Chevrolet Impala Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2004 draws 10.13 complaints per run and the 2015 2.91, a 3.5-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age, so 79.3% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Electrical System, with 2,779 complaints, typically at 6.3 years.

Chevrolet Impala years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Chevrolet Impala — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2020	1.17	14	12	yes
2019	1.44	26	18	yes
2018	1.77	55	31	yes
2017	2.16	110	51	yes
2016	2.25	108	48	yes
2015	2.91	282	97	yes
2014	4.61	604	131	yes
2013	3.88	229	59	yes
2012	3.4	228	67	yes
2011	5.51	419	76	yes
2010	5.19	389	75	yes
2009	7.06	713	101	yes
2008	3.13	655	209	yes
2007	4.39	523	119	yes
2006	4.68	445	95	yes
2005	6.61	476	72	yes
2004	10.13	831	82	yes
2003	7.76	543	70	yes
2002	8.63	613	71	yes
2001	8.28	571	69	yes
2000	7.83	642	82	yes

ROWS 21·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2004 Impala asks a median $2,650, against $4,000 for a 2005, the next model year: about 34% less, so sellers do price some of the trouble in.

Among the 11 Chevrolet Impala years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2004, 2000, 2009; the three worth hunting are 2015, 2008, 2007.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Chevrolet Impala — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	518	6.4%	covered
1 year	563	13.3%	covered
2 years	608	20.7%	covered
3 years	910	31.9%	you pay
4 years	977	43.9%	you pay
5 years	956	55.6%	you pay
6 years	796	65.4%	you pay
7 years	631	73.1%	you pay
8 years	473	78.9%	you pay
9 years	425	84.2%	you pay
10 years	325	88.2%	you pay
11 years	295	91.8%	you pay
12 years	231	94.6%	you pay
13 years	198	97%	you pay
14 years	138	98.7%	you pay
15 years	103	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 20.7% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 79.3% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 22% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

What waits further out is Electrical System at 6.3 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Chevrolet Impala — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Electrical System	2779	6.3 yrs	73	98
Engine	1080	7.5 yrs	35	109
Steering	1025	5 yrs	89	11
Air Bags	845	6 yrs	275	6
Power Train	768	5.3 yrs	28	7
Service Brakes	765	4.5 yrs	80	10
Electronic Stability Control (esc)	651	5.3 yrs	14	7
Exterior Lighting	528	5.4 yrs	12	9

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Impala's vehicle class. Per production run, the Dodge Charger draws 4.56, the Chrysler 300 4.11 and the Kia K5 3.11, against 5.42 for the Impala. That is the most complaints of the group.

FIG.05·Chevrolet Impala — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Impala	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Dodge Charger	5,784	133	1983–2026
Chrysler 300	6,174	86	1999–2026
Kia K5	511	21	2021–2026
Hyundai Sonata	16,220	152	1989–2026
Lincoln Continental	2,687	80	1981–2026
Porsche Panamera	111	48	2010–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Chevrolet Impala

Recalls98 campaigns Fuel economy28 mpg best Common problems10,373 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space21 cu ft Used prices3,234 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car1981–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Chevrolet Impala reliable?

By complaints per production run it is worse than typical: 5.42 against 3.73 for the average car, and more than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.

Which Impala years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2004, 2000, 2009. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2015, 2008, 2007. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Impala problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age. The most reported system is Electrical System, typically at 6.3 years, followed by Engine.

Will the warranty cover Impala problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 20.7% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 22% of the complaints here.

Is the Impala more reliable than the Dodge Charger?

No: 5.42 complaints per production run for the Impala against 4.56 for the Dodge Charger.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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