14636 - SPECIAL COVERAGE. SOME 2009 MODEL YEAR BUICK LACROSSE AND ALLURE VEHICLES AND 2009-2011 MODEL YEAR CHEVROLET IMPALA VEHICLES MAY HAVE A BROKEN SOLDER CONNECTION WITHIN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION (APP) SENSOR. THIS CONDITION MAY RESULT IN REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND LOSS OF TRACTION CONTROL ASSIST. ALL OTHER ACCESSORIES AND VEHICLE SYSTEMS WILL FUNCTION NORMALLY. WHILE THE CONDITION IS PRESENT, THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER WILL DISPLAY ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED, AND MAY ALSO DISPLAY SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL AND SERVICE STABILITRAK. DEALERS ARE TO REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2009 Chevrolet Impala cruise control problems
moderate 90 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
90
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
1crash
When does it fail?
Of the 90 cruise control complaints filed for the 2009 Chevrolet Impala, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 150,000+ 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
Of the 11 model years of Chevrolet Impala we track for cruise control problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 90.
Owners have filed 90 cruise control complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering cruise control 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.
CHEVROLET/BUICK: SOME VEHICLES WILL OR MAY HAVE, WITHIN ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR, A BROKEN SOLDER CONNECTION CAUSING REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER AND TRACTION CONTROL ASSIST LOSS. MODEL 2009 LACROSSE, ALLURE, 2009-11 IMPALA.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Car and Truck Fix it Right the First Time Issues
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗CADILLAC/BUICK/CHEVROLET: ON SOME VEHICLES, DUE TO POSSIBLE FAULTY BRAKE PRESSURE SENSOR, CRUISE CONTROL FAILS TO ENGAGE OR STAY ENGAGED.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗CHEVROLET: SES LIGHT ON AND/OR REDUCED ENGINE POWER ECM SETTING MULTIPLE DTC'S. PRIOR TO REPLACING EITHER THE APP (ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION) SENSOR OR THE ECM (ENGINE CONTROL MODULE) PLEASE CHECK THESE COMMON CAUSES OF CONCERN-CHECK TERMINAL TENSION FOR THE APP CIRCUITS; CHECK FOR PROPER ROUTING OF ENGINE WIRING HARNESS.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2009 Chevrolet Impala exhibits a widespread pattern of sudden engine power loss during highway driving, most often linked to accelerator pedal position sensor (APPS) or throttle body failure. Owners describe the vehicle displaying "Service Traction Control," "Reduced Engine Power," and check engine lights before either limping along at 25–50 mph or stalling completely with no power steering or braking assist.
The condition typically occurs without warning while driving at normal speeds (55–75 mph), forcing owners to pull onto shoulders in traffic or coast to emergency exits. Many report the problem is intermittent at first but becomes more frequent. Restarting the engine temporarily clears the warning, but the failure recurs within days or weeks—even after dealer replacement of the accelerator pedal, throttle body, or sensors.
Owners report paying $265–$700+ per repair visit and repeat visits to dealers who cannot reliably diagnose the root cause. GM issued a "Special Condition" notice in April 2015 acknowledging accelerator pedal defects but limited warranty coverage to 120,000 miles and has resisted a formal recall. Dealerships vary in willingness to cover repairs outside warranty. The problem is documented across multiple model years (2005–2011 GM vehicles) with hundreds of complaints cited on online forums, yet GM has consistently stated it sees no reported issues or demands owners pay diagnostic fees to investigate.
Same Chevrolet Impala cruise control reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2010 · 2011
Failure modes owners describe
Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor / Throttle Body Failure
The accelerator pedal position sensor (APPS) or throttle body malfunctions, triggering 'Service Traction Control' and 'Reduced Engine Power' messages. The vehicle either loses power entirely or becomes restricted to 25–50 mph. In severe cases, the engine stalls completely mid-highway with loss of power steering and braking assist. The condition may persist after restart or clear temporarily when the vehicle is turned off and restarted.
When: Most reported from 2009–2015 model year ownership; failures occur at various mileages from 10,600 to 169,000 miles. Many owners cite intermittent issues starting as early as 43,000 miles, recurring after repairs.
