The contact owned a 2008 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH while in cruise control, a group of birds flew out from under a ditch which caused the contact to swerve and lose control of the vehicle. As a result of the incident, the contact crashed into the ditch. The air bags did not deploy upon impact which caused the contact's face to hit the steering wheel. The contact was later transported to the hospital via an ambulance where she was treated for a concussion. Additionally, the contact suffered several cuts and bruises to her face with additional bruising to her left leg and hip. A police report was filed; however, the report was unavailable. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was deemed totaled. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000. The VIN was not available.
The worst 2008 Chevrolet Impala problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical221
- Engine160
- Suspension117
- Steering94
- Acceleration92
- Transmission91
- Driver assistance75
- Airbags50
- Locks48
- Brakes40
- Tires36
- Body31
- Wheels31
- Fuel system19
- Visibility16
- Seat belts10
- Lights5
Specific symptoms reported on the 2008 Chevrolet Impala
Loss of power 76Check engine light 69Door locks 60Stalling 46Jerking 36No deployment 24Steering lock-up 22Tire blowout 19Knocking 17Hesitation 15Won't start 13Won't shift 12Airbag light 11Key fob 11Power steering loss 11ABS 10Ball joint 10Engine failure 9Slipping 9Premature wear 8Grinding brakes 6Harsh shifting 5Headlights 5Overheating 5Transmission failure 5
Trouble codes owners of the 2008 Chevrolet Impala mention
P2138 5P1682 2
Recalls 2
Electrical system: ignition
- What is wrong
- 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.
- 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 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.
Recall number 14V355000 · Recall details
Suspension: front: control arm: lower arm
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 12V377000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 2008 Chevrolet Impala
Defect investigations
Passenger Air Bag OCS Algorithm
The Agency received a petition on November 14, 2013 requesting an investigation into the operation of the passenger air bag Occupant Classification System (OCS) software logic and algorithm.The petitioner states that due to this alleged defect, the passenger air bag may be suppressed at point of impact and not provided the occupant protection as needed in a crash.On July 22, 2014, the federal safety agency opened DP14-001 to further review the crash event and perform a more comprehensive search and analysis of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).The Agency also collected manufacturers reports on the alleged OCS issue on the subject Impala vehicles and other GM and non-GM peer vehicles.After examination of the petition and available data relating to the subject vehicle's OCS and the specific crash incident where the OCS allegedly failed to operate properly, the federal safety agency did not identify an issue with the MY2008 Impala involved in the subject crash, nor has it identified a safety-related defect trend existing in the OCS used in the MY 2006-2008 Impala vehicles, in GM peer vehicles or in other non-GM peer vehicles.the federal safety agency has concluded that further expenditure of the agency's investigative resources is not warranted. The agency accordingly has denied the petition.However, the agency will take further action if warranted by changing future circumstances. The official petition denial, as published in the Federal Register, is available in the document file for this defect petition.The single complaint and crash noted in the Failure Report above is the petitioner's VOQ (10568388) and can be reviewed online at
DP14001
Technical service bulletins for the 2008 Chevrolet Impala 1,003
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
- Unknown or other
- This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
- Unknown or other
- Unknown or other
- Unknown or other
- Electrical system
- This service bulletin provides information for maintenance cleaning of the fuel injectors and gasoline...
- This service bulletin provides information on some vehicles that may rock or move slightly forward or...
