Nov 2018: center console / tv failure including back-up camera along with infotainment. Occurred just after 36,000 miles, thus gm warranty did not cover and repair cost for hmi module = $732 though we do have a 3rd party ext. Warranty, we still paid $200+ out of pocket and feel it irresponsible for gm electronics to fail just 1 year after model year (as electronics normally should not relate…
2017 Chevrolet Impala electrical problems
moderate 12 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
When does it fail?
Of the 12 electrical complaints filed for the 2017 Chevrolet Impala, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 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 electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: Owners report scattered but serious issues including unexpected battery drain causing no-starts, air conditioning failures creating dangerous heat in the cabin, infotainment module failure just outside warranty, and electrical fire from a door panel—the most troubling pattern being repeated electrical failures that dealers cannot replicate or resolve.
This 2017 Impala has shown electrical gremlins that stick around. The most consistent complaints are inexplicable battery drain—owners leave the car parked with nothing on, come back, and get a dead battery with zero warning. Dealers have looked twice and found nothing reproducible.
Air conditioning is another sore spot. Multiple owners report the evaporator core failing, leaving the cabin blasting hot air instead of cold—interior temps over 150°F in warm climates. GM issued a service bulletin but that didn't solve it for everyone; one owner had a compressor replaced, drove 40 miles, and still got hot air.
The infotainment module quit at 36,000 miles—one year old, outside warranty—taking the backup camera with it. Cost was $732 to replace.
Less common but alarming: one vehicle developed an electrical fire in the driver door panel while parked. Another had the trunk pop open spontaneously while driving, with loss of power following. Water intrusion into the trunk is shorting out brake lights and causing rust.
One owner also flagged an odd story about soy-based fuel lines being chewed by rodents, causing massive fuel leaks onto the hot exhaust—a genuine safety event. Chevy refused the warranty claim, calling it not a design flaw.
Same Chevrolet Impala electrical reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Battery drain with no-start condition
Battery loses charge unexpectedly while parked, resulting in complete loss of power with no warning lights or clicking. Vehicle cannot be diagnosed by dealer; issue occurs randomly and recurs.
When: Under 12,000 miles; also reported at 66,890 miles with body control module involvement
Symptoms owners cite: Complete battery drain while parked; No dashboard lights or clicking sounds; Vehicle will not restart; No warning signs beforehand
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to locate or replicate problem; body control module failure diagnosed in one case
Evaporator core failure with inadequate cooling
Air conditioning system blows hot air due to failed evaporator core. Interior temperature can exceed 150°F in hot climates, creating potential heat-related safety hazard. GM issued service bulletin N182186881 but repair attempts have not resolved issue.
When: After several years of ownership; also reported after compressor replacement when only 40 miles driven
Symptoms owners cite: Very hot air blowing from AC; Inadequate cooling despite AC operation; Interior temperatures exceeding 150°F in hot climates
Repairs/costs cited: Air compressor replaced; evaporator core replacement needed. Repair costs not specified in most complaints
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM service bulletin N182186881 issued; bulletin reportedly left many owners without adequate repair guidance
Infotainment and backup camera module failure
Center console display, infotainment system, and backup camera all fail. HMI module requires replacement just after 36,000 miles, outside factory warranty period despite being only one year old.
When: 36,000 miles; November 2018
Symptoms owners cite: Center console display failure; Backup camera loss; Infotainment system failure; Reduced rear visibility
Repairs/costs cited: HMI module replacement cost $732; owner paid $200+ out of pocket after third-party warranty deductible
Trunk latch and body control module failure
Trunk spontaneously opens while driving on interstate; hazard light activates. Vehicle loses motive power and cannot restart. Diagnostic reveals body control module failure and trunk latch assembly malfunction.
When: 66,890 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Trunk spontaneously opens while driving; Hazard light activates without driver action; Loss of motive power; Vehicle unable to restart
Repairs/costs cited: Trunk latch assembly and body control module repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified; vehicle was repaired
Headlight poor illumination
Front low beam headlights provide inadequate road illumination, lighting only the bottom 40% of windshield area. Only 3-4 car lengths of visibility ahead at highway speeds instead of required 6+ car lengths.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Poor forward road illumination; Only bottom 40% of windshield lit; Top 60% of windshield dark; Inadequate lateral road lighting; Only 3-4 car lengths visibility ahead
Electrical fire originating from driver door panel
Vehicle develops fire in driver side door panel while parked at shopping center. Fire self-extinguishes but creates smoke-filled interior. Cause not specified in complaint.
When: After normal operation; vehicle parked for approximately one hour
Symptoms owners cite: Smoke filling vehicle interior; Fire in driver side door panel; Fire self-extinguished before total damage
Trunk water intrusion and brake light short
Water leaks into trunk through gaskets near brake lights, causing electrical short that disables brake lights. Water accumulation creates pooling in spare tire area and causes rust formation.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Water leaking into trunk; Brake lights non-functional; Water pooling in spare tire area; Rust formation on trunk floor
Repairs/costs cited: Gasket replacement needed
Soy-based fuel line and harness chewing by rodents
Fuel injection harnesses made from soy-based materials are chewed by rodents, disabling cylinders on multiple occasions. Soy-based fuel line elbow on top of fuel tank ruptures after rodent damage, causing 8 gallons of fuel to discharge onto hot exhaust system, creating fire hazard. Fuel pump shutoff did not deploy, leaving hazard undetectable inside vehicle.
When: February 2018 and subsequent occasions; fuel line failure June 21, 2018
Symptoms owners cite: Fuel injection harness chewed by rodents; Multiple cylinders disabled; Foam intake manifold chewed; Fuel line rupture from rodent damage; Massive fuel discharge onto hot exhaust; No activation of fuel pump shutoff
Repairs/costs cited: Harness repairs: $731.50, $592.10, $507.17 (total $1,830.72); fuel line repaired at Smith Chevy in Lowell, IN
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Chevrolet claims soy-based parts are not design flaw and refuses warranty coverage and liability claims
Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
On november 17th and 20th of 2018 while at mall parking lot and at drug store as I proceed to leave my car's battery had completely drained it's power. No lights or doors were left on and I had to get aaa to boost me on those two occasions. When I took the car back to the dealer they simply said they could not find anything wrong or locate the problem after keeping the car for a day. I purchased…
Vehicle was driving and operating as normal. I Drove to shopping center, was in store for an hour and came out to a car full of smoke when door opened. There appeared to be a fire that had started and stopped originating from the drivers side door panel.
Once driven,car will not re-start. This will happen randomly . No clicking,no dash lights, absolutely nothing; as if no battery in car. Had it diagosed in shop twice now, can not find anything wrong (cannot duplicate no start). I noticed in car complaints .com that someone in horn lake, ms had smilar issue while driving on 3 different occasions. I believe this is a seriuos safety issue!!!!
Had electrical trouble with your 2017 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 electrical problem on the 2017 Chevrolet Impala?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 12 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 12 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 37,949 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 $850 for electrical 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 electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical 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/2017/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.