2009 Chevrolet Impala: common problems

Owners of the 2009 Chevrolet Impala filed 824 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 824
involving a crash: 43

What fails most often

1 Air bags 28% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 27% of all complaints
3 Engine 22% of all complaints
4 Vehicle speed control 16% of all complaints
5 Electronic stability control 13% of all complaints
6 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
7 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
8 Steering 7% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Air bags: 232 complaints (28% of all), 28 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 224 complaints (27% of all), 7 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine: 179 complaints (22% of all), 8 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Vehicle speed control: 130 complaints (16% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electronic stability control: 108 complaints (13% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

3.5 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
3.9 L · petrol · 6 cyl
5.3 L · petrol · 8 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 824 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

warning lights, check engine252 · 31%
airbag warning light135 · 16%
stalls while driving61 · 7%
loss of power / limp mode48 · 6%
knocking, grinding or other noise41 · 5%
steering or power steering problems37 · 4%
vibration37 · 4%
seat belts36 · 4%
jerking, harsh shifts32 · 4%
A/C or heater31 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Air bags	232	28
Electrical system	224	7
Engine	179	8
Vehicle speed control	130	2
Electronic stability control	108	6
Service brakes	75	8
Powertrain	68	3
Steering	57	14
Suspension	25	1
Latches, locks, linkages	22	0
Engine and cooling	21	1
Seat belts	21	3
Structure	19	2
Wheels	18	1

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

2009 chevrolet impala. Consumer writes in regards to unrepaired recalls which resulted in a fatal accident. The consumer stated the vehicle was traveling at high speeds. The dips in the road, the high speed, the loading/unloading and of the suspension contributed to the loss of control of the vehicle.
Suspension · crash · 2021-01-11 · NHTSA complaint #11388012
I crashed heading down a hill .I crashed into a telephone pole after my car suddenly revved up,gained speed as I headed towards a telephone pole ,with loss of power steering ,brakes because my car quit after gaining speed due to the rpms amping up on their own and going down a hill.
Engine · crash · 2020-09-07 · NHTSA complaint #11353551
Airbag light is on paid to get it fixed and it's still on afraid to drive it if I get into an accident it will probably not deploy the electrical system doesn't work my brake lights don't work to fix them and get new balls it's all electrical I seen there's a recall but I bought the car after the recall so I had no…
Air bags · crash · 2018-07-25 · NHTSA complaint #11113620
Air conditioner, doors, door locks, relays the main issue I am having is non operational doors locks in vehicle. I have to craw through the car to open the door locks. I have young children and my daughter was standing out of the car awaiting me to unlock the door.
Air bags · crash · 2017-06-22 · NHTSA complaint #11000744
The vehicle would jerk and shake back and forth. The car would do this every time I went over 40 mph, no matter if I was driving on a highway or road or coming to a stop at a red traffic light. Whenever this happened, the check engine light and the traction control light would stay on.
Engine · crash · 2017-01-08 · NHTSA complaint #10940420
The vehicle would jerk back and forth. The car would do this every time I would try and drive over 40 mph, no matter the roadway or stop at an intersection. Whenever this happened, the check engine light would stay on. A month before this problem started, my father had been driving the car and had an auto accident.
Engine · crash · 2017-01-08 · NHTSA complaint #10940428
The airbag light comes on intermittently. Was in a collision and the airbag did not deploy. The car was repaired but airbag light still comes on. Also the horn does not work when I press on the steering wheel. The cruise control does not work either. The lights on the cruise control buttons do not light up.
Air bags · crash · 2016-11-29 · NHTSA complaint #10928628
While driving at 60 mph, the steering failed and the contact heard a clicking noise. The brakes also failed and the contact crashed the vehicle into a guardrail and a tree. The contact's tongue was severed and he suffered injuries to the brain, neck, and back. The contact was transported by ambulance to the hospital.
Service brakes · crash · 2015-07-15 · NHTSA complaint #10734259

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20099
201031
201133
201237
201378
2014204
2015129
2016105
201746
201847
201933
202023
202118
20225
202311
20249
20254
20262

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 347 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 1% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Impala has 255 complaints (41 years in the data). This year has 824, above average.

What to check before buying

Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Chevrolet Impala?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 824. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (31%), airbag warning light (16%), stalls while driving (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Chevrolet Impala?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2009 Chevrolet Impala from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2009 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.