Driving along a four-lane divided highway with a 50 MPH limit when without warning an oncoming vehicle turned left into me at an intersection. My estimated impact speed was 35 MPH. The airbags failed to deploy. The other car's airbags deployed. I wonder if the airbags in the Chevrolet were even installed. It makes no sense to me why they did not deploy. *tr
2016 Chevrolet Impala airbags problems
severe 13 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
13
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
3crashes
5injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 13 airbags complaints filed for the 2016 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 airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: Airbag deployment failures and persistent sensor/light issues are documented concerns on 2016 Impalas; prospective buyers should have the airbag system scanned by an independent shop and be prepared for potentially expensive sensor repairs not covered by warranty.
Owners of 2016 Chevrolet Impalas report two broad categories of airbag problems. The first involves complete deployment failure during crashes. Multiple owners describe collisions where the front airbags did not deploy despite significant impact—one at 35 mph after being hit by an oncoming vehicle, another at 35–40 mph in a multi-vehicle collision, and a third during a severe embankment crash at 70 mph. Owners sustained injuries (herniated discs, wrist/shoulder/neck injuries) in these incidents. The second category involves persistent warning-light issues and sensor malfunctions. Owners report the airbag readiness light staying on constantly or cycling on and off intermittently, sometimes triggered by temperature changes or seat movement. When diagnosed, dealers identify faulty passenger-presence sensors, driver-side occupancy sensors, and seat-belt pretensioner wiring faults. Owners cite replacement costs ranging from $300–$400 for light resets (with recurring problems) to $1,250–$2,000+ for sensor and control-unit repairs. Several owners note they are not covered by recall and that extended warranties exclude the work. One owner reports seeing similar complaints online dating back to 2009 and believes the issue is widespread across the model line.
Same Chevrolet Impala airbags reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2017
Failure modes owners describe
Airbag non-deployment during impact
Front airbags fail to deploy in crashes of significant severity (impact speeds 35–70 mph), despite structural deformation indicating collision threshold.
When: At impact during crashes; one incident at 56,000 miles, others unspecified mileage
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment during frontal collision at 35 mph; No airbag deployment during frontal collision at 35–40 mph; No airbag deployment during embankment crash at 70 mph; Other vehicle's airbags deployed normally in multi-vehicle incident
Intermittent passenger-presence sensor and occupancy detection failure
Passenger-side and driver-side occupancy sensors malfunction, causing the airbag readiness light to cycle on and off unpredictably or remain illuminated. Sensor reports wrong occupancy status (passenger light off when occupied, belt/airbag lights on when unoccupied).
When: Starts at unknown mileage; complaint cluster notes examples at 41,000 miles and 3 years old; issues dating back to 2009 model year per owner research
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag readiness light stays on continuously; Airbag readiness light cycles on and off intermittently; Passenger airbag light on and off at will, especially with temperature changes or seat movement; Passenger seat belt sign on when no passenger present; Passenger airbag light off despite passenger present; Light triggered randomly while driving or at startup
Codes mentioned: DRIVER SEAT BELT ANCHOR PRETENSIONER DEPLOYMENT LOOP, SHORT TO GROUND
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers quote $300–$400 for sensor replacement/reset (recurring problem reported); passenger presence sensor replacement cost $1,250–$2,000+; electronic control unit hardware replacement needed per dealership diagnosis
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Not part of a recall; owner responsible for full replacement cost per Chevrolet dealer. Extended warranty does not cover airbag system issues per one owner.
Faulty occupancy detection sensor (driver and passenger side)
Sensors fail to reliably recognize seat occupancy, triggering false or absent airbag status warnings and preventing proper restraint deployment logic.
When: At 41,000 miles and earlier, recurring across multiple model years
Symptoms owners cite: Dealer diagnosis: faulty sensor that does not recognize occupant; Intermittent airbag light activation
Repairs/costs cited: Passenger presence sensor and electronic control unit hardware replacement required per dealership estimate
Synthesized from 13 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
I recently purchased this car, and the airbag warning light will not turn off. Meaning, something is wrong with the airbags.
Had airbags trouble with your 2016 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 airbags problem on the 2016 Chevrolet Impala?
It's a meaningful issue. 13 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 9 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 45,000 and 56,000 miles, with the median around 54,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 45,000; a quarter make it past 56,000. 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 $1,100 for airbags 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 airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags 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/2016/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.