Airbag complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 | 13% | 85,000 miles |
| 2019 | 5 | 18% | 29,000 miles |
| 2018 | 6 | 10% | 62,000 miles |
| 2017 | 17 | 15% | 51,000 miles |
| 2016 | 16 | 14% | 54,000 miles |
| 2015 | 29 | 10% | 80,000 miles |
| 2014 | 43 | 7% | 64,000 miles |
| 2013 | 19 | 7% | 60,000 miles |
| 2012 | 20 | 8% | 44,000 miles |
| 2011 | 37 | 7% | 82,000 miles |
| 2010 | 103 | 23% | 80,000 miles |
| 2009 | 232 | 28% | 78,000 miles |
| 2008 | 50 | 6% | 94,000 miles |
| 2007 | 49 | 8% | 100,000 miles |
| 2006 | 47 | 9% | 74,000 miles |
| 2005 | 33 | 5% | 74,000 miles |
| 2004 | 31 | 3% | 89,000 miles |
| 2003 | 39 | 6% | 119,000 miles |
| 2002 | 47 | 6% | 75,000 miles |
| 2001 | 47 | 6% | 97,000 miles |
| 2000 | 80 | 10% | 68,000 miles |
| 1996 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1995 | 1 | 2% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
No one sits in the passenger seat 99% of the time. The passenger airbag warning light is illuminated, and I am uncertain about its proper deployment in a critical situation. The issue remains unverified by a dealership or any other individual. The component has not been subject to any inspection. I do not recall the specific warning message displayed on the dashboard.
Tl* the contact rented a 2019 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH to switch lanes to the right lane, another driver in the left lane crashed into the contacts vehicle. The contact maneuvered the other way however the other vehicle hit the vehicle again which had caused the vehicle to swerve, flipped more than twice and the vehicle crashed into a tree. None of the air bags deployed. The driver sustained head injury, left side body pains, problems walking, a neurologist assessment. The front passenger sustained head injury and the rear passenger sustained head, neck back pains as all 3 received further medical treatment. A police report was filed. The insurance company had a source inspect the non-air bag deployment to provide a report. A dealer had not inspected the vehicle yet. The vehicle was towed by the insurance company to a facility. …
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that recently, the driver's side air bag deployed while the vehicle was parked and unattended overnight. Prior to the failure, the air bag warning light had illuminated while driving. The local dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.
I was sold a used car w/ undisclosed accidents. Had many issues within first few weeks. Had transmission cooler lines replaced after they burst. Radiator, compressor, condenser, and much more. Then the Airbag light came on. Dealership said connectors were bad. Fixed it. Light came on again.took it in to dealership. They had it for over two weeks. The GM for all the dealerships Told me the vehicle was not unsafe and told me lies. But the service girl confessed she no longer had access to my vehicle or my file and her boss and the Gm had taken over working on it. She then told me they pulled Ford model air bags from my Chevy Impala. Now the light has come on again. I do not feel safe or rust the dealership to fix it properly.
The contact owned a 2017 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 50 MPH, a tractor-trailer crashed into the front passenger side of the vehicle causing the vehicle to cross two lanes of traffic and collide with a barrier wall. During the crash no air bags deployed. The driver sustained injuries to the back, spine, torso, arms, knees, and shoulders which required medical treatment. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. Also, while the keys were inside the vehicle the doors had locked and the contact was unable to enter the vehicle. A locksmith was called to open the doors. The cause of the failure was not determined. The failure mileage was 72,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH and making a right turn, the vehicle crashed into the passenger's side door of an oncoming truck that was hidden behind a box truck and had suddenly intruded into his lane. The front end of the vehicle was damaged. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained neck pain, back pain, and bruises on the forearms. The contact did not seek medical assistance. The contact was able to drive the vehicle from the scene. A police report was filed. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph and attempting to avoid an accident, the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into an embankment. During the crash, the front end of the vehicle was severely damaged but the air bags did not deploy. During the crash, the contact sustained left wrist, left shoulder, and neck injuries. No medical treatment was provided. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. In addition, the contact indicated that the braking system was faulty and previously had experienced extended stopping distances and grinding noise coming from the rear of the vehicle when pressing the brake pedal. The cause of the failure was not determined. The failure mileage was 56,000.
Driving along a four-lane divided highway with a 50 MPH limit when without warning an oncoming vehicle turned left into me at an intersection. My estimated impact speed was 35 MPH. The airbags failed to deploy. The other car's airbags deployed. I wonder if the airbags in the Chevrolet were even installed. It makes no sense to me why they did not deploy.
Related recalls (8)
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 25, 2008 through February 16, 2010. The front passenger seat frame may contact and damage the wires of the passenger presence sensor module.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will double wrap the wires with anti-abrasion tape and replace damaged wires as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 1, 2016.
Air bags
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 15, 2013, to June 19, 2015, equipped with front vented-heated passenger seats.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will correct the calibration-learning error by preconditioning the empty seat, and also resetting the ECU to a seat zero-value, free of charge. The recall began on August 25, 2015.
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured April 11, 2013, to June 27, 2013, and 2014 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured May 13, 2013, to November 5, 2013.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers are to reprogram the SDM to the correct mode, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in September 2014.
Air bags › Frontal
GM is recalling 79 my 2009 Chevrolet impala vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a passenger-side front air bag inflator that could fracture at an inflator tube during a deployment.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new passenger-side front air bag. The recall began on October 10, 2008. Owners May contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or through their website at http://www.gmownercenter.com .
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
On certain Mini vans, passenger and sport utility vehicles, some of these vehicles have a driver's side air bag that May not deploy as designed. In addition, the air bag inflator could rupture.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, install a new driver's air bag. Owner notification began on March 11, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
Show 3 more recalls
Air bags › Frontal
Certain passenger, Mini vans, and sport utility vehicles have an air bag inflator on the driver's side that could fracture at a weld during a deployment.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and replace, if necessary, the air bag module assembly on the driver's side. Owner notification began August 15, 2002.
Air bags › Side/window
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Some of these vehicles exhibit a condition in which the driver side impact air bag inflator separates from the air bag module during deployment.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the side impact air bag module.
Air bags
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The air bag sensing and diagnostic modules (sdm) could experience a memory error resulting in the air bags not deploying in a crash situation.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the sensing and diagnostic module.
NHTSA investigations
Passenger Air Bag OCS Algorithm
The Agency received a petition on November 14, 2013 requesting an investigation into the operation of the passenger air bag Occupant Classification System (OCS) software logic and algorithm.The petitioner states that due to this alleged defect, the passenger air bag may be suppressed at point of impact and not provided the occupant protection as needed in a crash.On July 22, 2014, NHTSA opened DP14-001 to further…
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Impala years have airbag problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2009 (232), 2010 (103), 2000 (80), 2008 (50) and 2007 (49) model years. Airbag complaints make up 28% of all complaints for the 2009.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Impala airbag problems?
Yes — 8 recalls, including 16V-507 (occupant classification, Jul 5, 2016); 15V-465 (air bags, Jul 24, 2015); 14V-518 (sensor/control module-inactive, Aug 28, 2014). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Impala airbag problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles; 29% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the frontal (84 mentions), followed by the frontal › sensor/control module (24).
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.