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 2012 Chevrolet Impala owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The car has been in the shop twice within 6 months having it. It was towed twice, once for transmission issues and having no power to it at all then it back in the shop for warning lights. I also had it in the shop for about an hour to have a new tire put on it after loosing air. It had to be towed back home for all the brakes being shot and I'm now having an issue with the rear left caliper having a slow leak, the rear left sway bar is also broken in half. The whole entire car has issues and the leasing company and dealership refuse to do anything to help along with not helping me get the payment down. After one thing gets fixed, another thing happens. The suspension is getting bad and has been like that since my fiance and i got the car. The dealership said everything was new and fixed. We had 2 kids in the car and their safety was put at risk as well as others that got in the car. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving at 15 MPH, the vehicle stalled causing the steering to lock and the brakes to fail. As a result, the vehicle crashed into street sign causing the vehicle to fall into a ditch. The contact stated the ABS and check engine warning light was illuminated. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed.there were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was not drivable and was towed to an impound lot. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired as of yet. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of failure. The failure mileage was 176,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2012 Chevrolet Impala. While reversing out of a parking lot, the vehicle accelerated without warning. The contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to stop. As a result, the vehicle finally stopped when it crashed into an embankment. The passenger was taken to sherman elgin hospital to receive medical attention for back, neck, and shoulder injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed by the police to an unknown lot. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The failure mileage was 51,564.
I was going slow (20 MPH or less), expecting to stop with my foot on the break. A car slammed in back of me. On impact, I pushed the break all the way down to the floor, without any resistance. Just prior to that, the breaks were slowing-down the car as expected. My car slammed into the car in front of me. There were no break marks on the highway as one would expect if the breaks were working. The breaks simply failed. After releasing the breaks, shouting off the engine and later starting it up, the breaks are currently working as before the accident.
When driving after every attempt to make a left turn,my service traction control,service brake assist, & ABS light all pop on. Since then it has went on and off for many days until it just finally stayed on permanently. Also message: "stabilitrak service and traction control , brake assist " finally took it to a Chevy dealership in culver city,ca in May 2013 & was told they tested the front ABS connector and traction and found nothing wrong and no code errors. Reset the sensors anyways and adjusted the timing. As soon as I drove out the dealer,same error messages and lights returned. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Impala. While driving various speeds, when the contact would make a turn or hit a bump in the road, he heard an abnormal pop sound without warning. In addition, the contact observed fluid leaking in the front middle of the vehicle. The dealer (hendrick Chevrolet, 100 auto mall drive, cary, nc, 27511, [phone]) advised the contact to take the vehicle to a local Chevrolet dealer since they were out of state. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer (dan vaden Chevrolet savannah, 9393 abercorn st, savannah, ga, 31406) where it was diagnosed that the steering rack, brakes/ rotors, and tie rod needed to be replaced. Also, an alignment was needed. The steering rack, brakes/rotors, tie rod, and alignment were repaired. The contact stated that the engine now shakes independently without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed for the failure. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Impala. When making a left turn, the ABS, traction control, service brake assist, service traction control, and service stabilitrak indicators illuminated. In addition, an abnormal grinding sound was heard. Once the vehicle was shut off and restarted, all of the messages and warning indicators turned off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the speed control sensor in the front driver's side wheel bearing was faulty. The entire wheel bearing was replaced, but the failures continued. The manufacturer stated that there was no recall for the failure. Jack mcnerney Chevrolet (363 ny-281, tully, ny 13159, [phone]) was contacted and wanted to charge the contact over $100 to perform the same diagnostic test as the independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 35,000.
My car is trying to kill me. At a complete stop when I hit the gas the traction control comes on. My dash says service stabilitrak , traction control and ABS. I must turn off the traction control to drive my vehicle. With all that, if I drive up hill it turns the traction control on, the ABS and traction control light up and the lights stay on. When the car is restarted all the lights go away. Twice I was pulling onto the highway from a stop. That situation happened and my car didnt move. Luckily the car was able to move or else I would have severly injured. This happens with my vehicle daily. I took my car in because my alternator failed. I told the dealership about a TSB for the issue and they did nothing. It also happens a lot if im accelerating while turning a corner. The dash lights up like christmas lights.
When I start driving on local street each morning, I make a left turn, the car makes a loud grinding noise and my service traction control, service brake assist, & ABS light all come on. They also go on & off when I go over speed bumps make a loud grinding noise. The traction control symbol will come on and I will be stuck trying to accelerate. This is very dangerous as I have almost been hit from behind a few times due to not being able to accelerate in a timely fashion. I have gone on Chevy Impala forums looking for other drivers who May have experienced this are there are a good number of them. It seems to be an electrical problem. I finally took it to a mechanic and they could not reproduce the problem. It still happens.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Impala. While attempting to accelerate the vehicle from a low speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the vehicle jerked when the brakes were independently applied. In addition, the ABS, service traction control, service stability control, and multiple warning lights illuminated. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the wires connected to the sensors were faulty. The technician also stated that further diagnostic testing would be needed to determine what specific part needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 26,000.
Brake complaints in other Impala years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2012 Chevrolet Impala?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the brakes of the 2012 Chevrolet Impala, 13% of the model year's 258 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › caliper (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Chevrolet Impala brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2012 Chevrolet Impala, though it has 3 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 2012 Chevrolet Impala brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 52,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 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.