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)

162 of 786 complaints match · Transmission & drivetrain · clear filters · page 7 of 7

Feb 22, 2018Transmission & drivetrainElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

THIS CAR TOTALLY CUT OFF ON ME (STALLED, ALL POWER EVERYTHING SHUT OFF) MORE THAN ONCE WITHIN AN HOUR WHILE DRIVING, AT LEAST 30MPH ON A MAJOR STREET. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY ARE TELLING ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11074349

Feb 13, 2018Transmission & drivetrainEngine

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT & REDUCED POWER EXPERIENCES THREE TIMES WHILE DRIVING. POOR FUEL ECONOMY (SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE) AND LOSS OF ENGINE OIL (HOWEVER NOT VISABLE). MILES BETWEEN OIL CHANGES AND ISSUES WERE 5000 AND 3300 (SYNTHETIC OIL - SHOULD NOT BE LOW & DIRTY IN THAT SHORT PERIOD OF TIME). IDLING IS VERY ROUGH AND COOLING FANS NOT SHUTTING OFF. 35 DAYS LATER - SAME ISSUE - REDUCED POWER, OIL LEVEL LOW, IDLING ROUGH. DEALER FOUND LOW COMPRESSION, BLOWN PISTON AND DEBRIS CAUSING DEEP SCORES IN BORE. ENGINE REPLACED. 60 DAYS LATER - SAME ISSUE - REDUCED POWER, IDLING ROUGH, COOLING FANS CONTINUE TO RUN. REPLACED ACCELERATOR PEDAL SENSOR. BEFORE LEAVING DEALERSHIP, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, COOLING FAN CONTINUE TO RUN AFTER ENGINE TURNED OFF. REPLACED MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR.

NHTSA ODI 11072721

Feb 9, 2018Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

FIRST TIME THIS HAPPEN I WAS ON THE FREEWAY GOING AROUND 70 MPH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WHEN ON AND A MASSAGE SAYING ENGINE POWER IS REDUCE THE CAR BEGUN TO SHAKE AND SPEED WHEN DOWN TO AROUND 40 MPH FROM 70 MPH IN SECONDS, I KEEP ACCELERATING BUT THE CAR WAS NOT PICKING UP ANY SPEED EVEN THOUGH MY RPM WHEN UP TO 4 AND 5 MY CAR WASN'T GOING ANY FASTER. THIS HAPPEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. BUT THE ISSUE CONTINUE NOW AFTER SO MANY TIMES THEY FIGURE OUT THAT SOME SENSORS NEED TO BE REPLACE AND ALSO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS NOT WORKING. I REALLY HOPE THIS IS FIX.

NHTSA ODI 11071868

Dec 30, 2017Transmission & drivetrainEngine

"REDUCED ENGINE POWER" WARNING CAME AND POWER WAS SUDDENLY REDUCED AND VEHICLE SPEED REDUCED. THIS HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELLING 70MPH ON AN INTERSTATE ROAD. VERY DANGEROUS AS THE SPEED DROPPED TO 40 MPH.

NHTSA ODI 11057670

Oct 11, 2017Transmission & drivetrainSpeed control

GO DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT SPEED LIMIT THEN LOSE POWER WITH CHECK ENGINE AND REDUCTION OF POWER LIGHTS COME ONE. WE CAN SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES. THEN TURN THE CAR BACK ON WITH NO PROBLEMS FOR UNDETERRED TIME FRAME BEFORE IT DOES IT AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI 11032882

Apr 5, 2017Transmission & drivetrainSpeed control

WHILE MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE LOST ENGINE POWER AND THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. THE INFORMATION PANEL THEN DISPLAYED TWO WARNINGS, INCLUDING "ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED" AND WOULD NOT LET THE VEHICLE ACCELERATE MORE THAN 40 MPH. THE INFORMATION PANEL ALSO STATED "SERVICE DRIVER ASSIST SYSTEM." THE DEALER STATES IT'S AN ISSUE WITH A FAULTY ACCELERATOR PEDAL TERMINAL? HOWEVER, THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS AND IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN TRAVELING ON THE ROADS, AND POWER/ACCELERATION IS REDUCED AND CAPPED AT 40 MPH.

