What 505 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Impala Eco Eassist

MY CAR JUST REACHED 79,000 MILES AND I WAS DRIVING WHEN MY CAR CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC! THIS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE SAME DRIVE. IT IMMEDIATELY STARTED BACK UP BUT THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH A STABILITRAK ERROR MESSAGE. THEN A MESSAGE SAYING ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED. NOW THE CAR'S ENGINE IS MAKING A TERRIBLE NOISE AND IS HAVING PROBLEMS ACCELERATING WITHOUT MAKING A LOUD SOUND LIKE AIR TRYING TO BLOW THROUGH A PINHOLE. THE CHEVY SERVICE DEPARTMENT I TOOK IT TO WANTS ALMOST $700 JUST TO TAKE IT APART TO SEE WHAT IT WRONG WITH IT, WHICH DOESN'T INCLUDE THE POSSIBLE AMOUNT FOR REPAIR. AND THEY DID NOT LOOK AT ANY OF THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS LIKE REQUESTED! NOW THEY ARE SAYING MY CAR IS NOT ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AT ALL. I WENT ONLINE AND STARTED TO RESEARCH THESE ISSUES AND FOUND THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE EXACT ISSUES MOST EVEN THE SAME YEAR. THERE IS NO REASON THAT A CAR WITH 79000 MILES SHOULD HAVE ENGINE PROBLEMS. I OWNED A 2003 IMPALA PRIOR TO THIS ONE AND HAD ALMOST 125000 MILES BEFORE I PURCHASED THIS 2011. THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY COMPLAINTS GOING ON WITH THIS CAR FOR IT NOT TO BE RECALLED.

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DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE CAR SHOOK AND JERKED THEN THE ENGINE POWER REDUCED, SERVICE STABILITRACK, AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL SHOWED UP ON MY DASHBOARD. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND SO DID THE TRACTION LIGHT AND THEY STAYED ON. THE RPM METER IS AVERAGING BETWEEN 3 AND 4 WHEN IT USUALLY AVERAGES BETWEEN 1 AND 2. ALSO, THE SPEED HAS BEEN REDUCED.

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WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, MY CAR SHUT DOWN. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS. I PULLED OVER ON THE SHOULDER AND EVERY LIGHT WAS ON STATING ENGINE POWER REDUCING. I HAVE HAD THIS SAME PART REPLACED TWICE IN 1.5 YEARS AND THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUS WRONG WITH THE IMPALA.

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MY CAR JUST REACHED 50,000 MILES AND I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH A STABILITRAK ERROR MESSAGE. THEN A MESSAGE SAYING ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW! I WENT ONLINE AND STARTED TO RESEARCH THESE ISSUES AND FOUND THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE EXACT ISSUES MOST EVEN THE SAME YEAR.

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G.M. REPLACED MY INGINTION SWITCH ON A NATIONAL RECALL. I WAS HIT IN LEFT REAR QTR. PANEL. I LOST ALL POWER AND COULD NOT STOP OR STEER THE CAR. I CAREENED ACROSS HIGHWAY AND RAN INTO A HOUSE. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED EITHER. G.M. SENT A TEAM TO RECOVER COMPUTER INFO AND HAS NOW TOLD ME THERE IS NO PROBLEM.

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ON MY WAY TO WORK, I WAS MAKING A NEXT TURN AT A LIGHT WHEN MY CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN SHUT OFF AND THEN TURNED BACK ON TWICE IN A MATTER OF 15 SECONDS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, IF IT WASN'T FOR THE VERY ATTENTIVE DRIVERS, I COULD'VE BEEN RAMMED!!! THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS AFTER I GOT OFF OF WORK. MY CAR WAS IN A PARKING GARAGE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I TRIED STARTING MY CAR AND IT WOULDN'T START. I TRIED A SECOND TIME AND IT STARTED BUT THE ENGINE WAS REVVING REALLY HARD, LIKE I WAS ABOUT TO SPEED OFF OR SOMETHING. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AGAIN AND STARTED IT AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME AND "SERVICE STABILITRAK, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER" ALL COME UP ON THE SERVICE SCREEN. AFTER READING MULTIPLE FORUMS ONLINE WITH HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. I WAS SCARED TO DRIVE HOME. I DROVE AT ABOUT 40 MPH ALL THE WAY HOME (MY JOB IS A 25-30 MIN COMMUTE) AND FORTUNATELY I DIDN'T GET STRANDED AND MY CAR DIDN'T TURN OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING LIKE SOME FOLK HAVE EXPERIENCED. GM NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. WHY ISNT THERE A RECALL YET?!

