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 2011 Chevrolet Impala owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Stabilizer control an brake system wheel barrier or Tyrod when driving its like the wheels start trying to twist another way almost crashed on the highway with my grandkids in the vehicle i having driving the vehicle since an irecentl looked up recall an it says stabilizing an brake system when press on gas .it's like tires shifting make the vehicle slow moving an feel a grinding when feet on gas...recently look an it says its 2 recalls chevy 2011 impala
Brake assist, traction control, stablitrack, and ABS lights continually coming on. When breaking while making a turn the breaks slip or give and then suddenly grab hold causing a grinding sound. Car wobbles while these lights are on causing a noticeable change in stability and control.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Impala. While the vehicle was parked on an incline with the contact's foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle was started and proceeded to shift from park to drive. The vehicle started to roll backwards and struck the vehicle in its rear. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 77,595.
G.m. Replaced my ingintion switch on a national recall. I was hit in left rear qtr. Panel. I lost all power and could not stop or steer the car. I careened across highway and ran into a house. No air bags deployed either. G.m. Sent a team to recover computer info and has now told me there is no problem.
Dec 2013 vehicle hit pot hole while braking at approaching intersection, after that warning lights started flashing ABS brakes/tract control/stab control, I was unable to brake, then shut down. Since then temp gauge went bad n was replaced. The 3 above dash warning lights continued intermittently, worse when it rained. At take offs n turns car would jar n ABS brake system would pulsate(grabs). Hub/speed sensor was replaced, this did not help. Accessory outlets, when contained w a charger, doesn't maintain contact w power source (such as disconnection/loose connection), causing power surge resulting in 2 iphones to have bad aux ports. …
My wife was driving home from work going 65 down a very busy highway. All of a sudden the reduced engine power light, check engine, stability control off, and traction control lights came on. The car begin to loose speed. Luckily she was able to get over to the right shoulder without anyone hitting her. When she got to the shoulder the car was running really rough. She turned it off waited a few minutes and restarted it. It then ran fine but the check engine light remained on. She made it home and was scared to drive it again. I took it to work last night and made it about halfway to work and it did the exact same thing except I was able to get it to maintain 45mph. When I came to a traffic light though the engine was running so rough the car was very hard to stop. I made it to work. When I came out to go home the first stop light I came to it started acting up again. …
My service stabilitrack, reduce engine power light came on while I was exiting the freeway. When this happened I had almost no brake pedal. I couldn't stop at the light at the end of the exit, luckily no other cars were around. If I had been on a main street at 45mpr and had to stop for a red light I would have never stopped on time. I'm very lucky no cars were at the light waiting or coming in a different direction with the green light. I see this problem all over edmunds and on you tube and as far as I can tell it's 100% Chevrolet. How can this not be a recall. There are dozens and dozens of the same complaint on edmunds and you tube. It seems like every you tube video has a different fix for the problem....from pulling out the fuse to the stabilitrack to over a thousand dollars in repairs. Does there have to be a death to get the attention of Chevrolet. …
When I got the car I new it needed new tires so I went to the tire shop fro.m the dealership but I ask the dealer if the car had been in an accident because I could feel it shimmy he was trying to sale me and 2009 but I could here its power steering pump was out they were both the same price it only made since to get the newer car. After putting new tires on I seen it needed oil change then and transmission needed serviced. While I was doing that I called to ask the guy if he was going to help me out. Lol yea bring it in all charge you twice as much as the place you are at right now so I let him know I would let all my friends know. It was one thing after another. …
Car gets service stabitrack, traction control and ABS warning on dash. Replacing wheel hubs with sensors does not fix this issue. Sometimes the car will want to apply brakes while driving or reduce engine speed. I have been through many forums with people reporting the same issue on the same car and through multiple years of manufacturing. From the research I have done in the last few days it looks like hundreds of owners have reported this issue but Chevrolet is not doing anything to correct it. Not sure at this point if it is the wiring harness causing the problem or if this could be something with the computer that controls the stabitrack, ABS and traction control. If cars are loosing power and or the brakes are being applied with out driver control this can lead to dangerous driving conditions for the car owner passengers and everyone else driving on the same road. …
2/17/2015 was the second event. I was driving approx- 65 MPH up a mountain when my electronic display panel showed stabilitrack/service traction control/vehicle in reduced power. As the power suddenly reduced I lost power steering control and brake function. Since I was traveling at a up hill grade, I was barely able to jerk the steering wheel enough to roll across the lane of traffic beside me to the side of the road. I wasn't able to get out of the road completely and was almost hit by a logging truck. After removing the keys from the ignition for a few minutes, I restarted the car without any hesitation. The engine light still remains on at this time. I did contact OnStar and have them run a diagnostic test which revealed a problem with supposed fuel system. I have not taken it to a dealership yet. …
Brake complaints in other Impala years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Impala?
NHTSA has 39 complaints about the brakes of the 2011 Chevrolet Impala, 8% of the model year's 505 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › abs warning light (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Chevrolet Impala brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2011 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 2011 Chevrolet Impala brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 1 fire and 4 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.