What 258 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Impala

TRACTION CONTROL AND STABLITRAK LIGHTS COME ON. GRINDING SOUND AND HESITATION BEFORE MOVING IN REVERSE, GOING STRAIGHT AND TURNING. THE HESTIATION KEEPS THE CAR FROM MOVING. CAN TURN OFF AND FIX THIS ISSUE FOR A SHORT BIT OF TIME WITH THE BOTTOM ON THE DASH. AFTER A WHILE TURNING IT OFF DOESN'T HELP BECAUSE IT TURNS ITSELF BACK ON.

NHTSA ODI 11344128

I HAVE A 2012 CHEVY IMPALA, THE TRACTION SERVICE CONTROL AND ABS/STABILITRACK KEEPS GIVING ME ISSUES. I HAVE A GRINDING NOISE, DECREASED POWER AND CAR WILL NEARLY STOP ON YOU FROM TIME TO TIME, PARTICULARLY WHEN TURNING. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, MORE THAN ONE, THEY KEEP TELLING ME THE HARNESS ATTACH TO MY TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM SNAPS. IVE HEARD MY MODEL HAS THIS ISSUE. I SEE NO RECALL FOR MY VIN, BUT I HAVE THE SAME ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI 11338104

CLUNKING , GRINDING NOISE SERVICE STABILITRAK, SERVICE ABS LIGHTS COME ON LOSE POWER WHEN REVERSING OR MAKING A LEFT TURN. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING HARNESS GOING TO THE SENSORS IN THE WHEELS. MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM ACROSS MANY YEARS OF THIS VEHICLE. PEOPLE ARE SPENDING MONEY UNNECESSARILY ON PARTS SUCH AS WHEEL HUBS AND BEARINGS WITHOUT FIXING SAID PROBLEM. MANY PEOPLE ARE ALSO REPORTING CARS TURNING OFF AS A RESULT OF THIS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11331223

1ST - 8/11/2018 - 79,653 MILES - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, CODE P0411 SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM INCORRECT FLOW DETECTED. DEALERSHIP STATED THE SOLENOID MALFUNCTION CHECK ENGINE CAME BACK ON, CODE P0411, CHEVROLET STATED THE SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM IS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED AND RESET THE CODE. CHEVY'S STATED THE FAULTY SIR INJECTION SOLENOIDS BANK 1 AND 2 WAS THE CAUSE OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODE P0411. ADVISED ME THAT THE BATTERY TERMINAL MAY BE THE ISSUE AND RECOMMENDED CHANGING IT. RECOMMEND A NEW ALTERNATOR. CHEVY WAS UNABLE TO VERIFY THE CODE P0411 BUT MADE A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE ISSUE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AGAIN, NO OTHER ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. GM OPENED A TAC CASE. ADVISED BY TAC THAT CARBON BUILDUP IN THE CYLINDER VALVES FROM THE CYLINDER HEADS WAS THE CAUSE. TOLD TO DRIVE VEHICLE FOR A FEW DAYS. WITHIN 3 DAYS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. CHEVY INSTALLED A VEHICLE DATA RECORDER PER THE GM FIELD SERVICE ENGINEER. TEST RESULTS SHOWED BOTH AIR INJECTION CUT OF VALVES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. FUTURE ALSO UPDATED ECM CALIBRATION AND PROGRAMMED IT - COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. 6TH VISIT ON 9/3/2019 AT 85970 MILES CHEVROLET ADVISED THE CAUSE IS DUE TO THE LEFT TEMPERATURE CONTROL AND AIR INLET ACTUATORS. 7TH - 9TH TIME, ADVISED BY INDEPENDENT AUTO REPAIR SHOP, THAT EVERYTHING WAS WORKING AS NORMAL. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODE WAS RESET. ADVISED CAR NEEDS TO BE CALIBRATED AT GM-APPROVED DEALERSHIP. AS OF TODAY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON. THE FINAL SHOP ADVISED THE ISSUE MAY BE THAT THE SYSTEM WAS NOT CALIBRATED OR JUST NEEDED TO BE CALIBRATED EVERY TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I BELIEVE THAT THOUSANDS OF GM CUSTOMERS ARE PAYING OUT OF POCKET FOR UNNECESSARY P0411 REPAIR WORK.*DT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11280453

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK DURING RUSH HOURS MY 2012 CHEVY IMPALA'S DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP SAYING " SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, SERVICE STABILINK, ENGINE POWER REDUCED" TERRIFIED AS I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE TRYING TO GET OVER AS MY CAR BEGAN TO GO INTO LIMP MODE.I ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. I WAS ACCELERATING FROM BEING STOPPED.

