Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
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. …
Used car purchased with approx. 72,000 miles. Major problems became apparent at 73,000 miles approx. Grinding clunking squealing noises were 1st warning signs. All of these noises occur anytime the vehicle is being driven, intermittently, but everytime I turn left or right. The ac/heater went out because the blower motor failed. Handling was horrible so replaced most of suspension parts but alignment repeatedly goes out and mechanics are idiots so they just say they are stumped and send me away. That prompted me to research on my own. I looked up the symptoms and have concluded that the hub bearings need to be replaced. Which I cannot afford seeing as how I just spent a few grand on other repairs.then I found out that the transmission is failing which makes it jerk when accelerating, drive very sluggish, and makes loud noises at idle and in motion. …
My vehicle suffers from loss of power when making a square turn aka a very sharp turn. It only happens with left turns. The problem is wear of a cable near the front left tire which controls the antilock brakes and/or the traction control / stabilitrak feature. The wearing is such that when turning sharply to the left, the worn cable suffers intermittent connectivity loss. That loss of connectivity triggers traction control to briefly sever power to the front tires. I have found that manually turning off traction control prevents this problem from happening. I could reproduce the problem reliably. It nearly always happens when moving from a parked position into the roadway, and when leaving a parking lot after reversing out of a parking space. …
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. …
I have had major failure of all of the main function components of the steering and suspension. Multiple times I have replaced, the inner and outer tie rods, ll 4 wheelbearing assembly, sway bar links, control arms, cv axles. I have to replace brand new tires every 6,000 10,000 miles because the mechanical failures are wearing on the rubber so rapidly and al was and unevenly. I have never not had a n issue with this vehicle and have put more money in repairs then the payment, which are more than what I owe still on the remainder (financed). Also, the transmission is faliling rapidly. I have reported prior issues prior to this date. I cannot justify repairing, maintenance or emergency, a vehicle that is less than the value of the repair cost. GM should be ashamed and punished for such crimes against consumers.
Takata recall when accelerating forward from a complete stop the traction control comes on by itself causing the wheels to lock up & causes hesitation. The ground is not wet at all when this happens & has almost caused me to get rear ended. Even when turning the traction control kicks on causing the same reaction on dry pavement. When accelerating the car hesitates & jerks/jolts then the traction light kicks on. There are no codes on the dashboard & no check engine light. Taken it to the dealership and they aren't able to figure out the issue. This is very unsafe especially driving on the highway and driving with children in the car. It risking my life, my children's lives & the lifes of others.and have spent a lot of money having the vehicle checked out with no solutions. This is very dangerous.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that when the vehicle was taken for service, the dealer discovered that the reb wave plate was fractured inside the transmission. The vehicle was diagnosed and the dealer stated that the entire transmission needed to be re-built. The vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was taken to the transmission specialist and the specialist stated that the transmission part were joint together with the Ford and Chevrolet, the specialist also mentioned that the Ford part was good but the Chevrolet part failed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, the contact stated that after speaking to the manufacturer a case number was not provided. The failure mileage was 153,973.
Car cut offs when put into drive car cuts off while driving. RPM odometer stops working. Check engine light comes on reduce engine power. Stability track and ABS stop car from turning. GM dealer said its battery terminal wires and a new battery changed both and same issue. Fuel pressure sensor keeps going bad replaced twice. Car is choking on to much fuel rotten eggs smell coming from exhaust. Car is very dangerous to drive has cut off on me in traffic to many times now. Once and if problems are ever found their needs to be a recall to prevent injury or death.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Impala. After starting the engine and switching the shifter to the drive position, the vehicle suddenly went in reverse after the accelerator pedal was depressed. After turning off and restarting the engine, the vehicle operated normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 19,500. Updated 12/13/16 updated 12/15/16.
When accelerating forward from a complete stop the traction control comes on by itself causing the wheels to lock up & causes hesitation. The ground is not wet at all especially when turning the traction control kicks on causing the same reaction on dry pavement. When accelerating the car hesitates & jerks/jolts then the traction light kicks on. There are no codes on the dashboard & no check engine light.
Transmission complaints in other Impala years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2012 Chevrolet Impala?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2012 Chevrolet Impala, 10% of the model year's 258 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission › lever and linkage › floor shift (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Chevrolet Impala transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain 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 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 32,000 miles, and 43% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to transmission & drivetrain 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.