This preliminary informational (PI) bulletin provides information to dealership personnel which may be helpful when addressing underbody component corrosion with customers.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2009 Chevrolet Impala body problems
severe 10 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,500 · see body across all vehicles →
Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,500
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 10 body complaints filed for the 2009 Chevrolet Impala, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA body complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 16 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering body 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 informational (PI) bulletin provides information to dealership personnel which may be helpful when addressing underbody component corrosion with customers.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. Technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. Technician will need to call General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further assistance.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This preliminary informational bulletin provides information on Damaged, Disassembled or Improperly Packaged Turbochargers Returned to Warranty Part Center.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. Technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. Technician will need to call General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further assistance.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report the dashboard cracks around the passenger airbag opening on multiple vehicles, with one owner noting this is widespread across GM model years 2007-2013. GM has apparently offered dash replacement at discounted or free rates to persistent owners, suggesting internal acknowledgment of the problem.
Door lock and handle failures run through these reports. Multiple owners describe all four doors locking and unlocking together unpredictably, with doors locking automatically when the vehicle shifts to drive and refusing to open. One owner reports the rear driver side door stuck shut from outside. Another owner experienced a door latch noise at 83,000 miles that a dealer attributed to a failed door actuator.
Frame rust is a serious concern. Two owners report rusted support frames, with one noting rust-through even though the vehicle was garaged and regularly washed. The rust led to structural failure when the owner used the manufacturer-supplied scissor jack to change a tire, collapsing the support and jamming the driver side door shut.
Other issues include a hood latch that crashed down unexpectedly at 47,000 miles, a knocking noise from the dashboard actuator when changing air flow direction, and a design flaw where a dead battery traps the owner inside with no mechanical trunk release or way to remove the key from the ignition.
Same Chevrolet Impala body reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2007 · 2008
Failure modes owners describe
Cracked dashboard at passenger airbag seam
Dashboard develops cracks around the front passenger airbag deployment area. Owner reports this as a safety hazard due to risk of plastic shards becoming projectiles if the airbag deploys. Owner notes this is prevalent across GM model years 2007-2013 and that GM has acknowledged the problem by offering some customers dash replacement at $200 or free.
Symptoms owners cite: Visible cracks in dashboard around passenger airbag seam
Repairs/costs cited: GM has offered replacement dash to some customers for $200 to free
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM declined to comment officially but offered some customers dash replacement at $200 to free
Hood latch failure
Hood latch releases unexpectedly while hood is open, causing it to crash down without warning. Dealer technician also experienced the same failure during diagnosis.
When: 47,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Hood crashes down unexpectedly while open
Repairs/costs cited: Hinge was replaced at dealer
Door actuator noise and failure
Abnormal noise occurs near passenger side after front driver side door is opened. Noise increases when vehicle is started then suddenly stops, recurring on numerous occasions.
When: 83,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal noise near passenger side after front driver door opens; Noise increases when vehicle starts
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer stated door actuator needed replacement; vehicle was not repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was notified
Door lock mechanism failure
All four doors fail to lock and unlock. Owner reports doors lock automatically when vehicle shifts to drive and then refuse to open. Requires manual unlocking from inside back seats.
Symptoms owners cite: All four doors will not unlock and lock; Doors lock automatically when vehicle shifts to drive; Doors will not open after locking; Key fob and front door button unable to unlock back doors
Repairs/costs cited: Door lock mechanism replacement required; vehicle was not repaired in one case
Individual door exterior handle failure
Rear driver side door fails to open from outside the vehicle.
Symptoms owners cite: Rear driver side door will not open from outside
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was made aware of failure
Frame rust and structural collapse
Support frame rusts through due to water collection, even in vehicles kept in garage with regular washing. Frame has rusted almost all the way through in places. Structural failure occurs when vehicle is jacked up with manufacturer-supplied scissor jack, causing door to jam and become inoperable.
Symptoms owners cite: Frame rust and deterioration; Frame collapse when jacked up; Driver side door locked shut and unable to open due to frame collapse
Repairs/costs cited: Frame has rusted through; failure occurred during tire replacement using manufacturer scissor jack
Trunk access issues due to dead battery
When battery is dead, owner cannot access trunk to retrieve jumper cables because there is no mechanical trunk release from inside the vehicle and back seat does not fold down. Also cannot remove key from ignition with dead battery.
Symptoms owners cite: Unable to access trunk with dead battery; Unable to remove key from ignition with dead battery
Repairs/costs cited: No mechanical means to access trunk or remove ignition key when battery is dead
Dashboard actuator knocking noise
Loud knocking noise emanates from dashboard when air flow direction changes from the air conditioner.
When: 106,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loud knocking noise from dashboard when air flow direction changes
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
A dead battery at the airport parking lot in a 2009 Chevrolet impala may not seem like a problem, however there is no mechanical trunk release from inside the vehicle and my back seat doesn't fold down, so I couldn't crawl into the trunk to trip the emergency release, I was unable to get to my jumper cables. Then when I tried to get the key out of the ignition to lock the car to go make a call.…
Had body trouble with your 2009 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 body problem on the 2009 Chevrolet Impala?
It's a meaningful issue. 10 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,500.
At what mileage does the body typically fail?
Based on the 10 complaints filed, body issues most often appear around 64,833 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,500 for body 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 body?
No active recalls currently cover body 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/2009/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.