Reliable Auto DB

2012 Chevrolet Impala reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2012 Chevrolet Impala holds 258 complaints after 15 years, a rate of 28 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Impala years here — over the median of the other years, which is 12. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Ignition, Front lower control arm, and Hoses and connections.

2012 Chevrolet Impala
Photo by U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons Public domain
Complaints

258

Per year

28

Recalls

3

Years on the road

15

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (58 of 258), then Electronic stability control (ESC) (54) and Steering (49). Those filings include 20 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 12 that report an injury.

Next to 2013

The 2013 Impala has 272 complaints, 24 per year. The 2012 has more complaints per year than the 2013.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2012 Chevrolet Impala. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (3)

Recall electrical system, ignition 2014-06-23 · NHTSA campaign 14V355000
Summary 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.
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 Front lower control arm 2012-08-03 · NHTSA campaign 12V377000
Summary 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.
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 steering, hydraulic power assist, hoses and connections 2011-08-05 · NHTSA campaign 11V398000
Summary 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.
Remedy 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.

Complaints by component (258 total)

Electrical system
58
Electronic stability control (ESC)
54
Steering
49
Engine
40
Service brakes
32
Powertrain
27
Suspension
22
Air bags
20
Wheels
19
Fuel and propulsion system
17
Speed control
15
Seat belts
9
Exterior lighting
8
Structure
8
Traction control
4
Visibility and wipers
4
Engine and engine cooling
3
Tires
3
Hydraulic brakes
2
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Seats
1
Visibility
1
Show 14 more Show less
Crash-flagged

20

Fire-flagged

5

Injury reports

12

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

12011112012202013512014252015332016252017302018262019112020820214202272023320241202522026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "To be able to afford repairs and return it to release date price close to around 27,000 to 28,000 tire got needed air awhile and radiator and the reservoir or holder got replaced still not knowing how to repair the rest…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-03-09
  • "The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became inoperable. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized and became difficult to…"
    Steering · filed 2026-02-10
  • "I have about 08/1825 had the throttle body replaced on my vehicle which assisted with the problem temporarily. Then the problem started again 09/20/25 the car act like it’s stalling while driving and can’t see what hear…"
    Electrical system, Engine · filed 2025-09-23
  • "Stability traction control I have had to fix it 3 times once was ball bearing and the other was a wire harness and it has to go in shop again for stability traction issues again also the door blending parts keep failing…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2024-12-01
  • "I have trouble codes that occasionally come up even after vehicle has been serviced. The vehicle used to drive fine. Now it started miss firing. I was told the problem was coming from the engine compartment/sensors. An…"
    Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2024-05-10

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2012 Chevrolet Impala 4 DR FWD 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Impala 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 18 29 22 MPG $2950
Impala 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 18 29 22 MPG $2950

Specs and fitment

9th generation, 2012–2013
Body styles Sedan
Oil 5W-30 (3.6L V6) , 6 qt capacity
Tire size 225/60R16 to 235/50R18 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 11V-398 covers certain 2012 Chevrolet Impala vehicles: the upper power steering hose may be misrouted near the catalytic converter so heat can melt the hose and spill fluid onto the converter, creating an engine-compartment fire risk; dealers inspect routing and repair as needed. Recall 14V-355 covers certain 2006-2014 Impala vehicles among other GM models: ignition key rotation torque may allow the key to move out of Run, which can cut engine power and prevent air bag deployment in a crash; dealers install key-ring inserts or covers. The published unit count for 14V-355 is shared across multiple GM nameplates.

Compare

Next year 2013 Chevrolet Impala See every Chevrolet Impala model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Chevrolet Impala reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2012 Chevrolet Impala holds 258 complaints after 15 years, a rate of 28 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Impala years here — over the median of the other years, which is 12. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Ignition, Front lower control arm, and Hoses and connections.

What are common problems with a 2012 Chevrolet Impala?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (58 of 258), then Electronic stability control (ESC) (54) and Steering (49). Those filings include 20 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 12 that report an injury.

Is the 2012 Chevrolet Impala more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 Impala has 272 complaints, 24 per year. The 2012 has more complaints per year than the 2013.

Has the 2012 Chevrolet Impala been recalled?

The 2012 Chevrolet Impala has 3 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2012 Chevrolet Impala?

Owners have filed 258 complaints about the 2012 Chevrolet Impala with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2012 Chevrolet Impala get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2012 Chevrolet Impala is 22 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is the 2016 Chevrolet Impala?

10th generation (2014-2020).

What oil does a 10th-generation Chevrolet Impala take?

US manuals for 2014-2020 list 5W-20 for the 3.6L V6 and 0W-20 for the 2.5L four-cylinder where equipped.

What tire sizes does a Chevrolet Impala use?

Ninth-gen fits often run 225/60R16 to 235/50R18; tenth-gen trims commonly use 235/50R18 to 245/40R20.