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 2008 Chevrolet Impala owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was exciting an off ramp when I swerved to avoid another vehicle, completely lost control of vehicle crashed had no brakes and keys will not come out of the ignition. My vehicle is not drivable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Impala. While driving 30 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle jerked severely. In addition, the brakes were unresponsive. The contact pulled over to restart the vehicle, but the failure recurred. The contact mentioned reconnecting a vacuum hose after observing that it was disconnected from the power booster. Afterwards, the brakes became responsive. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the throttle position sensor failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer once more where it was diagnosed that the catalytic converter failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 81,000. Updated 03/04/16
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 Chevrolet Impala. While driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle continued to accelerate when the brake pedal was depressed. As a result, the contact crashed the vehicle into a ditch and struck a massive rock. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries reported. The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 14V355000 (electrical system) and stated that the part for the repair was not available. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 74,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the brakes failed to engage causing the contact to crash into the rear of another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries to the face and the rear passenger sustained minor bruising. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was deemed destroyed by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated the vehicle shakes when the contact depressed the brake pedal. The contact was driving about 40 MPH when the failure occurred. The contact also stated the warning lights did not illuminate before the vehicle started shaking. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 123,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Impala. While driving 55 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle shook violently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.
When driving 2008 Chevrolet 4 door lost control at the top of a hill on a highway. I braked to miss a stopped car. No speeding and no ticket. This car a safety issue with steering and the brakes. I have a 2009 Impala lt
Brake and brake rotor warping every couple months. Severe shaking while stopping. Was told by dealer to downshift instead of breaking on hills. Did that but the problems continues. Dealer says the brakes are not covered by warranty and not to drive in the mountains because the brakes overheat. The vehicle is mainly driven on flat roads to my wife's work and they still only last a couple months. Shakes violently after 1/4 mile of down hill travel found forums online of many people with the same problem. Http://vlane.com/discuss-topic/1195/Impala-brake-issues brakes are undersized for the vehicle which causes the over heating and brake failure, shaking and fading. Major safety issue. GM needs to recall and upgrade brake system [redacted] parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 U.S.c. …
Tl contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Impala. While driving downhill, the brakes would pulsate abnormally. The dealer road tested the vehicle and found bad pulsations in hard speed stops. Both front rotors exhibited severe heat spots and were warped. The brake pads were replaced with heavy duty brake pads. The vehicle was released to the owner but within 10,000 miles the brakes began to exhibit the same failure. The dealer could not duplicate the failure and advised the contact to down shift on hills to prevent the vibration in the brakes. No additional repairs were made to the vehicle. The failure persisted. The failure mileage was 16,514 and the current mileage was 26,952. Updated 03/24/10 the consumer was told the brakes were safe and no action would be taken. Updated 07/09/10.
Tl contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Impala. While driving approximately 25 MPH downhill, the vehicle vibrated and hesitated when the brake pedal was depressed. The brakes also made a loud grinding noise. There were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and they stated that the failure was related to the rotors. The technician resurfaced and deglazed the rotors. The vehicle was taken to the dealer a total of four times for the failures. The better business bureau mandated the manufacturer to repair the vehicle for free. The defect had been previously repaired and is awaiting to be repaired again. The contact was concerned of the safety risk involved. The failure mileage was 1,732 and current mileage was 18,006.
Brake complaints in other Impala years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2008 Chevrolet Impala?
NHTSA has 40 complaints about the brakes of the 2008 Chevrolet Impala, 5% of the model year's 810 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › pads (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Chevrolet Impala brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2008 Chevrolet Impala, though it has 2 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 2008 Chevrolet Impala brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 36,000 miles, and 36% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 2 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.