2011 Chevrolet Impala Problems, Recalls & Reliability
844 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2011 Chevrolet Impala, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 58/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Other leads the reports, typically around 77,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2011 sits among all Impala years
What owners report
“I keep getting errors of check stabilitrak engine power reduced i have changed the throttle body”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Impala
“Service stabilitrak warning, followed by reduced engine power, then car starts jerking.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Impala
“When driving my car it gives me service stability trac/ power engine down message and the check engine light comes on sometimes the car will cut off while driving usually the message will go away after a few days”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Impala
“"takata recall" vehicle involved in a rear end collision, was pushed into oncoming traffic and hit head on. Air bag never deployed additionally the back of drivers seat collapsed into the rear seat”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Impala
“Started seeing error message this morning on start up of the car: engine power reduced service traction control service stabiltrak experienced reduced engine power, traction light on, engine light on”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Impala
“My transmission bangs into gear from starting in drive from a stop . Not all the time but still happens .”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Impala
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 638 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 68,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 44,815 and 98,110 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
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…
Technical service bulletins
1,236 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2011 Chevrolet Impala. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2011 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 2011 Chevrolet Impala reliable?
The 2011 Chevrolet Impala drew 844 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 58/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 2011 Chevrolet Impala problems?
The top reported problems for the 2011 Chevrolet Impala are other (185 complaints), engine (134), and electrical (102).
At what mileage do 2011 Chevrolet Impala problems show up?
Owners most often report 2011 Chevrolet Impala problems around 68,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 44,815 and 98,110 miles.
Does the 2011 Chevrolet Impala have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2011 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.