What 786 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Impala Limited

Every month my car will randomly say engine power reduced and will go no higher than 30mph. Which has happened on the highway and is super dangerous! I have seen many reports of the same problem but nothing being done about it. I took it to the dealership I got it from and I paid $100 dollars for diagnostics and the mechanic said the car computer needed updated...alright, the next day the message came back up and car couldn’t go higher than 30. I haven’t had this car for a year, and the shocks have popping noises, and whenever I put the car in park a message will appear saying shift car to park. And I have to literally roughly giggle the lever for it to read it’s in park or my car won’t turn off. I truly love this car but it has to many issues that shouldn’t be happening.

NHTSA ODI 11419120

A power reduced engine light came on and slowed the car down to 20 miles per hour very abruptly, it was very dangerous. It keeps doing this, the engine light turns off so it can't be detected, and now we can't take it into a dealership because its out of warranty.

NHTSA ODI 11418370

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE HEAD GASKET NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11415113

WE GOT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. CHECKED FOR CODES AND P2097 CAME UP. VEHICLE HAS SOME HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING.

NHTSA ODI 11414085

REDUCE ENGINE POWER LIGHT APPEARS WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. THE CAR SLOWED DOWN LIGHTS FLASHED THEN IT STATED SOMETHING ABOUT 25 MPH. IT FLASHED SO FAST

NHTSA ODI 11408008

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 55MPH - 2-LANE ROAD (4 DAYS AGO) WHEN A WARNING CAME ACROSS MY DASH THAT STATED "REDUCING ENGINE POWER". IT SLOWED MY VEHICLE DOWN A MININUM OF 20MPH AND WOULDN'T PICK UP SPEED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF MY VEHICLE. I RESTARTED IT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO AN AUTO SHOP AND THEY HOOKED IT UP. IT READ A P2138 CODE. IF I HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY, THIS COULD'VE CAUSED A DEVISTATING CRASH. I FOUND WHERE GM EXTENDED THE WARRANTY AND THIS FIX SHOULD NOT COST ME ANYTHING - I WILL SEE WHEN I TAKE IT IN TOMORROW.

NHTSA ODI 11407081

ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. INVOLVED IN A COLLISION

NHTSA ODI 11406747

AS I ACCELERATED FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE REDUCED POWER WARNING CAME ON ALONG WITH MY ENGINE LIGHT. I COULD NOT GO OVER 30MPH UNTIL I PULLED OVER AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. I WAS THEN ABLE TO PROCEED HOME AT NORMAL SPEED THE CHECK GNOME LIGHT IS STILL ON.

NHTSA ODI 11406244

I WAS COMING TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I RECEIVED AN ALERT ON MY DASH "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. MY CAR BECAME MUCH LESS RESPONSIVE TO PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR AND SEEMED TO BE HAVING TROUBLE GOING MORE THAN ~30 MPH. AN INSPECTION OF THE PROBLEM GAVE THE ERROR CODE P2138 AS THE SOURCE OF THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11405011

I WAS DRIVING ON A SECONDARY ROAD GOING ABOUT 45 MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR DECELERATED TO 20 MPH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. THE DASH SHOWED ME AN "ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED" MESSAGE AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OFF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO GET HOME SAFELY. I TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND RESTARTED IT AND IT SEEMINGLY IS FINE NOW BUT THIS IS TERRIBLY UNSAFE. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE IS NO RECALL OR ANY WORD ON THIS FROM GM.

NHTSA ODI 11405097

WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK TONIGHT. I WAS TAKING THE RAMP TO GET ON TO THE HIGHWAY AND MY CAR GAVE ME A WARNING THAT THE ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY RESERVED TO ONLY GOING 20 MPH. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AS I WAS TRYING TO MERGE ONTO THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11403785

WHILE RIDING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE CAR WARNED ME AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I COULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND 30 MPH. WHEN I HAD IT CHECKED WITH A CODE SENSOR IT TOLD ME THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. THE CODE WAS P2138. THIS CREATED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION ON A QUICK MOVING HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11402725

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ACCELERATED SPEED DASH WILL SAY REDUCE ENGINE SPEED IT WILL DROP TO 30MPH AND WILL NOT INCREASE, MIND YOU I'M ON THE HIGHWAY WITH OTHER CARS AND 18 WHEELERS. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND SIT THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE, AND READING THE COMPLAINTS I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE. THANKFULLY THIS WAS NOT RESULTING IN A ACCIDENT/ DEATH. MY CONCERN IS WHY HAVEN'T THIS BEEN RECALLED! SOMEONE NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. DUE TO THE FACT THAT NEXT TIME SOMEONE MAY NOT BE AS FORTUNATE AS THE REST OF US. CHEVY NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE BEFORE IT TURNS TRAGIC. THEY HAVE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS.