- Unknown or other
2008 Chevrolet Impala fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6‑cyl | FWD | 18 | 29 | 22 |
| 3.9L 6‑cyl | FWD | 18 | 28 | 21 |
| 5.3L 8‑cyl | FWD | 16 | 24 | 19 |
What 2008 Chevrolet Impala owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
This is 1 of 2 car seats that we have, both with the same issue. The pull strap that is used to tighten the shoulder straps to secure the child in appropriately is not functioning properly. You can not pull the shoulder straps to the tightness that is required for the child to be secured properly. This is a huge safety risk to my children when we are not able to tighten them correctly. I had the car seat looked at by CPST [XXX XXX] with the City of Waite Park, and there is no user error, the straps aren't pinched anywhere. She herself was having a operating the car seat and advised us to stop using it and get it replaced. I have reached out to Evenflo and they are unwilling to fix the issue. They tell me that the car seat is "far out warranty so they cannot assist me further with the seat." I am in disbelief that they are unwilling to replace the defective seats. I do have a video of Alicia trying to tighten the straps and it shows her struggling to accomplish that. I am unable to attach them here. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Starfire Solarus AS All-Season 225/60R16 98H- Car started shaking violently while I was driving it- seemed to be coming from rear tire. Limped it home, removed driver side rear tire, and noticed substantial bulge where tread was separating. Replaced tire with another brand. Several months later, same thing happened, and removed the remaining Starfire Solarus AS All-Season 225/60R16 98H tire, the passenger side rear tire, and noticed same defect. I bought both tires Mar 15, 2021 on Amazon, but have driven car very little. Unfortunately the shop that installed them didn't note mileage on receipt but the tread looks brand new (other than the defect). Looked at amazon and noticed other customers reporting the same defect! [XXX] I think these tires are very dangerous and are going to cause somebody to get injured or worse, especially since both tires are affected by defects and other consumers are reporting the exact same issue on amazon reviews. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The key gets stuck and I can't remove the key; I can't take the key out and then the battery drains and car is dead.
Dash cover crumbled and falling apart. Even though I have kept it cool and covered with a condition. It's falling down into my car fan for heating and cooling
At a complete stop, press the gas to go and the car will not go. Kind of like its struggling to catch gear and then all of a sudden it with catch jerk hard. That's an issue for a few reasons. If you have to pull out for somewhere that traffic doesn't stop or yield, and the car is barley rolling trying to catch gear, there's the risk of getting hit. When the gear catches, and the jerk happened it's not a small jerk, i feel it's a safety hassard to small children. When my son was 4 months old it started and it jerked him pretty hard. My mother in law is the original owner and had it checked several times with no resolution.
The engine electric brakes all shut down steering wheel locked up and my daughter smashed into telephone pole on August 31 2023. Airbags didn't deploy for front and side airbags were deflated no air.no warning lights prior that I'm aware of. My daughter was injured PCS and cervical sprain
When I turn the ignition key and start my car engine, I then shift the automatic transmission into “drive”, but there is no forward acceleration power, and I have no idea why this is.
The gas petal sensor is reading a code P2138 (Accelerator Petal Position Sensors 1-2 not plausible). My father has changed the petal not once but twice and erased the code but it keeps coming back. Also getting a p0172 code as well. A Cheverolet dealership has been called and the representative rushed me off phone saying there was not recall for the car. Car was taken to an Autozone and the codes were still coming up. Engine warning light goes off and on every 3 to 4 days after being cleared, then will get a reduced engine power message will appear. Messages warning lights and symptoms started 3 months ago.
Unknown
Compare the 2008 Chevrolet Impala
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Other model years
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Questions about the 2008 Chevrolet Impala
Is the 2008 Chevrolet Impala reliable?
Owners have filed 810 complaints about the 2008 Chevrolet Impala, 1.5 times a typical Impala model year.
What is the 2008 Chevrolet Impala year score?
The 2008 Chevrolet Impala scores 59 out of 100 (below average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Chevrolet Impala: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Chevrolet Impala?
Electrical system, with 221 complaints, typically around 85,000 miles. Next is engine (160).
How many recalls does the 2008 Chevrolet Impala have?
2 recalls, covering electrical system and suspension.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Chevrolet Impala electrical?
Yes, 1 recall: 14V355000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Chevrolet Impala have the most electrical problems?
The Chevrolet Impala model years with the most electrical complaints are 2004 (681 complaints), 2005 (331 complaints) and 2002 (305 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2008 Chevrolet Impala get?
Official estimates for the 2008 Chevrolet Impala range from 19 to 22 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.5L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 18 city and 29 highway.
VIN decoder
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