2010 Chevrolet Impala Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 7, 2026 · 442 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Impala years
More complaints than other years 13th of 26 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 442 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Chevrolet Impala. That ranks 13th out of 26 Impala model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (132 complaints, 30%), typically at around 78,000 miles. Complaints mention 18 crashes, 3 fires, 12 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.

Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Impala (2014–2020) in Stuttgart. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2010 Chevrolet Impala problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Electrical System132 · ~78,000 mi
Air Bags103 · ~80,000 mi
Engine88 · ~77,500 mi
Electronic Stability Control (esc)74 · ~81,060 mi
Power Train67 · ~68,000 mi
Vehicle Speed Control47 · ~71,400 mi
Steering42 · ~66,500 mi
Unknown or Other23 · ~81,000 mi
Service Brakes21 · ~69,000 mi
Traction Control System21 · ~57,097 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Electrical System problems13230%78,000“traction control” (15%)$700
Air Bags problems10323%80,000“air bag” (51%)—
Engine problems8820%77,500“traction control” (50%)—
Electronic Stability Control (esc) problems7417%81,060“traction control” (59%)—
Power Train problems6715%68,000“traction control” (16%)—
Vehicle Speed Control4711%71,400——
Steering4210%66,500——
Unknown or Other235%81,000——
Service Brakes215%69,000——
Traction Control System215%57,097——
Suspension184%65,000——
Fuel/propulsion System164%88,780——
Seat Belts164%76,279——
Seats112%90,000——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic82%35,000——
Structure72%50,250——
Visibility72%66,500——
Engine and Engine Cooling61%76,964——
Exterior Lighting61%99,000——
Tires61%11,770——
Equipment41%50,001——
Visibility/wiper41%59,928——
Wheels31%80,000——
Equipment Adaptive/mobility10%74,001——
Forward Collision Avoidance10%———
Fuel System, Gasoline10%3,838——
Latches/locks/linkages10%90,000——
Service Brakes, Air10%———

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2014, with 122 complaints
2009: 1200912010: 552011: 112011112012: 14142013: 472013472014: 1221222015: 572015572016: 48482017: 432017432018: 24242019: 262019262020: 17172021: 132021132022: 552023: 2202322024: 222025: 3202532026: 22

n = 442 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2010 Chevrolet Impala recalls (4)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Air bags:sensor:occupant classification; electrical system:wiringJul 5, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V507000 · 289,254 vehicles

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.

Electrical system:ignitionJun 23, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V355000 · 3,141,731 vehicles

Problem: This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2011 Buick Lucerne, 2000-2005 Cadillac DeVille, 2006-2011 Cadillac DTS, 2006-2014 Chevrolet Impala, and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Risk: 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. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position will cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Fix: 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 23, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), and 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14299.

Suspension:front:control arm:lower armAug 3, 2012 · NHTSA campaign 12V377000 · 36,413 vehicles

Problem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Chevrolet Impala police vehicles because the front lower control arms may fracture. This safety recall does not include non-police Chevrolet Impala vehicles.

Risk: A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front lower control arms, free of charge. The safety recall began on August 21, 2012. Owners may contact the Chevrolet owner center at 1-866-694-6546.

Seat belts:front:anchorageOct 13, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V480000 · 303,100 vehicles

Problem: Gm is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 chevrolet impalas for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages." the front safety belt webbing may not have been properly secured to the lap belt anchor pretensioner mounted to the side of the seat nearest the door.

Risk: The safety belt may not restrain the occupant as intended during a crash, which could result in injury to the occupant.

Fix: Dealers will inspect both front safety belts for proper installation of the anchors to the pretensioners and, if necessary, reinstall the anchors. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on november 5, 2010. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated. The air bag warning light intermittently went on and off. The contact stated later that the air bag warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer…

Air Bags · received Oct 7, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11769544

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the check air bag and service air bag warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched online and…

Air Bags · received Feb 6, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11716297

The unibody of this vehicle has become completely rusted/rotted to where the car is undriveable. This has been inspected by a service center, and I was told it is dangerous and beyond repair. I am sick about this, as there are MANY other makes of vehicles older than mine that do not have this issue.

Structure · received Oct 8, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11692216

I bought a used car as is for $6700.00 and was told that the car was nothing wrong with it but within the first month 07/02/25 the car has been to 3 different shops and in the shop 5 different times all due to brake problems since I bought the car I have had to replace both front calipers and…

Service Brakes · received Sep 25, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11689600

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while the vehicle was turned off and unattended in a parking lot. After about ten minutes, the contact was unlocking the vehicle and noticed fire inside the vehicle near the front of the vehicle near the radio and heater. The contact…

Electrical System · received Jun 18, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11667688

Other Chevrolet Impala years

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2010 Chevrolet Impala?

Owners most often report electrical system, air bags, engine problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 132 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2010 Chevrolet Impala?

Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2010 Chevrolet Impala a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Impala model years, the 2010 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.