What 505 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Impala

I WAS DRIVING ON I-695 (IN BALTIMORE) WITH MY 3 DAUGHTERS I RECEIVED "SERVICE STABILITRAK, TRACTION CONTROL, ENGINE POWER REDUCED" MESSAGE WHILE DRIVING AROUND 65 MPH. THE ENGINE AND TRACKING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE MESSAGES WOULD NOT GO AWAY. I WAS FRIGHTEN AND HOPEFUL THAT WE WOULD NOT ONLY MAKE IT TO OUR DESTINATION BUT THEN BACK HOME AGAIN. FORTUNATELY WE DID BUT THE VERY NEXT DAY I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE. IT SEEMS TO BE A ONGOING ISSUES AND MAYBE COST ME HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR. THAT MAKES ME NERVOUS BECAUSE I AM A SINGLE MOTHER WITH ONLY ONE SOURCE OF INCOME.

NHTSA ODI 11097026

THE CHECK ENGINE AND STABILITRAK LIGHT HAS COME ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES AND ALSO CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN. I AM NOW AT THE POINT OF DESPERATION AS THIS MORNING, WHILE I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK, THE LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN, ONLY THIS TIME THE CAR TURNED ITSELF OFF BUT PROCEEDED TO ROLL EVEN WITH ME ATTEMPTING TO PUT ON BRAKES. I HAVE READ IN SEVERAL FORUMS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS, INCLUDING SOMEONE CRASHING INTO A LIGHT POLE. PLEASE ADVISE WHAT CAN BE DONE, AS I NOW FEAR FOR MY LIFE WITH THIS CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11081186

WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL ON STABILITY TRACTION CONTROL? I SEE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET FOR GM VEHICLES. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT GM JUST DOESN'T CARE ENOUGH AFTER THE SALE. I JUST BOUGHT 2011 IMPALA AND NOW THE STABALITRACK SERVICE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD. IT WILL DO THIS FOR NO APPARENT REASON BUT HAPPENS MOSTLY WHEN ACCELERATING. USING THE CRUISE CONTROL ON LEVEL ROAD AND DASH WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND THROWS CAR OUT OF CRUISE, DECELERATING WHILE GAGES FLIP AROUND ALL OVER THE PLACE. POWER LOSS AND LACK OF ACCELERATION ARE DEFINITELY SAFETY ISSUES. PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY ONTO MICHIGAN HIGHWAY AND I GET HALFWAY ACROSS HIGHWAY AND CAR STOPS. THIS HIGHWAY IS 55 MPG AND WHILE I WOULD HAVE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO CROSS THE LANE, CAR LOOSES ALL POWER. LOOKING ON THE INTERNET GIVES NO HELP FOR A FIX. I TURNED THE STABILITY TRACTION CONTROL OFF, BUT THE PROBLEM DOES NOT GO AWAY. I SEE ON THE INTERNET THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN THERE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER GARAGE ONLY TO GET CHARGED EXORBITANT PRICES FOR "POSSIBLE" THAT DO NOT SEEM TO HELP. GM SHOULD GET THIS FIGURED OUT AND NOT LET EVERY DEALER GARAGE DO THEIR OWN GUESSING ON WHAT WILL FIX THIS VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT IS NOT LIMITED TO SINGLE MODEL OR YEAR BUT SPANS MANY YEARS WITH MANY MODELS. MY FIRST VEHICLE WAS A GM BUT THIS MAY BE MY LAST GM. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A DATE BELOW BUT THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND GETTING STEADILY WORSE. I HAVE HAD IT CHECKED OUT BUT NOBODY CAN GIVE ME ANY USEFUL ANSWERS

NHTSA ODI 11081263

REDUCED ENGINE POWER, SERVICE STABILITRAK AND TRACTION CONTROL. SPENT $300 TO GET THE GAS PEDAL SENSOR REPLACED 4 DAYS AGO AND ITS DOING IT AGAIN. CAR LOSES POWER (I WAS I-65 GOING ABOUT 60 MPH). SHIFTS HARD, TOO.

