2013 Chevrolet IMPALA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
272 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
54,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 220 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electronic Stability Control (Esc) is the most frequently named component, appearing in 108 of 272 complaints (39.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 102 | 37.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 32 | 11.8% |
| Steering behavior | 26 | 9.6% |
| Engine operation | 17 | 6.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 10 | 3.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 1.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 108 |
| Service Brakes | 51 |
| Electrical System | 50 |
| Steering | 34 |
| Power Train | 31 |
| Engine | 30 |
| Wheels | 23 |
| Unknown Or Other | 22 |
Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 108; Service Brakes: 51; Electrical System: 50; Steering: 34; Power Train: 31; Engine: 30; Wheels: 23; Unknown Or Other: 22
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 23 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 74 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 59 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 37 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 21 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 23; 25,000 to 49,999: 74; 50,000 to 74,999: 59; 75,000 to 99,999: 37; 100,000 to 149,999: 21; 150,000 and above: 6
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (74). 52 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 37 |
| 2015 | 33 |
| 2016 | 62 |
| 2017 | 47 |
| 2018 | 26 |
| 2019 | 27 |
| 2020 | 17 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2012: 1; 2013: 2; 2014: 37; 2015: 33; 2016: 62; 2017: 47; 2018: 26; 2019: 27; 2020: 17; 2021: 7; 2022: 4; 2023: 3; 2024: 2; 2025: 2; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Electronic Stability Control (Esc) leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 102 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 32 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10532342 · 2013-07-29 (July 29, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO DECELERATE AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR VISIBLE DAMAGE TO EITHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10532342 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10587333 · 2014-05-08 (May 8, 2014)
TRACTION CONTROL ENGAGES AND LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF AND ENGINE REDUCES POWER AND ABS PUMP COMES ON ALL AT THE SAME TIME. OCCURS INTERMITTENT AND ONLY WHEN IT SITS FOR A DAY AND WHEN YOU BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND THEN PUT IT IN FORWARD GEAR TO GO FORWARD. HAVEN'T HAD IT TO A DEALER YET BUT WAS TOLD THAT IF IT WASN'T SHOWING A CODE THAT THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. CAR IS A 2013 CHEVY IMPALA LTZ WITH 32000 MILES. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10587333 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10614690 · 2014-07-19 (July 19, 2014)
WHILE HEADING SOUTH ON OHIO I675 JUST SOUTH OF I35, THE GAS WAS NO LONGER BEING PUMPED TO THE ENGINE. I WAS IN THE OUTSIDE LANE AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE ON THE RIGHT SIDE WITHOUT INCIDENT, BUT THE CAR WAS ALMOST STOPPED BY THE TIME I GOT IT TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE. I CALLED AAA AND THEN LANG'S AUTO DEALERSHIP TO MAKE SURE I COULD GET THE CAR IN ON A SATURDAY. AAA RESPONDED QUICKLY AND REPLACED THE FUSE FOR THE FUEL PUMP SINCE THIS WAS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE, THE FIRST WHILE DRIVING. THE CAR WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO LANG'S. T…
Owner-reported narrative. 21,671 miles reported. Look up ODI 10614690 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10615132 · 2014-07-21 (July 21, 2014)
MY 2013 CHEVROLET IMPALA'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS, RADIO, AIR CONDITIONER, GAUGE LIGHTS, POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES. THE ENGINE REMAINED RUNNING AS DID THE TRANSMISSION. THIS LASTED ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.(THERE ARE NO PLACES TO STOP ON OUR ROADS.) THE FIRST LIGHT TO COME ON WAS THE WARNING ABOUT LOSS OF STABILITRAC AND THE SECOND WAS ABOUT AIR BAGS, THE THIRD WAS ABOUT UNEVEN TIRE PRESSURE. EVENTUALLY THE GAUGE LIGHTS, AIR CONDITIONER AND RADIO CAME ON FOLLOWED BY THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. I TURNED IT OFF IN P…
Owner-reported narrative. 28,830 miles reported. Look up ODI 10615132 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10480421 · 2012-10-11 (October 11, 2012)
2013 CHEVROLET IMPALA RENTAL CAR. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SHIFT INDICATOR ISSUES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED GM THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO REMOVE THE LETTERS FROM THE SHIFT INDICATOR CONSOLE BETWEEN THE TWO FRONT SEATS. INSTEAD, GM PUT THE SHIFT INDICATOR AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE SPEEDOMETER, DIRECTLY OVER THE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED LEFT OR RIGHT, THE SHIFT INDICATOR ON THE CONSOLE DASH WAS BLOCKED BY THE STEERING WHEEL. FURTHERMORE, THE HANDS OF THE DRIVER, WOULD ALSO BLOCK THE INDICATOR ON THE SPEEDOMETER.…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10480421 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10594086 · 2014-05-26 (May 26, 2014)
WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT AT LOW SPEEDS (LIKE WHEN BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY) THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON; THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL MAKES A GRINDING NOISE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE LIGHT BLINKING; THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER, LIKE THE CAR IS BEING HELD BACK BY SOMETHING. SAME HAPPENS WHEN TURNING, ON A HILL COMING FROM A COMPLETE STOP BUT THIS IS RANDOM AND NOT EASILY RE-CREATED. I'VE ALSO NOTICED A WOBBLE IN THE STEERING WHEN TAKING BENDS ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEEDS. IT SEEMS TO HAVE GOTTEN WORSE SINCE I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE A FEW D…
Owner-reported narrative. 14,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10594086 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10627964 · 2014-08-25 (August 25, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 44,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10627964 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10668201 · 2014-12-24 (December 24, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE STABILITY CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE SHIFTED OUT OF GEAR AND THE SERVICE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 7,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10668201 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10870863 · 2016-05-25 (May 25, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH WITHOUT WARNING, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL SENDING UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,936.
Owner-reported narrative. 60,936 miles reported. Look up ODI 10870863 at NHTSA ↗