What 505 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Impala

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE SPEED SENSOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

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I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND IT BEGAN TO SHAKE AND LOSE POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH MESSAGES REDUCED ENGINE POWER, SERVICE STABILTRAK. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING QUITE A BIT WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING ONLINE AND HAVE NOTICED THAT NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED GOING BACK YEARS. GM SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM AS IT IS HAPPENING WITH NUMEROUS VEHICLES. I DRIVE ON THE INTERSTATE EVERY DAY AND IF THIS HAPPENS THERE I HOPE IT DOESN'T CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

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AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD MY CAR LOST SPEED DROP FROM 35 MPH TO 20 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TRIANGLE WITH THE CAR AND SKID MARKS THEN IT KEPT FLASHING THE SERVICE STABILITRAK CONTROL, ENGINE POWER REDUCED, AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL AND IT STARTED TO JERK AND JUMP. I HAVE BEEN HAVING MAJOR ISSUES OUT OF THIS CAR FIRST IT WAS THE RIGHT HUB (EATING TIRES), THEN THE LEFT HUB (EATING MORE TIRES), THEN THE TRANSMISSION AND GEAR SHIFT COMPLETELY GONE (REPLACED EVERYTHING) NOW THIS PLUS THE FRONT TIRES ARE STILL GETTING ATE UP. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS CHEVY IMPALA. I AM SO READY TO GET A HONDA. AS I SEE THERE ARE OTHER OWNERS THAT ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. WHY ISN'T IT A RECALL ON THESE PROBLEMS? NOBODY LIKES TOO LOOSE THEIR MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BY GM IN THE FIRST PLACE. WHAT WILL GM DO IF ALL CUSTOMERS PROTEST ABOUT THESE ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED ON WHETHER ITS FOR THE PUBLIC, PRIVATE, OR GOVERNMENT SECTOR? *TR

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I WAS DRIVING ON I70 GOING 70 MPH AND OUT OF NOWHERE MY ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND 3 MESSAGES START APPEARING ON THE DASH. 1) SERVICE STABILTRAC, 2) SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, 3( ENGINE POWER REDUCING. MY CAR A 2011 CHEVY IMPALA SLOWS DOWN TO ABOUT 50. I GET IT GOING BACK TO 60 BUT NOT VERY EASILY. I KEEP GOING AND MERGE ONTO 465 (INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA AREA). I COME INTO SLOWER TRAFFIC WHERE I NEED TO STOP. I APPLY MY BREAKS AND THE PEDAL WILL NOT ENGAGE. ALMOST HIT A CAR. ALSO WHEN I SLOWED DOWN THE CAR STARTED SHAKING BAD. I CONTINUE A LITTLE FARTHER IN SLOW TRAFFIC AND HAD TO STOP AGAIN, SAME THING WITH THE BREAKS. SO I PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF MY CAR ON THE SIDE OF I465. MY DAUGHTER HAD LOOKED UP THE ERROR MESSAGES ON THE INTERNET AND THERE SEEM TO BE A LOT ON THERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY ALL SAID THE SAME THING, AFTER SHUTTING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING IT IT WAS FINE. I MADE IT HOME AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND IT HAPPENED A FEW MORE TIMES SO FAR. ONCE AT A STOP SIGN AND THE SAME DAY AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE AT WORK. ONCE AGAIN THAT SAME WEEK I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN AND TOOK OFF FROM A RED LIGHT AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. FROM A COMPLETE STOP THE CAR STARTED SHAKING AND THE ERROR MESSAGES AND ENGINE LIGHT COME ON AND IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT NOTHING ABOUT IT EXCEPT TO GET IT FIXED, BUT AFTER READING SO MUCH ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM THERE HAS TO BE AN ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. GM NEEDS TO OWN UP TO THIS PROBLEM BEFORE PEOPLE GET INJURED OR WORSE DIE FROM THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10567053

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON (AND HAD GONE OUT) PREVIOUSLY. DASH SAID "SERVICE STABILITRAC, ENGINE POWER REDUCED" AND A MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A "SENSOR IN THE GAS PEDAL" AND THAT IF IT KEPT HAPPENING WE SHOULD REPLACE IT. I DIDN'T FULLY REALIZE THAT THIS MEANT THAT THE THROTTLE WOULD DISABLE ITSELF WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN MORNING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE LEFT HAND LANE GOING UP A HILL DOING 60 MPH. THERE WAS TRAFFIC BEHIND ME AND IN OTHER LANE SO I HAD TO PULL INTO THE CENTER SHOULDER OVERTOP OF 5 INCHES OF SNOW AND ICE. IT WAS A STRUGGLE NOT TO HIT THE GUARDRAIL. THERE WAS BARELY ENOUGH ROOM. I JUST MADE IT OVER THE YELLOW LINE. IT WAS 20 DEGREES AND THEN HAD TO WAIT AN HOUR FOR A TOW TRUCK. THE CAR DID START AND DRIVE AT THE GARAGE. THIS MECHANIC REPLACED THE ACCELERATION PEDAL ASSEMBLY. THE ERROR WAS CODE P2122. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE COULD SMELL BURNING WIRES. I HAD SMELLED IT BUT DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT IT WAS. *TR