NHTSA ODI 10970821

Apr 4, 2017Transmission & drivetrainBrakes

BRAND NEW 2016 MALIBU 30 MILES OFF THE LOT AND 100% OF THE TIME THE CAR BUCKS WHEN BRAKING. FROM 3RD GEAR TO FIRST GEAR THE CAR ENGINE PULLS BACK THE CAR ABRUPTLY WHILE THE RPM'S RISE ALMOST 1000 BACK DOWN WITH EACH SHIFT. I BROUGHT IT TO CHEVROLET 3 TIMES AS WELL AS CALLED THE HOT LINE #. AFTER TWICE BEING TOLD THAT NO ONE CAN FIND WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT THEY TURNED THE STORY TO WELL CHEVY ENGINES DO THAT SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. THAT ITS THE ECO ENGINE CONSERVING POWER. I HAVE REPLICATED THE SITUATION TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IN RETURN, NOTHING WAS FIXED. I LOOKED ONLINE TO SEE IF OTHER PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT THIS CAR HAD THIS ISSUE AND HAVEN'T TURNED UP ANYTHING. THE CAR IS WORST IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND APPARENTLY THEY SAY UNLESS A RECALL IN ISSUED THEIRS NOTHING TO BE DONE. CITY DRIVING IT HAPPENS 100% OF THE TIME WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED. HIGHWAY, ONLY WHEN HAVING TO SLOW DOWN ENOUGH TO HIT THE LOWER GEARS. I FEEL THAT THIS ISSUE IS ALSO WEARING AWAY THE BRAKES FASTER THAN USUAL. THIS CAR HAS A CHECKERED HISTORY WITH RECALLS AND MY MODEL YEAR EVEN HAD TRANSMISSION ISSUES AND YET I'M TOLD TO DEAL WITH IT. I HAVE BEEN SURE TO MAKE A PAPER TRAIL OF BRINGING IT IN SINCE I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT AS WELL AS EVERY TIME I'VE SPOKEN OFF THE BOOKS ABOUT IT TO CHEVY EMPLOYEES.I KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AS WELL AS OTHERS. IT SEEMS AS IF THE TIMING OF THE DOWNSHIFT EVEN COULD BE THE ISSUE BUT I DON'T KNOW AND THEY WON'T EVEN LOOK AT IT UNLESS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON OR A RECALL IS ISSUED. AND WHEN THE CAR BUCKS SOMETIMES THE BRAKES DON'T HAVE A TIGHT ENOUGH GRIP AND CAUSES THE CAR TO POUNCE AN INCH OR TWO.

NHTSA ODI 10970611

Dec 30, 2016Transmission & drivetrainCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE THE VEHICLE, THE TRANSMISSION BECAME STUCK IN NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,800.

NHTSA ODI 10938700

Nov 3, 2016Transmission & drivetrainEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE SPEED REDUCED INADVERTENTLY AND A MESSAGE THAT THE SPEED REDUCED TO 25 MPH APPEARED. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONSTAR SENT AN EMAIL ADVISING THAT A CRITICAL ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION REPAIRED WERE NEEDED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. THE ISSUED RECURRED AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER AND THE VEHICLE REDUCE SPEED AND CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE ABOVE 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,695.

NHTSA ODI 10924061

Oct 6, 2016Transmission & drivetrain

WHILE STARTING OFF OR TRYING TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR HAS NO POWER TO PICK UP SPEED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR EVALUATION AND THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE. THIS ISSUE HAPPENS FROM TIME TO TIME ON FREEWAY OR CITY DRIVING. I HAVE HAD TO MOVE TO THE SHOULDER TO LET CARS PASS BY BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD NOT PICK UP SPEED. THIS ISSUE IS STILL PRESENT TODAY

