Problems · by component
2013 Chevrolet Impala electronic stability control (esc) problems
108 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Impala cite electronic stability control (esc), 40% of all 272 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
108
40% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electronic stability control (esc)
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“STABILTRAK ABS TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ALL COME ON VEHICLE SHUDDERS AND POWER IS REDUCED. RESEARCHED AND FOUND 100'S OF REPORTS OF THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE IMPALA AND SIMILAR COMPLAINTS IN THE LIGHT TRUCK AND SUV MODELS. FIX IS RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE IF YOUR MECHANICALLY / ELECTRICALLY INCLINED AS INVOLVES SPLICING IN A NEW WIRE HARNESS FOR THE ABS SENSOR. SAID HARNESS IS ABOUT $20 IT SHORTS OUT DUE TO INSUFFICIENT GAUGE OF WIRE USED ON ORIGINAL FACTORY INSTALL. REPLACE HARNESS HAS MUCH STURDIER GAUGE FROM WHAT MY RESEARCH SAYS. REPAIR SHOP QUOTED $700 TO REPAIR GLAD I TOLD THEM TO PUT IT BACK TOGETHER. THEY HAVE A FLEET OF IMPALAS AS LOANERS SO THEY KNOW THEY ARE GOUGING PEOPLE WHEN THEY SAY REPLACE WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY ABS SENSOR AND WIRING HARNESS WHEN THEY KNOW IT'S THE ABS SENSOR PERIOD. CHEVY NEEDS TO DO A RECALL. ISSUE HAPPENS WHEN CAR IS IN MOTION AFTER TURNING OR GOING OVER A BUMP WIRING THAT HAS BEEN WORE THRU DUE TO PLACEMENT OF WIRING IN A HIGH FRICTION AREA, WIRE WEARS THROUGH COATING EXPOSES WIRING THAT SHORTS OUT AND SENDS CODES TO COMPUTER CONCERNING ABS STABILTRAK AND TRACTION ASSIST CAUSES VEHICLE TO BEHAVE ERRATICALLY OTHERS HAVE…”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ELECTRONIC STABILI-TRAC WARNING LIGHT FLASHED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE JERKED AND SHUDDERED WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE ALSO RECURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REVERSED. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED AND SHUDDERED AT SPEEDS EXCEEDING 55 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.”
“I'VE HAD MY 2013 LT IMPALA FOR 39 MONTHS I AM CURRENTLY FINANCING THIS VEHICLE HOWEVER THE ACTUATORS I KEEP REPEATING AND THEY KEEP GOING OUT CONSTANTLY AND THE REPAIRS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE I'VE REPLACED THESE MULTIPLE TIMES AND AFTER A MONTH IT DOES THE PROBLEM AGAIN WHICH ENDED UP DRAINING MY BATTERY EACH TIME. I HAVE REPLACED MY BATTERY FOR A BRAND NEW ONE AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE I GOT THE PROBLEM OF ALL 3 ACTUATOR FIXED AND HERE WE ARE NOW AND MY VEHICLE IS DEAD THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED BECAUSE THE ACTUATORS KEEP GOING OUT AND THE TICKING NOISE NEVER STOPS AND IT GOES EVEN WHEN I'M NOT PRESENT IN THE CAR AND RANDOM TIMES THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION*DT*JB”
“IT KEEPS SAYING ON THE ODOMETER ELECTRIC STABILITY CONTROL OR TRACK AND LOWER THE POWER. MY CAR WAS ON MOTION ON A CITY STREET WITH CARS ALL AROUND US. I'VE READ THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE SAME THING. WHY DON'T THEY RECALL”
“I HAVE A 2013 CHEVROLET IMPALA--I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH; MY DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP WITH SERVICE STABLITRACK, BRAKE ASSIST, TRACTION CONTROL, AND THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO NUMEROUS PLACES, THAT TESTED IT, AND WAS TOLD NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. IT MAKES A GRINDING NOISE WHEN IN REVERSE; SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T WANT TO ACCELERATE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT RAINS. ALSO MY PASSENGER SEAT'S, BUCKLE UP ALARM, GOES OFF WHEN NO ONE IS SITTING THERE AND THE FRONT WINDOW ALWAYS SEEMS DIRTY, EVEN AFTER IT'S CLEANED-INSIDE AND OUT.”
“THERE IS A "KNOWN" ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING LEFT. THE CAR WILL DECELERATE AND TRAFFIC IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I FOUND THE CAUSE VIA GOOGLE AND NEEDS TO GET ADDRESSED. THE CAR WILL ALWAYS DISPLAY DRIVER FEEDBACK ON THE DASHBOARD. IT SIMULATES WHEN DRIVING THROUGH AN ICY PATCH. THE CAR WILL NOT EXCEL BUT RATHER DECELERATE. THIS HAPPENED TO ME JUST LAST WEEK TURNING INTO PAYTON MANNING CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.”
Showing 6 of 108 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.