SENSOR. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR 6 MONTHS AND IT ONLY HAS 42426 MILES ON IT AND NOW I'VE HAD TO SPEND OVER $300 ON A REPAIR. IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT THIS SENSOR FAILED ALREADY. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING. GM SHOULD BE FORCED TO FIX THIS ISSUE AND REIMBURSE ALL OF US WHO HAVE HAD TO PAY TO FIX THEIR MISTAKE. THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY USING INFERIOR PARTS AND THEIR CONSUMERS ARE PAYING THE PRICE. IT'S NO WONDER THE AMERICAN CAR MARKET NEEDED A BAILOUT WHEN THEIR PARTS DON'T LAST 40,000 MILES. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING HOWEVER, THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
I WAS DRIVING ON HWY 41 N IN SOUTH GEORGIA AND MY ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND 3 MESSAGES COME UP: 1) SERVICE STABILTRAC, 2) SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, 3( ENGINE POWER REDUCING (AND IT DID). THEN THE CAR SEEMS TO WANT TO STOP OR HESITATE LIKE ITS RUNNING OUT OF GAS (STILL HAVE HALF TANK). I BECOME AFRAID I PULL OVER AND PUT CAR IN PARK AND IT'S LIKE THE CAR WANTS TO SHUT OFF BUT IT DOESN'T UNTIL I SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN (WHEN I SLOWED DOWN THE CAR STARTED SHAKING). I BOUGHT THIS CAR LESS THAN SIX MONTHS BACK AND IT HAD ONLY 46,000 MILES ON IT. NOW I HERE SOME RATTLING COMING FROM SOME WHERE AROUND THE WHEEL. I HAVE READ MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO MINE. TODAY 4/2/2014 THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON BUT I DON'T SEE ANY OF THE WARNINGS AND THE CAR HAS NOT HESITATED AS BADLY AS IT DID YESTERDAY. BUT FROM WHAT I HAVE RESEARCHED ON THIS MATTER GM NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL AND ADDRESS THIS MATTER AS IT COULD CAUSE BE THE MAKING OF SOME SERIOUS LAW SUITS. *TR
WHILE STARTING MY CAR. NOTIFICATION CAME UP ENGINE POWER REDUCED. WASN'T ABLE TO DRIVE MORE THEN 40MPH! ENGINE WAS SHAKING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL OF THE WARNING LAMPS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 104,000.
CODE P211222 AND CODE C0242 CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 5 MPH. ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. CALLED ONSTAR. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN 15 MONTHS. FIXED TWICE. SPOKE WITH GENERAL MOTORS SAFETY DIVISION AND [XXX] AT GENERAL MOTORS SEVERAL TIMES. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH WHEN MY CAR BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN UNTIL IT CAME TO A STOP. I COULD DO NOTHING BUT SIT THERE I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE IT TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! THE CAR GAVE NO WARNING. I RECEIVED SEVERAL MESSAGES ON THE DASH THAT STATED DISABLED STARTER, SERVICE THROTTLE, AND THE CHECK OIL LIGHT WAS ON. OVER THE TWO YEARS THAT I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND ONE YEAR LATER ANOTHER POTENTIAL COSTLY REPAIR. SOMETHING REALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH THE 2011 CHEVY IMPALA'S, THERE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE GOING ON THAT HAS NOT BEEN LOOK AT BY CHEVY. *TR
HAD THE SERVICE LIGHT AND SERVICE STABITRAK AND REDUCED POWER COME ON. SEEMS TO HAPPEN A LOT DURING THE WINTER. I HAVE HAD THE GAS PEDAL REPLACED SEEMED TO HELP FOR A WEEK UNTIL SNOWED AGAIN BUT WAS DUE TO NICE WEATHER I HAVE ALSO HAD TO TAKE OFF THROTTLE BODY AND CLEANED WITH THROTTLE BODY CLEANER. SEEMED TO DO THE TRICK UNTIL IT SNOWED AGAIN. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WITH THE SENOR BUT WORKS FINE WHEN NOT WET OUT OR SNOWING. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH CHEVY WITH THEM NOT DOING A THING OTHER THEN WANTING TO CHARGE ME 600 BUCKS TO REPLACE THROTTLE BODY. SEEMS LIKE CHEVY NEVER WANTED TO FIX THIS ISSUE DUE TO THE FACT OF ALOT OF OTHER MODELS OF CHEVY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM GOING BACK ATLEAST 4-5 YEARS. *TR
WE WERE ON THE TURNPIKE GOING ABOUT 60MPH WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE SERVICE LIGHT FOR TRACTION CONTROL AND SERVICE STABILITRAK WARNINGS CAME UP ON THE DASH. IT ALSO SAID REDUCING POWER TO ENGINE. THE CAR SLOWED IN SPEED AND BEGAN SHAKING. SERVICE THROTTLE CAME UP ON DASH ALSO. WE HAD NO WHERE TO PULL OFF. THERE IS NOT MUCH OF A BURM ON THIS INTERSTATE AND BEFORE WE COULD GET TO A PULL OFF AREA THE CAR SHUT DOWN IN THE ROAD. WE HAD TO SET THERE FOR 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR WOULD RESTART SO THAT WE COULD GET TO A SAFER PLACE. I HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS ROAD WITH TRACTOR TRAILERS SWERVING AROUND ME CONSTANTLY. ALL I COULD DO WAS PRAY NO ONE WOULD HIT US. WE EVEN CONTACTED 911 FOR ASSISTANCE. SINCE THIS DAY WE HAVE HAD THE SAME CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS. I WILL NOT TRAVEL ON THE INTERSTATES WITH THIS VEHICLE FOR FEAR OF THIS HAPPENING AGAIN. THERE DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THERE IS ANY ONE PARTICULAR THING THAT SETS THIS OFF. BUT SEEMS TO BE WORSENING. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BY GM. FROM THE CHEVY FORUMS ON THE IMPALA IT SEEMS THIS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR IMPALAS AND THEY SHOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM WITH NO COST TO THE CONSUMER BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THE STABILITY TRACK CONTROL LIGHT, THE ENGINE LIGHT, AND THE REDUCE POWER LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED WHILE ACCELERATING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE OF THE DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,562. UPDATED11/14/12*LJ UPDATED 11/16/2012 *JS
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The 2011 Chevrolet Impala has 26 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.