NHTSA ODI 11079432

BOUGHT 2011 IMPALA LT 2 WEEKS AGO, FIRST TIME DRIVING TO WORK ON FREEWAY - ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND MESSAGE COMES UP - ENGINE POWER LOSS, STABILITAK TRACTION CONTROL. CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN!! ALMOST GOT HIT BY SEMI . NO ONE HAS ANY ANSWERS!?

NHTSA ODI 11067391

ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, ONCE ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND AGAIN TODAY, MY 2011 CHEV IMPALA LTZ DISPLAYED A SERIES OF ROTATING ALERT MESSAGES -- 1. SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL 2. SERVICE STABILITRAK 3. ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 45 MILES PER HOUR ON AN OPEN ROAD WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING VERY ROUGHLY AND SLOWED DOWN AND THE ABOVE 3 MESSAGES REPEATEDLY DISPLAYED ONE AFTER THE OTHER. ALSO 2 YELLOW LIGHTS WERE FLASHING AND THEN REMAINED ON -- THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT (I THINK). WHEN I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO THE CHEV DEALERSHIP A YEAR AGO, I WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE THE WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. (AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IF IT ISN'T BROKEN WHEN I TAKE IT IN, THE SERVICE DEPT WOULD MOST CHALLENGED TO FIX IT.) TODAY, WHEN THIS HAPPENED I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO A SAFE PLACE TO PARK. I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, WAITED A MOMENT AND THEN RESTARTED THE CAR. THE SAME 3 MESSAGES WERE DISPLAYED WITH THE TWO YELLOW LIGHTS STAYING ON. WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR 3 OR 4 HOURS LATER, ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS DISPLAYED. THE 3 REFERENCED ALERTS WERE NOT DISPLAYED. I AM GETTING READY TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN WITH THIS PROBLEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE AS TO HOW TO PROCEED?

NHTSA ODI 11063959

WHEN TAKING LEFT TURNS THE CAR MAKES A LOUD GRIND NOISE THEN THE STABILITY CONTROLL WILL TURN ON. NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND STABILITY CONTROLL LIGHT POPPED ON WHILE DRIVING WHILE ALSO HAVING ENGINE POWER REDUCED WHICH THEN APPLIED MY BRAKES CAUSING ME TO ALMOST GO OFF THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 11056328

TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT, STABILITRAC LIGHT, AND ENGINE LIGHT ALL CAME ON WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY. THIS CAUSED THE CAR TO START JERKING AND SHIFTING HARD, ALSO ENGINE RUNNING LIKE IT HAS A MISFIRE NOW. BEFORE THIS BEGAN THE CAR WAS RUNNING AND SHIFTING PERFECT.

NHTSA ODI 11033299

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE TRACTION CONTROL, SERVICE STABILITY, CHECK ENGINE, AND ENGINE POWER INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE JERKED AND THE CONTACT DECELERATED THE VEHICLE TO 10 MPH; HOWEVER, THE SPEEDOMETER INDICATED 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT THERE WAS NO ANSWER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11011612

WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AT ABOUT 65MPH MY CAR SUDDENLY ALERTED "SERVICE STABILTRAK, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, ENGINE POWER REDUCED" AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO UTILIZE CRUISE CONTROL ANYMORE AND IT STARTED TO SLOW DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 40MPH. THEN MY VEHICLE STARTED TO JERKILY MOVE & THEN IT ALERTED "STARTER DISABLED SERVICE THROTTLE" AND MY CAR SHUT DOWN (STEERING ALTERED & CAR SHUT OFF). I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD & TRIED TO RESTART MY CAR (UNSUCCESSFULLY FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES). DID I MENTION I HAD MY 2 CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH ME WHEN THIS HAPPENED? THIS WAS TERRIFYING AS MY CAR JUST STOPPED-I HAD MINIMAL WARNING & WHEN TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE IT COULD'VE BEEN A LOT WORSE. AFTER READING HOW FREQUENTLY THIS HAPPENS, WHY HASN'T IT BEEN RECALLED?

NHTSA ODI 10993052

ENGINE SHUT DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY, COASTED TO STOP ON SHOULDER. ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. WAITED 5 MINUTES THEN ENGINE RESTARTED ERROR MESSAGE DISPLAYED BEFORE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING: SHUTTING DOWN THROTTLE

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SERVICE STABILITY TRAC AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHTS CAME ON. CAR STARTED JERKING AND MAKING NOISES WHEN STARTING CAR.

