2009 Chevrolet Impala recalls and problems

The 2009 Chevrolet Impala has 5 safety recalls and 824 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Chevrolet dealer.

Recalls
5
Complaints
824
Crashes / fires
43 / 9
Injuries / deaths
43 / 1

Recalls may cover only some 2009 Chevrolet Impala vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2009 Chevrolet Impala recalls

Recall 16V-507: Air Bags, Electrical System

Reported Jul 5, 2016 · 289,254 vehicles affected · General Motors LLC

Problem: 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.

Risk: If the wires are damaged, the passenger presence sensory system may fail to recognize that the passenger seat is occupied, disabling the air bag. Damage may also cause the air bag fuse to short resulting in a loss of all air bags and seat belt pretensions. Both conditions increase the risk of injury during a crash.

Fix: 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. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 36110.

Recall 14V-355: Electrical System

Reported Jun 23, 2014 · 3,141,731 vehicles affected · General Motors LLC

Problem: 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. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2011 Buick Lucerne, 2000-2005 Cadillac DeVille, 2006-2011 Cadillac DTS, 2006-2014 Chevrolet Impala, and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Risk: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position will cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Fix: 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. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), and 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14299.

Recall 12V-377: Suspension

Reported Aug 3, 2012 · 36,413 vehicles affected · GENERAL MOTORS LLC

Problem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Chevrolet Impala police vehicles because the front lower control arms may fracture. This safety recall does not include non-police Chevrolet Impala vehicles.

Risk: A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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.

Recall 10V-480: Seat Belts

Reported Oct 13, 2010 · 303,100 vehicles affected · GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

Problem: Gm is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 chevrolet impalas for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages." the front safety belt webbing may not have been properly secured to the lap belt anchor pretensioner mounted to the side of the seat nearest the door.

Risk: The safety belt may not restrain the occupant as intended during a crash, which could result in injury to the occupant.

Fix: Dealers will inspect both front safety belts for proper installation of the anchors to the pretensioners and, if necessary, reinstall the anchors. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on november 5, 2010. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

Recall 08V-517: Air Bags

Reported Oct 6, 2008 · 79 vehicles affected · GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

Problem: 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.

Risk: During a passenger-side air bag deployment, pieces of the inflator tube could strike and injure vehicle occupants and the air bag cushion would not inflate fully, reducing the capability of the bag to protect the passenger.

Fix: 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 <a href=http://www.gmownercenter.com>http://www.gmownercenter.com</a> .

2009 Chevrolet Impala problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Air Bags233
Electrical System225
Engine179
Vehicle Speed Control132
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)108
Power Train68
Steering58
Traction Control System46
Unknown or Other44
Service Brakes39
Service Brakes, Hydraulic35
Suspension25

Most reported parts

  • Structure › Body — 9
  • Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal — 8
  • Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System — 6
  • Electrical System › Ignition — 4
  • Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch — 4
  • Power Train › Automatic Transmission — 3
  • Tires › Pressure Monitoring and Regulating Systems — 3
  • Electrical System › Wiring — 3

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 75,906 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2009 Chevrolet Impala complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Air Bags · reported Jun 8, 2026
For the last 2 years, the car willl come up saying airbag system issues. There airbag sensor under the passenger side seat will randomly throw a code for the erorr and then turn off. It does not have to be a bump, move the seat, Just goes off. We have had it professionally scanned and it is always the same sensor with the issue. We noticed certian models had recalls but our was not on the list for some reason even though it fits all the other models with same issue. The cost to get it repaired and a chevy dealer is astromical. There are too many dates to count of the light and sesnor error.
Air Bags · reported Mar 27, 2026
I believe the passenger seat occupant sensing and airbag issues from recall 16V507 have not been fixed. I am still having issues related to it, even though I had it fixed.
Electrical System · reported Sep 30, 2025
Smelled an odor of burning wires when using rear defroster. Defroster then stopped working. After further troubleshooting I observed the wire pigtail under the front passenger door was charred and burned. The pin inside the harness that was burned was the rear defroster. After further research I found this is very common for the Chevy impala. However no recall existed. I feel it is a fire risk due to the fact that the wires over heated enough to melt and char the plastic surrounding the electrical pin within the harness. Pictures was taken of the damage.
Air Bags · at 101,000 miles · reported Feb 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.
Electrical System · reported Dec 31, 2024
I have a 2009 with 77000 miles 0n it I have fix the knocking noise under dash 3 times now it is a actuator there are 2 of them. I have also found by spraying Carburetor cleaner in the throttle body just remove the the big air hose and spray all around in side this stops the the speed reduction control lite from coming on saying you have no power. The problem I'm having now is while I'm driving the dash lights go out and radio light goes dim. after a while the lights come back on bright and working great they go on and off when they want to The lights showing me the mileage works great all the…

Other Chevrolet Impala years

Compare all Chevrolet Impala years · All Chevrolet models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Chevrolet Impala have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2009 Chevrolet Impala: 16V-507 (air bags, electrical system), 14V-355 (electrical system), 12V-377 (suspension), 10V-480 (seat belts), 08V-517 (air bags). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2009 Chevrolet Impala?

Owners report air bags problems most often (233 reports), followed by electrical system (225). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 75,906 miles.

Are Chevrolet recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Chevrolet dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.