MODELYEARINDEX

Which Chevrolet Impala years to avoid

Across 10 scored model years, the 2011 and 2014 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Chevrolet Impala Full report
D
Grade 2010–2019
2011 vs model median 2.2×
Model median3× median
Body & Interior 86
Driver Assist 74
Engine 72
Avoid

2011 · 2014

Best

2017 · 2019

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
1.19× 242 C
2011
2.17× 470 D
2012
0.97× 205 C
2013
1.17× 295 C
2014
1.48× 342 D
2015
1.03× 206 C
2016
0.55× 108 A
2017
0.36× 92 A
2018
0.30× 62 A
2019
0.14× 23 A

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2011 D 470 reports · median 50,000 mi

  1. Body & Interior 86

    The contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala. While driving the vehicle at any speed, the contact noticed that it was difficult to see through the rear window due to the rear seat head rests blocking her view. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Driver Assist 74

    This car is a accident waiting to happen, whoever thought of putting a stationary middle headrest on this cars backseat was either 7 feet tall, or has never backed out of a parking space in it! owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Engine 72

    My impala will not heat in idle position,no early morn defrosts for me! Took to dealer ( 10/18/11) he found a leak, replaced a hose. It was good for a while, now doing again, (10/28/11), going back in shop on 11/3/11. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

23 crash · 6 fire · 36 injuries

2014 D 342 reports · median 37,000 mi

  1. Electrical 55

    Battery leaked down the frame and was eating the 2 trany cooler aluminum lines. Autonation chevrolet superstition springs in mesa, az put a new battery and 2 new trany cooler lines on, but after the 4th attempt can not… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Driver Assist 50

    I was going to work and on the way a message saying my traction control needed to be checked came on. Also, today as I was going to town another message came on saying my parking assist needed to be checked. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Steering 43

    At 55 MPH on a slippery right hand side curve (speed limit is 65 MPH) vehicle under-steered and lost traction completely, without touching the brakes, it started to slow down and skidded to the outside of the curve (to… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

13 crash · 8 fire · 5 injuries

The best year for the Impala

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2019 is the best-scoring Impala model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 94.1 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2019 0.14× 23 A
2017 0.36× 92 A
2018 0.30× 62 A

Recalls

17 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
14V355000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION 2010–2014 3,141,731
10V480000 SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE 2010 303,100
16V507000 AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION 2010 289,254
18V576000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER 2018, 2019 210,628
14V541000 PARKING BRAKE 2014, 2015 205,309
14V614000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2014 106,307
14V450000 STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM 2014 57,242
12V377000 SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM 2010–2012 36,413
14V489000 STRUCTURE 2014, 2015 14,940
11V398000 STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS 2012 10,344
13V220000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2014 10,210
15V465000 AIR BAGS 2014, 2015 5,493

+ 5 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2011 were reported at a median of 50,000 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Chevrolet Impala years should you avoid?
2011, 2014 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Chevrolet Impala model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Chevrolet Impala?
2019 is the best-scoring Chevrolet Impala model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 94.1 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Chevrolet Impala have?
17 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Chevrolet Impala model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2011 Impala
Complaints in window
470
Severity-weighted
698
Model median (weighted)
322
vs model median
2.17×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
2
Open investigations
0
Score 40.8 D