2001 Chevrolet Impala Problems

High Complaint Volume

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2001 Chevrolet Impala.

20002002
Complaints
959
Crashes
55
Fires
87
Injuries
60
Fatalities
2
Recalls
2

Worst 2001 Chevrolet Impala Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1187 complaints

Electrical Faults

Avg mileage:104,803 mi
Crash-related:6
Fires:9
#268 complaints

Engine Problems

Avg mileage:173,097 mi
Crash-related:2
Fires:26
#353 complaints

Engine & Cooling

Avg mileage:93,683 mi
Fires:13
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2001 Chevrolet Impala.

Electrical Faults
187
complaints
Crashes
6
Fires
9
Avg Miles
104,803
Engine Problems
68
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
26
Avg Miles
173,097
Engine & Cooling
53
complaints
Crashes
Fires
13
Avg Miles
93,683
Automatic Transmission
45
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
47,467
Steering Defects
37
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
83,046
Airbags
33
complaints
Crashes
15
Fires
1
Avg Miles
105,688
Headlight/Taillight Failures
22
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
125,591
Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal
22
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
66,674
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor
18
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
25,259
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System
17
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
66,987
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
16
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
3
Avg Miles
102,490
Gasoline Fuel System
16
complaints
Crashes
Fires
8
Avg Miles
111,025
Hydraulic Brakes
16
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
68,303
Traction Control System
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
109,846
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
13
complaints
Crashes
Fires
4
Avg Miles
88,704
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
13
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
64,062
Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch
11
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
65,847
Electrical System:Ignition
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
68,945
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
2
Avg Miles
126,000
Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal:Switch
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
45,497
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
97,571
Fuel System
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
3
Avg Miles
130,460
Brakes
9
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
132,871
Suspension Failures
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
70,700
Unintended Acceleration
9
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
99,410
Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
83,286
Electrical System:Ignition:Anti-Theft:Control Module
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
77,000
Electronic Stability Control
8
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
107,292
Steering:Column
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
27,798

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2001 Chevrolet Impala. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2001 Chevrolet Impala

2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~6,881,274 vehicles.

15V701000Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/header/muffler/tail Pipe · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
~1,003,556 affected

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.

14V400000Electrical System:ignition
~5,877,718 affected

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Other Chevrolet Impala Years

2001 Chevrolet Impala — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2001 Chevrolet Impala reliable?
Verdict: High Complaint Volume. The 2001 Chevrolet Impala has 959 NHTSA complaints, 55 crash-related, and 2 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Electrical Faults with 187 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2001 Chevrolet Impala?
Top reported problems: Electrical Faults (187 complaints, avg 104,803 mi); Engine Problems (68 complaints, avg 173,097 mi); Engine & Cooling (53 complaints, avg 93,683 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2001 Chevrolet Impala?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 97,680 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2001 Chevrolet Impala?
NHTSA complaints for the 2001 Chevrolet Impala include 55 crash-related reports, 87 fire reports, 60 injuries, and 2 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2001 Chevrolet Impala have any recalls?
Yes — 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 6,881,274 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2001 Chevrolet Impala?
This year has a higher-than-normal complaint volume. It's not an automatic no, but focus inspection on the top reported issue (electrical faults) and verify open recalls have been addressed.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Chevrolet Impala reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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