NHTSA ODI 11400336

I WAS DRIVING ON THE PARKWAY AND MY CAR SUDDENLY MADE A CLUNKING NOISE WITH A NOTICE THAT POPPED UP SAYING REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND DROPPED DOWN TO 20 MPH. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER, BUT THIS WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND I ALMOST GOT HIT ON A 4 LANE ROAD HIGH SPEED ROAD. I WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE MY CAR PAST 20MPH. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON EVEN AFTER PULLING OVER AND RESTARTING MY CAR AFTER 30 MINUTES. MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WILL NOT BE COVERED.

NHTSA ODI 11399702

WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, MY ENGINE REDUCED LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO DRIVE OVER 32 MPH. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH SEVERE INJURY CONSIDERING WHERE I WAS DRIVING. I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHERS COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS, WHY HASN'T IT BEEN RECALLED, WHEN WILL IT BE RECALLED?

NHTSA ODI 11398498

AS I WAS DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED MY ENGINE POWER REDUCED LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR SPEED SLOWED DOWN DRASTICALLY. WHEN DIAGNOSED IT SAID IT WAS THE ACCELERATOR POSITION PEDAL. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND ALMOST CAUSED A WRECK. FROM WHAT I HEAR THIS IS COMMON WITH THE MABILU AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED SEEING THAT SOMEONE COULD LOSE THEIR LIFE.

NHTSA ODI 11397443

CAR SHOWED A "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" NOTIFICATION AND COULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 15 MPH.

NHTSA ODI 11397086

AS I WAS EXITING THE HIGHWAY THE JUST SLOWED TO A CRAWL . THE SCREEN SAID REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND WOULDN'T ALLOW ME TO ACCELERATE PAST 15 - 20 MILES PER HOUR. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO CARS FOLLOWING BEHIND ME AT THE TIME . I PULLED OVER SHUT THE CAR OFF AND ISSUE CONTINUED. I PLUGGED UP A CODE READER AND GOT P2138

NHTSA ODI 11396726

I NOTICED AN OIL LEAK IN MY GARAGE AND DRIVE WAY FROM MY VEHICLE WHICH IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE MANUFACTURER'S DEALERSHIP AND AN INDEPENDENT SHOP AND THEIR CONCLUSION FOR THE CAUSE OF THE OIL LEAK IS FROM A HEAD GASKET AND UPPER OIL PAN GASKET LEAK. THIS VEHICLE IS 4.5 YEARS OLD AND HAS 78,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD HAVE NOT PRESENTED AN ISSUE LIKE THIS EARLY IN ITS LIFE EXPECTANCY. THE LEAKING HEAD AND UPPER OIL PAN GASKETS CAUSES ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS OF OIL NOT BEING DISPOSED OF PROPERLY THAT COULD AFFECT OUR WILDLIFE AND FOOD SUPPLY. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER SIGNS OF THIS FAILURE THUS IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE AND COMMUTERS ALONG SIDE THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11395673

DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN MY CAR GOT A MESSAGE ON THE DASH SAYING 'REDUCED ENGINE SPEED' . I WENT FROM 60MPH TO 10MPS WITHIN SECONDS, THIS IS A SERIOUS LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING. ONCE IT SLOWS COMPLETELY DOWN IT STOPS AND I HAVE TO TURN OFF MY CAR AND RESTART IT JUST FOR IT KEEP HAPPENING. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME 'EVERYONE WITH A MALIBU IS HAVING THESE PROBLEM LAST AND THEY CAN NO FIX IT CAUSE THE CAN'T FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. THEY ALSO INFORMED ME WITH ALL THE MALIBU'S HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM IS SHOULD BE A RECALL. I WENT TO A ANOTHER CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE EXACT SAME THING. CHEVY WANT US TO ENJOY THE CAR BUT WILL NOT GO THE EXTRA MILE TO DO RECALLS ON THEM WHEN THEY KNOW IT'S A BIG PROBLEM. MY CAR ALSO BE STUCK IN 'SHIFT TO PARK' WHEN IT'S ALREADY IN PARK, I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY RESTART MY CAR AND TURN IT OFF FOR THE MESSAGE TO GO ALWAYS AND MY CAR IS OFF, WHICH IS RIDICULOUS BECAUSE IF YOU LEAVE YOUR CAR IN SHIFT TO PARK THAT WILL COMPLETELY KILL YOUR BATTERY. ALSO, WHEN I START MY CAR IT SOUND LIKE A BUNCH OF WATER JUST MOVING AROUND BUT IT'S NOTHING LEAKING BUT YOU CAN HEAR THE WATER ONCE YOU START THE CAR. THE BRAKES ON THE CAR DO NOT LAST LONG ENOUGH! I WENT TO GET SOME BRAND NEW BRAKES IN OCTOBER AND WAS TOLD FROM TWO DIFFERENT CAR SHOPS THAT I NEED NEW BRAKES . THESE PROBLEMS IS RIDICULOUS AND DANGEROUS AND COULD BE FIXED BY RECALLING THE CARS AND FIXING THE PROBLEMS .

NHTSA ODI 11389541

ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE DISPLAYED " REDUCED ENGINE POWER". VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION AND I HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER TURNING OFF VEHICLE, WAITING A MINUTE, AND RESTARTING VEHICLE IT RAN OK FOR 5 MINUTES. SOMETIMES IT RUNS LONGER BEFORE THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON AND I LOSE POWER AGAIN. THIS IS DANGEROUS!!!

NHTSA ODI 11389297

WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH AND DASHBOARD LIT UP WITH WARNING ENGINE POWER REDUCED MODE AND CAR WENT INTO LOW SPEED. TRIED ACCELERATING CAR WOULD NOT GO BEYOND 20 MPH

NHTSA ODI 11389048

I WAS DRIVING ONE DAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HAVE SEEN 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED' WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD. THIS WARNING REDUCES THE CAR SPEED CONSIDERABLY AND THEREFORE SLOW THE CAR NO MATTER HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING. I TOOK THE CAR TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP TO GET IT CHECKED AND THEY TOLD ME THAT ONE OF MY INTAKE VALVE WAS DEFECTIVE. I HAD IT REPLACED AND PAID FOR THE SERVICE. I LEFT AND THE SAME DAY THE WARNING CAME BACK AGAIN AND SLOWED THE CAR. THE SPEED CAN GO FROM 60MPH TO LESS THAN 10MPH IN FEW SECONDS. STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AGAIN DOESN'T HELP THE CAR INCREASE SPEED. I HAVE RESEARCHED ONLINE AND MANY OTHER DRIVERS HAVE SIMILAR ISSUES. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM DIAGNOSED IT AGAIN. UNFORTUNATELY THEY HAVE NOT DETECTED THE CAUSE OF THE WARNING 'ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED'. THEY TOLD ME THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AND ARE ASKING ME TO REPLACE MY ENGINE. I THINK THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.

NHTSA ODI 11388429

ENGINE POWER REDUCED, THIS HAS HAPPENED COUNTLESS TIMES, SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN JANUARY 2017, IT HAS BEEN TO BRYNER CHEVROLET IN JENKINTOWN, PA, WHERE IT WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED MORE TIMES, THAN I CAN COUNT. EACH REPAIT COSTING MORE AND MORE. I'M ASSUMING CHEVY IS WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO DIE, BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY FIX IT. IMAGINE BEING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND GOING FROM DOING 65 TO 20 UNEXPECTEDLY. THE PERSON BEHIND ME HAD TO SWERVE INTO ANOTHER LANE TO KEEP FROM REAR ENDING ME.

NHTSA ODI 11386461

I JUST EXPERIENCED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND REDUCED POWER ALERT ON CHRISTMAS EVE: 12/24/20 THIS WAS SO SCARY ON HIGHWAY AND HAD TO DRIVE ON THE REDUCED POWER WITH MY FLASHERS ON AND TERRIFIED AS CAR'S WIZZED PAST ME! I WAS WORRIED THAT I WOULD BREAKDOWN AND COULDN'T GET HOME. I DID MAKE IT HOME AND WAS SHAKEN BY THE EXPERIENCE. I HAVE A 2016 CHEVY MALIBU AND THE DEALERSHIP QUOTED $350 TO FIX IT. IT IS STILL THERE AS DIDN'T HAVE FUNDS TO FIX IT. DEALERSHIP SAID IT IS AN ISSUE WITH GAS PEDAL NOT READING IN SYSTEM CORRECTLY. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY RISK BECAUSE IT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY GOING 60 MPH, AND IT DROPPED SPEED TO 35 MPH! THIS IS SO DANGEROUS! ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT HAPPENED AT NIGHT IN A SECLUDED AREA. THIS IS SUPER SCARY FOR A WOMAN DRIVER THINKING I WAS GOING TO BREAKDOWN AT ANY MOMENT. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING UBER SINCE COVID AND NO WORK AVAILABLE IN MY REGULAR JOB. SINCE I DON'T HAVE MY CAR, I CAN'T DRIVE TO MAKE ANY MONEY TO FIX IT. I WAS UNABLE TO WORK ON UBER'S BIGGEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR ON NEW YEAR'S EVE, LOSING OUT OF A $500 NIGHT. GM SHOULD PAY TO GET THIS FIXED AND FOR LOST REVENUE DUE TO UNABLE TO WORK.

NHTSA ODI 11386083