Chevrolet Impala Steering Problems
Owners have filed 1,198 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the Chevrolet Impala across 25 model years. The 2014 model year has the most (140). The words owners use most often: “steering shaft” (9% of reports).
- 1,198steering complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 99mention a crash
- 63mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- $810typical repair cost reported by owners
- 29%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.
- Steering shaft: mentioned in 111 of 1,198 complaints (9%)
- Rack pinion: mentioned in 66 of 1,198 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the Chevrolet Impala at $810, and half of them between $460 and $1,800.
Based on 40 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2003–2025), 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 steering problems happen?
Based on 899 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 1,198 complaints, 99 mention a crash, 13 a fire, 63 an injury.
Chevrolet Impala steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Impala | 3 | 20% | 54,000 |
| 2019 Impala | 3 | 11% | 36,338 |
| 2018 Impala | 7 | 12% | 50,237 |
| 2017 Impala | 11 | 9% | 34,445 |
| 2016 Impala | 16 | 14% | 75,000 |
| 2015 Impala | 44 | 15% | 60,700 |
| 2014 Impala | 140 | 22% | 69,000 |
| 2013 Impala | 34 | 13% | 54,000 |
| 2012 Impala | 49 | 19% | 57,500 |
| 2011 Impala | 35 | 7% | 60,450 |
| 2010 Impala | 42 | 10% | 66,500 |
| 2009 Impala | 57 | 7% | 55,200 |
| 2008 Impala | 94 | 12% | 64,469 |
| 2007 Impala | 101 | 16% | 53,000 |
| 2006 Impala | 135 | 26% | 58,152 |
| 2005 Impala | 60 | 10% | 77,500 |
| 2004 Impala | 63 | 6% | 59,000 |
| 2003 Impala | 30 | 4% | 52,000 |
| 2002 Impala | 57 | 7% | 45,210 |
| 2001 Impala | 76 | 10% | 40,242 |
| 2000 Impala | 124 | 15% | 59,773 |
| 1999 Impala | 1 | 25% | — |
| 1998 Impala | 2 | 100% | 120,000 |
| 1996 Impala | 12 | 14% | 40,000 |
| 1995 Impala | 2 | 5% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Steering:electric power assist system
Model years: 2014
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured November 5, 2012, to December 20, 2013. Due to a poor electrical ground connection to the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM), the affected vehicles may have a loss of power steering assist during start up or while driving.
Risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will clean paint from behind the ground stud nut and update the PSCM software, free of charge. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. The recall began on August 21, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14330.
Steering
Model years: 2014
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Regal, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro and Chevrolet Impala vehicles. Improperly torqued fasteners may cause the steering intermediate shaft and the steering gear and/or the lower control arm and the lower ball joint to separate.
Risk: If any of the components separate, the vehicle may have a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM began to notify owners on June 27, 2014, and dealers will inspect the fasteners for correct torque, correcting them as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac) or 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14378.
Steering:hydraulic power assist:hose, piping, and connections
Model years: 2012
Problem: Gm is recalling certain model year 2012 chevrolet impala vehicles manufactured from april 19, 2011, through july 29, 2011. The upper power steering hose may have been misrouted so that it can come in close proximity to and/or contact the catalytic converter. With the engine on, heat from the catalytic converter may melt the power steering hose.
Risk: Power steering fluid could flow onto the catalytic converter, and an engine compartment fire could occur.
Fix: Gm dealers will inspect to ensure that the upper power steering hose is routed correctly and make the necessary repairs free of charge. The safety recall began on september 5, 2011. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Power steering failure at under 106k miles, yes Electric power steering rack failed internally making the vehicle dangerous to drive and control steering - CMA Chester dealer quoted me $8k (parts and labor) and said that it's "not a good car", independent mechanic referred me to different dealer as…
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.
While driving, the car steering became very hard and uncontrollable posing a risk to me and other drivers on the road. A mechanic has checked.
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the messages "Stabili-trak" and "Power Steering" displayed on the instrument panel, and the traction control warning light illuminated. Additionally, the transmission display switched from…
Power steering goes out while driving in towns or on hiways.frequently comes back on while parked for a few hours or days. Unpredictable while driving.dangerous.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Impalas have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 1,198 owner complaints about steering 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 steering?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the Chevrolet Impala?
Owners report a typical cost of $810 (half paid between $460 and $1,800), from 40 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the Chevrolet Impala?
The most frequent phrase is “steering shaft”, in 111 of 1,198 complaints, followed by “rack pinion” (66).
Other Chevrolet Impala problems
See all Chevrolet Impala problems.