Problems · by component
2004 Chevrolet Impala power train problems
47 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Chevrolet Impala cite power train, 4% of all 1,073 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
47
4% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Cars acceleration causes me to be unable to pick up speed it decelerates up hills small or latg ramps cats constantly fly pass to avoid a multi car pile up it’s very dangerous!”
“I HAVE A 2004 IMPALA AND I'M NOTICING THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT IN IT I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION MESS UP A WHOLE LOT IN THESE TYPE OF CARS WHY IS THAT AND WHY DID Y'ALL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO THE CORRECT GEAR AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE CHEVROLET IMPALA'S TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ADJUSTED HIS DRIVING HABITS OVER THE YEARS DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. RECENTLY, WHILE PARKING IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE AS IT WAS PLACED IN NEUTRAL, LOW 1, AND THEN REVERSE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, WHILE IN REVERSE AND WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE RPMS INCREASED, THE FRONT END JERKED, AND THE VEHICLE FINALLY REVERSED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND WAS PARKED. THE CONTACT PURCHASED TRANSMISSION FLUID, A GASKET, AND A FILTER AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION. DURING THE REPAIR, PROCESS METAL SHAVINGS AND CHUNKS WERE FOUND IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED NON-DRIVABLE AND WAS PARKED. THE…”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO SHIFT INTO ALL GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND CLUTCH ASSEMBLY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE, THERE WAS A DELAY WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK WHEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND THE PASSING GEAR WOULD GET ROUGH GOING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,273.”
“MY CAR WILL NO LONGER MOVE WHEN PLACED IN DRIVE OR IN ANY OF THE LOWER GEARS. IT MOVES FINE IN REVERSE. THE REPAIR FACILITY TOLD ME IT WAS THE I OUT DRUM. THE ONLY WAY TO REPLACE IT IS WITH A NEW DRUM THAT HAS UPDATED SPECIFICATIONS. THERE HAS BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THE CURRENT INPUT DRUM THAT HAS RESULTED IN THE NEED FOR AN I PUT DRUM WITH UPDATED SPECS. IF THERE IS PROBLEMS WITH THE ORIGINAL DRUM SHOULD NOT A RECALL BE ISSUED?”
“THE ONLY RECALL I WAS ABLE TO FIND OUT WAS FOR THE IGNITION,. MY TRANSMISSION JUST WENT OUT 11/19/2015, IT WILL NOT SWITCH INTO GEAR, IT STARTS JUST FINE NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BUT LEFT ME STRANDED. TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WHEN I STARTED IT AGAIN IT DROVE JUST FINE, SO I SLOWLY DROVE IT HOME. I DON'T GET ON THE HIGHWAY NO MORE BECAUSE IT LACKS POWER THE GET UP IS NOT THERE MIND YOU YES I HAVE 225K MILES ON IT BUT I HAVE HAD ABOUT 10 TROUBLE CODES AND I MANAGED TO GET RID OF THEM ALL WHEN I CLEANED THE TPS, AIC, AND MAP SENSOR NEW EGR VALVE, OIL CHANGE TUNE UP TRANSMISSION FLUSH ALL HAS BEEN DONE THIS YEAR AND STILL ON THE HIGHWAY IT STRUGGLES, I DID HAVE ONE CODE THAT POPPED UP 0420 SO AT THIS POINT I HAVE BEEN THINKIN TO JUST REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHEN I GET MY TAXES, BUT THE PROBLEM IS JUST GETTING WORSE AND WORSE, SO THEN I AM THINKING ITS THE FUEL PUMP, I MEAN MY ALTERNATOR IS FINE, I KNOW I AM SICK OF THE SECURITY LIGHT ALWAYS COMING ON, MY LEFT BLINKER ONLY WORKS IN THE DAY TIME AT NIGHT NEVER WHICH IS THE WEIRDEST THING, MY WINDSHIELD BLADES ONLY WORK ON THE FASTEST SETTING, IN THE WINTER WHEN IT RAINS OR SNOWS MY DOORS WHEN WE GET INSIDE TO LOCK…”
Showing 6 of 47 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.