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GOT A MESSAGE ON MY DASH A FEW MONTHS AGO ABOUT "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL" WHILE DRIVING. TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT LIT UP ALSO. PARKED CAR AND TURNED CAR OFF THEN ON...MESSAGE GONE. TOOK IT INTO SERVICE...SHOWED NO ERROR CODES. TODAY (5/2/16), IT DID IT AGAIN WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SIMULTANEOUSLY LIGHTING UP. "SERVICE STABILITRAK", SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL", AND "ENGINE POWER IS RECUDED" ARE THE MESSAGES I GOT TODAY ALONG WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT BEING ON. I HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF THE HIGHWAY SO I WASN'T GOING FAST WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I WAS CLOSE TO WORK SO I PARKED IT AT WORK. TURNED THE CAR OFF THEN ON AGAIN AND THE MESSAGES WERE GONE AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WAS OFF BUT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. TURNED CAR ON AGAIN AT LUNCH 1.5 HOURS LATER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS OFF NOW SO I DOUBT ANYONE WILL BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR FIX ANYTHING TODAY. TAKING IT TO SERVICE TO SEE IF IT THREW ANY ERROR CODES A LITTLE LATER TODAY. I'VE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND FOUND THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. IF IT HAPPENS TO ME AND I'M IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS, I WILL SUE THE S**T OUT OF GM. I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND IF ANY OF US GETS HURT OR KILLED, THERE WILL BE H**L TO PAY. THIS ISSUE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE RECALLED. IT IS NOT DUE TO MY KEY/IGNITION ISSUE. ALREADY HANDLED THAT RECALL. LOSING POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY RANDOMLY IS ABSOLUTELY DANGEROUS AND I'M NOW VERY AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER IMPALA AGAIN.

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VEHICLE SLOWED ON HIGHWAY, REDUCED ENGINE POWER WARNING MESSAGE AND STABILITRAK MEASSAGE DISPLAYED ALSO ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHT IS ON.

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WHILE DRIVING THE TRACTION CONTROL,STABILIZER,ENGINE POWER WARNING ALL COME ON AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND SOMETIMES THE ENGINE TURNS OFF. PULL OFF ROAD, WILL NOT START THEN MINUTES LATER IT STARTS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. AFTER MULTIPLE STARTS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES OUT . I HAVE READ MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ,YET THE NOTHING IS BEING DONE. TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. THE EFFECTS OF THIS IS THE SAME AS THE IGNITION TURNING OFF. PENDING ON TRAFFIC. THIS COULD BE DEADLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ALOT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BUCKLE IN THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT, THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT THREADING SEPARATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT BELTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,739.

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IN THE RIGHT REAR SECTION OF CAR THERE IS A RATTLE ALL THE TIME.

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I BEGIN NOTICING ISSUES WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A COMPLETE STOP WHERE THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD LIKE IT COULDN'T SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR. I HAD THAT CHECKED AND NOTHING SHOWED AS AN ISSUE, SO THE MECHANIC SAID IT HAD TO BE ELECTRICAL. THIS WEEKEND I AM DRIVING IT AND AFTER 25 MINUTES IN THE CAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, AS DOES THE NOTICE THAT MY ENGINE POWER HAS BEEN REDUCED, AND TO SERVICE THE STABILITY TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. I WAS COMING TO A STOP LIGHT WHEN IT CAME ON AND I PULLED OFF TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT AS THAT WOULD WORK WHEN IT FAILED BEFORE TO RESET THE SYSTEM. IT DIDN'T RESET AND I HAD TO DRIVE IT WITH REDUCED POWER THE REST OF THE WAY TO MY DESTINATION. I HAD THIS FIXED A COUPLE YEARS AGO. I DID GET A NOTICE FROM GM ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THE ABILITY TO BE REIMBURSED OR GETTING IT FIXED IF THERE WAS A CURRENT ISSUE AND I WAS ABLE TO GET REIMBURSED FOR IT. NOW IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN, BUT MY MILEAGE IS TOO HIGH TO GET IT FIXED UNDER THIS REPAIR NOTICE BECAUSE THE LETTER SAYS THAT THE MILEAGE COVERAGE IS ONLY UP TO 120,000. IF THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND I HAVE ALREADY DEALT WITH IT BEFORE, WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT TO CONTINUALLY FAIL WHEN IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, WHICH I WOULD HAVE NO ISSUE FIXING AS A PART OF MAINTAINING THE VEHICLE?! THIS SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT GM WOULD FIX EVERY TIME IT GOES OUT BECAUSE IT IS CLEAR THE ISSUE IS A MALFUNCTION OF THE OVERALL SYSTEM AND NOT LINKED TO ANYTHING THAT THE DRIVER DOES OR DOESN'T DO TO MAINTAIN THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. IN ADDITION WHAT IF IT HAS TO BE REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES AS IS THE CASE WITH MINE. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A DEVOTED GM CUSTOMER, BUT HONESTLY I AM NOT SURE I WILL EVER BUY ANOTHER GM AFTER THIS ISSUE. IT IS UNSAFE AND PROVIDES ANXIETY WHEN DRIVING, BECAUSE IT MIGHT FAIL AT THE WORST TIME AND COULD NEED FIXED AGAIN EVEN IF I FIX IT THIS TIME.

