2012 Chevrolet Impala Problems, Recalls & Reliability
422 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Chevrolet Impala, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 33/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Other leads the reports, typically around 71,350 miles.
Typical
Where 2012 sits among all Impala years
What owners report
“Grinding sound when i turn left. Service stability track pops up the only way to fix this is to turn traction control off.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Impala
“The car keeps shorting out the battery. The starter is sluggish. The traction control light keeps coming on.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Impala
“While driving on a city street i noticed the power steering was much harder to turn.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Impala
“Engine warning light and codes for timing chain problem while i was driving. Unresolved by dealership or manufacturer; bbb autoline said i should turn to nhtsa.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Impala
“Stability control light comes on which puts the engine in restricted power ABS and brake light comes on front driver side brake continuously holds on when trying to accelerate”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Impala
“When using e85 fuel in my flex fuel vehicle the check stability control/reduced engine power warning is activated. This occurs when the car is moving. I have contacted my dealer and gm they were unable to help me. There is a gm technical bulletin (pip5385c) on this problem.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Impala
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 338 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 55,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 32,000 and 88,800 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 19, 2011, THROUGH JULY 29, 2011. THE UPPER POWER STEERING HOSE MAY HAVE BEEN MISROUTED SO THAT IT CAN COME IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO AND/OR CONTACT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.…
Fix: GM DEALERS WILL INSPECT TO ENSURE THAT THE UPPER POWER STEERING HOSE IS ROUTED CORRECTLY AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2011. OWNERS MAY…
Technical service bulletins
1,470 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2012 Chevrolet Impala. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2012 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 2012 Chevrolet Impala reliable?
The 2012 Chevrolet Impala drew 422 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 33/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 2012 Chevrolet Impala problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Chevrolet Impala are other (81 complaints), electrical (66), and steering (50).
At what mileage do 2012 Chevrolet Impala problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Chevrolet Impala problems around 55,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 32,000 and 88,800 miles.
Does the 2012 Chevrolet Impala have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 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.