1996 Chevrolet Impala problems & reliability
88 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1996 Chevrolet Impala. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 13 | 15% |
| Steering | 12 | 14% |
| Electrical System | 11 | 13% |
| Power Train | 11 | 13% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 10 | 11% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 9 | 10% |
| Tires | 8 | 9% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 7 | 8% |
| Suspension | 6 | 7% |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Tl* the contact owned a 1996 chevrolet impala. The contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign number: 14v355000 (electrical system). While driving 50 mph, the vehicle stalled and crashed into a ditch. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not…”
Electrical System · filed Aug 25, 2014
“Back in november 1995 I purchased a new 1996 chevrolet impala. I brought the vehicle to my home and did a complete vehicle inspection. What I found was the dealership lanan chevrolet of woburn massachusetts did a poor job prepping the vehicle for delivery. What I found was the lug nuts for the wheels, all were loose…”
Wheels · filed Aug 2, 2014
“Fuel pump fuse blow out. The car cuts off and stops while driving, blowing out the fuse. When a new fuse is installed and the engine is started, it blows out again. The problem is caused by a faulty wiring harness to the fuel pump assembly. The wiring on the fuel pump sender unit melts and peels back the insulation…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Oct 12, 2006
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- COOLANT FIRES
Engineering Analysis EA99003 · opened Jan 13, 1999 · closed Aug 17, 2000
- REAR WHEEL SEPARATION
Preliminary Evaluation PE96001 · opened Jan 4, 1996 · closed May 31, 1996 · led to recall 96V245000
Technical service bulletins
24 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1996 Chevrolet Impala. The 10 most recent:
This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.
17-NA-073 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 21, 2023
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8…
PIP4723F · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 14, 2022
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8…
PIP4723D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 31, 2020
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to…
PIC4696E · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 22, 2019
This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.
17NA073 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 18, 2019
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to…
PIC4696D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 5, 2019
This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.
17NA073 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 15, 2019
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco Theft Lock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to…
PIC4696C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 31, 2018
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8…
PIP4723C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 2017
This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information with the field action courtesy transportation policy.
17-NA-073 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 15, 2017
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1996 Chevrolet Impala in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1996 Chevrolet Impala?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.