What 258 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Impala Eco Eassist

WHEN I START MY CAR UP FROM A COLD START, I HERE A RATTLING NOISE, AND AFTER IT GETS WARM IT GOES AWAY. ITS BEEN DOING THAT EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. AS THE MILES GOT ON THE CAR I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I HAVE 200,000 MILES PLUS

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OPENING DRIVER DOOR TICKING SOUND LASTS ABOUT 1 MINUTE AND QUITS TICKING. KEY IS NOT IN IGNITION. SOUND IS COMING FROM DASHBOARD

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HELLO, I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE FOLLOWING LIGHTS COMING ON SINCE I HAVE RECEIVED MY IMPALA WITH 60,000 MILES ON IT. IT TELLS ME TO SERVICE STABLE LINK, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, THE ABS SLIT STAYS ON AND I HAVE REPLACED BOTH HUBS ON THE FRONT. WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO DO UNLESS I REWIRE EVERYTHING. THIS ALL HAPPENS WHEN I FIRST MOVE THE VEHICLE AND DURING MY TRIP.

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I HAVE ABOUT 72,000 MILES ON MY CAR AND THE SERVICE STABILITRAK, SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL MESSAGES COME ON AND THE ABS AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT ALSO ARE ON. IT HAPPENS WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT AND ALSO THE ABS KICK IN AND EFFECTS THE STEERING. I HAVE REPLACED THE RIGHT AND LEFT HUB ASSEMBLIES AND IT HAS NOT HELPED NO CODES ARE FOUND WHEN VEHICLE IS SCANNED. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. THIS WILL ALL HAPPEN IN DRIVE WAY AND ON CITY ROADS/HIGHWAYS.

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MY TY ROD BROKE AND ANOTHER PART INSIDE THE TY ROD BROKE I AM WONDERING IF IT HAD A RECALL ON MY CAR CHEVROLET IMPALA XL 2012

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I WAS GOING SLOW (20 MPH OR LESS), EXPECTING TO STOP WITH MY FOOT ON THE BREAK. A CAR SLAMMED IN BACK OF ME. ON IMPACT, I PUSHED THE BREAK ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR, WITHOUT ANY RESISTANCE. JUST PRIOR TO THAT, THE BREAKS WERE SLOWING-DOWN THE CAR AS EXPECTED. MY CAR SLAMMED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THERE WERE NO BREAK MARKS ON THE HIGHWAY AS ONE WOULD EXPECT IF THE BREAKS WERE WORKING. THE BREAKS SIMPLY FAILED. AFTER RELEASING THE BREAKS, SHOUTING OFF THE ENGINE AND LATER STARTING IT UP, THE BREAKS ARE CURRENTLY WORKING AS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

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INTERMITTENTLY, THE DIC WILL SOUND AN ALARM AND DISPLAY THE FOLLOWING MESSAGES:SERVICE STABILITRAK, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL. WHEN THIS HAPPENS I SOMETIMES NOTICE A DECREASE IN ENGINE POWER AND/OR GRINDING NOISES FROM THE FRONT END WHEN I MAKE TURNS. THIS HAS OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND/OR RESIDENTIAL SPEEDS AND DOES NOT COINCIDE WITH ANY ROUGH OR UNUSUAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. IT IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CAUSES IT UNLESS IT IS SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUITING. I CAN TURN THE STABILITRAK OFF AND THE MESSAGES AND DIMINISHED MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE WILL STOP, BUT MAY RE-APPEAR WEEKS LATER. ACCORDING TO THE REPORTS I HAVE READ ON-LINE, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG IMPALA OWNERS WITH CARS OF SIMILAR YEARS AND MILEAGE. MY CAR HAS ONLY 40,000 MILES. IN AN EFFORT TO FIX THE ISSUE, OTHER OWNERS HAVE REPORTEDLY REPLACED SENSORS, WIRES, WIRE HARNESSES, HUB ASSEMBLIES, THROTTLE BODIES, AND BRAKE COMPONENTS. GENERAL MOTORS NEEDS TO RECALL OUR CARS IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM. NONE OF THESE MECHANICAL COMPONENTS SHOULD BE FAILING SO SOON. LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND BRAKING ABILITY WHILE DRIVING IS A POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEM, AND ANY MECHANICAL ISSUE THIS WIDESPREAD AMONG CAR OWNERS SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO AN OFFICIAL RECALL AND SHOULD BE REMEDIED BY THE AUTOMAKER AT NO CHARGE TO THE PUBLIC.

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ABS/TRACTION CONTROL FAILURE. BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT WIRE HARNESSES HAD TO BE REPLACED TI TO WIRE RUBBING IN FRAME AND GOING TO GROUND. GM HAS FOUR TSB'S ON THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. ABS/TRACTION CONTROL OR FEDERALLY REQUIRED SAFETY FEATURES. THIS NEED TO BE A FULL RECALL.