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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR JERKED AND A MESSAGE SHOWING "ENGINE POWER REDUCED, SERVICE STABILITRAK" SHOWED UP. I NOTICED THE RPMS JERKING UP AND DOWN WITH A PRETTY DRAMATIC RANGE. WHEN I SLOWED DOWN MY CAR STARTED SHAKING. THE WORST PART IS THAT WHEN I SHUT MY CAR OFF THE PROBLEM STOPS. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 OTHER TIMES. ONCE WHILE IDLING. ONCE WHILE SLOWING DOWN FROM 55 TO 35 AND ONCE WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO PATTERN AND IT IS INTERMITTENT. *TR

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DRIVING AND THE CAR SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. *TR

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WHILE TRAVELLING ON THE HIGHWAY, IN THE RAIN, THE POWER TO THE ENGINE SUDDENLY AND DRASTICALLY SLOWED DOWN. THE WARNINGS SHOWED UP ON THE SCREEN" STABILITRAK, TRACTION CONTROL, ENGINE POWER LOSS. *TR

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WHEN DRIVING, NOTICED ON THE FREEWAY, IT WASN'T SMOOTH AT TIMES. THE TRANSMISSION'S SHIFTING WAS PRETTY ROUGH. NO INDICATION OF ANY ISSUES POPPED UP ON DASHBOARD. WHEN ARRIVING AT A FREEWAY RAMP, IT FELT LIKE I WAS HYDROPLANING, BUT ON GRAVEL. THEN, NOTICED WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, WAS NOT GOING ANYWHERE, BUT FELT LIKE I WAS IN NEUTRAL. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND TAKE A LOOK... TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS FINE... NOTHING POPPED UP ON THE DASHBOARD. NOTHING! THE INDICATORS FOR TIRES, OIL, ETC WERE SHOWING INFO, BUT NOTHING TO INDICATE IT HAD DIED OR IF THERE WERE ANY ENGINE ISSUES. HAD BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR 11 MONTHS AGO. THE MECHANICS WERE SAYING THAT THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH AN HUGE TRANSMISSION FAILURE BEFORE. THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE THING. *TR

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WE ARE LEASING A 2011 CHEVY IMPALA, AND WITH NO WARNING AFTER 3 CHIMES A MESSAGE WILL COME UP ON THE DASH STATING "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, ENGINE POWER REDUCED". THE VEHICLE WILL START TO SLOW DOWN AND SOMETIMES COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHARGED ME $357.00 TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE COMPUTER CHIP IN THE GAS PEDAL. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON LINE AND THERE WERE A LOT OF CONSUMERS THAT EXPERIENCED THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AND WHEN THEY TOOK THEIR VEHICLES INTO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR THEIR VEHICLES WERE DIAGNOSED WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE NO ONE DRIVING BEHIND YOU EXPECTS YOUR VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY DRASTICALLY SLOW DOWN OR EVEN STOP WITH NO WARNING. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT YOU COULD BE INJURED BY A REAR END ACCIDENT. I'M SURE BY NOW CHEVY IS AWARE OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART AND THEY SHOULD PUT OUT A RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM SO THAT CONSUMERS ARE AWARE ABOUT IT AND NOT HAVE TO COME OUT OF POCKET FOR REPAIRS. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE SPEED REDUCE ALERT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE SPEED INDEPENDENTLY DECELERATED TO 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR CHIP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

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THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES TO MY 2011 IMPALA. I WILL BE DRIVING NORMALLY, ANYWHERE FROM 45 TO UP TO 65 MPH, AND I WILL GET A WARNING SAYING "SERVICE STABILTRACK, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, ENGINE POWER REDUCED". USUALLY I CAN SHUT THE CAR OFF AND WAIT 5 MINUTES, AND THE MESSAGES WILL CLEAR, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL REMAIN ILLUMINATED FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, EVENTUALLY CLEARING. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL FOR WHATEVER IS CAUSING THIS, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS WITH IMPALAS HAVING THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM. WE AS THE CONSUMER, SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY MONEY OUT OF OUR POCKET, FOR A PROBLEM THAT CHEVROLET CAUSED DURING THE MANUFACTURE OF THIS CAR. *TR

