repaired · 2017 Q3
Engine and engine cooling: engine
Risk. Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.
2003 Chevrolet ImpalaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 695 owner complaints about the 2003 Chevrolet Impala, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-400 the manufacturer reports only 22% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 7, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2003 Chevrolet Impala has problems
695 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
264Electrical system12 crash/fire/injury
103Exterior lighting1 crash/fire/injury
88Engine21 crash/fire/injury
80Engine and engine cooling7 crash/fire/injury
54Service brakes, hydraulic4 crash/fire/injury
39Air bags
30Power train
30Steering
23Vehicle speed control
17222 other systems16 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 264 | 12 |
| Exterior lighting | 103 | 1 |
| Engine | 88 | 21 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 80 | 7 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 54 | 4 |
| Air bags | 39 | 21 |
| Power train | 30 | 0 |
| Steering | 30 | 2 |
| Vehicle speed control | 23 | 3 |
| 22 other systems | 172 | 16 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
5 recalls
2003 Chevrolet Impala recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2016 Q2
Electrical system: ignition
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.
no report yet
Engine and engine cooling
Risk. IF THE MANIFOLD IS HOT ENOUGH AND THE OIL RUNS BELOW THE HEAT SHIELD, IT MAY IGNITE INTO A SMALL FLAME AND MAY SPREAD TO THE PLASTIC SPARK PLUG WIRE CHANNEL…
no report yet
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN REDUCED CAPABILITY OF THE AIR BAG TO PROTECT THE DRIVER.
Show 1 more recall
no report yet
Air bags: frontal
Risk. PIECES OF THE INFLATOR COULD STRIKE AND INJURE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND THE AIR BAG CUSHION WOULD NOT INFLATE FULLY, REDUCING THE CAPABILITY OF THE BAG TO PROTECT…
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.
Mileage at failure
When do electrical system problems start?
99kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 195 electrical system complaints. 51% were reported before 100,000 miles.
13under 30k miles100under 100k miles95100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Electrical system
17 owners mentioned a cost$500median
Middle half: $423 – $600
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2003 vs. every other Impala year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Impala median. How we score
'65'66'67'68'69'71'72'73'74'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'85'87'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2003 Chevrolet Impala safety ratings
2003 Chevrolet Impala 4-DR in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2003 Chevrolet Impala, and the recalls they led to.
- ALLEGED HEADLIGHT FAILURENo recall
In owners' words
What Impala owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
My car sometimes cuts off while driving. Was on highway 301 running about 60 mph in the middle lane and just lost power no warning. No code no nothing. Sacred me, I truly feel that's a safety issue, for me and the cars behind me. It's bad not knowing when or where this will happen again.
I have a 2003 Chevrolet Impala! Look it up on the internet, and you will see that the failure rate of the GM passlock system is huge, and massively expensive to repair! In fact from a inside relative, says GM makes more money in parts, and repairs than on selling a new vehicle! This is without…
VEHICLE DIDN'T START, SECURITY LIGHT WAS FLASHING, WAS TOLD TO TURN THE KEY INTO THE 'ON' POSITION AND WAIT EXACTLY 10 MINUTES BEFORE TRYING TO START IT. IT WORKED, BUT THE ISSUE BECAME WORSE AND WORSE UNTIL IT NO LONGER STARTED. WAS THEN TOLD TO REPLACE KEYS, DID THAT, SAME ISSUE. WHEN BLINKERS…
Own a 2003 Impala?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.