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GRINDING NOISE IN FRONT LEFT WHEEL. ELECTRONIC STABALIZER FLASHES ON AND OFF AND ON AND OFF. GOING FROM REVERSE TO FORWARD THE CAR LOSES POWER AND THEN JUST DIES RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. HAD WHEEL HUB SENSOR REPLACED. GOOD FOR TWO MONTHS. NOW SAME PROBLEM. CAR HAS 48000 MILES

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR SERVICE, THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE REB WAVE PLATE WAS FRACTURED INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE RE-BUILT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST AND THE SPECIALIST STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION PART WERE JOINT TOGETHER WITH THE FORD AND CHEVROLET, THE SPECIALIST ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FORD PART WAS GOOD BUT THE CHEVROLET PART FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SPEAKING TO THE MANUFACTURER A CASE NUMBER WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,973.

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SEAT BELT TENSIONER WAS FOUND TO BE INOPERABLE DURING A DEALERSHIP REPAIR VISIT. DEALER WILL REPLACE IT AT SUBSTANTIAL CHARGE.

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I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. MY CAR STARTED TO LOSE SPEED. UNTIL IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK, THAT TOWED MY VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP. AFTER DIAGNOSIS OF MY CAR THE REPAIR GUY, INFORMED ME IT WAS MY MODULE FUEL PUMP FLOW CONTROL. I WANTED TO KNOW MORE SO I GOOGLE THE PROBLEM. I CAME ACROSS A RECALL ON GM SITE, BULLETIN 14515B. I NOTICED IT WAS A RECALL FOR EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUE I WAS HAVING. SO I CALLED CHEVROLET TO SEE WHAT STEPS I NEEDED TO TAKE ON GETTING REIMBURSED FOR AN ISSUE THAT CLEARLY HAS BEEN A PROBLEM ON SEVERAL 2012 IMPALA'S. I WAS TOLD,IT WAS A RECALL BUT NOT ON MY 2012 BECAUSE MY VIN # BEGIN WITH A W. I EXPLAIN TO HER THAT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME. ALL 2012 WAS IN PRODUCTION AT THE SAME TIME. I'M PRETTY SURE THEY USED THE SAME PART ON THE VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOTHING SHE COULD DO. I INFORMED HER I WILL BE FILING A COMPLAINT.

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CAR HAS 68,000 MILES. A FEW DAYS AGO THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, WHICH DISABLED REMOTE START. I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS UNTIL I WENT TO GET INTO THE CAR. I'M IN MI AND THIS PAST WEEK HAS BEEN VERY COLD. I JUMPED IN AND DROVE IT TO WORK (LESS THAN 3 MILES). ON THE WAY, THE TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON. NO SURPRISE, AS IT WAS A LITTLE SLIPPERY. NO OTHER PROBLEMS. ON WAY HOME FROM WORK: CAR STARTS UP FINE, NO WARNING LIGHTS AT ALL AT START. ITS ABOUT 13* OUT. ALMOST HOME: ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, TRACTION LIGHT COMES ON, THEN RIGHT BEFORE TURNING ON MY ROAD THE STABILIZER LIGHT COMES ON AND REDUCE POWER LIGHT, CAR JERKS AND LOSES POWER LIKE ITS GOING TO STALL OUT. IT MADE IT HOME. NEXT MORNING, ENGINE LIGHT ON BUT NOTHING ELSE HAPPENS. I CALL AROUND AND DEALERSHIP SUGGESTS I BRING IT IN AND HOOK IT UP TO RUN A DIAGNOSTICS FOR $98. I GO OVER TO PARTS STORE AND HAVE THEM RUN IT FIRST. ERROR CODES SHOW UP THAT "DON'T REALLY MEAN ANYTHING" AND THEY RESET THE ENGINE LIGHT. RUNS A COUPLE OF DAYS FINE WITH NO PROBLEMS, LIGHTS COMING ON ETC. TEMP DROPS AGAIN AND REPEAT THE WHOLE PROCESS ALL OVER. I BRING TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TELL ME IT NEEDS HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND NEW LINES, AFTER THEY ASKED ME IF I RAN E85 IN IT, WHICH I DO BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THEY SUGGESTED WHEN I BOUGHT IT! I CAN'T AFFORD THE $900 RIGHT NOW AND I PICKED IT UP. I CALLED ANOTHER DEALERSHIP TO GET ANOTHER ESTIMATE AND I'M TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM (WE'RE SEEING THIS ALL THE TIME. IT'S A PROBLEM WITH RUNNING E85 IN COLD TEMPS). THAT PERSON SUGGESTS I RUN MAO44 AND PREM UNLEADED IN IT AND IT SHOULD RUN FINE FOR A WHILE. I"M ALSO TOLD THAT THIS IS NOT COVERED BY THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY AND THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL, EVEN THOUGH "WE'RE SEEING THIS ALL THE TIME".

