Is the 2012 Chevrolet Impala a bad year?
257 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Impala years.
Keep it. You picked a good year.
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Impala are in line with other Impala years. Stability control stands out for this year: see below.
5th quietest of 20 Impala years by owner complaints (years with 7+ years on the road).
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2012 Impala owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 55,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stability controlSTANDS OUT | 54 (21%) | 49k–95k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 58 (23%) | 38k–82k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Steering | 48 (19%) | 33k–92k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Engine | 41 (16%) | 20k–87k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Brakes | 33 (13%) | 35k–81k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 27 (11%) | 19k–67k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Suspension | 21 (8%) | 45k–94k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Air bags | 20 (8%) | 34k–91k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 18 (7%) | 42k–86k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Wheels | 18 (7%) | 38k–79k miles · around this mileage | Wheel bearing / hub assembly replacement (one wheel) $230–$750 |
| Speed control | 15 (6%) | 45k–94k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 5 (2%) | 0k–54k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Seat belts | 9 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 8 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 55,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 257 complaints: 20 mention a crash · 5 mention a fire · 12 report an injury · 9 say the car was towed.
2 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Mar 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
When driving with the engine at lower than normal driving temperature, driver stops at a stop sign and with hard acceleration the engine surges from full power to dying out as tho fuel starved.this continues in a jerking action.
I purchased this car used in 2014 with ~30,000 miles, and it presently has ~85,000 miles.
I am extremely unsatisfied with my auto. I do not want a auto that I can not trust. This vehicle is not worth what I paid for it.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 55,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Impala: 3
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. 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.
This safety recall does not include non-police Chevrolet Impala vehicles. A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. Power steering fluid could flow onto the catalytic converter, and an engine compartment fire could occur.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Chevrolet: 430
Repair instructions Chevrolet sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2012 Chevrolet Impala. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming…
Normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is normal…
Guidelines to replace Oil Cooler, Oil Cooler Lines and Oil Tank if the engine was replaced where large amounts of debris has flowed throughout the oiling system
Internal Engine Noise or Damage After Oil Filter Replacement
Neighbouring years
2011 Impala: 504 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine · 2013 Impala: 272 complaints, keep it.
Every Chevrolet Impala year
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Questions
Is the 2012 Chevrolet Impala a bad year?
257 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Impala years. At 55,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Chevrolet Impala?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: stability control (54), electrical system (58), steering (48), engine (41), brakes (33).
How many recalls does the 2012 Chevrolet Impala have?
3 recall campaigns list this model year: Electrical system (NHTSA 14V-355), Suspension (NHTSA 12V-377), Steering (NHTSA 11V-398). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.