Total Complaints
2 filings
CHEVROLET IMPALA · model year
1997 CHEVROLET IMPALA
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997CHEVROLETIMPALA carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1997 IMPALA is suspension with 1 filings, followed by tires (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1997 IMPALA, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20100908SUSPENSION
I PURCHASED A 2007 CHEVROLET IMPALA ON 5-25-07 WITH NO MILEAGE. ON 9-10-09 WE HAD A NAIL IN THE TIRE AND TOOK IT TO BE REPAIRED AT A TIRE SHOP AND THEY RECOMMENDED WE INSTALL 4 NEW TIRES B/C THE INSIDE OF ALL 4 TIRES WAS WORN DOWN TO THE CORDS. WE TOOK THE CAR TO OUR DEALERSHIP AND THEY FOUND THE REAR ALIGNMENT TO BE OUT OF SPECIFICATIONS AND PUT ON 4 NEW TIRES AT THEIR EXPENSE. ON 7-14-10 WE TOOK THE CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND ROTATION, THE LOWEST TREAD DEPTH WAS RECORDED AT 8/32. ON 9-14-10 THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE LOWEST CAR DEPTH WAS RECORDED AT 6/32. I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER ABOUT THE DRASTIC CHANGE AND TOLD HIM I WAS CONCERNED WE WERE HAVING A REPEAT PROBLEM WITH THE ALIGNMENT AND OUR WARRANTY WAS ABOUT TO GO OUT. THE SVC MANAGER AGREED TO DO A FREE ALIGNMENT AND CHECK FOR THE PROBLEM AGAIN AT MY NEXT OIL CHANGE. I HAVE READ MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TIRES AND ALIGNMENT ISSUES SUBMITTED ON NHTSA. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE ON THE
Mileage: 23,735
20100908TIRES
I PURCHASED A 2007 CHEVROLET IMPALA ON 5-25-07 WITH NO MILEAGE. ON 9-10-09 WE HAD A NAIL IN THE TIRE AND TOOK IT TO BE REPAIRED AT A TIRE SHOP AND THEY RECOMMENDED WE INSTALL 4 NEW TIRES B/C THE INSIDE OF ALL 4 TIRES WAS WORN DOWN TO THE CORDS. WE TOOK THE CAR TO OUR DEALERSHIP AND THEY FOUND THE REAR ALIGNMENT TO BE OUT OF SPECIFICATIONS AND PUT ON 4 NEW TIRES AT THEIR EXPENSE. ON 7-14-10 WE TOOK THE CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND ROTATION, THE LOWEST TREAD DEPTH WAS RECORDED AT 8/32. ON 9-14-10 THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE LOWEST CAR DEPTH WAS RECORDED AT 6/32. I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER ABOUT THE DRASTIC CHANGE AND TOLD HIM I WAS CONCERNED WE WERE HAVING A REPEAT PROBLEM WITH THE ALIGNMENT AND OUR WARRANTY WAS ABOUT TO GO OUT. THE SVC MANAGER AGREED TO DO A FREE ALIGNMENT AND CHECK FOR THE PROBLEM AGAIN AT MY NEXT OIL CHANGE. I HAVE READ MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TIRES AND ALIGNMENT ISSUES SUBMITTED ON NHTSA. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE ON THE
Mileage: 23,735
Compare 1997CHEVROLETIMPALA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA25007Engineering AnalysisOpen
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
PE23022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
PE20016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
EA20002Engineering AnalysisClosed
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
PE20011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Fuel Line Leak
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 CHEVROLET IMPALA have?▼
The 1997 CHEVROLET IMPALA has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 CHEVROLET IMPALA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 CHEVROLET IMPALA is SUSPENSION with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES.
Is the 1997 CHEVROLET IMPALA safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.