There are 28 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2005 Chevrolet Impalain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKE FLUID WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED AND LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THE MECHANIC CONTACTED AN UNKNOWN LOCAL DEALER FOR THE REPLACEMENT PARTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED HOWEVER, NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,886.
RECENTLY, I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY 2005 IMPALA AND THE ABS/TRACTION SYSTEM. AT THE BEGINNING, THE "ABS, TRACTION OFF AND SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM" LIGHTS WOULD COME ON. THE ABS AND TRACTION LIGHTS WOULD STAY ON AND THE SERVICE TRACTION WAS INTERMITTENT. THE CAR ALSO MAKES A LOUD "DINGING" SOUND WHEN THE LIGHTS COME ON. WHEN I WOULD MAKE A TURN, THE CAR WOULD ALSO MAKE A GRINDING SOUND AND THE SERVICE TRACTION LIGHT WOULD COME BACK ON. EVENTUALLY, THE TRACTION BEGAN KICKING IN WHEN IT WAS NOT SUPPOSE TO AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP PROPERLY. THIS OF COURSE WAS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND COMPLAINTS UPON COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM. I CONTACTED GM AND THEY TOLD ME THEY NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM WHICH I FIND HARD TO BELIEVE. I HAVE SPENT AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME AND MONEY TRYING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP WANTED ALMOST $4,000 FOR REPAIRS. I THEN TOOK THE CAR TO A VERY REPUTABLE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY, LIKE TWO OTHER SHOPS I CHECKED WITH, TOLD ME THEY HAVE SEEN THIS NUMEROUS TIMES IN THESE CARS. THEY ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. I SPENT $2,000 HAVING THE WHEEL HUBS, ABS HARNESSES AND BRAKE PRESSURE MODULATOR VALVE REPLACED. THE LIGHTS, ALTHOUGH INTERMITTENT, ARE STILL COMING ON! SOMETIMES IT IS WHEN I TURN THE CAR ON, BACK UP OR EVEN JUST DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 77,000 MILES ON IT AND I FEEL I SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD TO TAKE IT BACK TWICE AND THEY ARE STILL ATTEMPTING TO FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. THIS IS THE ONLY MAJOR PROBLEM I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR. ANY ASSISTANCE YOU COULD GIVE ME WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
BRAKE PROBLEMS. *TR
JUST BOUGHT A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA, HAVING BAD PROBLEMS WITH REAR BRAKES, DRAGGING REALLY BAD. SOMETIMES JUST 1 IS DRAGGING, NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. EVERY SERVICE I TALK TO GIVES ME A 1500-3000 DOLLAR ESTIMATE TO REPLACE EVERYTHING , I'VE TALKED TO GENERAL MOTORS SEVERAL TIMES THEY SEEM TO BE IN DENIAL ABOUT THE PROBLEMS GOING ON WITH THE VEHICLE.I THINK THEY SHOULD FIX IT SENSE EVERY WERE I LOOK EVERYBODY IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH SAME MAKE AND MODEL. THIS IS A LINK TO A WEBSITE WERE EVERYBODY IS DISCUSSING THERE PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME MODEL HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHEVROLET-IMPALA/TG9QFKQO9EOREU1R6. MY MAIN FEAR IS THE SMELL COMING FROM THE BRAKE PADS I'M AFRAID ITS GOING TO CATCH FIRE. IF YOU CAN HELP ME OUT PLEASE CONTACT ME.THANK YOU *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE ABS, THE TRACTION CONTROL AND SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHENEVER HE ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGED THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD VIBRATE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THE SPEEDOMETER HAD MALFUNCTIONED SHOWING ERRONEOUS READING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER.THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGES 41,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,000 .
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, HE NOTICED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 200,000. UPDATED 7/22/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE ABS AND IGNITION. UPDATED 07/29/14
NO EVENTS APPEAR TO LEAD UP TO THE PROBLEM. IT OCCURS RANDOMLY WITHOUT WARNING, ESPECIALLY DURING BACKUP OPERATIONS. THE ABS SEEMS TO COME ON WHENEVER IT LIKES DURING BRAKING, CAUSING HEAVY LOSS IN STOPPING POWER. THIS CAN OCCUR REGARDLESS OF ROAD CONDITIONS OR SPEED. SIMILAR TO THIS, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM APPEARS TO COME ON DURING ACCELERATION AT RANDOM TIMES, ESPECIALLY AT LOW SPEEDS OR IN REVERSE. THIS OCCURS ON DRY ROADS FREQUENTLY AND OCCASIONALLY CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO PULL HEAVILY TO ONE SIDE AS NEITHER SIDE IS ACTUALLY SLIPPING. AN ACCIDENT HAS NOT YET OCCURRED BUT CERTAINLY CAN GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE FAILURES. A TSB IS AVAILABLE CONCERNING THE ABS. THIS VEHICLE HAS A WHOPPING 75 TSBS! SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER : 4615 NHTSA ITEM NUMBER : 10023171 *TT
THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM HAS QUIT WORKING FOR THE 3RD TIME. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR WINTER DRIVING. 1ST TWO OCCURENCES HAPPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, 70,000 MILES LATER IT HAS HAPPEND AGAIN. IN ALL 3 OCCURENCES IT HAS HAPPENED IN BAD WEATHER: RAINY FOR THE 1ST TWO AND SNOW FOR THE THIRD. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. ON MAY 24, 2010, A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE WAS BEING PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED HE WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE CRACKED AND HAD CUT INTO THE ROTORS. THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE BROKEN INTO THREE PIECES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27647. UPDATED 10/26/10. *LJ UPDATED 10/26/10
