Problems · by component
2005 Chevrolet Impala exterior lighting problems
49 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Chevrolet Impala cite exterior lighting, 8% of all 608 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
49
8% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the exterior lighting
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50-55 MPH, THE HEADLAMPS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BIG BEND CHEVROLET BUICK (LOCATED AT 1424 N YOUNG BLVD, CHIEFLAND, FL 32626, (352) 493-4263) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO SEE IF THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR. THE CONTACT DID NOT HEED THE MANUFACTURER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000. *TT *TR *BF*JB”
“WHILE DRIVING ON A SMOOTH DARK COUNTRY ROAD AT A SPEED OF 50 MPH TIME 10:35PM I HAD ACTIVATED THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS AND APPROXIMATELY 10 SECONDS LATER THE HEADLAMPS WENT OFF LEAVING ONLY THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ON. VISIBILITY WAS INSTANTLY DECREASED TO AN UNSAFE LEVEL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. I HAD IMMEDIATELY REACTIVATED THE LOW BEAMS WITH THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH AND THE HEADLAMPS (LOW BEAM) RESUMED OPERATION. PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE THE HIGH BEAM HEADLAMPS WERE NOT IN OPERATION FOR ANY LONG PERIODS OF TIME. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING COULD LEAD TO THE PROBABILITY OF AN ACCIDENT. THIS ELECTRICAL HEADLAMP PROBLEM SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS A VEHICLE SAFETY RECALL. I HAVE CHECKED ON-LINE RESOURCES ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME OR SIMILAR ISSUES WITH CHEVROLET IMPALAS FROM THE 2000-2005 MODEL YEARS.”
“THE HI BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED, WHICH MADE THE LO BEAM HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WHEN THE HI BEAM WAS ENGAGED. REPAIR SERVICE FOUND A CORRODED "PIN" IN A MULTI-PIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION.THIS IS A "PROTECTED" CONNECTION, IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, IT HAS BEEN CORRODED FOR A VERY LONG TIME ACCORDING TO THE ELECTRIC SERVICEMAN. HE INFORMED ME THE OTHER "PINS" WILL FAIL ALSO EFFECTING THE WIPERS AND OTHER "NECESSARY" SAFETY COMPONENTS, BECAUSE OF THE CONDITION OF THIS CONNECTOR.”
“WHILE DRIVING HORN SOUND WEAK AND STOPPED WORKING I HAD TO TAKE OUT FUSE FOR THE HORN BECAUSE IT WAS JUST SOUNDING OFF. ANOTHER IMPORTANT ISSUE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WILL TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING IN THE DARK. THIS CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS WRECK ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE ON THE HIGHWAY AND COULD KILL SOMEONE. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SAME THING WITH THE HORN, SOMEONE CAN PULL OUT IN FRONT OF YOU AND YOU CANNOT BLOW YOUR HORN. *TR”
“DRIVING AT NIGHT, I TURNED ON MY HIGH BEAMS AND MY HEADLIGHTS WENT COMPLETELY OUT. AFTER DRIVING IN THE DARK FOR A WHILE, I SWITCHED THE HEADLIGHTS BACK TO LOW BEAM AND THE LIGHTS BEGAN TO WORK ON LOW BEAM. THE HIGH BEAMS DO NOT WORK AT ALL AT THIS POINT, AND THE HEAD LIGHTS GO OUT WHEN I SWITCH TO HIGH BEAMS, WHICH IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. *TR”
“WE WERE DRIVING ON A RURAL BLACKTOP AFTER DARK AND THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. THEY WOULD COME BACK ON FOR A MOMENT THAN GO BACK OUT. WE DROVE MOST OF THE 20+ MILES HOME WITH JUST THE FLASHERS ON. WE HAD THE SWITCH REPLACED AND THOUGHT THAT TOOK CARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT HERE IN THE LAST MONTH (AUGUST 2014) IT HAS STARTED TO DO THE SAME THING AGAIN. *TR”
Showing 6 of 49 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.