Home · 2018 Chevrolet Impala · Complaints

What 59 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Impala

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 (59)Crash / fire / injury (6)Electrical system (11)Transmission & drivetrain (11)Brakes (8)Engine (7)Steering (7)Airbags (6)Lights (4)Fuel system (3)Seats (3)Speed control (2)

8 of 59 complaints match · Brakes · clear filters

Aug 4, 2025BrakesCrash

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while reversing slowly, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed and continued rolling backwards. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to depress the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The contact stopped and shifted to drive(D), and with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle started to roll forward. The contact was not able to stop the vehicle. The contact steered the vehicle to the right to avoid crashing into the building. The contact stated that the vehicle jumped a curb and crashed into a signpost, preventing the vehicle from driving into the restaurant. The contact stated that the vehicle was driving very slowly during the failure. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The center of the front bumper was dented, the center of the grill was cracked, and the hood was dented. The contact was not injured. The contact stated that the Police arrived at the scene and wrote a report however, the contact was not provided the report or the report number. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed and it was determined that the ABS module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was also taken to an Auto Zone and the diagnostic machine retrieved DTC for Low Voltage in the ABS module and the message “Control Module Communication BUSS Off”. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V576000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 122,690.

NHTSA ODI 11678344

Jul 17, 2022Electrical systemBrakes

Check engine light did not come on when battery was bad.also brakes feel spongy and go to the floor at times,pads and rotors are good.

NHTSA ODI 11474404

Mar 29, 2021Brakes

GETTING A SECOND LOOK AT AIR CONDITIONING. I WAS TOLD THE COMPRESSOR COULD BE LEAKING AS THERE HAS BEEN NO FREON FOR OVER A MONTH OR TWO. THE FREON IS 120/POUND AND COULD COST 1000, HE MENTIONED FOR FREON ALONE. THIS IS A 2018, PURCHASED LAST YEAR AND I'M DEALING WITH A COMPRESSOR ISSUE AS WELL AS VERY EXPENSIVE FREON?

NHTSA ODI 11405407

Nov 21, 2019BrakesCrash

THE CAR WAS STOPPED ON A PARKING LOT EXIT RAMP. WHEN THE CAR AHEAD OF ME MOVED FORWARD I TOOK MY FOOT OF OF THE BRAKE SO I COULD MOVE FORWARD. WHEN I APPLIED THE BREAK TO STOP, THE BREAKS DID NOT WORK AND I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME.

NHTSA ODI 11281643

Oct 14, 2019BrakesCrash1 injury

OCTOBER 10TH, I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE I WAS LITERALLY AN ENTIRE CAR LENGTH BACK DRIVING WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AT 50-55 MPH, WHEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP ON THE FREEWAY. I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES BUT MY CAR SLID STRAIGHT INTO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. IT FELT AS IF MY BRAKES WERE NOT STOPPING MY CAR. I NOTICED THIS HAPPENING BEFORE ON A MAIN STREET AND I WAS TRAVELLING AT 45 MPH BUT I DID NOT THINK ANYTHING OF IT AT THE TIME.

NHTSA ODI 11268273

Oct 6, 2019Electrical systemBrakes

TIRES-TIRES KEEP LOSING AIR PRESSURE, THEY APPEARED NEW BUT WHEN TESTED PROBLEMS WAS FOUND, THEY WERE WORE TO THE OUTSIDE AS IF ALIMENT WAS NEEDED, NEW TIRES WAS PURCHASED ELECTRICAL/BATTERY-THERE IS A FREQUENT SHUT DOWN OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE LIGHT COME ON, FROM THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER (DIC) THE WAS 14.7, THE BATTERY WAS CHECKED TWICE WITHIN A PERIOD OF TWO DAYS FROM THE DEALERSHIP, THE FIRST DAY THE BATTERY WAS GOOD THEN ON THE SECOND DAY THEY SAID I HAD A BATTERY PROBLEMS, PURCHASED NEW BATTERY, NO WARNING TRIED TO CRANK BARELY TURNOVER, SOMETIMES THE DIC GOES BLANK AND IT TAKES A WHILE FOR IT TO DISPLAY AGAIN, THIS HAVE HAPPEN AT LEAST 3 TIMES BRAKES-WHEN BACKING UP THERE IS A FREQUENT LOUD MEDAL TO METAL SOUND, THIS HAVE HAPPENED AT LEAST 4 TIMES

NHTSA ODI 11266617

Sep 6, 2019BrakesCrash

IN FEBRUARY 2019 I PURCHASED A 2018 CHEVY IMPALA PREMIER, UPON DRIVING THE CAR I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING LIKE MY 2018 CHEVY CAMARO BUT I CHUCKED IT UP TO THE CAR BEING HEAVIER AND PAID IT NO ATTENTION. FOR MONTHS I HAVE BEEN THINKING THAT MAYBE I JUST NEED TO GET USED TO THE BRAKES ON MY NEW CAR AND THAT IT WAS NOTHING. WHILE I DRIVE AT NORMAL SPEEDS (40 - 45 MPH) MY CAR SLID AN EXTRA 5- 10 FT MORE THEN IT IS SUPPOSED TO EVERY TIME. YESTERDAY WHILE BRAKING MY BRAKES JUST TOTALLY DID NOT RESPOND CAUSING ME TO HIT THE BACK OF ANOTHER DRIVER. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH LITERALLY JUST TURNING OUT OF A SHOPPING PLAZA WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED. I STARTED TO PRESS THE BRAKES ABOUT 50 METERS AHEAD AND MY CAR DID NOT BUDGE NOR DID IT BEGIN TO STOP IT CONTINUED TO DRIVE AT THE SAME SPEED UNTIL I PROMPTED TO TURN AND BRACED FOR THE COLLISION. I HIT THE BACK PASSENGER BUMPER AND THE SIDEWALK BRINGING MY CAR TO A HALT. THIS INCIDENT WHICH PROMPTED ME TO LOOK FURTHER BRUNG ME ONLINE TO SEE THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE CHEVY IMPALA BRAKES WORKING IMPROPERLY. IT SAYS THAT IT IS ON SOME IMPALAS AND I BELIEVE THAT MINE IS ONE OF THEM.

NHTSA ODI 11253560

Jul 28, 2019LightsBrakesCrash

I WAS DRIVING AND LADY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT RAIL ROAD TRACK AND I COULDN'T STOP I RAN INTO THE BACK OF HER

NHTSA ODI 11235345

Working with the data? Download all 59 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 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 2018 Chevrolet Impala verdict →