This service bulletin provides information on some vehicles that may rock or move slightly forward or rearward while in Park at start up after cold soak. This condition may be accompanied by a clunk noise. This is a slight movement that is more often seen visually, rather than felt, when viewed from the outside and using the auto-start feature, if equipped.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2009 Chevrolet Impala powertrain problems
severe 64 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
64
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
3crashes
1fire
2injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 64 powertrain complaints filed for the 2009 Chevrolet Impala, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 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
Owners have filed 64 powertrain 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.
No new NHTSA powertrain complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 12 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 powertrain 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.
GM is receiving damaged (cracked or broken) transmission cores returned to the reman facilities. The damage is being caused either in the removal process by the technician, or inadequate packaging or shipping. This bulletin advises the dealers to be more careful not to damage the transmissions during removal and to package the core properly for return.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin provides information on the harmful effects of water or ethylene glycol in transmission fluid.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides technicians with information to help identify the differences between what is considered a fluid leak, and what is considered fluid seepage.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Warranty Admin service bulletin provides guidelines for Dealers Not Required and for Dealers Required to Contact the PQC for engine or transmission assembly replacement and explains the PQC process, GWM Transaction submission, vehicle service record retention and proper handling of assembly returns for Canadian Dealers only.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2009 Impala's powertrain is unreliable and dangerous. The most common issue is sudden, unexpected loss of engine power while driving—vehicle enters "limp mode," speed cuts to 5–35 mph, and power steering vanishes. This happens on highways, city streets, and at any speed. Owners describe it as a "phantom ghost problem" because it disappears when they try to get it diagnosed; the car restarts fine after 5–10 minutes with no fault codes present, so dealers refuse warranty repair. Warning lights ("Reduced Engine Power," "Service Traction Control," "Check Engine") appear and vanish unpredictably. Some owners report 20+ occurrences in a single day.
Transmission failures are equally serious. Shifters get stuck in Park, unable to shift into Drive or Reverse—one owner manually reaches into the console every time to shift. Other transmissions fail entirely, require expensive rebuilds ($1,600+), and still malfunction afterward. One transmission only shifted into Reverse; another wouldn't move until owner switched to 2nd gear.
Electrical gremlins compound the problem: door locks cycle involuntarily while driving, fuel gauges malfunction, ignition switches stick, and airbag lights illuminate without cause. Dealerships scan the car, find nothing wrong, and refuse warranty claims. Door lock defects persist unrepaired for a year despite multiple visits.
GM has acknowledged these are safety issues via customer service calls and written letters but refuses recalls. Dealers demand fault codes be present at inspection before authorizing repairs—a catch-22 when codes vanish after restart.
Same Chevrolet Impala powertrain reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2010 · 2011
Failure modes owners describe
Sudden loss of engine power / limp mode with reduced power warning
Vehicle unexpectedly enters reduced power mode (limp mode) on highways and city streets, limiting speed to 5–35 mph or causing complete engine shutdown while driving. Accompanied by 'Reduced Engine Power', 'Service Traction Control', 'Service StabiliTrak', and 'Check Engine' warning lights. Loss of power steering occurs simultaneously. Can recur multiple times in a single trip or dozens of times over weeks.
When: Occurs at any speed; some owners report more frequent episodes in warm or wet weather. Typically happens intermittently, then vehicle restarts normally after 5–10 minute delay with no codes present.
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden engine power loss on highway and city roads; Vehicle speed reduced to 5–35 mph involuntarily; Loss of power steering; Engine shutdown while driving; Warning lights: 'Reduced Engine Power', 'Service Traction Control', 'Service StabiliTrak', 'Check Engine'; Rough or hesitant gear shifting; Vehicle shudders or jerks; Hard acceleration (over 40 mph) triggers lock-up with jerking/shaking
Codes mentioned: P0601 (PCM Memory Issue), P2138 (Throttle Position Sensor / Accelerator Pedal Assembly), C0242 (ABS/traction control)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers typically replace throttle body ($300+), accelerator pedal assembly, or throttle position sensor. Some owners report replacement of harness/connectors ($105/hr labor). Two owners replaced throttle body without resolution. One transmission rebuild cost $1,600+ but problem persisted. Repairs often fail to permanently resolve the issue; codes disappear before dealer diagnostic, preventing warranty coverage.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM sent letters to some owners acknowledging the condition and offering one hour of diagnostic time, but refused to authorize repairs if codes were not present at time of inspection. Dealers refuse warranty coverage unless warning lights are active on the dashboard. No recall issued despite acknowledged safety issue.
Transmission failure or inability to shift gears
Transmission either fails to shift into Drive from Park (shifter locked), shifts only into Reverse, shifts reluctantly or erratically, or fails completely requiring rebuild. One owner reported complete transmission failure at low speed with fluid leak. Another experienced transmission failing to shift into 4th gear on freeway, then stalling during acceleration.
When: Occurs when attempting to shift out of Park, or intermittently during normal driving at various mileages (27k–134k miles). One failure occurred at low speed (7 mph); another at 70 mph while accelerating out of turn.