NHTSA ODI 11277612

THE FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY IS CONTINUOUSLY DEFECTING. INHAVE REPLACED BOTH SIDES A MINIMUM OF 6 TIMES SINCE 2013. THE STEERING GOES OUT, THE BRAKES GRIND THE TRACTION CONTROL INITIATES AND IN SEVERE TIMES I LOOSE ALL POWER TO VEHICLE. THIS IS IN MOTION. FROM COMPLETE STOP TO MOTION, WHILE IN REVERSE AND WHILE TURNING IN IETHER DIRECTION.

NHTSA ODI 11257859

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH ON CITY STREETS GOING STRAIGHT WITH A SLIGHT INCLINE THE A/C AND RADIO POWERED ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES. WHEN STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT THE DOORS UNLOCKED AND "SERVICE STABILITRAK" FLASHED ON AND OFF THE DASH, THE RADIO POWERED DOWN, AND THE A/C TURNED OFF. AFTER A FEW SECOND EVERYTHING WENT BACK TO NORMAL. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON AT ALL. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.

NHTSA ODI 11246694

TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND CHIME ON AND OFF..............CAR RUNS OK BUT CHIME WILL DRIVE YOU CRAZY.............NEED TO TURN IT OFF................

NHTSA ODI 11243021

THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM IS CONSTANTLY ON EVEN WHEN MY CAR IS STATIONARY MY ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT IS ALSO ALWAYS ON. SOME TIMES I LOSE POWER WHEN I START TO DRIVE. I HAD IT CHECKED AND HAD THE SENSOR REPLACED ,BUT THE PROBLEMS WERE NOT SOLVED.

NHTSA ODI 11231918

SINCE 2017, UPON STARTING MY CAR I GET ALL OF THE FOLLOWING ALERT MSGS "SERVICE STABILITRAK", *SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST" AND "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL" ON MY DASHBOARD. I'VE HAD THE CAR INTO LES SCHWAB AND ERROR CODE DIAGNOSTICS DONE BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER BOTH FRONT HUB ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED. THE SAME SERVICE MESSAGES STILL CONTINUE TO APPEAR ON THE DASH. LES SCHWAB HAS CHECKED THE HUB SENSOR WIRES REPEATEDLY AND ALL ERROR CODES AND FIND THEM TO BE OK. THEY FIND THE CAR TO STILL HAVE A CRUNCHING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE CAR, MOST MARKEDLY WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT, BUT CAN ALSO BE HEARD WHEN THERE IS A DROP IN ELEVATION, AS WHEN EXISTING A PARKING LOT INTO A SLIGHTLY LOWER ROADWAY. ON JUNE 14,2019, WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION AND TURNING RIGHT AT A STOPLIGHT, THE SAME SITUATION OCCURRED AS HAS WHEN I MAKE A LEFT TURN. THE CAR SUDDENLY ACTED AS THOUGH THE BRAKES WERE BEING APPLIED VERY HARD AND THEN THE CAR HALTED BRIEFLY WITH TRAFFIC BEHIND ME AS THOUGH IT WOULD STALL OUT. I APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR TILL I FORCED THE CAR TO MOVE AROUND THE CORNER AND AFTER ABOUT A MINUTE OF FIGHTING BRAKING RESISTANCE, I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN NORMAL 40 MPH SPEED WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. THIS OCCURRED ON DRY PAVEMENT WITH NO PRECIPITATION. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS AROUND 100 DEGREES. BEST DRIVING CONDITIONS WITH NO ROUGH ROADWAY. LES SCHWAB SAID THE PROBLEM WITH THE HUB SENSOR AND LEFT TURNING IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO THEM AND SAID THEY WISH IT WOULD BE MADE A RECALL ITEM AS IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM NOW. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CHEVY IMPALA. LOVE MY CAR BUT WON'T TAKE A CHANCE ON PURCHASING SAME MAKE AND MODEL. I WASN'T SO SURPRISED WHEN RESEARCHING THESE ISSUES ON THE INTERNET TO FIND HUGE NUMBER OF OWNER'S HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ODI 11220345