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL AND STABILITY CONTROL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CAUSED THE DASHBOARD, CENTER CONSOLE BY THE SHIFTER LEVER, AND FRONT BUCKET SEATS TO MELT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED VISIBLE SMOKE IN THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD BE SENT TO INVESTIGATE AND DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HAD TO REDUCE THE SPEED TO AVOID A REAR END CRASH. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FORCED THE DRIVER INTO THE MEDIAN. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE DRIVER SIDE RIM WAS BENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

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WHEN I BACK OUT OF A PARKING STALL OR DRIVEWAY AND STILL HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THEN I PUT IT IN DRIVE, WHEN I TRY TO TURN THE WHEEL TO START TO DRIVE DOWN THE STREET, IT IS LIKE I LOST POWER STEERING AND IT TAKES EVERYTHING IN MY POWER WITH MY HANDS TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. IT FEELS LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. ALSO WHEN I AM STARTING TO PULL INTO A PARKING STALL WHEN THE CAR IS BARELY MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMS TO LOCK UP WITH NO POWER STEERING AND I HAVE DIFFICULTY TURNING THE WHEEL. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I CAN'T GET THE WHEEL TURNED AND I'M UNABLE TO PARK IN THE STALL. WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEEDS AND WHEN I GO TO TURN, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER IT IS TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, THE POWER STEERING IS VERY STIFF AND SOMETIMES WILL STIFFEN UP TO THE POINT THAT I HAVE A HARD TIME TURNING THE WHEEL. I TOOK INTO THE DEALER IN 12/2016 AND ASKED THEM TO CHECK IT OUT WHILE THEY DID AN OIL CHANGE TO MY CAR AND THEY SAID ALL FLUIDS WERE FINE AND NOTHING IS WRONG. I HAVE COME VERY CLOSE TO HAVING A WRECK WHEN I TRY TO TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL ALL OF A SUDDEN STIFFENS UP SO TIGHT THAT IT TAKES ALL MY STRENGTH AND POWER TO TURN THE WHEEL. IT ACTS LIKE THE WHEEL ISN'T GOING TO TURN. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW. THERE IS SOMETHING DEFINITELY WRONG WITH THE STEERING. MY 2012 IMPALA ONLY HAS 17,000 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW AND I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE OF THIS STEERING ISSUE AND NOT BEING ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL WITH THE 2012 IMPALAS BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. THERE IS DEFINITELY A POWER STEERING OR OTHER ISSUE THAT IS CAUSING THE WHEEL TO STIFFIN UP SO TIGHT THAT YOU CAN BARELY TURN IT. *TR

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VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND CAR COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING (IN MOTION) ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. THIS VEHICLE HAS DONE THIS TWO OTHER TIMES, BUT NOT ON THE EXACT SAME DATE. STEERING WHEEL ALSO LOCKS WHILE TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT ON A BUSY STREET.

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THE ENGINE GOES DEAD WITHOUT WARNING WHILE I'M DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. NO LIGHTS ON OR ANY OTHER INDICATIONS THAT IT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. WILL NOT RE CRANK. REALIZE THAT IT HAPPENS WHEN MY FUEL SYSTEM IS ABOUT 60 MILES TO EMPTY. AFTER PUTTING GAS IN I CAN CRANK IT RIGHT UP AND GO UNTIL IT HITS AROUND 60 MILES TO EMPTY AND IT WILL GO DEAD AGAIN WITHOUT WARNING, VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY THING TO HAPPEN IN TRAFFIC. DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN IS STUMPED AS TO WHAT IT IS, THEY HAVE CHANGED ONE PART AND IT DID NOT WORK, ENGINE WENT DEAD ON HIM ALSO WHEN HE TESTED DROVE IT, CAR HAS BEEN THERE FOR ALMOST 2 WEEKS NOW AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I NEED MY CAR BACK.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN UNSTABLE MOTION IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUSPENSION OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO MANUFACTURER RECALL AND NO RECOMMENDED REPAIR SOLUTION TO PREVENT THE FAILURE UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS FURTHER TESTED AND DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V377000 (SUSPENSION). THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 57,000.

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TAKATA RECALL / AIRBAGS LIGHT CAME ON AND STARTED MAKING LOUD CLICKING NOISE WHERE AIRBAGS ARE LOCATED

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THE CAR KEEPS SHORTING OUT THE BATTERY. THE STARTER IS SLUGGISH. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHEN THE REAR DEFROSTER WAS ACTIVATED, IT BURNED AND MELTED ONE OF THE PLUGS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER OR MECHANIC. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE HIMSELF, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHEN THE VEHICLE MADE LEFT TURNS AT LESS THAN 5 MPH, IT WOULD SOMETIMES STALL AND DECELERATE. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE IF THERE WERE ANY WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000. UPDATED 01/11/2017*CT *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE AND SWITCHING THE SHIFTER TO THE DRIVE POSITION, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT IN REVERSE AFTER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AFTER TURNING OFF AND RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,500. UPDATED 12/13/16*LJ UPDATED 12/15/16.*JB

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