What 505 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Impala

"TAKATA RECALL" VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION, WAS PUSHED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND HIT HEAD ON. AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED ADDITIONALLY THE BACK OF DRIVERS SEAT COLLAPSED INTO THE REAR SEAT

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WELL I HAVE NOT TO MANY COMPLAINTS AS I DO MY OWN MAINTENANCE BUT SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR USED AT 32000 MILES AT 83000 DRIVER SEAT HEATER UNION AND NOW AT 114764 MILES SERVICE AIR BAGS LIGHT IS ON DISPLAY AND LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED AT ALL TIMES. IT STARTED WHEN CAR WAS TURNED ON SEPT 30 2017 IN THE MORNING.

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I WANT TO ADD MY COMPLAINT TO THE LIST THAT INCLUDES MANY OTHERS REGARDING THE THREE HEAD RESTS BUILT INTO THE REAR SEAT. THEY SIGNIFICANTLY LIMIT THE DRIVER'S FIELD OF VISION, AND THUS CAN AFFECT THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO SAFELY OPERATE THE VEHICLE. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED. *TR

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CANNOT SEE OUT OF REAR WINDOW DUE TO OBSTRUCTIONS FROM REAR SEAT HEADRESTS

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THE THREE REAR SEAT HEADREST ARE WAY TOO LARGE AND HIGH AND BLOCK THE DRIVERS VIEW OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW. EACH ONE OF THE THREE HEADREST BLOCK PART OF THE VIEW OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT DRIVERS OF THIS CAR ARE BEING FORCED TO DEAL WITH. THERE SHOULD BE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING INTERFERING WITH THE VIEW OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW FROM THE DRIVERS SEAT. THE REAR SEAT HEADREST ARE OBVIOUSLY OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVERS VIEW OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE BACKS INTO SOMETHING OR SOMEONE OR CHANGES LANES CAUSING A CRASH ON A HIGHWAY DESTROYING PROPERTY, INJURING OR KILLING SOMEONE. THEN THERE WILL BE A HUGE CIVIL SUIT AND YOU CAN BET THE DRIVER OF THE CAR WILL PREVAIL ESPECIALLY AFTER THIS SAFETY HAZARD HAS BEEN REPORTED TO GM, NHTSA, THE BBB AND OTHERS AND NOTHING WAS DONE TO MANDATE A RECALL TO HAVE THESE HEADREST REMOVED.

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I PURCHASED A 2011 CHEVROLET 2011 IMPALA LT CAR RECENTLY. I FIND THAT THE HEIGHTS OF THE THREE BACK-SEAT HEAD RESTS ARE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS FOR A DRIVER OF THIS CAR. EACH HEAD REST IS FIVE INCHES TOO HIGH TO SEE OUT THE BACK WINDOW. I HAD NOT HEARD BEFORE HAND THAT THE 2011 IMPALA WAS WELL KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM UNTIL AFTER I HAD PURCHASED THE CAR. RECENTLY, BECAUSE OF MY LIMITED VISIBILITY PAST THE LEFT BACK-SEAT WINDOW HEAD RESTS, IN BACKING MY CAR, I BUMPED A PARKED CAR. MY LEFT REAR FENDER STRUCK THE LICENSE PLATE HOLDER OF THAT CAR. THE COST OF THIS FENDER REPAIR WAS $983.00. I FEAR THAT MY DRIVING THIS CAR WITHOUT CHANGES MADE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE HEAD RESTS IS LEADING TO ANOTHER MORE SERIOUS ACCIDENT WAITING. TO HAPPEN. I WILL APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION INTO THIS MATTER. THANK YOU.

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2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE HEAD REST ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE THE HEAD REST REMOVED. SHE STATED THEY WERE TOO LARGE, WHICH BLOCKED HER VIEW.

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ON TWO OCCASIONS WHILE BACKING I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SEE BEHIND ME IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR BE CAUSE THE VIEW IS OBSTRUCTED BY THE 3 REAR SEAT HEADRESTS. I HAVE ALMOST HIT TWO PEOPLE WHO'S HEADS WERE BLOCKED BY THE REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS. I WISH THE HEAD RESTS COULD BE REMOVED BUT THE ARE MOLDED AS PART OF THE REAR SEAT. STUPIDEST REAR SEAT DESIGN I HAVE EVER SEEN. *TR

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THE BACK SEATS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE ALMOST HAD NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE OVER THE SEATS. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING MY 2011 IMPALA IN REVERSE, REAR HEAD RESTRAINTS BLOCK HALF OF MY VIEW, SO EXTRA CAUTION HAS TO BE USED. THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM ON OTHER VEHICLES I HAVE OWNED. ALSO THE FRONT HEAD RESTRAINTS ARE POSITIONED TOO FAR FORWARD AND PUTS MY NECK IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION. ON LONG TRIPS MY NECK ACHES VERY BAD. RAISING THE HEAD RESTRAINTS DOES NOT HELP THIS PROBLEM. IF CHEVROLET HAS NO FIX FOR THESE TWO PROBLEMS I WILL BE FORCED TO MAKE THEM MYSELF OR GET RID OF THIS CAR. *TR

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2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE BACK ROW HEAD RESTS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN USING THE REAR VIEW MIRROR, THE HEAD REST OBSTRUCTED HIS VISION SO THAT APPROXIMATELY TWO-THIRDS OF THE REAR WINDOW WAS BLOCKED FROM VIEW.

