Headlight complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | 7% | 40,000 miles |
| 2019 | 1 | 4% | 42,000 miles |
| 2018 | 4 | 7% | 53,000 miles |
| 2017 | 6 | 5% | 0 miles |
| 2016 | 7 | 6% | 30,000 miles |
| 2015 | 22 | 7% | 37,000 miles |
| 2014 | 44 | 7% | 15,000 miles |
| 2013 | 5 | 2% | 29,000 miles |
| 2012 | 8 | 3% | 60,000 miles |
| 2011 | 5 | 1% | 42,000 miles |
| 2010 | 6 | 1% | 99,000 miles |
| 2009 | 9 | 1% | 80,000 miles |
| 2008 | 5 | 1% | 149,000 miles |
| 2007 | 16 | 3% | 72,000 miles |
| 2006 | 12 | 2% | 93,000 miles |
| 2005 | 51 | 8% | 78,000 miles |
| 2004 | 108 | 10% | 85,000 miles |
| 2003 | 104 | 15% | 80,000 miles |
| 2002 | 125 | 16% | 77,000 miles |
| 2001 | 74 | 10% | 75,000 miles |
| 2000 | 70 | 9% | 93,000 miles |
| 1996 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1995 | 1 | 2% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated she noticed that water was entering the driver's and the passenger's side headlight housings and causing the illumination to be reduced. The vehicle was taken to local dealer nimnicht Chevrolet located at 1550 cassat ave, jacksonville, fl 32210, [phone], where she was informed the mechanic needed to drill holes into each headlight housing to allow for the water to properly drain from the headlight housings. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of failure. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.
I purchased this vehicle 2 weeks ago never been happier. My complaint is about my headlights they have serious condensation in both and there is about an inch or 2 of water inside the headlights. This issue is causing bad visibility with low lighting. I have tried everything to keep the water out and provide headlights with proper air so this doesn't happen. How come Chevrolet didn't recall these headlights due to poor design and improper ventilation. What can I do besides spend $200.00 on 2 new ones?
I continuously have water leaking into the trunk of my 2017 Chevrolet Impala, specifically the spare tire compartment. I noticed through research that the issue has been recalled for select years, but not my vehicle year. If the issue is a known defect, this should be covered by the vehicle manufacturer. I am constantly having large amounts of water after rain and it is causing a moldy smell. I try to scoop water and then dry the area, however this is a repeat issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Impala. While driving 20 MPH at night, the headlights failed to illuminate at a distance. The failure made it impossible to see more than five feet in front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and repaired. The headlights were adjusted higher; however, the lights still failed to illuminate at a distance in front of the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.
On Friday, November 18, 2016 at approximately 5:20 a.m. I was parking my car in a center city parking garage. I was approximately 2 car lengths from the parking spot. I was backing my car into the spot. The car was stopped and I removed my safety belt and lowered the window. I put the car in reverse and depressed the accelerator to proceed into the lined parking spot. The car proceeded at a high rate of speed into a concrete wall. There were no obstructions and the accelerator was not fully depressed when this occurred. I immediately took my foot off of the accelerator and hit the brake but the brake did not respond since this all occurred in roughly in seconds and approximately 20 feet in length. Upon impact a smoke filled the cabin area. I hit my head against the headrest and slightly into the steering wheel. Another parking patron saw this all play out and came to my aid. …
The lighting on my instrument panel fades or disappears so that I can't see information like my odometer reading. On June 8, 2017 the problem was so bad that I couldn't even see the light that shows which gear I shifted into. On June 12, 2017 the information was faded but readable if examined carefully. I had a similar occurrence in March while traveling. All three problems occurred on bright, sunny days when the vehicle was hot (from driving or from the temperature). On June 12, 2017 I noted that, when I pulled my key from ignition, the key had gotten so hot that it almost burned me. All three times the vehicle was stationary when the problem began. It had been parked and when the key was inserted parts of the instrument displays did not light up as they should have. …
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that on various occasions while driving at night, the headlights failed to illuminate properly, and the roadway was not adequately illuminated. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where the failure could not be duplicated, and no repairs were completed. The vehicle was then taken to Columbia Chevrolet (9750 Montgomery Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45242) where it was diagnosed that the headlight assemblies needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 10,000. The consumer stated he replaced both headlights assemblies.
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that he became aware that water was entering through the taillights into the trunk. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the seals and both taillight gaskets to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the contact became aware that the truck was corroded. The contact took the vehicle back to the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 61,617.
Related recalls (1)
Exterior lighting › Brake lights
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac ATS and model year 2013 Cadillac XTS; model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala; and 2013 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. Originally, in May 2013, GM recalled 1,627 model year 2013 Cadillac ATS and model year 2013 Cadillac XTS; and model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala vehicles.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module. The recall began on June 13, 2013. Owner's may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339. GM's recall number is 13158.
NHTSA investigations
Alleged headlight failure
A total of 646,038 subject vehicles were sold during my 2001-2003, and the complaint and warranty data tabulated above apply to the total vehicle population.complaint reports alleging headlight outage represent slightly more that one-half of the total number of complaints and the balance are allegations of flickering and dimming.investigation disclosed the root cause of the malfunction to be wear of a contact…
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Impala years have headlight problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2002 (125), 2004 (108), 2003 (104), 2001 (74) and 2000 (70) model years. Headlight complaints make up 16% of all complaints for the 2002.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Impala headlight problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 13V-220 (brake lights, May 24, 2013). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Impala headlight problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 74,000 miles; 29% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the headlights (127 mentions), followed by the turn signal (63).
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.