Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
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).
The engine electric brakes all shut down steering wheel locked up and my daughter smashed into telephone pole on August 31 2023. Airbags didn't deploy for front and side airbags were deflated no air.no warning lights prior that I'm aware of. My daughter was injured PCS and cervical sprain
Heating and air conditioning actuators and/or blen door getting stuck so the air will not switch from cold to hot or hot to cold without pulling the glove box out and manually turning them by hand. Heater will blow hot air and then randomly switch to cold air. When it's cold outside, I cannot defrost my windows cause it gets stuck on cold air which impairs visibility.
While driving at highway speeds the car will act up and the engine will shut off, I get the message on the odometer display that reads, Engine power is reduced, service throttle, starter disabled. This is not a good thing to have happen while driving.
My car stopped on 630. It said disabled full throttle. I had to sit for 15 minutes before it would start. I then hear a clicking noise that started at 830 am and stopped at 832 am. I've had nothing but problems with this car. Do not buy any Impala, unless you have a lifetime of fixable recalls. It's hot in arkansas and to stall for 15 minutes with children in the car is unacceptable. When you call Chevy customer service, they can not help you with anything. They just take your VIN number and state oh I don't see a recall for your vehicle, although you read 5598 problems/same issue you are having with your car. Erratic transmission is the whole problem. So to Chevrolet and company please think about families and children when attempting to sale a new car with used products. It's not cool and the sad part is you will not fix it. …
Rear door locks, defrost, trunk lid stopped working. Noticed smoke on my passenger side while driving in town. I took it in and was shown that it melted the wires together and melted the rear body harness connector. ( I kept the part if needed) this is a danger to drivers. The fire can start at any time while driving! I believe this should be a recall. After researching I see this is happening to many of these cars.
In motion on a city street turning left , pedal stuck brakes not working and hit by on coming car , flipped in air about a block , rolling over again and again , no air bags depleated, broken ribs, concussion, skin lacerations , bruises,glass logged in parts of body , face and feet
When first purchased I had to change accelerator pedal. When I took it to the shop I was told they get a lot of people w impalas same as my year 2008 that needed to have the accelerator pedal changed every so often because they would go out and it would cause the check engine light to go on and off because the vehicle was sending the wrong signals.I would drive on the highway and street it would cause reduced engine to come on and slow my car down almost leading into accidents because I did not know it was about to happen. It would come and go on as it wanted. The electrical part of the car is something in the car continues to drain my battery. I've gotten a new battery and it still drains causing me to have to get it recharged. The suspension I was also told for the year of my car is bad. …
All door locks have stopped working. The doors will not lock or unlock with the remote or with the inside lock buttons on the interior door. Each door has to be manually locked and unlocked. When I purchased the car, when the transmission was placed in gear, the doors would automatically lock. The doors each have to be manually locked and unlocked. The only keyhole on the car is on the drivers door to unlock the car. There are numerous reports of this issue on the internet for the year models 2008 and 2009. The parts alone are $450 to $1,000. This is a major safety issue and should be a recall because: 1. The doors no longer automatically lock when the car is placed in gear. Automatic locks were most likely listed on the window sticker. 2. If a child is locked in the car, the door will not unlock with remote and can only be accessed from the drivers side door. 3. …
As I was driving, I got a notification on my dashboard that read "engine power reduced service traction control". I continued to drive to my destination or somewhere I could safely pull over. As I drove, the power to my vehicle had reduced significantly. During this time, the check engine light as well as the traction control light stayed on. After about 20 minutes or so, the lights went off and the car begin to operate without incident. After the day of the initial incident, I had the same problem occur 2 more times on 2 separate occasions. I have had my car since 2011 and I have had no accidents so I am not sure where or why this issue is happening but I am definitely not happy about it. I am also having issues with a knocking noise coming from my glovebox as well as the airbags light keeps coming on. Is there a recall that I am not aware of that affects these issues? …
Reduced engine power message, faulty back door locks, heating actuator repairs. This is a revised complaint to one I also made for just the reduced engine power message. After reading numerous complaints on here I have found that my car has several of the issues not just reduced engine power. I am most concerned with the car cutting out while driving due to the reduced engine power however we also have locks that don't open/lock with remote which has been going on for the last 3 years and since last winter heater only blows cold air until you accelerate the car. This month we had car repaired for a knocking noise coming from under glove box while car was running or shut off. Mechanic diagnosed as a new actuator and did repair. This however did not repair the blowing of cold air and also this is when the reduced engine power warning started. …
Related recalls
Electrical system › Ignition
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.
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.
Electrical complaints in other Impala years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2008 Chevrolet Impala?
NHTSA has 221 complaints about the electrical system of the 2008 Chevrolet Impala, 27% of the model year's 810 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Chevrolet Impala electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 14V-355 (ignition, Jun 23, 2014). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2008 Chevrolet Impala electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 6 fires and 5 injuries to electrical system 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.