Chevrolet Impala Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 955 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the Chevrolet Impala across 24 model years. The 2009 model year has the most (232). The words owners use most often: “air bag” (42% of reports).
- 955air bags complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 321mention a crash
- 240mention an injury
- 8related recalls
- $940typical repair cost reported by owners
- 35%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 403 of 955 complaints (42%)
- Failed deploy: mentioned in 94 of 955 complaints (10%)
- Medical attention: mentioned in 70 of 955 complaints (7%)
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 Chevrolet Impala at $940, and half of them between $520 and $1,450.
Based on 32 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2003–2021), 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 677 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 955 complaints, 321 mention a crash, 6 a fire, 240 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 (8)
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification; electrical system:wiring
Model years: 2009, 2010
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
Model years: 2014, 2015
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 15, 2013, to June 19, 2015, equipped with front vented-heated passenger seats. Accordingly, the Automatic Occupant Sensing (AOS) system may fail to suppress the front passenger air bag if a child seat is in the front passenger seat. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: If the front passenger air bag deploys with a child seat in the front passenger seat, it increases the risk of injury to the child.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will correct the calibration-learning error by preconditioning the empty seat, and also resetting the ECU to a seat zero-value, free of charge. The recall began on August 25, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15400.
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Model years: 2014
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured April 11, 2013, to June 27, 2013, and 2014 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured May 13, 2013, to November 5, 2013. The affected vehicles may have left the factory with the sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) set to "manufacturing mode."
Risk: In manufacturing mode, the vehicle's air bags will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers are to reprogram the SDM to the correct mode, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in September 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14532.
Air bags:frontal
Model years: 2009
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> .
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Model years: 2003
Problem: On certain mini vans, passenger and sport utility vehicles, some of these vehicles have a driver's side air bag that may not deploy as designed. In addition, the air bag inflator could rupture.
Risk: This could result in reduced capability of the air bag to protect the driver. Also if the air bag inflator ruptured, pieces of the inflator could strike and injure the vehicle occupants.
Fix: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, install a new driver's air bag. Owner notification began on march 11, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact buick at 1-800-521-7300, cadillac at 1-800-458-8006, chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, gmc at 1-800-462-8782, or pontiac at 1-800-762-2737.
Air bags:frontal
Model years: 2002, 2003
Problem: Certain passenger, mini vans, and sport utility vehicles have an air bag inflator on the driver's side that could fracture at a weld during a deployment.
Risk: Pieces of the inflator could strike and injure vehicle occupants and the air bag cushion would not inflate fully, reducing the capability of the bag to protect the driver.
Fix: Dealers will inspect, and replace, if necessary, the air bag module assembly on the driver's side. Owner notification began august 15, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact buick at 1-800-521-7300, cadillac at 1-800-458-8006, chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, gmc at 1-800-462-8782, oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537, or pontiac at 1-800-762-2737.
Air bags:side/window
Model years: 2000, 2001
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Some of these vehicles exhibit a condition in which the driver side impact air bag inflator separates from the air bag module during deployment.
Risk: If the inflator separates, the air bag will not deploy properly during a crash and occupant protection would be reduced. If is also possible that a separated inflator could be propelled downward and could result in injury to a rear seat passenger whose foot is positioned approximately under the inflator module.
Fix: Dealers will replace the side impact air bag module.
Air bags
Model years: 2001
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The air bag sensing and diagnostic modules (sdm) could experience a memory error resulting in the air bags not deploying in a crash situation.
Risk: In a crash, a front seat occupant may receive more serious injuries.
Fix: Dealers will replace the sensing and diagnostic module.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are 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…
Car has turned off 3 times while sitting at a light and took hours to turn back on, car shudders when breaking sometimes and abs/traction control/air bag lights will come on, and will shudder and turn off while driving.
No one sits in the passenger seat 99% of the time. The passenger airbag warning light is illuminated, and I am uncertain about its proper deployment in a critical situation. The issue remains unverified by a dealership or any other individual. The component has not been subject to any inspection. I…
On XXX in [XXX], while at a complete stop, without cause or prior warning, airbags violently deployed causing property damage to the entire instrument panel and windshield, and bodily injuries. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Impalas have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 955 owner complaints about air bags for the Chevrolet Impala. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Chevrolet Impala air bags?
Yes: 8 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the Chevrolet Impala?
Owners report a typical cost of $940 (half paid between $520 and $1,450), from 32 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the Chevrolet Impala?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 403 of 955 complaints, followed by “failed deploy” (94).
Other Chevrolet Impala problems
- Electrical System problems (3,429)
- Engine problems (1,263)
- Steering problems (1,198)
- Power Train problems (928)
- Electronic Stability Control (esc) problems (763)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (673)
- Exterior Lighting problems (669)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (646)
See all Chevrolet Impala problems.