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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
99,179 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2008 Chevrolet Impala engine problems

engine problem

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2008 Chevrolet Impala Owner Comments (Page 5 of 7)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #54

Apr 172013

Impala 6-cyl

  • 75,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving 65mph vehicle just died. Was not able to start for about 15 mins. This has happened several times nearly causing several accidents. The vehicle intermittently has reduced engine power while driving and jerks from a complete stop sometimes. Now the oil engine pressure/turn off engine light and alarm go off all the time. Replace the sensor, but to no avail. The loud knocking sound from the dash is utterly annoying. I think the fact that only the police cars got recalled is insane, no matter what the recall was. I'm sure once they took those vehicles in; all the other issues I have mentioned were also fixed. Also the rear driver side power lock is faulty and unsafe when traveling with young children. I honestly believe with so many consumers having the exact same problems, GM should issue a recall on these vehicles before several tragedies occur and we then just become statistics. Please help. There are so many of us out here with the exact same issues on these Impala who should not have to pay for the repair of something that apparently should be recalled by GM. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Updated 2/18/2015

- Albuquerque, NM, USA

problem #53

Mar 142013

Impala 6-cyl

  • 78,055 miles
Once my vehicle got near 80K miles, it began to randomly shut down on me as I drive. The message "engine power reduced, service throttle" comes on and I barely have time to pull out of harm's way before the car won't move. This has happened numerous times over the past year--most recently, three times while driving on the freeway and turnpike on Saturday June 28. Driving at 70mph and having my car suddenly lose power is beyond ridiculous. When my mechanic pulls the error code, it's just a general computer error every time. Nothing at all about the throttle has ever shown. Why is this not a recall when you search "Impala engine power reduced" and see there are a ton of people with the same issue" does someone have to die before this issue gets fixed"

- Youngstown, OH, USA

problem #52

May 292014

Impala

  • 54,000 miles
While driving to work on 29 May 2014 I hit a small pothole. The pothole is 10" across, 3-4" deep, and I hit it head on. This caused my car to shut off, which I didn't realize until I tried to accelerate. I then realized I had no power steering or breaks and had to pull off to the side of the road to restart the car. Luckily there were no cars behind me, so other than having to pull off the road on a curve I was lucky. I called both my local GM dealer (ressler of bozeman, mt) and GM customer support to tell them about the issue. The local dealer told me there was no issue with the car, no recalls, and nothing to worry about. The technician told me to "avoid hitting potholes". given the state of the roads that may be hard to do. The GM support told me there was no recall at the moment but there might be one down the road and to watch the news.

- Livingston, MT, USA

problem #51

Jun 202014

Impala

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Service traction control/engine power reduced lights came on dash. Car lost all power and when stomping the gas pedal speed would resume, very hesitant from a dead stop. Car was jerking, shut off traction control and car jerked then too. GM needs to fix this before there are deaths. Also I have no unlocking doors. They have to all be manually unlocked. Battery was replaced in car and on key fab. Gas pedal sensor and throttle body sensor are the triggered codes, GM needs to find the real solution as these don't seem to fix problem.

- Eureka, IL, USA

problem #50

Jun 012011

Impala 8-cyl

  • 32,000 miles
I was at a stop sign, when I went to pull onto the highway, the transmission slipped and hesitated! I took it to GM dealer and was told they could find no problem with it! it would actually have to go bad before they could do anything about it! now I have 68000 miles on it, and the problem happens daily! two days ago, when pulling on to the highway, it hesitated again, but this time there was a semi coming! luckily it finally took hold and I could proceed! I saw on the internet, that this is a common problem for this vehicle!! why, doesn't GM fix it?? also, I have had my car in for engine problems, they have removed the engine from the car, and "decarboned the cylinder"! now about 30000 miles later it has the same problem again!

- Bowling Green, OH, USA

problem #49

Nov 052013

Impala 6-cyl

  • 70,000 miles
Vehicle was stopped at stoplight. Driver reached down to pick up paper he dropped on the floor, and accidentally got finger caught in lanyard attached to key ring that had the ignition key in it. Ignition switched turned to off, and engine quit. Had to shift to neutral to restart engine.

