This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized, tested and designed for the vehicle in question and its applications. Technician should not use the information that is provided by the antilock braking system tire size selection.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2008 Chevrolet Impala tires problems
moderate 24 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $150 · see tires across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
24
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$150
What stands out
Among the 9 model years of Chevrolet Impala in our records for tires problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering tires on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized, tested and designed for the vehicle in question and its applications. Technician should not use the information that is provided by the antilock braking system tire size selection.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized, tested and designed for the vehicle in question and its applications. Technician should not use the information that is provided by the antilock braking system tire size selection.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides information for accurate tire pressures that ensure the safe handling and appropriate ride characteristics of GM cars and trucks.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Tire/Wheel Characteristics (Vibration, Balance, Shake, Flat Spotting) of GM Original Equipment Tires.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners consistently report severe inner-edge tire wear on rear tires, often down to the wire, sometimes within 10,000 miles of purchase or shortly after new tires are installed. Tread may wear to the belt while the center remains intact—a wear pattern not always visible during casual inspection and often discovered during maintenance rotations or pre-trip checks. One owner with 34,861 miles on purchase and 10,829 miles of personal use needed replacement rear tires already worn to the belt on the inside; another reported tires rated for 50,000 miles worn out at 33,000 despite regular rotation and correct pressure.
A separate failure mode involves tread separation, bulges, or tread peeling away from the tire sidewall, sometimes with loud noise or vibration. These defects appear on original equipment tires and on replacement Goodyear, Michelin, and other brands, with some owners reporting the identical defect on multiple tires from the same brand.
Uneven wear with excessive edge wear and inadequate center tread occurs in multiple reports, persisting even after alignment—one car with only 9,830 miles wore tires unevenly in 9,000 miles despite alignment and rotation. A few owners report TPMS warning lights illuminating constantly or displaying pressure for the wrong tire, complicating diagnosis of actual failures.
GM issued Technical Service Bulletin #08032 for police vehicles (addressing excessive camber wear and recommending alignment hole elongation), but no consumer recall has been issued. Dealer responses vary widely: some acknowledge the issue and perform alignment; others deny awareness or refuse warranty claims, blaming tire quality or ruling excessive wear a maintenance issue.
Same Chevrolet Impala tires reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2007 · 2009
Failure modes owners describe
Severe inner-edge tire wear (rear tires)
Tires wear down excessively on the inside edge, exposing wire and belt, often requiring replacement well before rated mileage despite regular rotation and proper inflation.
When: Typically 10,000–47,000 miles on tires rated for 50,000+ miles; some reports within months of purchase with fresh tires.
Symptoms owners cite: Tread worn to wire/belt on inside of rear tires; Tires bald on inside edge while middle/outside tread remains; Wear hidden from casual visual inspection (visible only on lift or close inspection); Wear occurs despite proper tire pressure maintenance and regular rotation
Repairs/costs cited: Rear camber bolt kit plus wheel alignment; one owner cited $200 for kit, $70 for alignment. Multiple owners replaced 2–4 tires prematurely; costs not always specified but one mentioned at least $700 for tires and alignment work.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM issued Technical Service Bulletin #08032 for police vehicles addressing excessive tire wear and camber correction (elongating alignment holes). GM recalled police cars but has not issued a consumer recall. Some dealers acknowledged the issue and performed alignment corrections; others denied awareness or refused warranty coverage, claiming tires are 'junk' or that excessive wear is not covered.
Tread separation and bulging
Tires develop separation between the tread and sidewall, bulges, or tread peeling away from the tire structure, sometimes with an audible noise.
When: Around 35,000 miles reported in at least two cases; one report of defect appearing on brand-new tires purchased March 2021.
Symptoms owners cite: Tread separating from inside and outside wall of tire; Bulges visible on tire surface; Loud noise while driving (one report at 55 mph); Shaking or vibration from tire; Tread splitting near sidewalls and coming off
Repairs/costs cited: Tire replacement required; independent mechanics and dealers identified need for new tires. No repair of defective tire possible.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recalls issued. Goodyear Eagle and GPS2 tires mentioned; manufacturer made aware but stated no recalls available. Some owners reported same defect on multiple replacement tires from same brand.
Abnormal feathering and uneven wear pattern
Tires wear unevenly with excessive wear on inner and outer edges while center tread remains relatively intact, often attributed to alignment problems that are difficult to correct.
When: Early in tire life, sometimes as early as 9,000 miles; repeated after alignment attempts.
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal feathering of tread; Inner and outer edge wear while middle of tire appears new; Uneven wear that persists after alignment; Poor handling in wet conditions; Wear visible after rotations performed by dealers
Repairs/costs cited: Wheel alignment performed (often multiple times without resolution); some cases resolved with camber bolt kit and alignment adjustment. One owner reported alignment performed at 8,961 miles with no improvement; dealer unable to identify root cause.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers inconsistent: some performed free alignments or acknowledged problem; others stated alignment specs were correct and blamed tires or customer maintenance. No warranty coverage offered by several dealers despite vehicle being under warranty.
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) malfunction
TPMS indicator illuminates constantly or reports incorrect pressure readings, potentially masking a tire failure on a different wheel.
When: Between 26,000–29,437 miles reported.
Symptoms owners cite: TPMS warning light constantly illuminated; TPMS reports pressure for wrong tire (e.g., driver-side rear pressure displayed as passenger-side front); Dealer unable to diagnose or fix issue
Repairs/costs cited: No repair information provided by owners.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer unable to identify failure or provide remedy.
Synthesized from 24 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had tires trouble with your 2008 Chevrolet Impala?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the tires problem on the 2008 Chevrolet Impala?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 24 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $150 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the tires typically fail?
Across the 19 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most tires failures cluster between 23,400 and 48,562 miles, with the median around 35,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 23,400; a quarter make it past 48,562. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $150 for tires repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to tires?
No active recalls currently cover tires issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2008/Chevrolet/Impala.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.