2012 Chevrolet Impala Steering

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became inoperable. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized and became difficult to turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 201,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, he became aware of condensation under the vehicle. The oil pressure light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the brake hose needed to be replaced. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V398000 (Steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 127,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS SON WAS DRIVING 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS UNCONTROLLABLE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE CURB. THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DRIVER'S RESIDENCE. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES. THE CONTACT CALLED KOONS WHITE MARSH CHEVROLET (10207 PHILADELPHIA RD, WHITE MARSH, MD 21162; (410) 931-8600) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WAS LIKE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V398000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

THIS VEHICLE, IN EARLY NOVEMBER 2019, AT APPROXIMATELY 41,000 MILES BEGAN MAKING A "POPPING" NOISE FROM THE PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT SUSPENSION/STEERING AREA, PRIMARILY WHILE TURNING LEFT (AND SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING RIGHT). THE NOISE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER A ONE MONTH PERIOD. SUSPECTING IT MAY BE A DEFECTIVE TIE ROD END (PASSENGER SIDE), I INSPECTED THE VEHICLE (ON 12/21/2019) AND FOUND THAT THE STEERING KNUCKLE (AT THE STEERING KNUCKLE ARM - WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE PASSENGER TIRE ROD) WAS FRACTURED/BROKEN, CREATING A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM (THE STEERING KNUCKLE IS FRACTURED AT THE TIE ROD KNUCKLE ARM, AND THEREFORE IT APPEARS POSSIBLE THE STEERING KNUCKLE COULD SHEER OFF AT THE TIE ROD, RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL). THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, OR HIT ANY CURBS, POT HOLES, OR SIMILAR ITEMS. I FIRST NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHILE MAKING A 90 DEGREE LEFT-HAND TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, ABOUT 500 FEET FROM MY RESIDENCE (WHILE DRIVING HOME). THE ISSUE/NOISE HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE SINCE THEN, AND BASED ON MY INSPECTION LAST NIGHT IT IS VERY OBVIOUS THAT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. IT APPEARS THAT THE STEERING KNUCKLE WAS MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY (IT'S AN ORIGINAL GM PART, WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN MADE OF CAST ALUMINUM). FROM MY ONLINE RESEARCH, IT ALSO APPEARS THAT A LOT OF OTHER 2000-2013 CHEVY IMPALA OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS ME. THIS VEHICLE, IN MY OPINION, NEEDS TO BE RECALLED FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE (BAD STEERING KNUCKLES). ALSO, THIS IS A CALIFORNIA VEHICLE WITH ZERO CORROSION ISSUES. ALSO, I WORK AS AN ACCIDENT/CLAIMS INVESTIGATOR FOR A MAJOR AUTO INSURANCE COMPANY (AND THEREFORE HAVE SIGNIFICANT KNOWLEDGE OF VEHICLES, COLLISIONS, ETC). THIS VEHICLE IS (BY ALL OBJECTIVE STANDARDS) IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, AND GM SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO ISSUE A RECALL (IN MY PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL OPINION).

WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET I NOTICED THE POWER STEERING WAS MUCH HARDER TO TURN.

WHEN I BACK OUT OF A PARKING STALL OR DRIVEWAY AND STILL HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THEN I PUT IT IN DRIVE, WHEN I TRY TO TURN THE WHEEL TO START TO DRIVE DOWN THE STREET, IT IS LIKE I LOST POWER STEERING AND IT TAKES EVERYTHING IN MY POWER WITH MY HANDS TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. IT FEELS LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. ALSO WHEN I AM STARTING TO PULL INTO A PARKING STALL WHEN THE CAR IS BARELY MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMS TO LOCK UP WITH NO POWER STEERING AND I HAVE DIFFICULTY TURNING THE WHEEL. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I CAN'T GET THE WHEEL TURNED AND I'M UNABLE TO PARK IN THE STALL. WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEEDS AND WHEN I GO TO TURN, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER IT IS TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, THE POWER STEERING IS VERY STIFF AND SOMETIMES WILL STIFFEN UP TO THE POINT THAT I HAVE A HARD TIME TURNING THE WHEEL. I TOOK INTO THE DEALER IN 12/2016 AND ASKED THEM TO CHECK IT OUT WHILE THEY DID AN OIL CHANGE TO MY CAR AND THEY SAID ALL FLUIDS WERE FINE AND NOTHING IS WRONG. I HAVE COME VERY CLOSE TO HAVING A WRECK WHEN I TRY TO TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL ALL OF A SUDDEN STIFFENS UP SO TIGHT THAT IT TAKES ALL MY STRENGTH AND POWER TO TURN THE WHEEL. IT ACTS LIKE THE WHEEL ISN'T GOING TO TURN. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW. THERE IS SOMETHING DEFINITELY WRONG WITH THE STEERING. MY 2012 IMPALA ONLY HAS 17,000 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW AND I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE OF THIS STEERING ISSUE AND NOT BEING ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL WITH THE 2012 IMPALAS BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. THERE IS DEFINITELY A POWER STEERING OR OTHER ISSUE THAT IS CAUSING THE WHEEL TO STIFFIN UP SO TIGHT THAT YOU CAN BARELY TURN IT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 57,000.

VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. TURNED WHEEL TO THE RIGHT TO BEGIN TO MOVE. HEARD A SNAPPING SOUND AND VEHICLE ONLY MOVED ABOUT 5 FEET AND HAD NO CONTROL OF STEERING. FOUND THE RIGHT TIE-ROD WAS BROKEN. CAR HAS 37000 MILES ON IT.CAR WAS TOWED TO CHEV DEALER FOR REPAIR AND THEY SAID THE STEERING GEAR ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED?? MY COST WAS $1546.19.FOUND A RECALL #12V377000 ON THIS VERY PROBLEM, BUT THE RECALL WAS FOR POLICE CARS ONLY. THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME AND I FEEL MY CAR SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. THIS TIE ROD SHOULD NEVER HAVE BROKEN AND I FEEL GM SHOULD ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS REPAIR. 2012 CHEV IMPALA.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE FAILURE RECURRED FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING RACK LEAKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

DROVE FROM HOME, TO WORK, MAYBE 3 MILES. ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR MESSAGES ON DASH. SPEED LIMIT IS 35MPH. FOR PART OF THE DRIVE, AND 25MPH THE LAST PART. PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT AS USUAL. STILL NO PROBLEM. SLOWED TO PARK. AS I TRIED TO TURN INTO THE PARKING SPOT FROM THE MAIN LANE, THE STEERING SUDDENLY BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. I WAS TURNING RIGHT, AND HAD TO FORCE THE WHEEL. I STOPPED AND CHECKED TO MAKE SURE I HAD NOT STALLED, OR TO SEE IF ANYTHING ELSE WAS WRONG. I TRIED PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK. THEN I TURNED IT OFF AND BACK ON. I TRIED REVERSE. NONE OF THOSE THINGS MADE IT ANY BETTER. I INCHED THE CAR INTO THE PARKING SPOT AND CALLED MY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO BAIERL CHEVROLET IN WEXFORD, PA. THEY TELL ME IT WILL COST ME AT LEAST $1600 TO FIX.THEIR REPRESENTATIVE DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM AS STEERING, HYDRAULIC, POWER ASSIST, ETC. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND THIS PARTICULAR YEAR AND MODEL HAS HAD RECALLS FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM I SEEM TO HAVE. MOTORTRENDS AND CARCOMPLAINTS.COM HAVE DOCUMENTED THE PROBLEM. IT IS NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 11V398000. THE DEALER I USE IS A CERTIFIED GM DEALER. WHY ARE THEY NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY IF IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT? THANK GOD THIS HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT, AND NOT WHILE I WAS OUT ON THE HIGHWAY, OR ANOTHER MEMBER OF MY FAMILY WAS DRIVING. WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU ARE TRAVELING 55MPH OR MORE AND YOUR STEERING JUST QUITS? NOW I HAVE TO RENT A CAR, AS THEY WOULD NOT EVEN OFFER A VEHICLE TO DRIVE OVER THE WEEKEND TO GET TO WORK AND SUCH. ANOTHER EXPENSE I DID NOT NEED. I AM NOT SURE I WANT TO HAVE THIS CAR FIXED, BUT I DO NEED A CAR TO DRIVE. DON'T TRUST THAT IT WILL BE SAFE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING T 25 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE REVERSING AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE RESTARTED IN ORDER FOR THE STEERING WHEEL TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE CONTACT, WHO WAS A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V355000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION KEY WAS THE ONLY KEY IN THE IGNITION AREA AND NO ADDITIONAL KEYS OR WEIGHT WERE ADDED. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND BECAME DISABLED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO THE GUARD RAIL. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING AND EXTENSION NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MATERIAL OF THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SEVERELY ROTTED AND SEPARATED FROM THE METAL INTERIOR OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. UPDATED 09/16/14*LJ UPDATED 01/13/2015 *JS

TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,341.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME VERY DIFFICULTY TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING LINE WAS LOOSE AND WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE POWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 09/05/14*LJ UPDATED 12/3/2014 *JS

MY VEHICLE'S STEERING WENT OUT OF NO WHERE AS I WAS PULLING INTO A STORE. THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL COMING THROUGH THE AIR VENTS, AND VERY THICK SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND HAD TO STOP TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. I OPENED THE HOOD AND WAS OVERCOME BY SMOKE. I ENDED UP RESORTING TO CALLING A TOW TRUCK. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER AND WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THIS WAS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. MY VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A MINOR ACCIDENT 3 MONTHS PRIOR. THE CURRENT ISSUE THE DEALER SAID I HAD, WAS THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS EMITTING HEAT AND THE POWER STEERING HOSE HAD BURNED AND LEAKED FLUID ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THEY REFUSE TO FIX IT. I TOW THE CAR BACK TO THE SHOP THAT ORIGINALLY REPAIRED IT. THEY CONTACTED MY INSURANCE AND WERE INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE IN THE 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. ON 8/11 A RECALL WAS ISSUED. THIS WAS DUE TO THE POWER STEERING HOSE BEING ROUTED TOO CLOSE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE HEAT WAS BURNING THE HOSES. THIS WAS CAUSING ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES. MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED 2 MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN APRIL 2013 WITH 29K MILES. IT NOW HAS 33K MILES AND THE DIAGNOSIS GIVEN BY THE DEALER IS IDENTICAL TO THE DIAGNOSIS FOR THE RECALL. BUT I AM TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WILL NOT BE FIXED AS IT DID NOT FALL UNDER RECALL AND ARE BLAMING THE REPAIR DONE BY THE COLLISION CENTER. I BELIEVE THEY CONTINUED TO MANUFACTURE 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA'S WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND ARE PUTTING PEOPLE AT A CONTINUED RISK OF HAVING A FIRE START IN THEIR VEHICLE. *JS

DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN I NOTICED IT WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER WHILE CHANGING LANES. I TOOK THE OFF-RAMP FROM HWY 515 TO 215 AND HAD TO PULL THE WHEEL HARD TO NEGOTIATE THE RAMP CURVE. I MADE IT HOME AND CALLED CHEVY ON MONDAY. THEY SENT A TOW TRUCK TO PICK IT UP BUT ONCE IT ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP THE STEERING WAS WORKING AGAIN AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY A PROBLEM. *TR

I RECENTLY READ THAT GENERAL MOTORS ISSUED A RECALL AUGUST 3, 2012 FOR 2008 - 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALAS CONCERNING THE SUSPENSION. RECALL # 12V377000 CONCERNS THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS WHICH, ACCORDING TO THE RECALL MAY FRACTURE. A FRACTURED LOWER CONTROL ARM CAN RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. THIS RECALL, ACCORDING TO GM, ONLY APPLIES TO POLICE VEHICLES. I AM WRITING THIS MESSAGE TO YOU TO ASK WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THE POLICE VEHICLES FROM THE NON POLICE VEHICLES WHICH WOULD EXCLUDE THE NON POLICE VEHICLES FROM THE RECALL. IS THIS THE SAME TYPE OF SITUATION AS THE GM RECALL REGARDING 2007 - 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA CONCERNING DEFECTIVE SPINDLES IN WHEELS WHICH GM IS TRYING TO LIMIT TO POLICE VEHICLES ONLY BUT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO APPLY TO ALL CHEVROLET IMPALAS? THANKS, *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER CAUSING THE DRIVER TO CRASH INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED WHIPLASH. THE REAR PASSENGER SUSTAINED A BROKEN THUMB AND A HEAD CONCUSSION. THE POLICE REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED A TOW YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE WAS 33,500.