- Eau Claire, WI, USA

problem #48

May 092014

Impala 6-cyl

  • 100,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Our 2008 Impala ls, with 100,000 miles, is having the same problem I am seeing at this web site and all across the internet. Last month, may, 2014, and this month, June, 2014, there was a sudden reduced power alert on the dashboard and the check engine light came on. The speed immediately dropped to no more than 35 mph. Before I could get it to advance to have them check to see if any codes had been dropped by the computer, the check engine light went off. There was no reduced power message either, and the speed returned to normal. I was told to try fuel injector cleaner, which I did. All went well for almost a month, when the same thing happened again this month. This time I was able to get it to advance with the check engine light still on. The computer had dropped 2 codes, both related to the accelerator pedal position sensor. Advance did not have the part, nor did autozone. Fortunately, Napa did, for $90, including tax. Our local Chevy dealership wanted $50 more. Since it is a very easy part to replace even for an amateur like me, I replaced it. There are only 2 10 mm bolts to remove and an electrical connection to unplug. So it was pretty simple, and so far, this has done the trick, but it's only been 24 hours. This apparently is a job that the dealerships want to charge $300 to $400 to do. As I said, this is a widespread problem for GM, and they have not and will not, so far, do a recall. They should. I'm only out $90 so far, but other people are out much more. If I have the dreaded, follow-up problem with the throttle body, I will be out a whole lot more. I sent an E-mail to Chevrolet after the first instance, and did get a response back. I told him I didn't want to take any further action unless this happens again. I will be contacting him again now about this latest incident.

- Inwood, WV, USA

problem #47

May 292014

Impala

  • 41,550 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving 20 mph, the vehicle stalled and the check engine indicator illuminated. After five minutes, the contact restarted the vehicle and it operated normally. The contact immediately drove to the dealer who stated that the accelerator pedal needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 41,550.

- Westmont, IL, USA

problem #46

Aug 012013

Impala

  • 115,000 miles
Frequently, service traction control and engine power is reduced lights come on. When this happens, car is sluggish and will not accelerate. This is very dangerous because it happens unexpectedly and causes vehicle to decelerate quickly. Typically the car will start normally after sitting for 15-30 minutes but check engine light remains on for some time. Also, the message engine hot/ac off fires randomly. Temperature gauge rests at zero. It will start working again either through manual reset by removing battery cables and reconnecting or randomly start working again on its own. There are numerous reports of both issues on the internet which indicate replacement of sensors/throttle are very expensive and do not fix the issues.

- Albuquerque, NM, USA

problem #45

May 212014

Impala 6-cyl

  • miles
This is the second incident we have had with our 2008 Chevrolet Impala where this problem has occurred. The most recent incident was on Wednesday May 21st, around 730 pm. My wife was driving on a road with a posted speed limit of 45 miles per hour, she said she was going about 48 when the traction control light came on, and the messaging system indicated "reduced engine power." When this happens the vehicle slows rather rapidly, and then it is impossible to accelerate beyond about 30 miles per hour or so. Due to the rapid decline in speed and the fact that this occurs without warning, I believe this should be an immediately acted upon problem. I contacted GM only to be told that I have to take it to get it looked at by one of their local dealerships, and pay for that diagnostic. In my online research I have discovered many, probably in the hundreds, who've experienced this identical issue. Some of which have take their car to GM who has concluded according to post of experiences on edmunds that they were unable to determine the source of the problem or repair it. This is a problem that require immediate attention. I can't imagine how differently this could have gone should my wife have been going 75 mph on interstate 80. We live along I-80 and travel it frequently. However as a result of this problem we are essentially unable to trust our vehicle beyond about 50 miles per hour.

- Bettendorf, IA, USA

problem #44

Jun 042013

Impala

  • 61,390 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I own a 2008 Chevy Impala which has been having computer problems for 1 yr now. It reads out reduced engine power and the car wont go faster than 40 mph. Ive had it fixed but then comes right back up, one mechanic says to clean the throttle and another says its sensors. This is becoming quite a problem and nobody can fix it permanently. It is a serious saftey issue due to the fact that I Transport grandchildren around and the car looses power out of nowhere, then just shuts down in the middle of traffic. I cant keep paying all this money for it to just happen over and over with no results. When is this going to be on the recall list" I went online to find out there are alot of other people having the same exact issue. Please help me" I cant afford to keep paying for this when its never actually been fixed. I have no problem paying to have my car fixed but I do when I have to pay over and over again and its still not fixed.

- Lockport, NY, USA

problem #43

Apr 142014

Impala

  • miles
TL- contact owns a 2008 chevey Impala lt. The failure occured April 2014. The contact was driving and you hit a pothole. The contact stated that they had to put on hazard lights on. The contact brakes failed after hitting the pothole, preventing her from stoping the vehicle. The contact stated the key ignition failed. The current millage is 109,000. The contact called the manufacture. There were no repairs made on the vehicle.

- Phil, PA, USA

problem #42

Apr 222014

Impala

  • 61,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while he drove at approximately 40 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The failure was experienced several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who reprogrammed the computer but the failure was not corrected. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 61,000.