NHTSA ODI 10914276

May 31, 2016Transmission & drivetrain

I JUST BOUGHT A 2016 CAMARO WHICH HAD BAD MOTOR MOUNTS. WHICH THE DEALER DENIED. I DECIDED THAT I COULD NOT DRIVE A BRAND NEW CAR WITH BAD MOTOR MOUNTS SO I TRADED THE CAR IN FOR THE 2016 MALIBU. AFTER DRIVING THE MALIBU FOR A COUPLE WEEKS NOW, I NOTICED SIMILAR CHARACTERISTICS OF MOTOR MOUNT PROBLEMS I'VE HAD IN THE PAST. CURRENTLY, I BELIEVE THAT CHEVROLET'S OR GMS MOTOR MOUNT DESIGNS OR QUALITY, ARE IN LINE WITH INDUSTRY STANDARDS. I'VE TRIED TO CONTACT CHEVROLET AND THEY'RE NOT PROVIDING ME WITH AN AVENUE TO START AN INVESTIGATION. I CAN CURRENTLY DEMONSTRATE WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE, EXCESSIVE POWER TRAIN MOVEMENT ON MY CURRENT 2016 MALIBU WHICH I BELIEVE EXISTS ON OTHER MALIBUS AND OTHER GM MADE MODELS, LIKE CAMARO SS. I HAVE: TURNED OFF ENGINE, OPENED THE HOOD THEN PUSHED AND PULLED THE CAR BACK AND FORTH. THE POWER TRAIN MOVEMENT WAS QUIT NOTICEABLE. I MIGHT PUT A DIAL INDICATOR ON IT TO SEE EXACTLY HOW FAR. I'LL BE TAKING MY CAR IN TO THE DEALER TO GET THEIR WRITTEN WORD ON MY CURRENT COMPLAINT FOR WHICH I BELIEVE WILL RESULT IN 'THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR CAR' OR ITS 'WORKING AS DESIGNED'. AGAIN, I BELIEVE THE POWER TRAIN MOVEMENT TO BE OUTSIDE OF INDUSTRY STANDARDS. ONLY CERTAIN PEOPLE IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY WOULD BE ABLE TO DEEM OTHERWISE. I JUST SO HAPPEN TO KNOW WHAT A POWER TRAIN MOUNT ISSUE FEELS LIKE. POWER TRAIN MOVEMENT DURING SHIFTS IS VERY EXTREME ON THIS CAR IN MY OPINION. THE AVERAGE PERSON WOULD THINK THAT IT'S A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION ITSELF. HOWEVER, I KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. IT'S THE POWER TRAIN MOUNTS CAUSING IT TO FEEL LIKE A FIRM/JOLTING SHIFT. IT'S NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION ITSELF. DUE TO THE FACT I'VE HAD 2C 2016 CHEVROLET CARS WITH WHAT I BELIEVE HAD BAD POWER TRAIN MOUNTS, I BELIEVE CHEVROLET HAS A SYSTEMIC ISSUE. I'M HAPPY TO SHOW MY CAR'S ISSUE TO THE NHTSA

NHTSA ODI 10871691

May 9, 2016Transmission & drivetrain

DURING A MODEST DECELERATION OR WHILE THE CAR IS COASTING TOWARDS A STOP WITH BRAKE DEPRESSED, THE TRANSMISSION WILL AT TIMES SEEM TO DOWNSHIFT IN AN UNSMOOTH WAY. SEEMINGLY SKIPPING GEARS DOWN. THE VEHICLE AT TIMES CAN COAST AT AROUND 1500 RPMS THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE RPMS JUMP TO ALMOST OR AROUND 3000 RPMS CAUSING A BUCKING SENSATION FOR THE DRIVER. BRAKE USE IS AFFECTED WHEN THIS OCCURS. WHEN THE VEHICLE BUCKS, THE BRAKE PRESSURE CAN CHANGE OR IS ENHANCED BY THE DOWNSHIFT. THIS CAN HAPPEN PRETTY REGULARLY DURING REGULAR DRIVING USE AND IS NOTICED MOST DURING SLOWER DRIVING SPEEDS (10 - 45 MPH) AND LIGHT BRAKE USE. HIGH SPEED BRAKING AND HEAVY BRAKE USE DO NOT HAVE THIS AFFECT AS MUCH. DEALER REVIEWED AND COULD NOT SEE ANY ISSUES. SUGGESTED REPORT TO GM - PERHAPS A SOFTWARE UPDATE CAN SMOOTH OUT SHIFTING. NOTICED FIRST TIME A DAY AFTER PURCHASE.

NHTSA ODI 10863882

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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 →