There are 50 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2009 Chevrolet Impalain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on separate occasions, the messages “Reduce Engine Power” and "Service Traction Control" were displayed on the instrument cluster, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure reoccurred while driving on a bumpy road surface and while turning the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the throttle position sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that her father used an OBD reader and retrieved codes indicating that the throttle position sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle decelerated unintendedly. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, who informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 169,000.
My car has started slowing down abruptly and displaying Engine Power has been Reduced at random times, but has become more frequent. I have had an independent service center tell me it was the throttle body, so they replaced it. That didn't fix it, so they replaced the accelerator pedal/sensor. It still is happening and when on the interstate, it is so dangerous to slow down with no warning because you can get rear ended quite easily. This first started August 2021 when my wife and I started on a vacation and had to turn around and go home and is still happening, only more frequent. This past Saturday 7/16, I was traveling on Interstate 77 and the engine power kept cutting down about every 10 minutes, so I had to pull over and cut the engine off for a while until it reset. I can't trust it to go anywhere.
WHILE DRIVING ON ROADS AND INTERSTATES, I FREQUENTLY RECEIVE A DASH NOTIFICATION "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" AND MY SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, MY VEHICLE LOSES SPEED AND CANNOT ACCELERATE ABOVE 40MPH - DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY ON AN INTERSTATE. THE NOTIFICATION LIGHTS AND SYMPTOMS OCCASIONALLY GO AWAY AFTER TURNING THE ENGINE OFF AND ON, ONLY TO COME BACK LATER. I CANNOT FIND AND ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM.
I STARTED MY CAR AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS BOTH CAME ON. I GOT ON THE HIGHWAY AND TRIED TO ACCELERATE TO MERGE INTO THE LANE AND MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE BEFORE MY CAR SHUT OFF, BUT I WAS VERY CLOSE TO BEING BLASTED BY AN ONCOMING SEMI TRUCK. THIS COULD'VE BEEN FATAL TO ME IF I HAD NOT GOTTEN OVER IN TIME.
I WAS DRIVING ALONE ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT THE RMP GAUGES WAS GOING UP AND DOWN, THEN SUDDENLY A MESSAGE ON THE DASH READ, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, THEN A FEW SECONDS LATER ANOTHER MESSAGE READ, ENGINE POWER REDUCED AND THE CAR WOULD NOT PICK UP ANY SPEED. THIS WAS VERY SCARY AND CONFUSING BECAUSE THE NEXT DAY I HAD NO ISSES BUT HAS NOW IT DID THE SAME THING TODAY. PLEASE HELP.
AS I GO DOWN THE ROAD THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE STABLETREK WARING TRACKION LIGHT ALSO COMES ON LIGHT AND POWER REDUCE ENGINE POWER LIGHT COMES ON BUT NOT ALL THE TIME IT GOES OFF AFTER A DAY OR SO AND THAN NO ONE CAN FINE THE PROBLEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GEORGE MATICK CHEVROLET (14001 TELEGRAPH RD, REDFORD, MI 48239, 313-531-7100) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 154,000.
TL- CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVY IMPALA LT... TRANSMISSION SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN MAIN ROAD... TRANSMISSION STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS BACK IN JUNE OF 2017. TRANSMISSION REDUCED POWER AND SHUT OFF COMPLETELY...CONTACT WAS ON MAIN ROAD WHEN VEHICLE SHUT OFF VEHICLE SHUT OFF AFTER A SECOND TIME OF THE BELTWAY.......VEHICLE STARTED BACK UP AFTER THIRTY MINUTES.... TR..... RECEIVED TK HOLDINGS NOTICE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON .... CONTACT CALLED CHEVY AND AIRBAGS WERE REPLACED ALREADY.... 0 RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE ABS SENSOR SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,500.
REDUCED ENGINE POWER
"TAKATA RECALL " EVERYTIME I DRIVE MY VEHICLE 5 SECONDS THE CAR JERKS MAKES LOUD SOUND, STARTS BEEPING, MESSAGES APPEAR FLASHING BACK AND FORTH ENGINE POWER REDUCED, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, CAR SLOWS DOWN, CAR JERKS AND CHUGS, MAKES LOUD SOUND, BEEPING NOISE FROM MESSAGE BOARD, THROTTLE SOMETHING APPEARS, STEERING WHEEL LOCKS, CAR STOPS, CAN'T STEER CAR OUT OF ROAD, WON'T CRANK, MY CAR SITS IN THE ROAD.
