Problems · by component

2005 Chevrolet Impala power train problems

52 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Chevrolet Impala cite power train, 9% of all 608 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
52
9% 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 power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel became inoperable. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 30, 2024Power train, Electrical systemODI 11633118
“I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND I WAS TRYING TO TURN INTO MY JOB AND I MADE IT ABOUT HALF WAY INTO THE PARKING LOT WHERE PART OF MY CAR WAS STI'LL IN THE ROAD WHEN MY CAR JUST SHIFTED DOWN INTO NEUTRAL AND WOULD NOT GO BACK INTO DRIVE SO I ENDED UP HAVING TO BE TOWED INTO THE PARKING LOT BY A YOUNG MAN THAT STOPPED TO HELP GI'VE ME A HAND TO GET MY CAR OUT OF THE ROAD I WAS ON A MAJOR STREET THAT GETS TRAVELSE ALOT AND IT WAS DRIVING JUST FINE UNTIL I WENT TO TURN INTO MY JOB AND IT JUST QUIT SHIFTING PERIOD”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 1, 2021Power trainODI 11398321
“HI I PURCHASED MY IMPALA LAST YEAR USED AND FOR ABOUT THE FIRST 6 MONTHS IT RAN FINE...NOW ELECTRICAL PANEL GOES ON THE FRITZ DIMMING MY LIGHTS AND DASHBOARD...POWER WINDOWS AND MIRRORS NOT WORKING... ALSO ABS LIGHT AND TRACTION LIGHTS ON CONSISTENTLY...TRACTION RANDOMLY ACTIVATES AND CAR LIGHTERS JUST STOPPED WORKING. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS SPECIFIC MODEL AND IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. ALSO TURN KEY TO START CAR AND THE CAR DOESN'T START SO I DO THIS 2-3 TIMES TO START CAR UP...REALLY NEEDS TO RECALL ALL 2005 IMPALAS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 24, 2019Power train, Electrical system, Service brakesODI 11191163
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING, BRAKED INDEPENDENTLY, AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS OUT OF CONTROL AND MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. ONCE IT WAS RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE DROVE NORMALLY. IN ADDITION, WHILE THE GEAR WAS IN PARK, THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,745. **TR CONSUMER STATED THE CAR'S BATTERY DRAINS QUICKLY AND WHEN TURNING A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND. UPDATED 11/19/18*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 24, 2018Steering, Power train, Service brakes, EngineODI 11122177
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 196,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 24, 2017Power trainODI 11019446
“FROM A STOPPED POSITION, TRYING TO TAKE OFF CAR ACTS AS IF I'M NEUTRAL AND THEN WILL SUDDENLY JERK INTO GEAR. THE AUTOMATIC HEAR SHIFTS ARE ROUGH AND DELAYED. THERE'S VERY LITTLE POWER OR STRUGGLE TO REGISTER WHEN APPLYING GAS. WHEN ON FWY ESPECIALLY WHEN IN SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC THERE IS A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND SLIPPING, ROUGH GEAR SHIFTS BOTH UP AND DOWN. THEN THE SCARY PART IS WHEN DRIVING WITH MY 2 LITTLE GIRLS AND IN REGULAR OR HEAVY TRAFFIC AND MAKING TURNS, ESPECIALLY LEFT, I HAVE HAD THE CAR FREEZE UP ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS. WHEN I TRY AND ACCELERATE I'M STUCK AS IF I'M NEUTRAL AND HEAR THE ENGINE REVVING AND FINALLY WILL VIOLENTLY LIKE POP INTO GEAR. IT'S MADE ME HAVE A LOT OF SAFETY ISSUES FOR MYSELF AND CHILDREN. IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING AND PROBLEMATIC. WITH ALL THESE THINGS HAPPENING THE TRANSMISSION NOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS APPEARED, THEREFORE MAKING IT TREMENDOUSLY DIFFICULT NEAR IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO HAVE IT PROPERLY DIAGNOSED USING SCANNER AND COMPUTER READER. EVERY REPAIR SHOP HAS GIVEN DIFFERENT "FINDINGS" AFTER ONLY A DRIVE AROUND THE BLOCK. IT'S A NIGHTMARE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 8, 2016Suspension, Power trainODI 10904861

Showing 6 of 52 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.