Worst 2003 Chevrolet Impala Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ENGINE
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Check the actual VIN — every car is different.
This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Chevrolet Impala.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 231 | 5 | 6 | 116,708 mi | |
| ENGINE | 88 | 1 | 20 | 128,609 mi | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 57 | — | 1 | 112,753 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 40 | — | 5 | 89,779 mi | |
| AIR BAGS | 28 | 13 | — | 135,107 mi | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 27 | — | — | 52,722 mi | |
| STEERING | 25 | 2 | — | 82,195 mi | |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 23 | 1 | 2 | 124,343 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 21 | — | — | 38,691 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 20 | — | — | 27,199 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 19 | 2 | 1 | 111,737 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 18 | — | 1 | 74,764 mi | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 18 | 3 | — | 113,213 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 15 | — | — | 52,227 mi | |
| TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM | 15 | — | — | 106,051 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN | 14 | — | — | 115,741 mi | |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 13 | 1 | — | 126,814 mi | |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 13 | — | 3 | 128,075 mi | |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 12 | 8 | — | 56,006 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 10 | — | — | 99,061 mi | |
| STRUCTURE | 10 | — | — | 16,496 mi | |
| SUSPENSION | 10 | — | 1 | 104,837 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 9 | — | — | 105,988 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 9 | — | 1 | 60,334 mi | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH | 9 | — | — | 52,085 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 9 | — | — | 60,717 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 9 | 4 | — | 26,310 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE | 7 | — | — | 106,950 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 7 | — | — | 76,120 mi | |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 7 | — | — | 18,467 mi |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2003 Chevrolet Impala. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2003 Chevrolet Impala
3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~7,884,830 vehicles.
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.
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.
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
Wider context: See the full Chevrolet Impala reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2003 Chevrolet Impala
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
Check Any VIN — $4.99