Problems · by component

2001 Chevrolet Impala power train problems

58 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Chevrolet Impala cite power train, 8% of all 747 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
58
8% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I HAD A REBUILD ENGINE IN THE CAR A MONTH AFTER L PURCHASE THE CAR. SINCE THEN MY CAR HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEAL TWICE ABOUT THE ENGINE AND NOW A YEAR FROM THEN MY LAST PROBLEM. MY TRANSMISSION ISN'T WORKING AND NOW I HAVE TO FIND AWAY TO FIX IT. MRS.[XXX] BALTIMORE CITY RESIDENT *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 16, 2016Power train, EngineODI 10896466
“2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ENGINE FAILURE AND INSTALLATION OF NEW TRANSMISSION ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE IN THE MIDST OF DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STOPPED MOVING. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 13, 2016Power trainODI 10874079
“WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS ISSUES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS INCLUDING INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL ISSUES, ENGINE CUTTING OUT, ENGINE LURCHING, AND DIFFICULTY STARTING. TWO PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS TIMES WERE ESPECIALLY SCARY -- ONE TIME THE ENGINE CUT OUT, WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE MY SON WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, ON A FOUR LANE ROAD, WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THE OTHER TIME WAS WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN A HILL IN A SNOW STORM AT NIGHT. THE ROADS WERE SLIPPERY AND I LOST ALL POWER INCLUDING THE LIGHTS AND POWER STEERING. WE'VE SPENT AT LEAST $2000 FOR DIAGNOSTICS/REPAIRS FOR FUEL SYSTEM CHECKS, ELECTRICAL CHECKS, NEW IGNITION, NEW IGNITION WIRES, NEW A/C COMPRESSOR (A/C WOULDN'T COOL), AND ONE FUEL INJECTOR REPLACED. FOR SEVERAL MONTHS IT DIDN'T CUT OUT BUT THE ENGINE WOULD STILL LURCH ONCE IN AWHILE. FOUR DAYS AGO MY HUSBAND TOOK IT IN FOR THE KEY RECALL AND THE DEALER SAID THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS NEEDED CLEANING SO WE HAD IT DONE. THE CAR RAN FANTASTIC... UNTIL TODAY WHEN OUT OF THE BLUE, WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 30MPH, THE ENGINE CUT OUT AFTER GOING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. WE CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID TO KEEP A JOURNAL OF WHEN THE ISSUE HAPPENS AGAIN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 28, 2014Power train, Electrical systemODI 10650892
“WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ENGINE JUST CUTS OUT. WHEN AT A COMPLETE STOP AT A LIGHT THE ENGINE WOULD JUST CUT OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THERE IS NO ENGINE CODES, ENGINE JUST DIES. SOMETIMES IT IS A PAIN TRYING TO STAR THE ENGINE WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 4, 2011Power trainODI 10399148
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RECEIVING ENOUGH POWER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS AND THE STARTER, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. WHILE DRIVING MORE THAN 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 100,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 8, 2009Power trainODI 10273112
“THE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. ONE DAY WE WERE DRIVING IN TOWN AT 45 MPH AND THE TRANSMISSION DEVELOPED A HIGH PITCHED SOUND AND TWO SECONDS LATER IT DROPPED TO 25 MPH. THE TRANSMISSION WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST FOR THAN THE CAR IS WORTH. THE TRANSMISSION SHOP STATED IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CAR DUE TO A LARGE GAP BETWEEN THE CLUTCH AND THE GEARS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 13, 2009Power trainODI 10254885

Showing 6 of 58 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.