Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Chevrolet Impala owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was accelerating and merging onto a road and just got into the middle lane. Suddenly the car kept accelerating even though I had stopped pressing the pedal. The engine was revving and the car got up to 70 MPH in a 55 zone. The brakes did not seem to help slow the car. In a panic I shifted to neutral and was able to pull onto the shoulder and stop the car. Even when I was in park, the engine was still revving. I turned the vehicle off and rested it about 5 minutes and was able to restart it. It did not seem to have any problems on the way home after that. It was an extremely scary and dangerous situation as there were cars very close to me. I noticed that my floor mat was much higher than usual and was under the accelerator. I don't know if that could have contributed to the problem. I do often use cruise control. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Impala. While driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle decelerated without warning, braked independently, and the steering wheel was out of control and made an abnormal noise. In addition, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The contact was able to coast the vehicle to the side of the road. The contact powered off the engine. Once it was restarted, the vehicle drove normally. In addition, while the gear was in park, the vehicle rolled forward independently. The failure recurred twice. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 140,745. …
Dt: the contact stated while driving applied brake pressure and the brakes did not stop the vehicle. The ABS did not activate at any time during this incident. The contact's vehicle rear-ended the vehicle in front. The passenger seat didn't restrain the passenger during impact. Upon impact, the airbags did not deploy, and the OnStar service did not work. The vehicle was towed to a dealership. The insurance agency was investigating the issue with the brakes. The vehicle is currently at a dealer for repairs. Updated 12/07/05.
Hi I purchased my Impala last year used and for about the first 6 months it ran fine...now electrical panel goes on the fritz dimming my lights and dashboard...power windows and mirrors not working... Also ABS light and traction lights on consistently...traction randomly activates and car lighters just stopped working. Something is wrong with this specific model and it really needs to be recalled. Also turn key to start car and the car doesn't start so I do this 2-3 times to start car up...really needs to recall all 2005 impalas
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the brake fluid warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the brake line was rusted and leaking brake fluid. The mechanic contacted an unknown local dealer for the replacement parts. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was contacted however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 150,886.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the brakes failed to respond and the contact crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000. Updated 04/10/15 updated 6/26/2015
I was a passenger in an 2005 Impala, driver rear ended a large truck, I hit the windshield, neither the anti lock brakes or the air bags worked, about $8,000 damage to Impala, none to truck. I did not have seat belt on.
We purchased a 2005 Chevrolet Impala from a dealer on March 16, 2006. On March 21, 2006, we were traveling down a 2 lane highway at 45 MPH. The traffic in front of us stopped suddenly. I applied the brakes and heard a loud pop. The brake peddle then went to the floor and I hit the van in front of me twice before I was able to turn down a side street and let the car coast to a stop. Our insurance adjuster came out the next morning and took pictures. The car was sent to a body shop to be torn down. GM was notified of the problem with the brakes. The body shop was told not to touch the car until GM could send an inspector to take a look at it. The inspector finally came out and retrieved the information from the black box and took pictures of the brake linkage system. He asked if we had found any parts in the floor under the steering column after the accident. We told him no. …
Recently, I have been having trouble with my 2005 Impala and the ABS/traction system. At the beginning, the "ABS, traction off and service traction system" lights would come on. The ABS and traction lights would stay on and the service traction was intermittent. The car also makes a loud "dinging" sound when the lights come on. When I would make a turn, the car would also make a grinding sound and the service traction light would come back on. Eventually, the traction began kicking in when it was not suppose to and the car would not stop properly. This of course was a serious safety issue. I have researched this problem and found complaints upon complaints about this same problem. I contacted GM and they told me they never heard of this problem which I find hard to believe. I have spent an enormous amount of time and money trying to fix this problem. …
First bought the car in 2011 with 160,000 miles on it and four months later my entire steering goes out so I had no power steering the people I bought the car from didn't bother to tell me about it and the car wasn't under warranty so when we told them about it they didn't want to fix it. Then exactly a year later the same problem happens I don't have any power steering so we got the power steering fixed twice now so im thinking OK something is going on here then this year about the exact same time as the previous two times my power steering goes out again for the third time so we got that fixed again and I don't wanna sink anymore money into my car. …
Brake complaints in other Impala years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2005 Chevrolet Impala?
NHTSA has 49 complaints about the brakes of the 2005 Chevrolet Impala, 8% of the model year's 609 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (9 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Chevrolet Impala brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2005 Chevrolet Impala, though it has 1 recall 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 2005 Chevrolet Impala brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 46,000 miles, and 33% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 5 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.