MY CAR'S STABILITRACK, BARAKE ASSIST, AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS COME ON EVERYTIME I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT. THE CAR HESITATES WHEN GIVING GAS MAKING IT FOR A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN GETTING INTO TRAFFIC

NHTSA ODI 11195942

FIRST ITEM,DRIVING STABILITY LIGHT CAME ON TWICE HOW TO GO TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR.SECOND ITEM, PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM LIGHT ISSUE, REPLACE BULB THREE TIMES CAN'T IDENTIFY PROBLEM WITH THE CONNECTION OR WIRING ISSUE. TO REPLACE BULB, REQUIRES REMOVAL OF FRONT END BUMPER IN ORDER TO COMPLETE PROJECT. PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE NIGHT DRIVING ON HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11192727

SERVICE STABILITRAK CAME ON WHEN MERGING ON TO THE FREEWAY, (WHICH INVOLVED A TURN TO GET ON THE ON-RAMP,) SHUTTING DOWN THE CAR COMPLETELY. ALMOST HIT BY A SEMI. I HAVE HAD THE BEARINGS REPLACED BECAUSE OF STABILITRAK LIGHT. HOW HAS THIS NOT BEEN RECALLED? MY FRIEND AND I ALMOST DIED BECAUSE OF THE FAULTY SENSORS OR WHATEVER IT IS WITH THESE CRAP BEARINGS. I WAS TOLD HOW THE BEARINGS ARE MADE WITH THE SENSORS BEING PLACED IN A COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS SPOT BY AUTO PARTS STORES. SAW PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE WITH THIS VEHICLE. SAME ISSUE. HOW HAS NOTHING BEEN DONE WITH THIS?

NHTSA ODI 11173380

SERVICE STABILITRAK - REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHTS CAME ON ALONG WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NOT BE ABLE TO ACCELERATE TO THE APPROPRIATE SPEED.

NHTSA ODI 11165421

WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL ROADS AND ACCELERATING LOOSE THE TRACTION CONTROL (STABILIZER TRACTION CONTROL DISPLAY) AND CAN NOT ACCELERATE MOMENTARILY. MOST OF THE IMES ITS HAPPENING WHEN TURNING LEFT (SLOW SPEED) OR ACCELERATING FROM STOPPED POSITION (RED LIGHT)

NHTSA ODI 11151772

TAKATA RECALL MY STABILITY TRACK SENSOR IS CONSTENTLY COMING ON OVERPOWERING MY DRIVING AND MESSING MY DRIVING UP. IT HAPPENS WITH NO CONDITIONS WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND HAS BEEN HAPPENING EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. I ALSO HAD THE ENGINE SHUT OFF ON THE FREEWAY. I HAVE REPLACED MANY THINGS THAT I WAS TOLD CAN BE CAUSING THIS. THERE IS STILL AN ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11140010

TAKATA RECALL MY CAR FEEL LIKE ITS LOOSING POWER WHEN I START IT UP AND THE IGNITION HOUSING NEED TO BE REPLACE

NHTSA ODI 11133514

CAR MAKES GRINDING NOISE AND STOPS AFTER MOVING WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT WHEN AT A FULL STOP

NHTSA ODI 11120413

GRINDING SOUND WHEN I TURN LEFT. SERVICE STABILITY TRACK POPS UP THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THIS IS TO TURN TRACTION CONTROL OFF.

