2008 Chevrolet Impala: sudden loss of power

Filed Apr 22, 2023 · Transmission · MI

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.

Filed Jul 22, 2019 · Electrical, Engine · 130,000 miles · NY

Reduced engine power light comes on intermintently while driving had the throttle body and accelerator pedal replcaed twice after I bought the car with 75000 miles on it. Still the reduced engine power light comes on. Just yesterday I was unable to start my car. Throttle problems light came on in window

Filed Jul 2, 2019 · Engine · 119,600 miles · FL

My car just stopped in the middle of the road in heavy traffic of 45 MPH. Weather was about 90 degrees f.. Message on dash was "starting disabled service throttle." I am lucky not to have been seriously hurt or killed. After pushing it to a side street, it started again and showed "reduced engine power" and went about 20 MPH. I saw online this is common problem with many chevrolets. Why no recall? So dangerous. Repair is estimated at $750.

Filed Jan 31, 2019 · Engine · 151,000 miles · IA

Lights came on dash service throttle, reduced engine power. I was driving down the highway on 8/16/2018 going 55 when the car started to chatter and I struggled to pull over to the side of the road, I almost was rear ended because it was so sudden. I shut the car off and let it sit for a bit then it started and I went on. Today it did it and it still wont start after hours.

Filed Jan 24, 2019 · Acceleration, Engine · 97,000 miles · PA

While I was driving, the car gave a notice of reduced engine power, then a few miles later, another notice came on service throttle disabling service. And the car shut off! With no warning, and no way to get to safety. If I wasn't in an area that had a shoulder I could get to quickly or if there was any traffic near me, I would be dead! This is incredibly unsafe and is going to get someone killed, if it hasnt already! That has to be some sort of flaw in the programing. If I would have been on the highway, which is where I normally am at that time of day, I would have had no time to react and get to a safe area before the car shut down on me. It also locked up the steering wheel and braking system so I had next to no power. It was incredibly scary. I am just glad that I was driving the car, instead of my elderly mother. She very well may have had a heart attack from the fear. In no way should a car just shut down mid-drive like that! I cant even begin to explain the amount of ways how badly that could go wrong, and this seems to be a common issue with chevy vehicles and the throttle body. Even if the throttle body is going bad, in no way should your car be programed to just shut off mid-drive, ever. I really hope that is a programing flaw and not intentional, because if that is intentional, you are truly trying to kill people. What is it going to take for chevy/gm to get the issue fixed? How many people getting killed in unnecessary accidents is it going to take? I pray that myself or my family isn't one of them! Please chevy/gm, get this issue fixed already.

Filed Jan 14, 2019 · Acceleration, Electrical · 80,000 miles · IN

Tl* the contact called on behalf of the owner of a 2008 chevrolet impala. On several occasions, the vehicle failed to start and the reduced power warning indicator illuminated. Additionally, while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic and fault code: p-2135 was retrieved. The mechanic replaced the ECM, throttle body, accelerator pedal mechanism, and the wiring harness between the ECM and throttle body; however, the failure recurred. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

Filed Dec 26, 2018 · Brakes · CA

My car has a problem with the ABS traction control ive replaced the wheel hubs twice and the problem goes away and then it returns. Im tired of it because its costly and I do not have money I work a part time job. Also the car loses power it starts stating reduced engine power on my dash its dangerous because its done this to me a few times on the freeway.

Filed Jun 28, 2018 · Acceleration, Engine · 59,502 miles · NY

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet impala. While driving 60 MPH, the reduced engine power and the service stability control indicators illuminated as the vehicle decelerated. Staten island buick gmc (1855 hylan blvd, staten island, ny 10305) diagnosed that sensors t2135: (throttle body) and p2138: (accelerator pedal actuator) failed and needed replacement. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer offered to assist with the replacement of the throttle body, but not the accelerator pedal. The failure mileage was 59,502.

Filed May 26, 2017 · Acceleration, Engine · 34,000 miles · FL

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet impala. While driving 40 MPH, the engine reduced power indicator illuminated and the vehicle began to reduce in speed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the throttle positioning sensor failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was called and informed the contact that if a diagnostic fee was paid, the vehicle could be covered under a technical service bulletin. The contact stated that he did not have money for a diagnostic fee. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.

Filed Mar 17, 2017 · 157,000 miles · TN

Driving down hwy. Check engine light came on. Then flashed reduced engine power and it cut off. Would not start. Let it sit then it started. Also engine has leak and blows oil on the motor

Filed Mar 6, 2017 · Acceleration · 102,841 miles · NY

Started the car and immediately upon pulling out of parking lot the service traction control error message and reduced engine power messages appeared. This is the 3rd time this has happened on this car. Have entered problem reports for the 1st 2 occurrences on this site. Replaced accelerator pedal position pedal sensor. None of these 3 occurrences were covered under warranty. It was 14 months since the last occurrence and warranty was for 12 months.

Filed Nov 16, 2016 · Acceleration, Engine · 161,000 miles · TX

I was driving in traffic around 5:30pm cst on us 59 n and rankin rd tuesday 11/15/16 when my vehicle lost engine power. I was unable to accelerate or steer and the only light that came on in the car was the service tire monitor system. I managed, somehow, to steer the vehicle to the left shoulder of the freeway and put it in park. I turned off the vehicle and when I went start it again, after releasing the key, it made a stuttering to start sound over and over again even though I was no longer touching the key. When I tried to start it again it turn on and then back off and continued to do this at least 3 more times. I eventually had it towed to my home and after reading online today at forums.edmonds.com many people have been having this issue with impala's and suburban's from gm for at least 4 years now, first post is back in 2012. Gm needs to put a recall on these vehicles and fix the issue before it more fatalities, as proven in their earlier 2014-2015 recall. They just did a recall about a year ago for impala's having an issue where the ignition switch would then switch into the off position while driving if you hit a bump too hard and had too much weight on your keys. I got my vehicle serviced for that recall issue but it seems like their fix for that was incorrect and not the issue seeing as my vehicle, and several others, still shuts down while driving and the ignition is still in the on (not off) position, you lose acceleration and steering. This is extremely dangerous and will cause more deaths, injuries, and accidents. Please get this to gm and have them correct this issue in all their models with sensor throttle body's instead of wired ones. They also need to fix the issue of door and A/C accuators in their models, as its been described to me as a common issue in gm models. This is a very unsafe issue for all drivers gm or not. More accidents will follow.