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THE TRANSMISSION, SPEED ODOMETER AND ANTILOCK BRAKE IS FAULTY. CONTACT STATED SHE HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTOR, PADS FOUR TIMES AND THE TRANSMISSION IS JERKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND CONTACT THE WAS TOLD SHE HAS TO PAY THE EXPENSES FOR THESE REPAIRS. THERE ARE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTIES ON THE VEHICLE. THE VIN NUMBER IS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
SPEEDOMETER GAUGE NOT SHOWING PROPER SPEED SHOWS DOING 100 WHEN PARKED, TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. SPEEDOMETER COMPLETELY QUIT WORKING AND NOW THE FUEL GAUGE IS NOT WORKING. SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING 2 YEARS AGO. CRUISE CONTROL HAS WENT OUT SEVERAL TIMES AND NO LONGER WORKS TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AROUND 80,000 MILES. TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON AND STATING THAT IT NEEDS TO BE SERVICE WHEN TRACTION CONTROL WAS NEVER ENGAGED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL SERVICE SHOP AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE MADE WITH DEFECTIVE MATERIAL, WHICH CAUSED THEM TO FAIL PREMATURELY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY A STANDARD CHARGE OF $65 JUST TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED FOR POTENTIAL DEFECTS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ABLE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 60,000. UPDATED 07/08/08. *BF THE VEHICLE HAS SINCE BEEN REPAIRED. UPDATED
2005 CHEVY IMPALA HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS, THE MOST PROBLEMS HAVE STARTED AT 15,000 MILES, I HAVE HAD THE ROTORS REPLACED TWICE AND THE BRAKES REPLACED FOUR TIMES, THE MILEAGE ON THE CAR AT THIS TIME IS 44,900 MILES, THE AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT AT 35,000 THE DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY, OF COURSE EVERY TIME I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR WARRANTY WORK THE DEALER HAS FOUND LITTLE THINGS WRONG THAT TOTAL UP TO $200 THAT COME OUT OF MY POCKET, LOTS OF VIBRATION IN FRONT END, TIRES HAVE CUPPED WITH THE PROBLEMS, THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF RECALL FOR THIS, NOW I HAVE THE VIBRATION BACK AND THE DEALERSHIP HAS SAID THAT IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE, AND THE ROTORS AND BRAKES WERE REPLACED APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AGO, THE BRAKES SEEM TO GO OUT EVERY 6 MONTHS. ROTORS EVERY YEAR. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE. WITHIN A YEAR, THE FAILURE PROGRESSIVELY WORSENED. THE TIRES WERE ROTATED AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE ROTORS HAD EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND RUST. THE DEALER STATED THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED THE WARRANTY, HE WOULD HAVE TO ASSUME FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. HE HAS NOT HAD THE ROTORS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH ONLY 14,297 MILES CLAIMING IT WAS ENVIRONMENTAL NOT WORN BRAKES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A BUMPING SOUND WHEN SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. SHE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME. THE DEALER RESURFACED THE REAR DISC BRAKES AND ROTORS AND REMOVED AND INSTALLED THE FRONT AND REAR DISC PADS UPDATED 01/24/08 *BF. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,297. THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING TO BE REIMBURSED $444.90 THE COST OF THE PART TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 01/24/08 *TR
WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN, THE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM CAME ON SHOWING IT WAS "OFF" AND PRESSING THE RESET BUTTON WOULD NOT MAKE IT COME BACK ON. ONE OF THE REAR SENSORS HAD FAILED, DISABLING THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ANTILOCK SYSTEMS. *TR
LEFT REAR WHEEL SENSOR FAILED IN WET WEATHER, DISABLING THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ON THE VEHICLE. SAME COMPONENT FAILED ON RIGHT REAR SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES EARLIER, IN JANUARY OF 2007. VERY EXPENSIVE PART TO REPLACE ($378.00) IN EACH CASE, PLUS LABOR. *TR
BRAKES HAD TO BE FIXED THREE TIMES UNDER A DEFECT. NO NOTICE WAS RECEIVED BY DEALER. A LOCAL DEALER LET ME KNOW TO BRING THE CAR BACK TO DEALER TO BE FIXED. BY THE LAST TIME THE BRAKES WERE FIXED, WARRANTY WAS OUT. BRAKES SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED FOR FREE DUE TO DEFECT IN ROTORS. NOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING AND NO SAFETY RECALL NOTICE HAS BEEN RECEIVED, BUT READ ABOUT IT ONLINE. *TR
INTERMITTENT WARNING "SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM" WHICH SHUT OFF BOTH THE TRACTION SYSTEM AND THE FOUR WHEEL ABS SYSTEM (THE SAFETY ISSUE). REGULAR BRAKING STILL WORKED. DIAGNOSED AT THE SHOP AS A FAULTY RIGHT REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR, AND THE FAULT HAS APPARENTLY BEEN CORRECTED. *JB
Showing 1–20 of 28 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026