Problems · by component

2003 Chevrolet Impala service brakes, hydraulic problems

54 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Chevrolet Impala cite service brakes, hydraulic, 7% of all 722 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
54
7% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION SWITCH RECALL REPAIRS ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE CHECK ENGINE, ABS AND TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT WAS ON. ALSO, THERE WAS A CLICK IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING IT, THE VEHICLE HAD AN OIL LEAK, FREON WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. . *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 19, 2016Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, TiresODI 10838275
“GOT THIS CAR NEW 2003,AT 376 MILES HAD BRAKE PROBLEMS,HAD IT BACK TO DEALER 10 OR 11 TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM,SO ABOUT EVERY 3-4 MONTHS I HAVE TO TURN ROTORS OR GET NEW ONE;S+BRAKE PADS,ALSO DASH LIGHTS ARE OUT,AS THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY NOW,THIS IS THE WORST CAR I EVER OWNED ,AS I AM A RETIRED OTR TRUCK DRIVER ,SO I DONT MISUSE BRAKES. *TT”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 26, 2011Service brakes, hydraulic, Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10432835
“THE TRACTION ACTIVE LIGHT LIGHTS UP AFTER BACKING UP AND BRAKING. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH IMPALAS. THE CAR MAKES A GRINDING NOISE FOR A SECOND OR TWO. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *KB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 15, 2011Service brakes, hydraulic, Traction control systemODI 10425684
“UNDER HARD HIGH SPEED BRAKING THE FRONT BRAKES SHUDDER BADLY CAUSING A SEVERE FRONT END SHIMMY DUE TO WARPED ROTORS MAKING STOPPING DIFFICULT. IF PRESSURE ON PEDAL IS NOT RELEASED THIS COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH. IT IS WORSE IF GOING DOWNHILL. THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE ON GM CARS BUILD IN THE LAST 8 YEARS. THERE ARE POSTS ALL OVER THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS. THE PROBLEM IS WITH POORLY MADE BRAKE ROTORS THAT WARP AT UNDER 15,000 MILES OF NORMAL USE. I HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH MY WIFE'S 2003 IMPALA. THESE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THE ROTORS REPLACED WITH PARTS OF ADEQUATE QUALITY. IF YOU CAN GET THE ISSUE ADDRESSED UNDER WARRANTY, THE DEALER WILL ONLY EITHER TURN THE DEFECTIVE ROTORS OR REPLACE THEM WITH THE SAME OEM JUNK. THE ONLY FIX I HAVE FOUND IT TO REPLACE THEM WITH AFTERMARKET ROTORS AND PADS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 11, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10424630
“THE IMPALA HAS BRAKES THAT HAVE A LOT OF CHATTER. THE BRAKES PULSATE AND HAVE A VIOLENT SHAKING FIT. I HAD THE BRAKES AND ROTORS REPLACED AT 66,000 MILES. THE PROBLEM HAS REAPPEARED WITHIN 15000 MILES AND IT CONTINUES. THE QUALITY IS POOR AND IS A ROAD HAZARD. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 6, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10423850
“FAILURE OF THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE IN A 2003 CHEVY IMPALA. COULD BE DANGEROUS, AND AFTER DOING SOME INTERNET SEARCHING, APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. CAR HAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES ON IT. ALSO, TRANSMISSION FAILED AT ABOUT 80,000 MILES. *KB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 17, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10419894

Showing 6 of 54 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.