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MY SERVICE STABILITRACK, REDUCE ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME ON WHILE I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY. WHEN THIS HAPPENED I HAD ALMOST NO BRAKE PEDAL. I COULDN'T STOP AT THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE EXIT, LUCKILY NO OTHER CARS WERE AROUND. IF I HAD BEEN ON A MAIN STREET AT 45MPR AND HAD TO STOP FOR A RED LIGHT I WOULD HAVE NEVER STOPPED ON TIME. I'M VERY LUCKY NO CARS WERE AT THE LIGHT WAITING OR COMING IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION WITH THE GREEN LIGHT. I SEE THIS PROBLEM ALL OVER EDMUNDS AND ON YOU TUBE AND AS FAR AS I CAN TELL IT'S 100% CHEVROLET. HOW CAN THIS NOT BE A RECALL. THERE ARE DOZENS AND DOZENS OF THE SAME COMPLAINT ON EDMUNDS AND YOU TUBE. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY YOU TUBE VIDEO HAS A DIFFERENT FIX FOR THE PROBLEM....FROM PULLING OUT THE FUSE TO THE STABILITRACK TO OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS IN REPAIRS. DOES THERE HAVE TO BE A DEATH TO GET THE ATTENTION OF CHEVROLET. THE LIGHT HAD COME ON A FEW TIMES BEFORE BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. USUALLY IT CAME ON AND I WOULD TURN THE CAR OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES AND IT WOULD BE FINE......SO HOW COULD THIS BE ANYTHING BUT A MALFUNCTION IF IT GOES OFF AND ON AT ANY WHIM. THEY MUST KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AS IT SEEMS TO BE VERY PREVALENT AND AGAIN FROM WHAT I HAVE READ IT'S ALWAYS A CHEVROLET.

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THE ENGINE SPUTTERS AND BOGS DOWN. I HAVE SPENT OVER $300 TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT, AND NO ONE CAN BECAUSE THERE IS NO DASHBOARD LIGHT THAT COMES ON. IT HAPPENS MAINLY AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED.

NHTSA ODI 10940379

TRANSMISSION FAILURE, VEHICLE CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET DURING RUSH HOUR. PEOPLE COULD NOT PUSH THE VEHICLE OUT OF STREET. TRANSMISSION /ENGINE LOCKED

NHTSA ODI 10935939

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND A BEEPING SOUND WAS HEARD. THE ENGINE POWER REDUCE WARNING MESSAGE ALSO DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE WOULD DECELERATE, BUT ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED OFF AND RESTARTED, THE ISSUE WOULD BE CORRECTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT ANY TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

NHTSA ODI 10927700

CHECK ENGINE - THEN POWER REDUCTION - DOWN TO ABOUT 20 MILES PER HOUR - JERKING ALL OVER THE PLACE - THEN STABLETECK LIGHT COMES ON... EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY - AND THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW WHATS GOING ON... GM FIX IT PLEASE... I DON'T HAVE 80,000 AND NOW A BUSTED VEHICLE - WON'T BUY ANOTHER GM PRODUCT EVER... OH YEAH - RETIRED FROM GM FAMILY

NHTSA ODI 10924894

WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP THE CAR JERKS AS IF THE TRANSMISSION IS TRYING TO CATCH UP AND IT FEELS LIKE YOU'VE BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. IT'S AN ON AND OFF PROBLEM BUT IT HAPPENS IN THE RAIN AND IS DANGEROUS THE DEALER CHANGED THE TRANS OIL AND IT STILL DOES IT. NEXT THE CAR GOES INTO "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" AND "SERVICE STABILITRAK" WHILE DRIVING AND WILL NOT LET ME FINISH MY HIGHWAY DRIVE SAFELY, NO ONE AT THE DEALER CAN HELP WITH THIS EXCEPT TO SAY IT WILL CAST A LOT OF MONEY TO FIX. HEADLIGHTS CONSTANTLY BURN OUT AND I BOUGHT EXPENSIVE LIGHTS LAST TIME AND ONE IS ALREADY BURNT OUT. I HAVE ONLY 1 PAYMENT LEFT AND THE CAR IS READY FOR THE JUNKYARD, YOU WOULD THINK AFTER $28000.00 IT WOULD LAST A LITTLE LONGER. WHAT HAPPENED TO GM??