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DRIVING 30 MPH IN A SMALL TOWN. A "BINGING" NOISE SOUNDS 3 TIMES AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT AS WELL AS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE MESSAGING SYSTEM STATED THAT TO "SERVICE STABILITRAK," "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL," AND "ENGINE POWER REDUCED. THE ACCELERATION WAS NOTICEABLY REDUCED AS WELL AS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN MAINTAINING SPEED. MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT KICK IN WHEN SETTING SPEED WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO MANAGE A 65 MPH SPEED LIMIT. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE CONTACT APPLIED MORE PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE TRACTION STABILIZER WARNING LIGHT BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE ONE WEEK LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ACCELERATOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

NHTSA ODI 10490561

I WAS DRIVING 60-70 MILES PER HOUR ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES THE ENGINE GOT A SUDDEN BOOST OF POWER. I WAS TOLD IT IS THE SENSOR ON THE GAS PEDAL THAT IS EFFECTING THE ENGINE POWER AND IT IS NOT COVERED BY POWER 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10480166

AFTER I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE THIS SUMMER I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WOULDN'T ACCELERATE WHEN PULLING OUT IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC PLUS I HAD TO REALLY PRESS HARD ON THE GAS PEDAL TO GET POWER ON SMALL INCLINES. TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP AND OF COURSE THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. IT SEEMS THAT IF THE ENGINE LIGHT ISN'T ON THEY DON'T HAVE A CLUE. SO I TOOK THE MECHANIC FOR A LITTLE DRIVE AND HE STILL COULDN'T FEEL ANYTHING WRONG OR HEAR THE SLIGHT SQUEAK IN THE GAS PEDAL BUT FINALLY TOLD ME ABOUT THE SENSORS IN THE PEDAL AND THAT HE WOULD LUBE IT. AFTER HE LUBED THE ACCELERATOR THE VEHICLE RAN GREAT FOR AWHILE AND NOW IT IS STARTING AGAIN AND THE GAS PEDALS SQUEAK IS MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN DEPRESSING IT. THE THING IS MY FULL WARRANTY HAS NOW EXPIRED AND I DOUBT THAT CHEVY WOULD COVER ANY COSTS. ANOTHER THING IS THE HEADRESTS IN THE BACK SEAT ARE WAY TOO BIG. YOU PRACTICALLY HAVE TO DISLOCATE YOUR SHOULDER TO SEE OUT THE BACK WINDOW WHEN BACKING UP; THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE FOR VISION. THEY NEED TO HAVE A RECALL TO REPLACE THE WHOLE BENCH AND GET RID OF THESE HIGH HEADRESTS! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10476732

I HAVE 42,000 ON MY 2011 CHEVY IMPALA AND THE SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL AND THEN REDUCE ENGINE POWER AS WELL AS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ONE. I HAVE READ IT IS THE THROTTLE BODY AND NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT NUMEROUS PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME EXACT THING AND NO RECALL OR ANY KIND OF CARE IS COMING FROM GM.... AND THOSE OF US THAT ARE STILL PAYING FOR OUR CARS ARE GETTING THE SHORT END OF THE STICK... *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING DOWN AN INCLINE APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIFT UP TO 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP UPON ENGAGING THE BRAKES AND RESUMED AS NORMAL. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. ..UPDATED 09-26-12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILS WHEN GOING DOWN HILLS. UPDATED 10/01/2012 *JS

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MY FIRST ISSUE WAS WITH THE CENTER HEAD RESTRAINT IN THE BACK WHICH TOTALLY BLOCKS VISION USING THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. I ASKED THE DEALER TO REMOVE IT AND I WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT. BACKING UP IS IMPOSSIBLE EXCEPT WITH THE SIDE MIRRORS AND TRAFFIC IMMEDIATELY BEHIND IS BLOCKED WHEN DRIVING. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS BUT GM REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL TO ADJUST THESE HEADRESTS. ALSO, I LIVE IN THE TN MOUNTAINS AND THE CRUISE CONTROL COMPLETELY DISENGAGES WHEN GOING DOWNHILL. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME "THIS WAS NORMAL AND ALL NEW CARS DID THIS TO SAVE GAS"! I'M NOT THAT MUCH OF AN IDIOT! CRUISE CONTROL IS SET TO MAINTAIN SPEED.... PERIOD! PLEASE.... CAN YOU HELP? *TR

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