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SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON THIS MORNING. THEN A MESSAGE SAYING MY ENGINE POWER IS REDUCING. I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR 3 WEEKS AGO. I CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THIS BECAUSE IT WAS OVER THE 120000 MILE WARRANTY (BUT I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR 3 WEEKS AGO!!!)

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STARTED SEEING ERROR MESSAGE THIS MORNING ON START UP OF THE CAR: ENGINE POWER REDUCED SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL SERVICE STABILTRAK EXPERIENCED REDUCED ENGINE POWER, TRACTION LIGHT ON, ENGINE LIGHT ON

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JANUARY 31,2016 I WAS DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 55MPH ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR SPEED GAVE THREE STALLED JERKS I IMMEDIATELY PUT ON ME EMERGENCY FLASHERS BECAUSE TWO OTHER VEHICLES WERE BEHIND ME. FROM THAT POINT ON I DROVE AT A MUCH SLOWER SPEED; WASN'T SURE IF MY CAR WAS GOING TO CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC OR NOT. IT WAS SCARY BECAUSE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. THE TRACTION STABILITY -SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. MY CAR WAS SERVICED FOR THIS VERY THING APRIL 2015. WHY I AM HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM?

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I HAVE PROBLEM WITH THE STABILITRAK/TRACTION CONTROL ON A 2011 IMPALA WITH 120,000 MILES. I HAVE FOUND OTHER PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO 3 DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND THEY ARE ALL UNSURE AS TO WHAT IT IS. I HAVE PUT A NEW THROTTLE BODY IN, NEW SPARK PLUGS, CHANGE MY OIL FAITHFULLY EVERY 3,000 MILES. IT CONTINUES TO FLASH THE MESSAGE TO ME, DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME ACCELERATION, IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE AS FAR AS REDUCING MY ENGINE POWER AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THIS HAPPENS WHEN I'M DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND EVEN WHEN I JUST START MY CAR. I HAVE TO TURN CAR OFF, LET IT SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN IT SEEMS TO RESET BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON FOR A FEW DAYS. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH AS MANY COMPLAINTS I AM READING ABOUT!

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REAR DEFROSTER NOT WORKING. DISCOVERED BURNED-UP CONNECTOR IN A PLUG UNDER PASSENGER FOOTWELL FUSE BOX. INTERNET RESEARCH INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AFFECTING IMPALAS AND OTHER MODELS OVER SEVERAL YEARS. THIS WOULD THEREFORE APPEAR TO BE A DESIGN DEFECT. OUTCOMES INCLUDE REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO INABILITY TO DEFROST/DEMIST REAR WINDOW AND FIRE HAZARD DUE TO OVERHEATED CONNECTOR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER AND MIDDLE SEAT BUCKLES BECAME LOOSE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT BELT PIN DISINTEGRATED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE ENGINE STABILITY POWER REDUCTION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND RE-LEARNED IDLE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE GEAR SHIFT BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 44,815. UPDATED 01/12/16*LJ *CN *TR

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WHEN YOUR AT A COMPLETE STOP VEHICLE GIVES A HARD JERK LIKE SOMEONE HAS REAR ENDED YOU. ALL OF THE IMPALA'S HAVE A FAILED TRANSMISSION PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID WHICH CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS WHEN IT JERKS VERY HARD CAUSING SOMEONE TO RUN INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ANYTHING WILL COME ON LETTING YOU KNOW THE PROBLEM. YEARS 2000 TO 2015 ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE SERIOUSLY GETS INJURED.

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DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, I WAS REAR ENDED, SPUN AROUND TWO TO THREE TIMES; HIT A GUARDRAIL HEAD ON BEFORE COMING TO A STOP; AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THE IGNITION RECALL HAD BEEN FIXED OVER THE PAST SUMMER AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE CLIMATE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. AS A RESULT, THE DEFROST SYSTEM FAILED TO OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLIMATE CONTROL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

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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.

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THE VEHICLE IS ALWAYS SHAKING WHEN BRAKING THE VEHICLE MAKES WEIRD SOUNDS WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE JERKS ALL THE TIME OR SOMETHING WHEN TRYING TO STEP ON THE GAS THE VEHICLE WON'T GO

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WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ACTIVATED THE ENGINE IDLE DECREASED AND THE SYSTEM COULD NOT LOCATE THE NEW THROTTLE POSITION. THIS CAUSED THE ENG POWER REDUCTION AND FAULT WARNINGS ON ENG TCS AND SCS TO LIGHT IN ORDER TO DRIVE I HAD FAULTS CLEARED AND TURNED OFF SYSTEMS. GM SAYS THE CODES HAVE TO BE READ TO FIX.UNSAFE.

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