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2002 Chevrolet Impala Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 2002 Chevrolet Impala, and owners have filed 795 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

4
safety recalls
795
owner complaints to NHTSA
38 / 32
complaints citing a crash / fire
20–22
MPG combined (EPA)

4 safety recalls for the 2002 Chevrolet Impala

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (engine and engine cooling) and engine (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 15V701000 Reported 1,003,556 vehicles potentially affected General Motors LLC

    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…

    Remedy: The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engine’s front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are…

  2. Ignition (electrical system)

    NHTSA 14V400000 Reported 5,877,718 vehicles potentially affected General Motors LLC

    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…

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this…

  3. Engine and engine cooling

    NHTSA 09V116000 Reported 1,497,516 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    General motors is recalling 1,497,516 my 1997-2003 buick regal, my 1998-2003 chevrolet lumina, monte carlo and impala, my 1998-1999 oldsmobile intrigue, my 1997-2003 pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8l v6 naturally aspirated engine. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which drops of engine oil may be deposited on the…

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine’s front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engine’s plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, free of charge. The…

  4. Air bags: frontal

    NHTSA 02V222000 Reported 133,221 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    Certain passenger, MINI vans, and sport utility vehicles have an air bag inflator on the driver's side that could fracture at a weld during a deployment.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and replace, if necessary, the air bag module assembly on the driver's side. Owner notification began august 15, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon…

795 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2002 Chevrolet Impala have filed 795 complaints with NHTSA; 38 describe a crash and 32 describe a fire. Reports cite 35 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 84,564 miles. Complaints peaked in 2009 with 80 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“The contact’s son owned a 2002 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that the contact was unaware of how the failure occurred; however, the contact’s son was involved in a crash in which the vehicle co”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 6, 2026 · Air bags

“Fuel system or backfire is what I believe happened to it. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. My safety was severely put at risk because the car exploded and caught fire while I was”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 3, 2026 · Fuel/propulsion system

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2002 Chevrolet Impala. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined20–22 mpg
City / Highway16–19 / 26–29
FuelRegular
EPA classLarge Cars
Engine6 cyl, 3.4/3.8 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Compare Chevrolet Impala model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Chevrolet Impala model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1958 Chevrolet Impala01
1963 Chevrolet Impala01
1965 Chevrolet Impala30
1966 Chevrolet Impala23
1967 Chevrolet Impala22
1968 Chevrolet Impala20
1969 Chevrolet Impala42
1971 Chevrolet Impala40
1972 Chevrolet Impala20
1973 Chevrolet Impala10
1974 Chevrolet Impala30
1976 Chevrolet Impala10
1977 Chevrolet Impala31
1978 Chevrolet Impala30
1979 Chevrolet Impala32
1980 Chevrolet Impala30
1981 Chevrolet Impala22
1982 Chevrolet Impala22
1983 Chevrolet Impala13
1985 Chevrolet Impala01
1987 Chevrolet Impala01
1993 Chevrolet Impala02
1994 Chevrolet Impala015
1995 Chevrolet Impala044
1996 Chevrolet Impala088
1997 Chevrolet Impala01
1998 Chevrolet Impala02
1999 Chevrolet Impala04
2000 Chevrolet Impala7818
2001 Chevrolet Impala7742
2002 Chevrolet Impala4795
2003 Chevrolet Impala5694
2004 Chevrolet Impala41,073
2005 Chevrolet Impala1609
2006 Chevrolet Impala1524
2007 Chevrolet Impala2627
2008 Chevrolet Impala2810
2009 Chevrolet Impala5824
2010 Chevrolet Impala4441
2011 Chevrolet Impala2505
2012 Chevrolet Impala3258
2013 Chevrolet Impala1272
2014 Chevrolet Impala12636
2015 Chevrolet Impala3300
2016 Chevrolet Impala0111
2017 Chevrolet Impala0116
2018 Chevrolet Impala159
2019 Chevrolet Impala128
2020 Chevrolet Impala015

Checking a specific 2002 Chevrolet Impala

How do I know if my 2002 Chevrolet Impala has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 2002 Chevrolet Impala; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Chevrolet dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 02V222000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Chevrolet models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.