AFTER STARTING MY CAR AND PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR CAR STARTS TO JERK LIGHTS FLICKER AND THE MESSAGE SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL. THE CAR WILL SOMETIMES LOSE POWER. AND DOES THIS WHILE DRIVING AND WILL NOT ACCERERATE. I HAVE CHANGED THE ACCERATOR PETAL POSITIONING SENSOR AS WELL AS THE BATTERY. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CARE WHATSOEVER. AND I'VE SEEN THAT MANY OTHER IMPALAS HAVE HAD THIS ISSUES. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS WHEN THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT'S BOYFRIEND OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING HER BOYFRIEND'S VEHICLE AT NORMAL SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SLOWED DOWN. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY AND THE TRACTION CONTROL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
WHILE ACCELERATING THE TRACTION CONTROL KICKS IN AND CANNOT ACCELERATE. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE BACKING UP, DRIVING STRAIGHT, AND TURNING. IT HAS MAINLY BEEN HAPPENING WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY. WHEN I PUSH THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR DOESN'T MOVE. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT BY OTHER VEHICLES WHILE STUCK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A SOLDER CONNECTION IN THE ACCELERATOR POSITION SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. UPDATED 02/21/17*LJ *CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FRACTURED BEING DETACHED FROM THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND ACTIVATE THE HAZARD LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A FRACTURED SOLDER DEVICE, WHICH CAUSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO MALFUNCTION. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,000.
TRACTION CONTROL SERVICE REDUCED ENGINE SPEED AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON DASH WHILE I WAS DRIVING . I HAD BEEN DRIVING LESS THAN 5 MINUTE AT SPEED LIMIT OF 40 MPH. I LOOKED THIS UP ONLINE .THERE WERE MANY COMPLAINTS BY PEOPLE HAVING THIS DAME ISSUE. THERE WERE PEOPLE SAYING THEIR LIVES WERE ENDANGERED .THEY WERE DRIVING AND THEIR ENGINE JUST SHUT OFF .THIS MANY PEOPLE HAVING ISSUES WITH 2009 IMPALAS .THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT BY THE MANUFACTURER. I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING THIS CAR . AND FRIENDS ARE TELLING ME THAT FORD CARES ABOUT THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE AN TAKES CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. I AM HOPING CHEVROLET WILL PROVE THAT CUSTOMERS SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. AND DOES A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE ASAP . *TR
WHILE DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON AND REDUCE ENGINE POWER READS ACROSS THE SCREEN. CAR SLOWS TO 45 MILES AN HOUR AND TURNS OFF. I HAVE HAD THE THROTTLE REPLACED AND THE THROTTLE BODY REPLACED. THE PROBLEM STILL ON GOING....?
I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE, GOING THE SPEED LIMIT. I HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL ON WHEN THE CAR ALERTED ME THAT THE ENGINE POWER REDUCED AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE AS THESE MESSAGES HAVE APPEARED ON MY CAR BEFORE. I TRAVELED ANOTHER 40 MILES ALONG THE INTERSTATE AND WAS ABOUT A MILE FROM MY EXIT. I WAS PASSING AN OVER-SIZED TRACTOR TRAILER GOING UP HILL WHEN THE CAR DISPLAYED STARTING DISABLED THROTTLE SERVICE AND THE CAR SHUT OFF. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE AND HAD TO INITIATE MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND WAIT FOR THE TRACTOR TRAILER TO PASS ME SO I COULD MOVE THE CAR OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. AS THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY SHUTOFF AND WAS JUST COASTING, I HAD TO FIGHT THE STEERING WHEEL TO CONTROL THE CAR. I FEEL LIKE HAD MY SITUATION WAS JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENT, THE CAR COULD HAVE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE WITH CARS TRAVELING 70+ MPH AND POSSIBLY CAUSED A CRASH. I'VE ALREADY REPLACED THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR AND THAT REMEDIED THE SITUATION FOR A COUPLE MONTHS. THIS A HIGHLY DANGEROUS OCCURRENCE THAT I KNOW IS COMMON WITH THE IMPALA'S AS I'VE HEARD IT HAPPENING TO SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE OWNING IMPALA'S.
Showing 1–20 of 50 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