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#BS-2012-CHEIMP-7A56

2012 Chevrolet Impala

Based on reports from 421 owners and 3 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
421
Crashes
40
Fires
6
Recalls
3
TSBs
1,467
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 421 complaints, 40 crashes, 6 fires, and 3 recalls. Complaint rate is 2.6x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

knocking noise in glove compartment

10 complaints • Severity 5.4/10

$X,XXX
2

traction control light coming on

4 complaints • Severity 8.5/10

$X,XXX
3

rattle from gauges in dashboard

2 complaints • Severity 9/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the ElectricalHIGH

56 owners reported electrical issues — failures commonly reported around 55K miles.

!Inspect the Stability ControlMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

83
0–30K
98
30–60K
78
60–90K
51
90–120K
20
120–150K
13
150K+

Peak failure range: 30–60K miles (98 reports) • Median: 55K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Electrical (56 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Electrical56 (13%)
Stability Control54 (13%)
Steering48 (11%)
Engine41 (10%)
Brakes32 (8%)
Drivetrain26 (6%)
Other22 (5%)
Airbags20 (5%)

2012 Chevrolet Impala: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 2012 Chevrolet Impala, with 56 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 55,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 55K-mile mark.

Stability Control Issues

Stability Control complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 2012 Chevrolet Impala, with 54 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to stability control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Steering Issues

Steering complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 2012 Chevrolet Impala, with 48 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to steering-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 2012 Chevrolet Impala, with 41 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

1
11
14
12
34
13
71
14
41
15
58
16
43
17
46
18
54
19
19
20
14
21
6
22
11
23
6
24
2
25
1
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2012 Chevrolet Impala. Recent trend: decreasing.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (3 recalls)

11V398000Sep 2011

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 19, 2011, THROUGH JULY 29, 2011. THE UPPER POWER STEERING HOSE MAY HAVE BEEN MISROUTED SO THAT IT CAN COME IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO AND/OR CONTACT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. WITH THE ENGINE ON, HEAT FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER MAY MELT THE POWER STEERING HOSE.

12V377000Aug 2012

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM

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.

14V355000Sep 2014

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Chevrolet Impala is the 2005 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is accessories - interior.

2012 Chevrolet Impala vs. Class Average (Large Cars)

This vehicle

421

Class avg

163

2.6x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical large cars vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 421 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 3 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Chevrolet Impala Model Years

202020192018201720162015201420132012201120102009200820072006200520042003200220012000199919981997199619951994199319921991199019891988198719861985198419831982198119801979197819771976197519741973197219711970196919681967196619651964196319621961196019591958
View all Chevrolet Impala years →

2012 Chevrolet Impala: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2012 Chevrolet Impala?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2012 Chevrolet Impala is related to the electrical, with 56 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2012 Chevrolet Impala reliable?
The 2012 Chevrolet Impala has 421 complaints, 40 crash reports, and 6 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 2.6x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 2012 Chevrolet Impala problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2012 Chevrolet Impala have any recalls?
Yes, the 2012 Chevrolet Impala has 3 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Chevrolet Impala problems start?
Based on 343 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 55,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 30–60K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 421 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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