Problems · by component

2009 Chevrolet Impala service brakes problems

39 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Chevrolet Impala cite service brakes, 5% of all 824 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
39
5% of all complaints
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the service brakes

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I CRASHED HEADING DOWN A HILL .I CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE AFTER MY CAR SUDDENLY REVVED UP,GAINED SPEED AS I HEADED TOWARDS A TELEPHONE POLE ,WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING ,BRAKES BECAUSE MY CAR QUIT AFTER GAINING SPEED DUE TO THE RPMS AMPING UP ON THEIR OWN AND GOING DOWN A HILL. WHEN I HIT THE POLE,THE TELEPHONE LINES SNAPPED AND I WAS TRAPPED IN THE CAR BECAUSE THEY LANDED ON MY DRIVER WINDOW AND WERE SHOOTING OUT SPARKS AS IF THEY WERE ROMAN CANDLES AND A FIRE STARTED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY CAR IN SOME PINE STRAW. WHEN THE FIREMEN WAS ABLE TO GET ME OUT OF THE CAR HE CAME TO THE PASSENGER SIDE AND BY THEN I HAD TAKEN MY SEAT BELT OFF AND THE FIREMAN ADVISED ME TO GET OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE IF I WAS ABLE AND I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS SCARED TO LET OFF THE BRAKE BECAUSE I THOUGHT FOR SOME REASON BEING OUT OF MY HEAD THAT THE CAR WAS GOING TO ROLL IF I LET OFF THE BRAKE AND HE TOOK HIS HAND AND SLAMMED THE CAR UP IN TO PARK BECAUSE I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE I HAD NOT PUT IT IN PARK. HE SAID YOU CAN LET YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE BECAUSE IT WILL NOT ROLL AND I SAID I'M TOO SCARED .I ASKED..CAN I PUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON AND HE SAID YES AND WHEN I DID IT WENT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 7, 2020Steering, Service brakes, EngineCrash reportedFire reportedODI 11353551
“POWER REDUCES IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. IF I SLOW BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC IT JERKS LIKE BRAKES ARE STILL ENGAGED. ACTS LIKE TRANSMISSION GOING OUT. THIS CAN CAUSE SOMEONE TO GET RUN INTO FROM BEHIND. THERE WAS A RECALL EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE MILEAGE WAS NOT ENOUGH TO COVER MY VECHILE. THERE SHOULD BE NO MILEAGE LIMIT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 12, 2020Electronic stability control (esc), Service brakes, EngineODI 11328494
“ON THIS VEHICLE WHEN YOU GO TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN FROM A STOP, THE FRONT DRIVER WHEEL, CALIPER, OR SOMETHING IN THE DRIVETRAIN LOCKS UP AND WILL NOT ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO PROCEED FORWARD MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE VEHICLE ONLY GOES FORWARD WHEN YOU LET OFF THE GAS THEN PRESS THE GAS PEDDLE AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN KNOWN NOW FOR 5 MONTHS AND THE CUSTOMER IS COMPLAINING THAT SHE ALMOST GOT INTO ACCIDENT, HOW EVER HERE AT DIESELZ MOTORSPORTS WE HAD REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION, FRONT ROTORS AND PADS AND OUTER TIE RODS. AND THE ISSUE STILL PERSIST.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 12, 2019Unknown or other, Service brakesODI 11219483
“WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70MPH, AIR BAG LIGHT, ENGINE LIGHT AS WELL AS TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON. FELT AS IF BRAKES WERE ON. DASH READ "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL" & "ENGINE SPEED REDUCED". 140,000 MILES”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 31, 2018Air bags, Service brakes, EngineODI 11098929
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE ABS SENSOR SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,500.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 30, 2017Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 11051527
“TIRES: ARE CONSTANTLY NEEDING REPLACED HAVE HAD THREE SETS OF 60K GOODYEARS TIRES IN ADDITION TO A SET OF PERILLIS WITH ABOUT 40 % TREAD SINCE FEBRAURY 2015. BRAKES: THREE SETS OF BRAKES ON VEHICLE SINCE FEBRUARY 2015. EVERYTIME VEHICLE GOES TO MECHANIC THEY STATE THAT ROTORS ARE SEVERELY WARPED. ELECTRICAL: HAVING ISSUES WITH ABS TRACTION CONTROL. THIS IS CAUSING REDUCED ENGINE POWER WHEN TURNING. WHEN CROSSING A MAIN INTERSECTIONS THE CAR COASTS ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. ACTUATORS AND WIRING TO MANY VEHICLE COMPONENTS HAVING ONGOING ISSUES. AIR CONDITIONER, DOORS, DOOR LOCKS, RELAYS THE MAIN ISSUE I AM HAVING IS NON OPERATIONAL DOORS LOCKS IN VEHICLE. I HAVE TO CRAW THROUGH THE CAR TO OPEN THE DOOR LOCKS. I HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN AND MY DAUGHTER WAS STANDING OUT OF THE CAR AWAITING ME TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT NEARLY HIT MY CHILD. ANOTHER INCIDENT WAS HAVING ITEMS STOLEN FROM VEHICLE DUE TO INTERMITTENT OF THE LOCKS. IT HAS REALLY BECOME A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE FOR ME WITH THIS CAR. THIS ISSUE WITH LOCKS BECAME A PROBLEM ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. I STATED TO CHEVORLET I WAS ABLE TO PRESS LOCK OR UNLOCK A COUPLE OF TIMES AND WAS…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 22, 2017Air bags, Electronic stability control (esc), Service brakesCrash reportedODI 11000744

Showing 6 of 39 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.