AI Damage2020 Chevrolet Impala: common problems
Owners of the 2020 Chevrolet Impala filed 15 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and steering. The maker issued 529 service bulletins for this year. We found 1 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 15
- involving a crash
- 3
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 529
- YouTube repair videos
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 20% of all complaints
- 2 Steering 20% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 13% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 13% of all complaints
- 6 Engine 7% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 7% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 7% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (20% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 104.
- Steering: 3 complaints (20% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 10.
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (13% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 46.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 2 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
- Air bags: 2 complaints (13% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.6 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 15 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 104 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 46 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Air bags | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 57 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 23 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Lane departure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 181 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 91 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
This causes an improper air-fuel mixture, resulting in:Stumbling / Failure to Start Immediately After Refueling (the engine is flooded by gas tank vapors forced in during fill-up).Rough Idling (due to a continuous vacuum leak).Illuminated Check Engine Light tracking Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) P0496 (High Purge…
No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard but had yet to be deemed a total loss by the driver's insurance provider. A police report was filed and injuries were reported.
The steering wheel and both front seat side air bags had some coming but the airbag did not deploy.
Seatbelt warning and blinkers have no sound warnings and driver side blind spot warning are not working
Information from the dealer invoice: A multi-point inspection DI1 Multi-Point inspection 716106 CPC B C/S veh is hard to steer at times- acts like it has no electric steering ADV cause: DTC O800 power steering control module low voltage, found while battery sitting over TP test dead cell and low cca 185/535cca EGO1…
I Took My Car To Castle Villa Park On July 8 2025 And Explained To Tony That Check My Car In That It Sound As If It Was A Hub Bearing My Car Was Dropped Off At 7:00 AM Until Around 1:00PM I Was Told I Need A Tire To See If It Was My Hub Bearing Which Didn’t Make Sense To Me So I Ask For A Supervisor I Was Then Inform…
[XXX]. 50k miles a chevy impala around 38k total with taxes and all. A month later I had to pay 200 for a diagnostic at the dealership to check an issue with the steering. They said nothing was wrong with it and it was just the floor mat making contact in the floor.
The back window is leaking and water is getting all on my trunk and ruining my items. Ford did not do a good job of sealing the windows.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,349 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 36% least complained about).
On average one model year of the Impala has 66 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 15, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it
- This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance
- PI to help diagnose A/C concern
- This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size…
- This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a…
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
- This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic…
This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic module with no DTC'ss
- This PI advised dealer technicians of possible causes of diesel fuel contamination in gasoline powered…
This PI advised dealer technicians of possible causes of diesel fuel contamination in gasoline powered vehicles and advises of warranty direction.
- This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic…
- This service bulletin provides information on Tire Sidewall Irregularities
- This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced…
This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced after severe internal engine damage.
- This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have…
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions…
- The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle…
The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is normal for the delay.
NHTSA lists 529 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Chevrolet Impala?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, steering, powertrain. Total complaints: 15. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (20%), steering or power steering problems (13%), windows, sunroof (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2020 Chevrolet Impala?
NHTSA lists 529 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 2020 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 2020 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 2026-11-04.