2009 Chevrolet Impala Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 232 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2009 Chevrolet Impala, 28% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 78,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bag” (56% of reports).
- 232air bags complaints
- 78,000median miles at failure
- 28mention a crash
- 21mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $900typical repair cost reported by owners
- 41%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bag: mentioned in 131 of 232 complaints (56%)
- Service airbag: mentioned in 20 of 232 complaints (9%)
- Passenger seat: mentioned in 20 of 232 complaints (9%)
- Bags electrical: mentioned in 13 of 232 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical air bags repair on the 2009 Chevrolet Impala at $900, and half of them between $290 and $1,200.
Based on 11 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2019), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 173 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 232 complaints, 28 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 21 an injury.
Chevrolet Impala air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Impala | 2 | 13% | 85,000 |
| 2019 Impala | 5 | 18% | 29,000 |
| 2018 Impala | 6 | 10% | 62,113 |
| 2017 Impala | 17 | 15% | 51,200 |
| 2016 Impala | 16 | 14% | 51,950 |
| 2015 Impala | 29 | 10% | 71,000 |
| 2014 Impala | 43 | 7% | 64,000 |
| 2013 Impala | 19 | 7% | 60,000 |
| 2012 Impala | 20 | 8% | 42,447 |
| 2011 Impala | 37 | 7% | 78,123 |
| 2010 Impala | 103 | 23% | 80,000 |
| 2009 Impala | 232 | 28% | 78,000 |
| 2008 Impala | 50 | 6% | 94,000 |
| 2007 Impala | 49 | 8% | 100,000 |
| 2006 Impala | 47 | 9% | 74,000 |
| 2005 Impala | 33 | 5% | 72,000 |
| 2004 Impala | 31 | 3% | 89,355 |
| 2003 Impala | 39 | 6% | 119,022 |
| 2002 Impala | 47 | 6% | 75,000 |
| 2001 Impala | 47 | 6% | 92,250 |
| 2000 Impala | 80 | 10% | 68,000 |
| 1999 Impala | 1 | 25% | 50,900 |
| 1996 Impala | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1995 Impala | 1 | 2% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification; electrical system:wiring
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 25, 2008 through February 16, 2010. The front passenger seat frame may contact and damage the wires of the passenger presence sensor module.
Risk: If the wires are damaged, the passenger presence sensory system may fail to recognize that the passenger seat is occupied, disabling the air bag. Damage may also cause the air bag fuse to short resulting in a loss of all air bags and seat belt pretensions. Both conditions increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will double wrap the wires with anti-abrasion tape and replace damaged wires as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 1, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 36110.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Gm is recalling 79 my 2009 chevrolet impala vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a passenger-side front air bag inflator that could fracture at an inflator tube during a deployment.
Risk: During a passenger-side air bag deployment, pieces of the inflator tube could strike and injure vehicle occupants and the air bag cushion would not inflate fully, reducing the capability of the bag to protect the passenger.
Fix: Dealers will install a new passenger-side front air bag. The recall began on october 10, 2008. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or through their website at <a href=http://www.gmownercenter.com>http://www.gmownercenter.com</a> .
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
For the last 2 years, the car willl come up saying airbag system issues. There airbag sensor under the passenger side seat will randomly throw a code for the erorr and then turn off. It does not have to be a bump, move the seat, Just goes off. We have had it professionally scanned and it is always…
I believe the passenger seat occupant sensing and airbag issues from recall 16V507 have not been fixed. I am still having issues related to it, even though I had it fixed.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2009 Chevrolet Impalas have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 232 owner complaints about air bags for the 2009 Chevrolet Impala (28% of the 824 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2009 Chevrolet Impala air bags?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 78,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the 2009 Chevrolet Impala?
Owners report a typical cost of $900 (half paid between $290 and $1,200), from 11 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2009 Chevrolet Impala?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 131 of 232 complaints, followed by “service airbag” (20).
Other 2009 Chevrolet Impala problems
See all 2009 Chevrolet Impala problems or air bags problems across all Impala years.