Symptoms owners cite: Service Traction Control light and message displayed; Reduced Engine Power or Engine Power Reduced message; Check Engine light illuminated; Sudden loss of acceleration; vehicle speed drops from 60–70 mph to 25–40 mph; Engine stalls or shuts off while driving; Loss of power steering and brake assist when engine stalls; Vehicle jerking or surging during acceleration; Hard steering wheel when engine loses power; Traction control and stability control lights illuminate; Vehicle will not accelerate beyond 40 mph or refuses to start; Condition clears after vehicle is shut off and restarted, or persists; Intermittent failures becoming more frequent over time
Codes mentioned: P2122, P2138, P0121, P2176, P0300
Repairs/costs cited: Owners cite replacement of accelerator pedal (approx. $265–$300), throttle body or throttle body assembly (approx. $280–$700+), throttle position sensor, and wiring harness. Dealership diagnostics typically cost $85–$200. Multiple owners report the problem recurring within weeks to months after repair, suggesting the root cause is not definitively resolved by sensor/pedal replacement alone.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM issued a Special Condition notice in April 2015 addressing accelerator pedal issues, but the warranty coverage is limited to 120,000 miles. Owners report GM has refused to issue a recall despite the widespread complaints. GM has offered to cover some sensor replacement costs (e.g., throttle sensor but not the throttle assembly) in select cases or demanded owners pay diagnostic fees at dealers. Some dealers have voluntarily covered repairs even outside warranty; others refuse. Owners cite letters from GM about partial coverage that do not address the underlying assembly issue. No formal recall identified in narratives as of complaint dates.
Unintended Acceleration
In at least two cases, the vehicle accelerated on its own without driver input while driving at normal highway speeds (60–65 mph), or experienced sudden unintended acceleration from a stop light resulting in a collision with another vehicle.
When: Reported at 10,000 miles (first occurrence) and at 100,000 miles (collision incident)
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle accelerates on its own while driving at constant speed; Sudden unintended acceleration from a stop; Vehicle travels into a busy intersection under unintended acceleration; Engine Power Reduction and Traction Control lights illuminate during the event
Repairs/costs cited: One dealer refused to diagnose the unintended acceleration issue; repairs were not completed. The collision case was not diagnosed or repaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: In one case, GM filed a report (71-807159815) and agreed to contact the dealer. In the collision case, GM was notified but no further action is documented in the complaint.
Detached Accelerator Pedal
The accelerator pedal bracket became detached during normal driving, creating an immediate safety hazard. The vehicle was a rental.
When: March 28–29 (reported evening of March 29 when discovered)
Symptoms owners cite: Accelerator pedal detached from bracket during normal driving
Repairs/costs cited: Reported to rental company (Enterprise) on evening of March 29; no timely action taken by the rental company until vehicle was returned.
Synthesized from 90 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
Driving 65 on freeway car slows down to 40 check engine light says service traction control. *tr
I have gotten serveral error with check service traction control since I purchase the use chevelot impala ls 2009 back in 2012. It already had 88,000 miles on it and about a year after I had the car I started to get this message. The second it occured I was on freeway and the error came on and after I got off on the exit my car shut down for about 5 minutes before I was able to start it back up.…
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet impala. While driving 25 MPH and approaching an intersection the vehicle suddenly decelerated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that a solder connection in the accelerator position sensor failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was…
I was driving on the highway when the service traction control came up on the dash along with the traction control light, with in seconds of this happening the car read reduced engine power. The car immediately lost power and slowed down to a maximum of 25 MPH. This sudden loss of power caused the cars behind me to nearly miss rear-ending me. I had to drive in this crippled mode 10 miles to reach…
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet impala. The contact stated that while driving 15 MPH, the accelerator pedal fractured being detached from the floorboard. The contact was able to come to a complete stop and activate the hazard lights. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, however the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.…
Had cruise control 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 cruise control problem on the 2009 Chevrolet Impala?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 90 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $600 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 79 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 67,000 and 122,800 miles, with the median around 94,600. A quarter of owners report trouble before 67,000; a quarter make it past 122,800. 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 $600 for cruise control 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 cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control 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.