NHTSA ODI 11111078

MY VEHICLE SUFFERS FROM LOSS OF POWER WHEN MAKING A SQUARE TURN AKA A VERY SHARP TURN. IT ONLY HAPPENS WITH LEFT TURNS. THE PROBLEM IS WEAR OF A CABLE NEAR THE FRONT LEFT TIRE WHICH CONTROLS THE ANTILOCK BRAKES AND/OR THE TRACTION CONTROL / STABILITRAK FEATURE. THE WEARING IS SUCH THAT WHEN TURNING SHARPLY TO THE LEFT, THE WORN CABLE SUFFERS INTERMITTENT CONNECTIVITY LOSS. THAT LOSS OF CONNECTIVITY TRIGGERS TRACTION CONTROL TO BRIEFLY SEVER POWER TO THE FRONT TIRES. I HAVE FOUND THAT MANUALLY TURNING OFF TRACTION CONTROL PREVENTS THIS PROBLEM FROM HAPPENING. I COULD REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM RELIABLY. IT NEARLY ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN MOVING FROM A PARKED POSITION INTO THE ROADWAY, AND WHEN LEAVING A PARKING LOT AFTER REVERSING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. THE PROBLEM IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS WHEN I AM MAKING LEFT TURNS ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC - I HAVE LOST POWER ONCE IN THE MIDDLE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC BUT THANKFULLY THE OTHERS DRIVERS WERE AWARE ENOUGH TO STOP BEFORE COLLISION. BECAUSE OF THIS I ALWAYS TURNED OFF THE TRACTION CONTROL FOR ALL DRIVING TRIPS. I FOUND ONLINE SIMILAR REPORTS OF OTHER 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA OWNERS.

NHTSA ODI 11110292

I WAS DRIVING ON A RESIDENTIAL ROAD AND I TOOK A TURN ONTO A DIFFERENT RESIDENTIAL ROAD AND RIGHT AFTER I STARTED TO ACCELERATE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. RIGHT AFTER, THE SERVICE STABILITRAK AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR STARTED SPUTTERING AND WHEN I STARTED TO STOP THE BRAKES LOCKED ON AND OFF AS I CAME TO A STOP. IT CONTINUED TO SPUTTER EVERY TIME I ACCELERATED AND THE BRAKES CONTINUED TO LOCK EVERY TIME I HAD TO ENGAGE THEM. I COULD BARELY GET THE CAR TO DRIVE FASTER THAN 25 MPH. ONCE I GOT HOME I POPPED THE HOOD AND THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE SHAKING.

NHTSA ODI 11104911

MY CHEVROLET IMPALA WAS IN MOTION WHEN MY ABS AND TRAC SENSOR KEEPS COMING ON. NOW IT'S HAPPENING EVERYTIME I DRIVE. IT ALMOST LOCKS ON ME WHEN I'M DRIVING AND IT SCARES ME FOR MY SAFETY OF MY KIDS AND MYSELF IN THE VEHICLE. I LOOKED UP TO TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE AND THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINS FOR THAT 2012 MODEL. MY LIGHTS WILL FLASH ON AND OFF (TRAC SENSOR AND ABS) AND IT MAKES A WEIRD NOISE

NHTSA ODI 11093432

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL POPPING SOUND AND THE STABILIZER TRACTION INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,200.

NHTSA ODI 11091080

70,000 MILES, STABILTRAK WARNING ON STARTUP AND ENGINE POWER LOSS. ERROR MESSAGE WAS ABOUT A SENSOR, REPLACED THE HUB AND THE WIRING HARNESS TO FIX. SO FAR NO MORE PROBLEMS BUT I'VE SEEN THIS ISSUE COUNTLESS TIMES AND I'M SURPRISED THERE WASN'T A RECALL YET.

NHTSA ODI 11063883

WHEN USING E85 FUEL IN MY FLEX FUEL VEHICLE THE CHECK STABILITY CONTROL/REDUCED ENGINE POWER WARNING IS ACTIVATED. THIS OCCURS WHEN THE CAR IS MOVING. I HAVE CONTACTED MY DEALER AND GM THEY WERE UNABLE TO HELP ME. THERE IS A GM TECHNICAL BULLETIN (PIP5385C) ON THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11063344