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Chevrolet Impala jerking problems

280 of the 10,418 owner complaints about the Chevrolet Impala describe jerking or lurching, most of them for the 2008 model year.

owner complaints
280
worst model year
2008
typical repair cost reported
$1,700
typical mileage
79,000
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall for this area of the car. See below

By model year

Often reported together

Check engine light 59Loss of power 40Hesitation 30Stalling 27Slipping 17Grinding brakes 16Transmission failure 14ABS 14

Trouble codes mentioned

U0101 2P2138 2P2122 2P1811 1P0989 1P0651 1C1218 1

What owners say

Filed Jan 21, 2026 · Brakes, Fuel system · MO

Jerking while picking up speed, key fob keep saying not detected, Radio feature work but stuck to basic screen I guess electrical problem Brakes is very rough not sure

Filed Oct 24, 2025 · Acceleration, Electrical · IL

I previously owned a 2011 Buick Regal and now have a 2014 Chevy Impala. Both vehicles have had a Stabilitrack warning come up. Both vehicles experienced the same issue. The car seemed to jerk, lag in speed, cannot accelerate over 40mph. The Regal was diagnosed with an electrical/wiring issue. The Impala was diagnosed with a failed Transmission Control Module. We now have a 2016 Impala and the same issue and warning lights have appeared. That’s 3 vehicles we’ve owned from GMC with the exact same issue. This can’t be a coincidence and should be looked into. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of more consumers on forums experiencing the exact same issue. This should be recalled! Imagine the possibilities of danger this can cause when on the interstate and can’t accelerate over 40mph.

Filed Feb 24, 2025 · Transmission · 128,000 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated or jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal, with an abnormal humming sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while in reverse(R), the vehicle failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle remained with the independent mechanic unrepaired. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

Filed Feb 28, 2024 · Transmission · GA

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.

Filed Jan 5, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · AZ

Service stabilitrak warning, followed by reduced engine power, then car starts jerking.

Filed Nov 2, 2023 · Transmission · 151,343 miles · OH

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH and ascending a grade, the vehicle lost forward momentum. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle revved but failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that she shifted the vehicle into reverse (R) and drove back down the hill. The contact stated that the transmission failure was intermittent at first but had gradually become a recurring failure. The contact stated that at the first failure there were no warning lights; however, in the later failures the transmission overheated warning light would become illuminated. The contact stated that prior to the failure the transmission had begun to jerk and hesitate. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 151,343.

Filed Oct 12, 2023 · Steering · 212,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked and the power steering was inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 212,000.

Filed Oct 7, 2023 · Transmission · OH · 1 injury

The Transmission failed, yes it is available for inspection upon request The car was jerking extremely hard from 1st to second gear. Doing damage to my back. The car has been confirmed by a dealership. The vehicle is set to be inspected by the manufacturer on 10-16-2023 There was leaking from the transmission coolant lines. 01-31-2023

Filed Sep 13, 2023 · Electrical, Transmission · FL

I was driving my 2017 chevrolet impala it started jerk and then stall out I had to have the car towed home onstar sent me the codes saying it was ECM and TCM problem that very scary I was in the middle of the road

Filed Jul 14, 2023 · Electrical, Steering · AR

Power steering stability trak doors locking making clicking sound all this shows up on dash and the car feels like it is accelerating and then jerks slows down and a big sound putting it into gear and a code that says U0101

Related recalls

Power train: automatic transmissionReported February 21, 2014 · 355 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Regal, LaCrosse, Verano, and Enclave, and Chevrolet Impala, Malibu, Cruze, and Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift cable adjuster may disengage from the transmission shift lever. As such, these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect." They also fail to conform to FMVSS number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Risk
If a vehicle's shift cable disengages from the transmission shift lever, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the driver may be able to shift the lever to the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Remedy
General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace any affected transmission shift cable adjusters, free of charge. The recall began on April 10, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact General Motors at 1‑800‑222‑1020, Buick owners at 1‑800‑521‑7300, and GMC owners at 1‑800‑462‑8782. General Motors' number associated with this recall is 14048.

Recall number 14V092000 · Recall details

Questions about the Chevrolet Impala jerking

Which Chevrolet Impala years have jerking or lurching problems?

The model years with the most reports are 2008 (36 complaints), 2011 (31 complaints) and 2009 (28 complaints).

How much does it cost to fix jerking or lurching on the Chevrolet Impala?

Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,700 (median of 12 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.

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