Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Chevrolet Impala owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that upon open or closing the front driver's side door, he heard an abnormal sound. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard a howling sound. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a faulty door actuator. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. While attempting to unlock the vehicle, it failed to unlatch. The contact also stated that there was an abnormal burning odor inside the vehicle. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified and referred the contact to NHTSA. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 105,577. The VIN was invalid.
At first it was just the passenger rear door lock that would not unlock all the time and then the driver side rear lock started to be intermittent but as of February 2015, neither will automatically unlock even using the door handle. We have to roll down the windows and unlock. Once unlocked they then rarely lock with the key fob. Why is this a problem, in case of an accident, we would not be able nor would first responders be able to quickly extricate any passengers in the rear seat. This worries us as we do take people in the back seat. If there was a child or infant, it would be horrific we have friends with a 2009 Chevrolet malibu and their rear locks are intermittent and one is getting worse. I will bet there a number of cars just like ours. I have had cars as long as 15yrs and never had a door lock problem. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. While the vehicle was parked, all the doors failed to unlock electronically. In addition, all the doors failed to open manually intermittently. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the door lock mechanism needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 40,000. Updated 10/18/16 the consumer stated the doors unlocked randomly. Updated 10/25/16.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that the driver's door key fob failed to operate. The contact had to manually lock and unlock the driver's side door. The contact mentioned that weeks later, the both rear doors failed to lock and unlock. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 42,000. Updated 6/8/15 the consumer stated the problem was diagnoses as dis-functional lock actuators. Updated 06/18/15
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. After shifting into the park position, the rear driver and passenger side doors failed to automatically unlock without warning. The passengers were able to exit the vehicle after manually unlocking the doors. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that the door lock actuator on the front passenger door failed to lock and unlock using the key fob. The contact also stated that there was an abnormal clicking noise coming from the air conditioning actuator. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 49,000.
A dead battery at the airport parking lot in a 2009 Chevrolet Impala May not seem like a problem, however there is no mechanical trunk release from inside the vehicle and my back seat doesn't fold down, so I couldn't crawl into the trunk to trip the emergency release, I was unable to get to my jumper cables. Then when I tried to get the key out of the ignition to lock the car to go make a call. Guess what with the battery dead I couldn't get the key out of the ignition either. A huge concern of mine is this; if that car was involved in an accident, where the battery was destroyed, there would not be any means to access the trunk where emergency equipment is stored, such as first aid kits, fire extinguishers.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. While attempting to exit the vehicle, the doors failed to unlock automatically after the vehicle was shifted into park and turned off. The contact and the passengers had to manually unlock their doors to exit the vehicle. The failure persisted for three months. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000. Updated 11/20/14 the consumer stated the repair would cost approximately $300.00 per door. Updated 5/5/2015
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. Whenever the contact attempted to open the driver side door, the metal latch pinched her finger. The rear passenger rear window squealed whenever the contact attempted to move the window upward or downward. The contact also stated that the signal blinker generated false commands intermittently. The failures occurred numerous times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 36,000.
Door Lock & Latch complaints in other Impala years
Frequently asked questions
How common are door lock & latch problems on the 2009 Chevrolet Impala?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the locks & latches of the 2009 Chevrolet Impala, 3% of the model year's 824 complaints. The component named most often is doors › latch (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Chevrolet Impala door lock & latch problems?
No. NHTSA lists no locks & latches recall for the 2009 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 2009 Chevrolet Impala door lock & latch problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 42,000 miles, and 31% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to locks & latches 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.