2016 Chevrolet Impala: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2016 Chevrolet Impala
On the 2016 Chevrolet Impala, the failure owners report most often is other electrical problem, and the reports cluster around 40,000 miles. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 50,000 miles. Overall it scores 65 out of 100, high risk for a 2016.
High risk for a 2016 — 230th riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. 178 owner reports; fleet size borrowed from other years of the same model.
The failures owners actually file about
Owners have reported 36 named failure modes on the 2016 Chevrolet Impala, and the three most-reported carry 30% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other electrical problem leads with 22 reports, about 0.3 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 28k to 65,000 miles.
Other engine problem follows with 19 reports, usually reported between 28k to 80,000 miles.
Other steering problem follows with 13 reports, median 85,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into electrical (24), engine (21) and adas (20).
When these failures get reported
118 of the reports on the 2016 Chevrolet Impala came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 50,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 50% by 50,000 miles, 90% by 100,000 miles and 99% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 40,000 and 50,000 miles, which alone holds 16% of the dated reports.
32% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
In the order they tend to show up: other electrical problem around 40k, other driver assistance problem around 48k, other engine problem around 55k and other powertrain problem around 55k.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 36. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 14 mention a crash, 5 a fire and 11 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.79, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other electrical problem at $250–$2,000, other engine problem at $300–$4,000, other steering problem at $350–$2,400 and other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
20% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 22 | 15 | 28k | 40k | 63k | 0.3 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other engine problem | engine | 19 | 15 | 28k | 55k | 79k | 0.3 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 13 | 7 | — | 86k | — | 0.2 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 9 | 8 | 28k | 55k | 72k | 0.1 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 9 | 8 | 23k | 48k | 54k | 0.1 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 8 | 7 | — | 41k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 7 | 4 | — | 75k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Lane keep or steering assist fault | adas | 6 | 1 | — | 45k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,600 | High |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 5 | 4 | — | 31k | — | 0.1 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 4 | 4 | — | 34k | — | 0.1 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 4 | 3 | — | 79k | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 4 | 2 | — | 16k | — | 0.1 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Infotainment screen failure | infotainment | 3 | 2 | — | 43k | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,600 | Low |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 3 | 3 | — | 44k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 3 | 3 | — | 64k | — | 0.0 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 76k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 2 | 2 | — | 87k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 2 | 1 | — | 66k | — | 0.0 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 2 | 1 | — | 25k | — | 0.0 | $200–$900 | High |
| Loss of power steering | steering | 2 | 2 | — | 3 | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,800 | Critical |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 2 | 2 | — | 75k | — | 0.0 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 2 | 1 | — | 27k | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 2 | 1 | — | 144k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Transmission will not engage a gear | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 64k | — | 0.0 | $1,500–$6,000 | Critical |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 1 | 1 | — | 24k | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 1 | 1 | — | 76k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Air conditioning failure | hvac | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 1 | 1 | — | 36k | — | 0.0 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 1 | 1 | — | 1k | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 25 | 15 | 48k | 65k | 80k | 0.4 | — | Moderate |
This year had no usable recall paperwork, so the fleet-size estimate is the median of other years of the same model. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2016 Chevrolet Impala draws about 2.6 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 78th percentile of complaint rates among 2016 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. This year had no usable recall paperwork, so the fleet-size estimate is the median of other years of the same model.
