Problems · by component
2016 Chevrolet Impala exterior lighting problems
25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Impala cite exterior lighting, 3% of all 890 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
25
3% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the exterior lighting
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the shift to park warning message would illuminate on the instrument panel while attempting to park and shut off her vehicle. The contact would be forced to repeatedly move the gear shifter back and forth from the park (P) position until the system recognized the gear shifter in the park (P) position. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed her that her vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V502000 (Electrical System, Power Train). In addition, the contact mentioned that water had been entering the vehicle and leaking out of the middle taillight. Due to the failure, the middle taillight had become fogged and mildew had accumulated inside the trunk. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.”
“THE HEADLIGHTS CONSTANT COMES ON AND BLINKS ON AND OFF AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS IT UNLOCKS THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR I HAVE BEEN SITTING IN THE CAR WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND CAN HEAR THE FLICKERING OF THE LOCK JUST THE OTHER DAY I LOCKED THE DOOR MANUALLY IT UNLOCKED BY ITSELF THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT ACTUALLY LOCK.I HAVE HAD TO LOCK THE DOORS MANUALLY FOR SOME TIME NOW. BACK IN OCTOBER 2020 IT WAS KILLING MY BATTERY CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO GET A BOOST CONSTANTLY TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID IT WAS THE ONSTAR SYSTEM AND I PAYED TO HAVE IT REMOVED AND STILL THE PROBLEM STILL IS THERE. BATTERY WAS STILL DYING DUE TO THE LIGHTS COMING ON AT ANY GIVEN TIME AND DRAINING THE BATTERY. I DECIDED TO BUY ANOTHER BATTERY NO LONGER NEED A BOOST BUT THE LIGHT PROBLEM STILL REMAINS AN ISSUE”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS PARKING THE VEHICLE AND THE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH A MESSAGE TO SHIFT TO PARK. THE CONTACT THEN SHIFTED THE VEHICLE BACK INTO DRIVE AND BACK INTO PARK YET THE ERROR MESSAGE STATED SHIFT TO PARK. THE CONTACT STATED HE TRIED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND THE ENGINE SHUT-OFF HOWEVER, THE HEADLIGHTS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND THE RADIO REMAINED ON. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MIDWAY CHEVROLET (2323 W BELL RD, PHOENIX, AZ 85023) WHERE THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THE PARK FAILURE MECHANISM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,863.”
“I GET ROUTINE SERVICE TO MY CAR & MY ENGINE IS CLICKING, LOUDLY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY GOES ON & OFF & I WAS TOLD BY CHEVROLET SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THEY COULD NOT EVEN RUN A DIAGNOSTICS TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS OFF WHEN I GOT TO THE DEALERSHIP. SOMETIMES 'SERVICE BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM' WILL ILLUMINATE BUT IT TOO PICKS AND CHOOSES WHEN TO ILLUMINATE. SOMETIMES IT SHOWS 'BATTERY SAVER ACTIVATED' AND THIS IS THE THIRD BATTERY I'VE PURCHASED! THE ENTIRE CAR WILL STALL/SHUT OFF BUT THE GREEN LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED TO SHOW THE CAR IS ON BUT WHEN I ACCELERATE IT WON'T BUDGE! DANGEROUS CONSIDERING MY CAR COULD STALL AT ANYTIME AND CAUSE A COLLISION. I'VE NEARLY GOTTEN T-BONED TWICE COMING OUT A GAS STATION ENTERING A ROAD BECAUSE MY CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WHILE TRAFFIC WAS COMING FROM BOTH DIRECTIONS! A SERVICE MAN AT THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP ASKED ME WAS I EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH MY AUTO START/STOP WHEN I TOLD HIM WHAT WAS HAPPENING. YES! MY CAR PICKS AND CHOOSES WHEN IT WANTS TO DO IT. AND WHEN IT DOES 'RESTART' THE ENTIRE CAR REBOOTS, THE LOCKS RE-CLICK, LIGHTS FLICKER, IT'LL BE IN DRIVE AND ROLL…”
“THIRD REAR BRAKE LIGHT LEAKS/ALLOWS WATER INTO INSIDE OF CAR AND FRAME CRACKS ON BOTH SIDES. WATER LEAKS INTO HEADLINER AND TRUNK AND STAINS INTERIOR. CAR SMILES HUMID. HAPPENS VERY TIME IT RAINS AND WASH CAR. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. FIRST TIME PARTS WERE REPLACED, SECOND PARTS STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND ISSUE STILL OCCURS. POOR QUALITY PARTS.”
“PASSENGER SIDE HEAD LIGHT WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING THEN CAME BACK ON A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER. TWO WEEKS LATER DRIVER SIDE LIGHT WENT OUT. TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT BOTH LIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING EVEN HIGHBEAMS NOT FUNCTIONAL WHILE DRIVING. ALL LIGHTS NOT FUNCTIONAL AT THE MOMENT.”
Showing 6 of 25 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.