Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Chevrolet Impala owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
ABS/traction control.when ABS and traction control lights come on makes grinding noise /brakes grab has become dangerous to have on the road. Only have 125,950 miles has been causing problems for last 5,000 miles. Took to shop mechanic.could not identify problem. Can not turn traction control off/ on manually does it on its own. .has to be a recall for this problem. As many complaints for this same dangerous problem there should be a factory recall before someone gets hurt or worse.this problem happens when in motion turning and while applying brake. City street and highway.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving at any speed, the vehicle would start to shake with a knocking noise then it stalled without warning. In addition, the transmission leak fluid and failed to start. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 149,000.
When stepping on gas car hesitates before engaging into gear. It is intermittent and seems to happen periodically especially after car warms up. It jerks into gear from a dead stop. Was told by the dealer it was the transmission solenoid switch but was not covered. It would cost over $1000 to have it fixed. It's been going on for about 1 year and a half.
Problem started with the trans - wasn't shifting right, hard shift. Took it to rotolo Chevy in fontana, ca. Dx: catalytic converter, nearly $800 to get new one only to have the car completely die on the side of the road when the tranny disintegrated. Replaced under warranty. Ever since I have had shifting difficulties - took it back a week later to be told it has a "Smart adapt" in trans and needed approx 1000 miles to Sync itself, now the car sputters, has a misfire code in cylinder 2, trans code. Hard starts, randomly stalls when making right turns, interior and exterior lights surge when at an idle, car constantly feels like it wants to stall - it can actually make you nauseas when sitting at a stop light because of the surging of the car. This morning the car just stalled when I was at a stop sign. …
I first started having this problem in October 2015. I purchased this vehicle in July 2015. I trusted this company because I seen they had great reviews. I actually trader my previous car in because it was having problems starting and also shutting off while driving. Now my current car is having probelms starting. I had my battery, alternator & starter checked, and it was good. The company I bought the car from provided warranty coverage on the vehicle. I took the car to get serviced in the beginning of October for an engine mount replacement. They replaced my engine mounts and fuel pump. 2 days after that service I started having issues starting the car. When you put the key in you usually hear beeping noise and I didn't. Than my battery light, ABS light, trac off light came on and stayed on and in the message center tracking system light came up. …
In the past several weeks I had noticed that the doors of my 2003 Chevy Impala were not automatically unlocking. This is supposed to occur when gearshift is moved into park position. At the time I did not view this as important. In the last several days I have noticed that my car would not start at various times of the day. On inspection, I noticed that even though the gearshift was in the physical position for park, the dash indicator did not indicate "p" on the display. I moved the gearshift into the neutral position and the vehicle started. Today, while parking the vehicle on an incline I moved the gearshift to the physical park position but again the dash indicator did not show the "p" for gearshift position. After removing my foot from the brake, the vehicle began to roll down the incline. …
Automatic transmission periodically fails to proceed with shifts after reaching 25-30 MPH. At that point, the engine roars, as though it had been shifted into neutral, and the vehicle ceases to accelerate. Sometimes this is resolved when the car shifts with a lurch. Most often, it is necessary to reduce the spead and once again accelerate the vehicle through the problematic range. This usually leads to the car resuming a normal pattern of acceleration. However, on some accasions this process has LED to multiple repititions of the same problem, causing the vehicle to fail to accelerate properly into traffic for a prolonged period with resultant danger to those in the vehicle and in other vehicles nearby. …
I have been looking for a page like this for a few years now, I don't even know how I got to this one. This 2003 Impala started acting like this before the miles I place down, because I bought this car use and my warranty end, I was told I couldn't do anything (the dealer stated) when I come to a stop and then start well try to start the car hesitate and then a hard kick/punch and it would do this only at red lights, stop signs, or reverse. So on 05/12/2010 I bought this car to a auto repair shop they perform a test and it check out two of the shift solenoids for the transmission were bad so they replace both shift solenoids, side cover gasket and transmission filter. Cost me $1,120.56 with in a week it was still acting like it was never work on. I started asking other owners about there Impala they all said it did the same to them. …
I have a 2003 Chevrolet Impala with a 3.8 liter v-6. The car radio quit working and I had to pull out the fuse because it was sending strange error messages to the body control module. Now the BCM is having even more problems. The car turned itself of then back on while I was driving down the road. I pulled over and shut the car off. Then it would not start again. I pulled the fuse for the BCM an the car started and I made it home. What in the world did general motors do to these cars. I have been reading numerous horror stories about their cars. Was there a recall to fix this problem or do I have to go to the dealer and spend a fortune to fix this garbage pretending to be a car. How can a car company get away with this poor quality control in this day and age? My security display now shows random errors like low fuel even after I filled up the tank. …
Approximately 75,0000 miles, ABS and the service traction system light kept appearing. I have had 3 repairs and nothing has corrected this problem. At 89,000miles, the lights appear and the car makes a grinding noise when I take off or turn sharpely. The weather has no affect on this, dry or wet. I push the traction off button and it stops. Then reappears. The sound scares me making me think the car is going to stop. Happens when I turn out of my driveway onto the street, taking off at a red light. No one is able to fix this problem. I have read many complaints online concerning this problem with 2003 Impala, hundreds infact. I have spend over a $1,000. On repairs. Help please, something is wrong that can't be repaired. Happening over a year, 2015 to 2016.
Transmission complaints in other Impala years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2003 Chevrolet Impala?
NHTSA has 30 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2003 Chevrolet Impala, 4% of the model year's 695 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (15 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Chevrolet Impala transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2003 Chevrolet Impala, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Chevrolet Impala transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 86,000 miles, and 22% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.