2016 Chevrolet Impala: engine and transmission complaints
HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
54%
455 of 842 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
54% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2016 Chevrolet Impala are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 70% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 55 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 51%).
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
What owners reported
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE01/20/2020CRASH2 INJURED
ON JAN 6 2020. I WAS DRIVING A 2016 CHEVY MALIBU, WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ENGINE REDUCE POWER LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OVER AND LET THE CAR SEAT FOR MAYBE 10 MINS. I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND BEGIN DRIVING AGAIN (IT WAS PULLING NORMAL). ABOUT 3 MILES DOWN THE ROAD I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND THE CAR STOP PULLIN…
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING11/21/2016CRASH1 INJURED
ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:20 A.M. I WAS PARKING MY CAR IN A CENTER CITY PARKING GARAGE. I WAS APPROXIMATELY 2 CAR LENGTHS FROM THE PARKING SPOT. I WAS BACKING MY CAR INTO THE SPOT. THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND I REMOVED MY SAFETY BELT AND LOWERED THE WINDOW. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND DEPRESSED TH…
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKE07/27/20191 INJURED
ENGINE FAILURE. MY CAR WENT COMPLETELY OUT WHILE DRIVING HOME. THE STABIKITRAK POP ON, ENGINE LIGHT POP ON, BRAKES LOCKED UP MAKING IT HARD FOR ME TO STOP THE CAR IN TRAFFIC. I HOPE THEY ARE PLANNING ON DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID FOR MY LIFE. THIS CAR IS DEFINITELY NOT SAFE.
Three of 455 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Before you buy a 2016 Chevrolet Impala
Ask the seller whether the engine has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many engine faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the engine.
Ask for service records. A engine already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.
