Problems · by component
2009 Chevrolet Impala service brakes, hydraulic problems
35 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Chevrolet Impala cite service brakes, hydraulic, 4% of all 824 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
35
4% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The traction control, ABS, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic however, a diagnostic test could not be performed due the excessive rust underneath the vehicle. The mechanic was unable to hoist the vehicle on the lift because safety and liability issues. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 81,000.”
“I WAS DRIVING ON I95 MERGING ONTO 175 IN COLUMBIA, MD, MY SPEED WAS 65MPH. MY "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL" LIGHT AND "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR SHUT COMPLETELY OFF. I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR, COULD NOT APPLY BRAKES. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH TO OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES. LUCKILY THERE WASN'T ANY TRAFFIC BEHIND ME CAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE HIT ME AND KILLED ME. I WAITED ABOUT 5-10 MIN TURNED THE CAR ON PROCEEDED TO MY DESTINATION. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT BOB BELL CHEVROLET ON KANE STREET IN BALTIMORE. I WAS SEVERAL MILES FROM THERE THEY COULDN'T COME GET THE CAR SO I DROVE IT TO THEM. THEY HAD MY CAR APPROXIMATELY 2-3 DAYS AND COULD NOT REPLICATE THE INCIDENT. SINCE THIS TIME IT HAS HAPPENED 8-10 TIMES OR MORE SINCE MAY 11, 2014 I'VE CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WAS TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE IT, THEY CAN LOOK AT IT, NO CODES REGISTERED IN DECEMBER WHEN THEY LOOKED AT IT SO THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG. THEY WANT ME TO BRING MY CAR IN BUT DON'T WANT TO GIVE ME A RENTAL. THIS IS TOO DANGEROUS. I AM SCARED EVERYTIME I GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF MY CAR. *TR”
“IN FEBRUARY 2014,THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS WARNING LIGHT BEGAN COMING ON, IN MY 2009 IMPALA, WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE LIGHTS BEGAN TO COME ON MORE FREQUENTLY AND WOULD STAY ON FOR LONGER TIMES. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE LEFT HUB. THIS SOLVED THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND THEN THE TRACTION CONTROL AND THE ABS WARNING LIGHTS BEGAN APPEARING AGAIN. EACH TIME THE LIGHTS WOULD STAY ON FOR A LONGER TIME. THE CAR IS NOW IN THE SHOP FOR THE SECOND TIME FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES, ROTORS AND CALIPERS FAILED AND WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED 15,100 MILES LATER AND THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS WOULD REQUIRE REPLACING A SECOND TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,000. UPDATED 04/30/13*LJ”
“THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST 2 YEARS, REALLY SPORADIC SOMETIMES TWO OR THREE TIMES A DAY SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY A MESSAGE POPS UP ON MY DISPLAY STATING SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL AND ENGINE POWER REDUCED. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IT COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN THE VEHICLE; BRAKES, STEERING AND ALL. FORTUNATELY I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CLOSE CALLS. I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL FORUMS WITH NUMEROUS PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. A RECALL IS PROMINENT! *TR”
“THERE APPEARS TO BE MANY ISSUES RELATED TO BRAKES AND SUSPENSION FOR THE CHEVY IMPALA. AFTER ONLY 10K MILES, THE BRAKES BEGAN TO PULSATE. THE DEALERSHIP RESURFACED THEM. THEY WERE FINE FOR A BIT LONGER BUT THEN THE ISSUE REOCCURED. I AM NOT SURE IF ITS A OVERHEATING ISSUE OR WHAT BUT IT HAS HAD OTHER BRAKE AND SUSPENSION ISSUES AS WELL. THERE IS UNDER 30K MILES ON THE CAR AND IT HAS ALREADY HAD: LEFT FRONT TENSIONER REPLACED, REAR LEFT SWAY BAR REMOVED/REINSTALLED, ROTORS REFINISH, AND A WHOLE NEW SET OF TIRES NOW. WE HAVE HAD MANY OTHER GM VEHICLES OVER THE YEARS FROM BOTH CHEVY AND BUICK. NO OTHER VEHICLE HAS GIVEN US AS MANY ISSUES IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF OWNERSHIP THAT THIS CAR HAS. IT ALL APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO THE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION. BASED ON ONLINE SEARCHES, WE ARE NOT ALONE AS MANY IMPALA OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR BRAKE RELATED ISSUES/COMPLAINTS. *TR”
Showing 6 of 35 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.