Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
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).
I have trouble codes that occasionally come up even after vehicle has been serviced. The vehicle used to drive fine. Now it started miss firing. I was told the problem was coming from the engine compartment/sensors. An OBDII diagnosis detects a problem with B Camshaft Position Timing Over Advanced or System Performance Bank 2 (p0024). I fear that without the fix, the miss firing can cause an accident. The engine light is illuminated when this happens.
I have about 08/1825 had the throttle body replaced on my vehicle which assisted with the problem temporarily. Then the problem started again 09/20/25 the car act like it's stalling while driving and can't see what hear the vehicle is in. The car is not getting any signal to the engine as I have been advised the TCM is faulty. There was a code of U0101.
I put my car in reverse and the car turned off and have turn back on. When I try to start it, I don't hear any fix or crank. Before this happened, my car was slow to change gear or it would will change so fast that my car will lose control and I did not feel safe at all.
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.
I was standing in traffic and smoke start coming inside the car from engine and the engine start on fire the car burn from the engine out ??? And I found this information about safety problems and recalls on this car model on the internet about this car model and year have fire hazard problems please review and help me to found any answer thank you
About 2 months ago the engine starting dieseling (the engine will still have combustion after the ignition was turned off). During a trip on city streets the engine suddenly stopped when driving. I was able to put the car in neutral and restart the engine. About 15 minutes later the engine stopped again this time while stopped on a traffic light. I could not restart the car. I had it towed to the autolab in Plymouth mi where they diagnosed it with engine flooding. You could smell the unburned gasoline on the tail pipe. However no error codes were reported. After a few days in the facility and without the even duplicated I had the car back. Couple weeks later it started dieseling again so I went back to the autolab. This time they were able to diagnose the injection pump as being faulty and the o2 sensor not being able to control the fueling. …
Accelerator response time takes too long to re-accelerate . After letting off gas then re-applying pedal while driving, response time should be 800 mili seconds for an electronic accelerator but , it is way longer and makes car backfire at times if I hold pedal after the lag in response . This causes car to lunge and could cause me to get rear ended or damage engine. Second, rubbing grinding noise (not loud) from right front and more noticeable while traveling at 35-40 MPH around a left bend in road or by moving steering wheel to left about an inch while driving straight down road. Dealer claimed no problem found on either issue , although they claimed to have replaced a strut bearing on right front. There must have been a previous issue judging by the worn tire before I purchased car. …
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. …
I purchased this car used in 2014 with ~30,000 miles, and it presently has ~85,000 miles. In that time I have replaced 4 gas pedals because the alert triggered "service stabilitrak" tells the technician to replace the gas pedal - clearly not the problem. Essentially, when the defect occurs, engine power is reduced to where the car can barely get out of its own way which is really dangerous during highway rush hour (when folks drive more aggressively) or pulling onto a roadway from a dead stop. If I power the car down and restart it, the error will usually clear, but often reoccurs. Since it tends to happen on hot, sunny days (temp >75f) when the A/C is running, it feels like a wiring problem. The dealer service department suggested replacing the body control module, but could not guarantee that would resolve the issue. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Impala. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle suddenly accelerated, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver, and the engine stalled. As a result of the failure, the rear end of the vehicle crashed into a pole. The contact sustained neck and back injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but the technician was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V355000 (electrical system). The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000.
Engine complaints in other Impala years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2012 Chevrolet Impala?
NHTSA has 43 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2012 Chevrolet Impala, 17% of the model year's 258 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Chevrolet Impala engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling 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 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 40,000 miles, and 34% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury to engine & cooling 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.