Problems · by component

2008 Chevrolet Impala engine problems

134 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Chevrolet Impala cite engine, 17% of all 810 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
134
17% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH AND DRIVING OVER A POTHOLE, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER, STALLED, AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 78,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 31, 2021Steering, EngineODI 11405806
“WHILE WIFE WAS DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE MANY TIMES OVER LAST FEW MONTHS CAUSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL SENSOR CODES.WE HAVE SINCE CHANGED THIS PEDAL SENSOR 6 TIMES AND SAME ISSUE AND CODES POP UP. WE ALSO CHANGED THROTTLE BODY W SENSOR AND CONNECTOR PIGTAIL.I THINK THERE IS CORROSION IN ECM AND ALL THESE ITEMS HAVE FAILED. THESE ITEMS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED AS MANUFACTURER DEFECTS IN MY OPINION.WE ARE STILL HAVING PROBLEMS SAME CODES AND IM NOT THE ONLY ONE!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 9, 2021Electrical system, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11395348
“I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE DASH LIT UP SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM AND ENGINE POWER REDUCED. I WAS CURRENTLY USING CRUISE CONTROL SO IT SHOCKED ME WHEN MY CAR WENT FROM 75 TO 40 QUICK. I WAS IN FIVE O'CLOCK TRAFFIC AND ALMOST REAR ENDED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL. I'M PLANNING ON GETTING IT LOOKED AT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 29, 2021Unknown or other, EngineODI 11390726
“THE CAR NEEDS AND BURNS TOO MUCH OIL AND IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT PLEASE HELP I HAVE TO CHANGE OIL EVERY 2 MONTHS AND THERE'S NO LEAKS OR ANYTHING JUST THAT IT BURNS OIL TOO QUICK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 29, 2020EngineODI 11367022
“THIS COOLANT CROSSOVER PIPE GASKET LEAK HAS BEEN A REPEATED AND MULTIPLE VEHICLE PROBLEM WITH THE 3.9L AND 3.5L AND GM ONLY CAME UP WITH 2 TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS; THE LAST ONE WAS #07-06-02-006E: COOLANT LEAKING FROM ENGINE (REPLACE COOLANT CROSSOVER PIPE GASKETS) - (MAR 5, 2012). HOWEVER, THE NEW GASKET DESIGN PRESUMABLY REPAIRED THE LEAK. HOWEVER, IT DID NOT. I HAVE SEEN THIS ISSUE DISCUSSED ON SEVERAL WEB SITES WITH ALL COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME UNRESOLVED ISSUE. MY 2008 IMPALA WITH THE 3.9L V-6 HAS BEEN REPAIRED FOR THIS ISSUE ON THE FOLLOWING DATES, EACH TIME I WAS ASSURED IT WAS SATISFACTORILY REPAIRED: 02/09/2019 ' DIY DUE TO DEALERSHIP COST. REPAIRED PER GM TSB/GM TECHNICAL SERVICE MANUAL. 11/30/2016 ' DEALERSHIP. 03/10/2014 ' DEALERSHIP. 01/11/2013 ' DEALERSHIP. AND NOW, IT'S LEAKING AGAIN! I CHATTED WITH CHEVROLET ONLINE ON 10 APR 2020 AND CECIL SAID THAT WARRANTY HAD REPAIRED IT ONCE, BUT THE ISSUE HAS BEEN AND STILL CONTINUES. GM WOULD NO LONGER REPAIR THE LEAK. THIS IS WHAT I WAS TOLD: CECIL AT 15:40, APR 10, 2020: UNFORTUNATELY, ONCE THE DECISION IS FINAL THAT IT CANNOT BE CHANGED ANYMORE. BUT HERE IS WHAT WE SUGGEST, YOU CAN TAKE THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 5, 2020EngineODI 11337503
“RANDOMLY I RECEIVE THE MESSAGE "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL - ENGINE POWER REDUCED" - THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON. IT HAPPENS ON NICE DAYS, RAINY DAYS, WHETHER OR NOT I AM GOING UPHILL, DOWNHILL OR ON FLAT SURFACES. ON AT LEAST ONE OCCASION WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND I HAD TO COAST FROM LANE 2 TO THE SHOULDER. AFTER 20 MINUTES, IT RESTARTED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 22, 2020Electronic stability control (esc), EngineODI 11325516

Showing 6 of 134 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.