- Brockton , MA, USA

problem #41

Sep 012009

Impala 8-cyl Diesel

  • miles
2008 Chevrolet Impala. Consumer writes in regards to transmission failure. The consumer stated the vehicle was purchased in Sept 2007, and in Sept 2009, the transmission had to be replaced. The vehicle was covered under 100% warranty and she was given a rental car. The transmission was replaced a for a second time, and lasted until March 2014. The consumer stated the transmission was replaced for a 3rd time and it hasn't even been 7 years. The consumer stated the vehicle would hesitate from a stop. The dealer also stated the vehicle needed engine mount and stabilizer links.

- Waldorf, MD, USA

problem #40

Sep 182013

Impala

  • 8,700 miles
I drive the car and it says engine power reduced stabilatrak it slows down and it feels forced to drive so I pull to the side of the road wait about 10 to 15 minutes and it starts but then it got to the point were it wasn't even drivable with it stating engine power reduced stabilatrak so I called Chevy in modesto ca asked if there was a recall they said no and I told them I seen a lot of complaints on line with the same problems I was going through they said you cant believe everything online miss I took the car into the a mechanic I know he diagnosed it as being a throttle sensor and pedal sensor charged me 587$ I thought the problem was solved a week later it did again engine power reduced but this time it started over heating to ive had nothing but problembs with this car ive also changed the tires numerous times the sensor for tires is always lighthing up and saying check left front tire or back tire I take it to the tire shop they say tires are fine but the back ones need to be changed I change the back tires it still says check back tires ive also had the suspension fixed a few times when itswindy I feel the car moving from side to side I also have had engine problems with the transmission was replaced nowit has has 2 blown head gaskets all in all the past 2 to 3 years I have payed 4 to 6,000 in repair and itsstill running like with it stating engine power reduced stabilatrak I need my vehicleto befixed of this problem.

- Modesto, CA, USA

problem #39

Apr 082014

Impala 6-cyl

  • 103,000 miles
While driving message reduced engine power is displayed along with throttle disabled message, engine shuts off, making vehicle difficult to steer. Left my wife stranded in middle of road. Car restarts after approx. 15 min and displays orange engine light. Took to webbs texaco in lakeland, fl and they say it has a bad ECM. Previously shut off at 70 mph on interstate.

- Polk City, FL, USA

problem #38

Jan 082014

Impala 6-cyl

  • 128,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while exiting a parking lot, the vehicle suddenly stalled without warning. The starter disabled, service throttle and engine power low warning messages displayed on the instrument panel after the failure. The vehicle was restarted after numerous attempts however, the failure progressed into an intermittent occurrence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who stated that the engine control module would need to be replaced. The manufacture was alerted about the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000. Updated 06/27/14 the consumer stated the vehicle was repaired. An occasional, split second stall or missing out can be detected. If it continues after the oil change and transmission fluid check the consumer will report it to the dealer. Updated 07/2/2014

- Paducah, KY, USA

problem #37

Mar 202014

Impala 6-cyl

  • 111,690 miles
While accelerating the car lost the ability to continue accelerating all at once which caused a jerking motion of the car causing me(the driver) to be thrown forward hitting my head on the steering wheel. It all happened very fast and the reduced engine power and traction control message appeared on the dash board and is still on the dash board. As I said it all happened very fast but I was able to brace myself slightly which is the only reason I was not seriously injured. This issue which now after speaking to my car mechanic and me seeing many other people having the same issue after doing some research online is a death sentence to someone. Someone is going to die from the car losing the ability to accelerate all at once along with a jerking motion that makes you want to have a foot on the gas and a foot on the brake to be able to stop should the car take off on it own.

- Woodlyn, PA, USA

problem #36

Mar 102014

Impala 6-cyl

  • 105,521 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 mph, the vehicle suddenly decelerated to approximately 5 mph. The contact indicated that the vehicle traction control and engine reduce power warning lights illuminated prior to the vehicle decelerating. The contact stated that after turning the engine off and restarting the vehicle operated as normal. Vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 105,521.

- Melrose Park , IL, USA

problem #35

Mar 082014

Impala 6-cyl

  • 64,500 miles
I purchased a Chevy 08 Impala in late January 2013 with less that 55K mile on it, now it's been about a year it's around 64K mile. Today on my way to work, the traction control light and engine light are on and there are the message of traction control is on and also the engine power is reduced. I felt the speed of the car reduced, luckily I am on local street without many traffic. After about an hour I tried to tested it again and only the engine light is on, the speed of the car is normal. I am not familiar with car problems and also it's my first time to own a car. But I read a lot posts online [xxx] and found so many people experiencing the similar problems. The same problem would later happen in my situation. I am disappointed to learn that GM hasn't resolved this issue. I hope I could fix it soon. Parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- East Lansing, MI, USA

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