2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA — Owner-Reported Problems
Verdict & Safety Summary
- Crashes 43
- Fires 21
- Injuries 40
- Deaths 0
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Component Problem Distribution
Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)
UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 585 | 55.1% | 4 crashes · 1 fires |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 91 | 8.6% | 0 crashes · 3 fires |
| ENGINE | 86 | 8.1% | 3 crashes · 11 fires |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 51 | 4.8% | 4 crashes · 1 fires |
| STEERING | 38 | 3.6% | 6 crashes · 0 fires |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 34 | 3.2% | 2 crashes · 0 fires |
| POWER TRAIN | 31 | 2.9% | 0 crashes · 1 fires |
| AIR BAGS | 21 | 2.0% | 17 crashes · 0 fires |
| FUEL SYSTEM | 18 | 1.7% | 0 crashes · 2 fires |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 463 | 43.6% | 13 crashes · 5 fires |
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Problem & Recall Timeline
Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time
- Campaign 07E021000 was reported 1,011 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 14V400000 was reported 3,398 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 15V201000 was reported 3,939 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 15V701000 was reported 4,142 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2004-Q2 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2004-Q3 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2004-Q4 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2005-Q1 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2005-Q2 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2005-Q3 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2005-Q4 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2006-Q1 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2006-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2006-Q3 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2006-Q4 | Owner reports | 13 | |
| 2007-Q1 | Owner reports | 23 | |
| 2007-Q2 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2007-Q3 | Owner reports | 17 | |
| 2007-Q4 | Owner reports | 34 | |
| 2008-Q1 | Owner reports | 58 | |
| 2008-Q2 | Owner reports | 43 | |
| 2008-Q3 | Owner reports | 40 | |
| 2008-Q4 | Owner reports | 40 | |
| 2009-Q1 | Owner reports | 48 | |
| 2009-Q2 | Owner reports | 32 | |
| 2009-Q3 | Owner reports | 17 | |
| 2009-Q4 | Owner reports | 38 | |
| 2010-Q1 | Owner reports | 51 | |
| 2010-Q2 | Owner reports | 29 | |
| 2010-Q3 | Owner reports | 21 | |
| 2010-Q4 | Owner reports | 37 | |
| 2011-Q1 | Owner reports | 32 | |
| 2011-Q2 | Owner reports | 17 | |
| 2011-Q3 | Owner reports | 16 | |
| 2011-Q4 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2012-Q1 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2012-Q2 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2012-Q3 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2012-Q4 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2013-Q1 | Owner reports | 12 | |
| 2013-Q2 | Owner reports | 14 | |
| 2013-Q3 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2013-Q4 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2014-Q1 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2014-Q2 | Owner reports | 33 | |
| 2014-Q3 | Owner reports | 42 | |
| 2014-Q4 | Owner reports | 40 | |
| 2015-Q1 | Owner reports | 16 | |
| 2015-Q2 | Owner reports | 16 | |
| 2015-Q3 | Owner reports | 19 | |
| 2015-Q4 | Owner reports | 17 | |
| 2016-Q1 | Owner reports | 22 | |
| 2016-Q2 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2016-Q3 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2016-Q4 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2017-Q1 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2017-Q2 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2017-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2018-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2018-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2018-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2018-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2019-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2019-Q3 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2020-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2020-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2020-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2024-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2025-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 04V287000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 07E021000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 08E063000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 09E005000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 14V400000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 15V201000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 15V701000 |
Safety Recalls (7)
Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA
-
Manufacturer action
Recall campaign 04V287000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- DEPENDING ON WHETHER ONE OR BOTH BOLTS BACKS OUT OR FRACTURES, THE RESULT CAN BE LOCKING OF THE AFFECTED WHEEL DURING BRAKING AND AN ABRUPT STEERING INPUT IN THE DIRECTION OF THE LOCKED WHEEL, REDUCED BRAKING AND NOISE FROM THE AFFECTED WHEEL, OR SEVERING OF A BRAKE HOSE, INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL, AND REDUCED STEERING CONTROL. REDUCED BRAKING OR STEERING CONTROL COULD CAUSE A CRASH.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS ARE TO TIGHTEN BOTH BOLTS TO THE SPECIFIED TORQUE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 28, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET 1-800-630-2438 OR PONTIAC 1-800-620-7668.
-
Manufacturer action
Recall campaign 07E021000
- Report date
- Component:
- FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
- Consequence:
- FUEL MAY LEAK, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
- Remedy:
- DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.
-
Manufacturer action
Recall campaign 08E063000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- IF THE WELD FAILS, LOSS OF STEERING COULD RESULT, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
- Remedy:
- DORMAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE STEERING SHAFTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 16, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DORMAN TOLL FREE AT 1-800-523-2492.
-
Manufacturer action
Recall campaign 09E005000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- A BROKEN STEERING KNUCKLE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
- Remedy:
- DORMAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE STEERING KNUCKLES FREE OF CHARGE AND REIMBURSE THE REPAIR FACILITY OR OWNER FOR LABOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 23, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DORMAN'S TOLL-FREE HOTLINE AT 1-800-523-2492 AND PRESS 5.
-
Manufacturer action
Recall campaign 14V400000
- Report date
- Component:
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Consequence:
- If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.
-
Manufacturer action
Recall campaign 15V201000
- Report date
- Component:
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
- Consequence:
- The leaking engine oil can drip onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy:
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the plastic cover and plastic oil fill tube extension and replace the front valve cover and gasket. These repairs will be done free of charge. The recall began on April 24, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14574.
-
Manufacturer action
Recall campaign 15V701000
- Report date
- Component:
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
- Consequence:
- Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.
- Remedy:
- The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engines front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are covered by recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, or 15V-201 that have not yet received the original remedy will instead receive the improved remedy under the original recall number. The recall began on February 19, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Oldsmobile customer service at 1-800-442-6537 and Pontiac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15757. Note: Until the improved remedy has been applied, owners are advised to park their vehicle outside since the fire risk exists even when the vehicle is unattended.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Complaint Narrative Explorer
Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.