The working figure is 69,816 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2016 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other electrical problem
On friday, november 18, 2016 at approximately 5:20 a.m. I was parking my car in a center city parking garage. I was approximately 2 car lengths from the parking spot. I was backing my car into the spot. The car was stopped and I removed my safety belt and lowered the window. I put the car in reverse and depressed the accelerator to proceed into the lined parking spot. The car proceeded at a high rate of speed into a concrete wall. There were no obstructions and the accelerator was not fully depressed when this occurred. I immediately took my foot off of the accelerator and hit the brake but the brake did not respond since this all occurred in roughly in seconds and approximately 20 feet in length. Upon impact a smoke filled the cabin area. I hit my head against the headrest and slightly into the steering wheel. Another parking patron saw this all play out and came to my aid. It was a horrific incident. I am thankful and lucky to be alive. It was as if the car acted on it's own. After putting the car in park all of the lights in the car and the flasher were on. Onstar notified me to ask if I was ok. I explained to her what had…
For the past 3 mo. Upon starting the vehicle I hear a "pop" noise. It only happens every once in a while in the morning or the evening when I get off work. Sometimes it will go a week or more without making the sound. The sound will not repeat itself if I immediately turn the car off and restart it. The 1st time I took it to the dealership, they siad nothing was wrong & they didn't hear the "pop". The 2nd time they said it was the exhaust so they repalced some hoses, the 3rd time, in which the "pop" was more frequent and louder, they said it was the starter sticking. After replacing the starter, a week later, I still hear the "pop" upon starting it. The vehicle is not in motion when this happens. Obviously, they don't know what the problem is if they diagnosed it as the exhaust first & then the starter and it's still making the same noise after servicing both said problems. I am very frightened about this problem because 7 mo. Ago my buick park ave caught fire on me in my garage upon starting it and hearing the same "pop" noise. A coworker of mine has the same kind of car and is experiencing the same problem. I am almost sure we…
Other engine problem
I was stopped at the top of the hill on a private road. When I took my foot off the brake and pressed the accelerator, nothing happened. The car began to roll backwards and I pressed down on the brake. The brake was very weak and it took 50-60 feet and all of my pressure on the brake pedal to bring the car to a stop. After I stopped, I realized that the engine had turned off and the ignition was int he off position. I rotated the key in the ignition back to the start position to start the engine. I continued back up the hill normally after the engine was started. Luckily, there were no cars behind me on the hill or they would've been hit.
I would like to place a complaint about my 2016 chevy impala ltz that I purchased from car max in glencoe, il on november 11 2016. I am a frequent traveler to central michigan and on my return trip to chicago on january 6, 2017, I was traveling south on highway 127 just south of mt. Pleasant michigan when all of sudden, the car lost power and it slowed down rapidly, there was a car behind me who almost rear-ended me, my wife and I were terrified. I pulled over to the side of the highway and put on my flashers. I looked at the dash and the following error lights were on (service engine soon, check engine light, reduced engine power, and stablitrack light). I looked at the owner's manual and it suggested that I turn the vehicle off and that it would reset. I followed instructions, turned on vehicle and all lights were cleared except check engine light. I got back on the highway and started to drive towards graff chevrolet in mt. Pleasant. In route, it happened again. Car lost power again, and all previous lights returned. I somehow made it to the dealership. Please see attached invoice, customer number 213805 for work done. From…
Other steering problem
Car loss power steering, ABS brake control and speedometer. Multiple services lights flicked on / off. Happened several times in the last 1-2 months, happened on city streets and the highway. Had taken to be serviced twice. Intermittent check engine light turns off after a day or two.
How it ranks in the 2016 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
How 2016 compares with the other years
High risk for a 2016 — 230th riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 22 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2020 comes out best at 56 and 2009 worst at 71, with 2016 itself at 65.
If the model year is negotiable, 2020 and 2017 score lower than 2016 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2014–2017 generation specifically, 2017 is the strongest year at 61 and 2014 the weakest at 70.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2014-2017 generation, 2017 Chevrolet Impala scores best at 61 and 2014 Chevrolet Impala worst at 70.
What the numbers say to check
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other driver assistance problem from about 23k, other electrical problem from about 28k, other engine problem from about 28k and other powertrain problem from about 28k.
On a 2016 Chevrolet Impala with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other driver assistance problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.
The limits of complaint data
178 owner reports; fleet size borrowed from other years of the same model. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 178 reports, 118 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 66% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Chevrolet Impala?
The most-reported failures are other electrical problem (22 reports, median 40,000 miles), other engine problem (19 reports, median 55,000 miles) and other steering problem (13 reports, median 85,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2016 Chevrolet Impala problems start?
Other electrical problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 40,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 30,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 50,000 miles.
Is the 2016 Chevrolet Impala reliable?
It scores 65 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 230th riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2016 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Chevrolet Impala is best?
Within the 2014–2017 generation, 2017 scores best at 61 out of 100 and 2014 worst at 70. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed