Home · 2016 Chevrolet Impala Limited · Complaints

What 786 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Impala Limited

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (786)Crash / fire / injury (23)Engine (283)Electrical system (206)Transmission & drivetrain (162)Speed control (146)Brakes (87)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (74)Fuel system (45)Steering (39)Body & structure (38)Suspension (19)

146 of 786 complaints match · Speed control · clear filters · page 5 of 6

Jul 6, 2019Speed control

THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY GOES INTO REDUCED ENGINE POWER MODE WHILE DRIVING. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS REPLACED. THE ISSUE CONTINUED AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED. IT CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE IT HAPPENS AS I'M DRIVING THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11229777

Jul 3, 2019Speed control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAYED "YOUR POWER SLOWING DOWN" AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO 20 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES TWO MILES DOWN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DUVALL CHEVROLET (LOCATED AT 464 US-441, CLAYTON, GA 30525, (877) 818-7723) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 9-5339020905. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

NHTSA ODI 11229219

Jun 21, 2019Electrical systemSpeed controlElectronic Stability Control (esc)

THE CAR SHUTS OFF IN TRAFFIC. I CAN BE AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR JUST SHUTS OFF. ALL THE LIGHTS IN CAR FLASH AND VEHICLE JUST SHUTS OFF. THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON IN VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING EVERYDAY FOR ABOUT A MONTH NOW.

NHTSA ODI 11221694

Jun 7, 2019Speed controlEngine

WARNING NOTICE COMES ON SAYING ENGINE IS POWER DOWN WHILE DRIVING. WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE GOING 70 MILES AN HOUR, IT STARTS SLOWING DOWN TO 30 MILES AN HOUR OR LESS AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE.

NHTSA ODI 11218451

May 14, 2019Electrical systemSpeed controlEngine

WHILE DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY THE CAR SLOWED ABRUBTLY, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE DASH GAVE OUT ENGINE POWER REDUCED. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE CAR TO RESET IT. THE FIRST TIME THE LIGHT WENT OFF ON ITS OWN THE SECOND AND THERAFTER IT DID NOT. HAD THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL REPLACED ONCE AND 7 MONTHS LATER IT IS DOING THE SAME EXACT THING. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR ME AS A DRIVER AND THOSE AROUND ME!

NHTSA ODI 11207554

May 10, 2019Speed control

I BOUGHT MY 2016 MALIBU MARCH 8, 2019 AT 40,177 MILES AND THE RADIO DOES NOT COME ON. AS WELL AS ANY SAFETY CHIMES AND THE ONSTAR FEATURE DOES NOT COME ON. A WEEK AFTER GETTING MY CAR I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY ROAD WHEN MY CAR REDUCED SPEED DRASTICALLY AND A MESSAGE POPPED UP SAYING ENGINE SPEED REDUCED AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER I CUT THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON IT SEEMS FINE AND EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE LIGHT GOES OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THEN. I THINK SOMETHING COULD BE WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE MY CAR DOES NOT PICK UP SPEED IN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR VERY WELL. I KNOW THAT THERE WERE RECALLS FOR THESE VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ISSUES BUT MY CAR DOESN'T SHOW ANY RECALLS.

NHTSA ODI 11206821

Apr 26, 2019Speed control

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, ENGINE RAPIDLY LOST POWER AND DISPLAYED "ENGINE POWER HAS BEEN REDUCED" ALERT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. SPEED BECAME MUCH LESS CONTROLLABLE. AS PRESSURE ON GAS PEDAL WAS REDUCED, THE CAR DISPLAYED A GRADUALLY DECREMENTING "SPEED LIMITED TO X" MESSAGE. HOWEVER, UPON INCREASED PRESSURE ON GAS PEDAL, THE CAR WOULD ACCELERATE BEYOND THE STATED SPEED LIMITING - THOUGH WITH NEARLY TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. INCONSISTENT ENGINE PERFORMANCE NEARLY LED TO AN ACCIDENT AS THE CAR WAS NOT PREDICTABLE. WAS GIVEN A CODE P2138, DRIVE BY WIRE. TOOK TO DEALER, DEALER SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THEY ARE TO REPLACE GAS PEDAL. REQUEST RECALL DUE TO DANGEROUS CONDITION AND REPEATED COMPLAINTS REGARDING ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11203846

Apr 19, 2019Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

THE CAR CONSTANTLY GETS MESSAGE OF ENGINE POWER REDUCED WHILE DRIVING WITH NO PREVIOUS ISSUES OR WARNINGS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THEN MY DRIVING SPEED DECREASES WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! THIS HAPPENS ON CITY STREETS AND ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE TO PULL OVER TO SHUT THE CAR OFF AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES THEN RESTART THE CAR. THE CAR THEN STARTS NORMAL WITHOUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ERROR CODES.

NHTSA ODI 11202590

Apr 12, 2019Speed controlElectronic Stability Control (esc)

HI, I LEASED A 2016 CHEVY MALIBU. WHILE ON THE FREEWAY, MY ENGINE POWER SUDDENLY LOWERED AND A NOTIFICATION POPPED UP SAYING THE SAME. THE RPM INCREASED TO 5+ SINCE I WAS TRYING TO TAKE EXIT AND THE CAR WAS LOSING CONTROL. I EVENTUALLY GOT TO GM SERVICE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE THROTTLE SENSOR GOT BAD WHICH WOULD COST $150+ TO REPLACE. HOWEVER I HAVE BEEN DRIVING IT SINCE THEN AND ONCE A MONTH THE SAME NOTIFICATION POPS UP AND LOWERS MY ENGINE POWER UNTIL I TURN IT OFF AND BACK ON. EACH TIME I DO THIS, I HAVE TO SUDDENLY STOP MY CAR ON THE SHOULDER. THE SENSOR IS NOT BAD, THE CAR JUST SENSES THAT THE SENSOR IS BAD AND REDUCES POWER. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SCAM WHERE GM WANTS TO MAKE MORE MONEY. MOREOVER, I'VE READ HUNDREDS OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS WHERE PEOPLE DESCRIBE HOW THEY ALMOST LOST CONTROL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY BECAUSE OF THE SAME ISSUE. THIS IS A CONCERNING SAFETY ISSUE AND GM SHOULD FIX THIS AS A RECALL. I WANT GM TO ACCEPT THAT THEY INSTALLED A DEFECTIVE PART AND WILL FIX IT. THANKS. SINCERELY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11195856

Apr 8, 2019Speed control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MAILBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED INTERNAL THROTTLE PEDAL FAILURE, WHICH CAUSED THE SPEED TO DECREASE DRASTICALLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DENOOYER CHEVROLET (127 WOLF RD, ALBANY, NY 12205) WHERE THEY REPLACED THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,680.

NHTSA ODI 11194590

Apr 5, 2019Speed control

I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY 'REDUCE ENGINE POWER' CAME ON FOLLOWED BY AN ENGINE LIGHT. I WAS GOING 75 AND GREATLY SLOWED DOWN TO 50 MPH AND ALMOST GOT IN A SERIOUS CAR CRASH. THERE IS A LOT OF THE SAME ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL AND IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED!!

NHTSA ODI 11194081

Mar 29, 2019Speed controlEngine

REDUCED ENGINE POWER WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY. SPEED DROPPED TO 40 MPH. I WAS JUST ABLE TO PUT ON MY HAZARDS AND PULL OVER WITH SEVERAL CARS BEHIND ME SLAMMING ON THEIR BRAKES.

NHTSA ODI 11192327

Mar 27, 2019Speed control

WHILE IN TRAFFIC ENGINE LIGHT & ENGINE POWER REDUCED CAME ON A VEHICLE WOULDN'T ACCELERATE PAST LOW SPEED, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT. GOT ENGINE READ AND IT WAS DUE TO ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHICH IS VERY COMMON IN THIS CAR

NHTSA ODI 11191785

Mar 21, 2019Speed control

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND A MESSAGE PIPED UP ON MY DASH SAYING MY CAR WAS LOSING POWER. I TRIED TO PRESS THE GAS, MY MY SPEED DECREASED. I PULL OVER TO THE SIDE AND SHUT MY CAR OFF FOR A WHILE, CRUNK IT BACK UP AND IT DROVE NORMAL. 5 MINUTES LATER AND IT DID THE SAME THING.

NHTSA ODI 11190564

Mar 18, 2019Speed control

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN MY CAR BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN AND GAVE THE MESSAGE THAT ENGINE WAS LOOSING POWER. WHEN I MASHED THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR WOULD NOT PICK UP SPEED. I COULD HAVE BEEN HIT. I HAD TO SLOWLY MAKE MY WAY TO AN EXIT RAMP AND STOP THE CAR. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED AFTER A WHILE AND I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TWO MORE TIMES BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL INSTEAD OF ME HAVING TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. I AM DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE I THOUGHT CHEVROLET WAS A LITTLE MORE RELIABLE THAN THIS. CHEVROLET REALLY NEED TO INVESTIGATE THIS AND RECALL THIS BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED.

NHTSA ODI 11189847

Mar 9, 2019Speed controlElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

DRIVING ALONG AND MY 2016 WITH 39,000 MILES LOSES ACCELERATION POWER AND RECEIVE WARNING 'ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED'. I LIMP IT TO THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND THEY GET IT IN AND I GET A CALL LATER WITH THEM TELLING ME THEY HAVE SEEN THIS IN TWO OTHER CARS AND THEY ARE WAITING ON THE ACCELERATOR THROTTLE PEDAL SENSOR THAT NEEDS REPLACED. THEY RESET AND CLEANED THE SENSOR AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. IT'S HAPPENED THREE OTHER TIMES SINCE THEN AND I LIMP IT BACK TO SHOP EVERY TIME TO GET RESET. I SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS ISSUE WITH IT BARELY OUT OF WARRANTY. IT SAYS A LOT OF ONE SHOP TO HAVE THREE MALIBU'S WAITING FOR THIS PART TO BECOME AVAILABLE. I LOVE THE MALIBU'S BUT WITH THE ISSUES WITH THIS CAR I'VE HAD IT'S HARD TO KEEP MY FAITH IN CHEVROLET. THEY KNOW THIS MODEL IS HAVING ISSUES YET HAS NOT RECALLED MY VEHICLE YET AND I'M OUT OF POCKET. I'M A SINGLE MOM THAT NEEDS A RELIABLE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11185597

Mar 7, 2019Speed controlEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS THE ''ENGINE POWER REDUCE'' MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED AND THE SPEED SUDDENLY DECELERATED TO 20 MPH. AFTER TURNING OFF AND RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY; HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BREDENANN CHEVROLET (1401 WEST DEMPSTER ST, PARKRIDGE, IL) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE CLEANED AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ON BACKORDER AND THERE WAS NO ESTIMATED OF WHEN THE PART WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.

NHTSA ODI 11184865

Mar 2, 2019Speed control

ACCELERATOR PEDAL SENSOR KEEPS MALFUNCTIONING WHILE DRIVING

NHTSA ODI 11183664

Feb 19, 2019Speed control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND WOULD NOT EXCEED 20 MPH. ALSO, THE FUEL SENSOR WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SERRA CHEVROLET (28111 TELEGRAPH RD, SOUTHFIELD, MI 48034, (248) 354-6001) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,874.

NHTSA ODI 11181101

Feb 6, 2019Speed controlBrakesFuel system

MY CAR STABILITRAK COMES ON EVERY OTHER 20 MINS WHEN DRIVING. IF I TRY TO ACCELERATE MY CARS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND THEN SAY ENGINE POWER REDUCED ALMOST STOPPING MY VEHICLE ON THE INTERSTATE I CAN ONLY DRIVE IT IN TOWN UNDER 40 MPH. DIAGNOSTIC SHOWED NOTHING AND OF COURSE NO RECALLS BUT EVERY RECALL CHEVY HAS WITH THE MALIBU FITS MY MODEL. VERY DISAPPOINTING. IT HAS BECOME VERY DANGEROUS. TODAY I WAS HEADED TO PICK UP MY DAUGHTER FROM DAYCARE AND MY BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY STIFF AND I COULD NOT STOP CAUSING ME TO ROLL THROUGH AN INTERSECTION THANKFULLY IT WAS A GREEN LIGHT AND LET THE CAR ROLL UNTIL IT STOPPED. I WAS TERRIFIED. I HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR LONG AND IT IS A HEADACHE.

NHTSA ODI 11174771

Feb 2, 2019Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

I WAS DRIVING 35MPH, AND SUDDENLY THE CAR LOST POWER, AND I WAS GOING 10 MPH. A MESSAGE CAME ON SAYING REDUCED POWER. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASED THE CAR, RED LION CHEVY. THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, AND TOLD ME I BETTER GET THE CAR OFF THE LOT. I WAS SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IF I WAS ON A HIGHWAY, I COULD HAVE BEEN RUN OVER BY A TRUCK. I ALREADY HAD A CRACKED PISTON REPAIRED AND THE CAR NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. ON STAR SENT ME AN EMAIL STATING THAT I HAVE AN ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND TO GET THE CAR SERVICED.THE SALES MANAGER RIVERA JUST WANTED TO SELL ME A NEW CAR, AND THEY WOULDN'T DO ANY FURTHER TESTING ON MY VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11173648

Feb 2, 2019Speed control

WHEN I WAS RESUMING ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF AFTER A SEMI TRACTOR TRAILER THAT WAS IN FRONT OF ME; I HAD TO BRAKE HARD TO AVOID FROM HITTING THE SEMI TRUCK. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55 MPH AT THE TIME THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED & IT HAS HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES AFTER THAT INITIAL INCIDENT. THEN IT STOPPED WORKING AND I HAD TO TAKE IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE & DID A RECALIBRATION ON THE FRONT CAMERA & LONG RANGE RADAR MODULES.

NHTSA ODI 11173681

Jan 29, 2019Speed control

ON A HIGHWAY IN MOTION WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO SLOW DOWN AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 40 MPH. THE MOTOR STARTED TO MAKE A LOUD NOISE. THERE WAS NO POWER WHEN PUSHING ON THE PEDDLE. THIS HAS HAPPEN TO ME ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS AND STAYS ON FOR TWO DAYS BEFORE GOING BACK OFF. THE CAR GOES BACK TO NORMAL AFTER BEING PARKED AND SITS FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS.

NHTSA ODI 11172861

Jan 16, 2019Speed controlEngine

I HAVE A 2016 CHEVY MALIBU. AS I WAS DRIVING MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN A MESSAGE SAYING THAT MY ENGINE POWER HAS BEEN REDUCED. I TOOK MY CAR TO A NEAR BY CHEVROLET SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY SAID THAT THE ISSUE WAS A FAILED ACCELERATOR PEDAL ALONE WITH SOME FAILED SENSORS. I SAW SEVERAL REVIEWS WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM IF NOT THE SAME. I WAS VERY SHOCKED TO SEE THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. I BROUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND EVERY SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN HAVING NOTHING BUT ISSUES. I CALLED GM AND THEY OPENED A TICKET, SO HOPEFULLY I GET SOME FEEDBACK SAYING THAT IT IS SOMETHING THEY ARE RECALLING TO CORRECT THE ISSUE.. UNTIL THEN I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR A RENTAL. IF THEY DO NOT RECALL IT THEN I WILL BE PAYING OVER $1200 FOR REPAIRS.

NHTSA ODI 11170379

Jan 14, 2019Speed controlEngineFuel system

THE LISTED 2016 CHEVY MALIBU HAS BEEN HAVING 'REDUCE ENGINE' ISSUE FOR THE PAST 3 MONTHS NO EXPLANATION FOR WHY IT HAPPENS. IT OCCURES RANDOMLY, ON HIGHWAYS, LOCAL ROADS, HIGH AND LOW SPEED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, BUT TURN OFF AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES, THOUGH THE ISSUE PERSIST.

NHTSA ODI 11169862

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Working with the data? Download all 786 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2016 Chevrolet Impala Limited verdict →