NHTSA ODI 10915203

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR I CAME UP TO A RED LIGHT IT STARTED SHAKING THEN A MESSAGE CAME UP THAT SAID SERVICE STABILITRACK AFTER IT TURN OFF AND WOULDN'T TURN BACK ON I HAD TO PUSH IT OUT OF THE MAIN ST TO AVOID GETTING HIT OR CAUSING AN ACCIDENT I ENDED UP GETTING IT TOWED TO MY HOUSE CALLED A MECHANIC TO LOOK AT IT AND HE SAYS IT MIGHT BE MY MOTOR SO I CALLED THE CHEVY DEALER IN LAKEWOOD AND THEY TOLD ME MY WARRANTY WAS UP LAST YEAR SO THEY SAY THEY COULD NOT DO NOTHING FOR ME I HAVE TO FIX IT OUT OF MY POCKET THIS CAR HAD ALREADY TOO MUCH PROBLEMS FROM THE START MY TRANSMISSION BROKE ALSO UNDER 60000 MILES LUCKILY IS WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY BUT NOW I GOT NO CAR NO MONEY AND I'M STILL PAYING FOR THE CAR I GOT ABOUT 2 YRS LEFT TO FINISH IT AND IT DIDN'T EVEN GET TO 100000 MILES I GOT PLAYED ON BUYING THIS CAR ALL MY HARD WORK MONEY IS BEING TAKEN FOR THEM SELLING ME A PROBLEMATIC CAR I SPOKE TO GENERAL MOTORS AND ALL THEY SAID THEY HAVE TO TALK TO A SENIOR ADVISOR IT'S BECOME DANGEROUS TO EVEN DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS TO IT IT STOPS WERE EVER NOW I HAVE A FAMILY KIDS I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR NO MORE I NEED TO KNOW WHAT COULD BE DONE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM IF NOT I HAVE TO PROCEED WITH LEGAL MATTERS AND ALSO GET A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT STARTED CAUSE THEIRS MANY PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND THE SAME CAR.

NHTSA ODI 10915064

TRAVELING A STATE HIGHWAY AT THE LEGAL SPEED OF 70 MPH, HAD TO BREAK VERY HARD. AS THE CAR SLOWED DOWN THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND POWER STEERING FAILED.

NHTSA ODI 10895539

MY CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN BEEPED AND 3 WARNINGS CAME UP SAYING "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" ,"SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL" AND "SERVICE STABILITRAK" 2 IMAGES CAME ON AS WELL THE ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRACTION ONE. THE CAR SEEMED TO BE RUNNING FINE I WAS ALMOST HOME. BUT IT SCARED ME SINCE ALL THOSE LIGHTS WERE FLASHING. ESPECIALLY THE ENGINE POWER REDUCING. READING ALL THESE STORIES I FEEL LUCKY THAT MY CAR DID NOT STOP ON ME. I REMEMBERED ID RECEIVED A LETTER THAT WAS NOT A RECALL BUT MENTIONED TO TAKE IN IF YOU HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THIS AND SHOULD BE COVERED OR REFUNDED IF FIXED IN THE PAST. I FOUND IT CALLED GM AND HAVE AN APPT IN 2 WEEKS WHICH WORRIES ME HOPE NOTHING HAPPENS BETWEEN THEN. THE BAD AND GOOD THING IS THAT NOW ALL THE LIGHTS HAVE COME OFF. HOPING THEY ARE STILL ABLE TO FIX IT AND I AM NOT HAVING TO PAY ANYTHING FOR IT. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE A RECALL.

NHTSA ODI 10889266

TODAY OUR 2011 IMPALA DISPLAYED MSGS FOR "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, SERVICE STABILITRACK, ENGINE POWER REDUCED". WE STARTED TO PULL OVER AS IT DRAMATICALLY SLOWED. THE ENGINE THEN DIED. WE WERE ON A 6 LANE HIGHWAY GOING 45. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. WE RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. THE DEALER DID NOT REPAIR IT BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE ERROR.

NHTSA ODI 10871492

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.

NHTSA ODI 10871448

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.

NHTSA ODI 10870782

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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