1996 Chevrolet Impala Problems, Recalls & Reliability
120 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1996 Chevrolet Impala, alongside 1 recall campaign and 2 defect investigations. It scores 7/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Steering leads the reports.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 1996 Chevrolet Impala has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 1996 sits among all Impala years
What owners report
Recalls (1)
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE…
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 96V245000.
Technical service bulletins
24 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 1996 Chevrolet Impala. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1996 Impala TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1996 Chevrolet Impala reliable?
The 1996 Chevrolet Impala drew 120 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 7/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 1996 Chevrolet Impala problems?
The top reported problems for the 1996 Chevrolet Impala are steering (16 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (14), and visibility & wipers (14).
Does the 1996 Chevrolet Impala have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 1996 Chevrolet Impala. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.