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REAR SEAT CENTER HEAD REST LIMITS VISIBILITY, SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS. IT IS A DEFINITE HAZARD. *TR

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THE TALL REAR SEAT HEADRESTS SEVERELY OBSCURE VISION TO THE REAR WHEN BACKING UP. THE MIDDLE REAR SEAT HEADREST IS THE WORST OFFENDER, AND COMPLETELY BLOCKS MY REAR VISION TO THE POINT WHERE I CANNOT TELL IF THERE IS A VEHICLE OR OTHER OBJECT BEHIND ME WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD OR BACKING UP. IT APPEARS THAT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY GM AS I HAVE NOTICED THE 2012 IMPALA DOES NOT HAVE THIS CENTER REAR HEADREST! THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN AND A RECALL NEEDS TO BE ISSUED FOR THESE OLDER MODEL IMPALAS SO THESE REAR SEAT HEADRESTS CAN BE REMOVED. I ALREADY SUBMITTED A COMPLAINT TO GM (REFERENCE #[XXX]) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MIDDLE HEADREST IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WOULD SIT TOO HIGH, BLOCKING THE CONTACT'S VIEW OF THE ROADWAY WHEN UTILIZING THE REARVIEW MIRROR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 900. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 11,300. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

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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

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CANNOT SEE OUT OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR BECAUSE THE MIDDLE REAR SEAT HEADREST IS VERY TALL. THIS HEADREST IS NOT PRESENT ON THE 2012 IMPALA, SO THIS IS AN ISSUE. ALSO, TURNING AND TRYING TO LOOK OUT THE BACK WINDOW IS IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE OF HIGH REAR SEAT HEADRESTS. *TR

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WE, LIKE OTHERS, DIDN'T REALIZE HOW TALL THE THREE REAR HEADRESTS WERE WHEN WE PURCHASED OUR 2011 CHEVY IMPALA. THE CENTER HEADREST IS ESPECIALLY A PROBLEM; IT CREATES A BLINDSPOT AND TO ME IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. GM REALLY NEEDS TO ADDRESS WE OWNERS WHO ARE STUCK WITH THIS; THEY OBVIOUSLY KNOW THERE'S A PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY REMOVED THAT CENTER HEADREST ON THE 2012 MODEL. IN THE MEANTIME, SO FAR, THEY'VE IGNORED THEIR BIG MESS UP AND DO NOTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITH THE 2011 MODEL. IF WE'D KNOWN WHAT AN ISSUE THIS WAS GOING TO BE WE WOULD HAVE NEVER BOUGHT THIS CAR; IT'S BEAUTIFUL, BUT IT'S ALSO GOT A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. GM EITHER NEEDS TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION, SUCH AS HAVING AN UPHOLSTERY SHOP REMOVE THE CENTER HEADREST OR REPLACE THE SEAT WITH THE NEW MODEL. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THEY'LL ACTUALLY CARE????????????? *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR CENTER HEADREST OBSTRUCTED THE REAR VIEW. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE HEADREST DESIGN COULD NOT BE ALTERED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 7,200. ..UPDATED 09/04/12 *BF UPDATED 09/12/2012 *JS

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MY HUSBAND IS 6' TALL AND WE GOT A 2011 CHEVY IMPALA THE BACK SEAT HAS 3 HEADREST AND THE MIDDLE HEADREST BLOCKS HIS VIEW USING THE REAR VIEW MIRROR HE DID NOT PAY ANY ATTENTION WHEN HE TEST DROVE IT AND WHEN I DROVE IT HOME I COULD NOT SEE THE CAR BEHIND ME SO I TOLD MY HUSBAND AND WHEN WE GOT HOME WITH THE CAR WE BOTH REALLY LIKE IT SO I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND ASK IF THE BACK SEAT COULD BE REPLACE AND THEY TOLD ME NO SO NOW WE ARE STUCK WITH A SAFETY DEFECT!!!! YOU NEED TO DRIVE ONE AROUND FOR AWHILE AND SEE WHAT I MEAN. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE THREE HEAD RESTS ON THE REAR SEATS WERE INTERFERING WITH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE REAR SEAT WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ONE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.

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2011 CHEVY IMPALA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE HEADREST AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE OUT OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR *TGW

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I BOUGHT A USED 2011 IMPALA AND DID NOTICE THE REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS WERE QUITE HIGH, BUT THOUGHT I WOULD GET USED TO IT. I HOWEVER AFTER THREE WEEKS HAVE NOT. IT IS A HINDRANCE HAVING TO SPEND EYE TIME ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE SEAT HEAD RESTS BEING TOO HIGH. WHEN DRIVING IN 5 LANE TRAFFIC YOU NEED TO DEVOTE ALL OF YOUR ATTENTION TO ALL AROUND YOU, AND YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO DO THIS IN A 2011 IMPALA. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER BECAUSE IT APPEARS FROM OTHER POSTINGS THAT THE ONLY RESOLUTION AT THIS TIME IS TO BUY 2012 REAR SEATS FOR OVER $400. THESE SEATS ARE DEFINITELY A DANGEROUS ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HEADRESTS WERE OBSTRUCTING THE FIELD OF VISION THROUGH THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE MODIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO STATED THAT THEY WOULD BE GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THE CONTACT AT A LATER DATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,300.

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2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUES WITH VEHICLE HEAD REST *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR HEAD REST WERE TOO HIGH AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE, WHICH MADE BACKING UP DIFFICULT. *JB

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT HEADREST WAS IMPAIRING HIS DRIVING VIEW. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEAD-REST COULD NOT BE REMOVED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 9,000.

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