2011 Chevrolet Impala problems: recalls, complaints and whether this is a year to avoid
The 2011 Chevrolet Impala has 505 owner complaints on record with NHTSA, which ranks it 2 of 9 Chevrolet Impala model years by complaint volume. The worst year is 2014 (636); the cleanest is 2019 (28). 2 recall entries cover this year.
Is 2011 a good year for the Chevrolet Impala?
The spread across this nameplate is wide: the 2014 draws 23 times the complaints of the 2019. On a run like that the model year you buy matters more than the badge, and 2011 sits near the top of it.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall entries |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 28 | 1 |
| 2018 | 59 | 1 |
| 2017 | 116 | 0 |
| 2016 | 111 | 0 |
| 2015 | 300 | 3 |
| 2014 | 636 | 12 |
| 2012 | 258 | 3 |
| 2011 ← this page | 505 | 2 |
| 2010 | 441 | 4 |
Older years have been on the road longer and collect more complaints for that reason alone, and a year that sold in higher volume collects more while being no worse.
This retrieval holds 9 of the nameplate’s model years. 2013 is absent, which means no records came back for it — not that it was clean. The ranking above is among the years shown.
The 2011 accounts for 21% of every complaint filed against the Chevrolet Impala in this retrieval, which works out to 33.7 complaints per year on the road across the 15 years since it was sold new — the figure to compare against other years, because it removes the advantage a newer car gets simply from having had less time to accumulate reports.
Complaint volume is broadly flat against the 2010 (1.1×), so on this measure the two years are interchangeable and the choice between them comes down to condition and price rather than the model year.
Which recalls cover the 2011?
Electrical System
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring.
Free remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 23, 2014.
Suspension
This safety recall does not include non-police Chevrolet Impala vehicles.
Free remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front lower control arms, free of charge. The safety recall began on August 21, 2012. Owners may contact the Chevrolet owner center at 1-866-694-6546.
Take the campaign number to any franchised Chevrolet dealer. Recall repairs are free with no mileage or ownership limit, and they follow the car rather than the owner, so a used 2011 with an unrepaired campaign is a free repair you can claim. How recalls work.
Recall text is abridged from the NHTSA record. Search the campaign number at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the full notice and affected VIN ranges.
What do owners report on the Chevrolet Impala?
Across every Chevrolet Impala year, not the 2011 alone — NHTSA does not split component totals by model year.
- Electrical System — 571 reports
- Steering — 346 reports
- Power Train — 229 reports
- Air Bags — 196 reports
If your 2011 is doing something now, these are the guides for that system — each opens with whether it is safe to keep driving:
Which other Chevrolet Impala years should you compare?
← 2010 Chevrolet Impala · 2012 Chevrolet Impala → · All Chevrolet Impala years
If you are deciding between years, the table above is the short answer and the Chevrolet Impala page carries the full run with the component breakdown. Before money changes hands, run the VIN for open recalls and read the inspection checklist — ten minutes in the seller’s driveway finds most of what matters.
Check a 2011 before you commit
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