What 505 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Impala Limited

REGARDING REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS ON 2011 CHEVY. IMPALA LT. THE 3 REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS ARE POSITIONED (STATIONARY) IN SUCH A MANNER THAT WHEN LOOKING IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IT OBSTRUCTS THE VIEW BY AT LEAST 90%. THIS MAKES FOR A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN BACKING THE VEHICLE. EVEN IF SIMPLY THE CENTER REAR HEAD REST WAS REMOVED IT WOULD HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM DRASTICALLY. CHEVROLET SITE FOR 2011 IMPALA HAS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF OWNERS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. CHEVROLET SHOULD STAND THE COST TO REPAIR/ADJUST THE ABOVE PROBLEM. IT'S A LAW SUIT WAITING TO HAPPEN. WHAT EVER THE DESIGNERS FOR THIS AUTOMOBILE WERE THINKING IS BEYOND ME. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10373902

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA LST. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING IN REVERSE APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR SEATS HEAD REST WERE TOO TALL AND MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR THE DRIVER TO SEE THE REAR VIEW WINDOW. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILLED BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE DEALER WAS ALSO CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,100. UPDTATED 2/17/11 *CN UPDATED 03/03/11

NHTSA ODI 10372051

2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA LT. CONSUMER STATES THAT REAR HEAD RESTRAINTS ARE EXCESSIVELY HIGH *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HIS REAR VIEW VISION OF TRAFFIC WAS OBSTRUCTED. *JB

NHTSA ODI 10371730

I OWN A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA WHICH HAS A SERIOUS TRAFFIC HAZARD INVOLVING THE THREE REAR HEAD RESTS AFFIXED/SEWN - WHICH MAKES THEM NON-ADJUSTABLE. THE PROBLEM IS AGGRAVATED BY THE FACT THAT THE HEAD RESTS ARE HIGHER THAN MOST VEHICLES. THE FIXED POSITION OF THESE HEAD RESTS BLOCK THE DRIVER'S VISION OUT OF ABOUT ONE THIRD OF THE REAR WINDOW. THE MIDDLE HEAD REST IS ESPECIALLY TROUBLESOME. I WROTE GENERAL MOTORS ABOUT THIS APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS AGO AND THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED. THE SALES AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AT THE DEALERSHIP ARE WELL AWARE OF MY CONCERNS. NHTSA COMPLAINT 10358310 WAS ALSO FILED CONCERNING THIS IDENTICAL PROBLEM, I HAVE 61 YEARS OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE - ALL SIZES/TYPES OF AUTOS. IN MY CONSIDERED OPINION THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. I HAVE RAISED THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO THE HIGHEST SETTING AND HAVE TRIED ALL POSSIBLE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE INSIDE AND SIDE MIRRORS IN AN ATTEMPT TO SOLVE THIS TO NO AVAIL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10362197

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE THROUGH THE REAR WINDOW DUE TO THE REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS BLOCKING HER VIEW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING TO STANDARDS AND COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 11. UPDATED 12/30/10*LJ UPDATED 01/04/11

NHTSA ODI 10358310