Symptoms owners cite: Shifter locked in Park; unable to depress release button; Transmission only shifts into Reverse; Delayed or reluctant gear shifts; Erratic shifting (gears stick before releasing); Transmission stalls during acceleration or while driving; RPM meter revving to 6,000 with power loss; Fluid leak or audible grinding/pop sound; Hard transitions between gears at low speeds
Codes mentioned: Transmission sensor fault (specific code not provided in most narratives)
Repairs/costs cited: Shifter harness/connector replacement required (one owner had this done twice). Full transmission rebuild cost $1,600+. Dealership diagnosed 'faulty electronic throttle control' at cost of $580. Warranty coverage varies; one owner's rebuild was covered under powertrain warranty, others out-of-pocket. One transmission continued to have same problems after rebuild.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Some covered under powertrain warranty (5 years/100k miles), but owner out of warranty (74k miles, 8 months past 5-year mark) denied coverage. Dealer diagnostic fee only partially waived after owner argument that car was still under warranty.
Shifter/Park-lock solenoid electrical failure
Shifter stuck in Park or will not engage into Drive or Reverse due to electrical fault in park-lock solenoid or ground circuit. Requires manual workaround (reaching into console to press release button) to shift vehicle. Also reported as inability to release key from ignition when car in Park.
When: Occurs repeatedly every time vehicle is parked and operator attempts to shift out of Park. Can happen after being parked for just minutes. Intermittent cases where shifter eventually responds after repeated attempts.
Symptoms owners cite: Shifter locked in Park; unable to move lever; Release button on floor-mounted shifter will not depress; Key stuck in ignition when car in Park; Shifter unresponsive despite pressing release button; Manual workaround required: reaching into console passenger side to manually press release
Repairs/costs cited: Repair involves replacing connector and harness assembly; routing corrected per grid/document numbers. One owner had repair done twice. Dealer service covered appropriately in two cases; repeated failures suggest ongoing electrical issue with wiring quality or connectors.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One dealer covered repair appropriately both times; others not mentioned. No recall issued.
Intermittent electrical gremlins (lights, locks, gauges, ignition)
Random electrical faults causing service lights to flicker on/off, door locks to lock/unlock while driving, fuel gauge to malfunction, air bag lights to illuminate, and ignition switch to stick. One owner reported knocking in glove box, flickering electrical system, and difficulty removing key. Some describe it as computer-related issue affecting multiple systems simultaneously.
When: Occurs intermittently without clear trigger. Some episodes follow power loss events; others appear spontaneous. One owner noted electrical issues correlate with door lock malfunction (ongoing since April 2013).
Symptoms owners cite: Service lights (traction control, engine, airbag, seatbelt) flicker on/off; Door locks cycling lock/unlock involuntarily; Fuel gauge erratic readings; Lights flickering on/off; Ignition switch stuck or key difficult to remove; Airbag warning light illumination; Knocking sound in glove box; Check engine light comes on intermittently
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership stated 'nothing wrong with car' when scanned with diagnostic tool despite owner reporting repeated issues. One owner paid for move of brake fluid sensor wires to clear check engine light; problem recurred. Door lock issue unresolved despite multiple dealership visits; dealer claims part not covered under warranty.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers refuse to diagnose or repair, claiming diagnostic scans show no fault. Warranty allegedly does not cover electrical power issues.
Oil pressure sensor and sensor-related check engine faults
Check engine light comes on due to oil pressure sensor fault. One owner replaced oil pressure sensor and engine died the day after, suggesting possible sensor installation or wiring issue. Another complaint mentions CO2 sensor failure.
When: Sensor faults occur at various mileages; oil pressure sensor issue led to immediate engine failure next day after replacement.
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illumination; Oil pressure warning; Engine dies shortly after oil pressure sensor replacement
Repairs/costs cited: Owner replaced oil pressure sensor; engine died the next day. Causation unclear (installation error vs. defective sensor vs. electrical wiring damage).
Transmission hard transitions and erratic behavior
Transmission exhibits sluggish behavior at startup, with hard shifts or slow gear engagement before normal operation resumes. Some owners report vehicle rolling forward/backward 3–10 inches after being put in Park with brake depressed.
When: Occurs intermittently upon startup or parking; one case noted transmission reluctant to shift into 4th gear on freeway after 10 minutes of driving.
Symptoms owners cite: Hard transition of gears very slowly before normal shift; Vehicle rolls forward 8–10 inches after shifted to Park with brake on; Vehicle rolls backward 3–4 inches in Reverse; Delayed or sluggish shift response
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership stated hard transitions at complete stop 'normal' when unable to duplicate issue. No repairs documented.
Synthesized from 64 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
While my wife was driving (with my three kids as passengers) at highway speeds the message was displayed in the dashboard "reduced engine power" and "service traction control" messages were displayed. The vehicle immediately last power and the speed was reduced to less than 30 MPH, while on the highway. She was able to navigate to the shoulder and call me for assistance. By the time I got there…
Car hesitates on acceleration from a stop. Rpms go up but car goes very slow, like if it has lost a lot of power. Once it stops hesitating it bangs into gear and speeds forward. It can possibly cause a crash if driver is not aware its hesitating.
Had powertrain 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 powertrain problem on the 2009 Chevrolet Impala?
It's a meaningful issue. 64 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $2,500.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Across the 53 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 69,921 and 112,000 miles, with the median around 98,659. A quarter of owners report trouble before 69,921; a quarter make it past 112,000. 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 $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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.