2009 Chevrolet Impala Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,368 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2009 Chevrolet Impala, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 100/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 82,827 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2009 Chevrolet Impala sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1995–1996, 2016–2019.
Avoid
Where 2009 sits among all Impala years
What owners report
“The traction control light is on, the cruise control does not work and the brake lights are on all the time.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Impala
“Airbag light comes on and service airbag is displayed. This is not related to the current recall about the passenger airbag. I took it in to the dealership for the passenger airbag recall hoping it would fix it. It did not.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Impala
“Abs lights come on service traction control lights come on and it cuts the engine when it comes on”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Impala
“I was driving and suddenly a symbol for traction stability came on and then a warning saying low engine power.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Impala
“Traction control light on , car lose power and has trouble stopping when brakes are deployed.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Impala
“While driving on the interstate at 70mph, air bag light, engine light as well as traction control light came on. Felt as if brakes were on. Dash read "service traction control" & "engine speed reduced". 140,000 miles”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Impala
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 1,089 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 80,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 50,232 and 111,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 25, 2008 through February 16, 2010. The front passenger seat frame may contact and damage the wires of the passenger presence sensor module.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will double wrap the wires with anti-abrasion tape and replace damaged wires as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 1, 2016. Owners may contact…
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring.…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 23, 2014.…
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Chevrolet Impala police vehicles because the front lower control arms may fracture. This safety recall does not include non-police Chevrolet Impala vehicles.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front lower control arms, free of charge. The safety recall began on August 21, 2012. Owners may contact the Chevrolet owner center at…
GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 CHEVROLET IMPALAS FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES." THE FRONT SAFETY BELT WEBBING MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY SECURED TO…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELTS FOR PROPER INSTALLATION OF THE ANCHORS TO THE PRETENSIONERS AND, IF NECESSARY, REINSTALL THE ANCHORS. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE…
GM IS RECALLING 79 MY 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT AIR BAG INFLATOR THAT COULD FRACTURE AT AN INFLATOR TUBE DURING A DEPLOYMENT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT AIR BAG. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 10, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE AT <A…
Technical service bulletins
1,064 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2009 Chevrolet Impala. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2009 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 2009 Chevrolet Impala reliable?
The 2009 Chevrolet Impala drew 1,368 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 100/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 2009 Chevrolet Impala problems?
The top reported problems for the 2009 Chevrolet Impala are electrical (234 complaints), airbags (233), and other (203).
At what mileage do 2009 Chevrolet Impala problems show up?
Owners most often report 2009 Chevrolet Impala problems around 80,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 50,232 and 111,000 miles.
Does the 2009 Chevrolet Impala have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2009 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.