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2018 Chevrolet Impala: engine and transmission complaints

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
33%
17 of 51 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

33% of relevant owner complaints on the 2018 Chevrolet Impala are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 65% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 8 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 29%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
17
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
59
this model year
Fires reported
0
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
1
6 crashes · 2 injuries

Complaints by component

UNKNOWN OR OTHER16 · 27%
POWER TRAIN11 · 19%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11 · 19%
SERVICE BRAKES8 · 14%
STEERING7 · 12%
ENGINE7 · 12%

The years either side

2010
46%
156 of 441
2011
41%
194 of 505
2012
34%
77 of 258
2013
24%
60 of 272
2014
17%
92 of 634
2015
17%
41 of 300
2016
54%
455 of 897
2017
37%
34 of 116
2018
33%
17 of 59
2019
36%
8 of 28
2020
too few complaints
2021
no data
2022
no data
2023
no data

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other full-size sedans with no elevated signal in 2018

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 TRAIN06/26/2026
The transmission failed, shifting is no longer smooth. It hesitates and shakes the entire car, and the car slows down to almost a crawl uphill. I understand this is an issue with Chevrolet Impalas. So now I have an $8200 bill for a problem I was never told about, and that GM knew that it existed. So, yes, the issue …
POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS,ENGINE11/16/2024
I was sold a used car w/ undisclosed accidents. Had many issues within first few weeks. Had transmission cooler lines replaced after they burst. Radiator, compressor, condenser, and much more. Then the Airbag light came on. Dealership said connectors were bad. Fixed it. Light came on again.took it in to dealership. The…
POWER TRAIN10/01/2024
Since vehicle purchase in 2018 there is a shifting problem with the transmission. I have paid for shifter repairs and still the problem exist. While driving the car gets stuck in gear and hard to accelerate. The issue happens at various times without warning. There has been two instances that could have led to potenti…

Three of 17 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (1)

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicle…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2018 Chevrolet Impala

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.

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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.