2018 Chevrolet Impala: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
59 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Chevrolet Impala has one year to avoid, 2016, which carries 897 complaints, a score of 47 and no recall campaigns at all; the next highest count is 505 on the 2011 car. The years to buy are 2017 to 2020, which score 92, 91, 92 and 96 on 116, 59, 28 and 15 complaints, and the 2012 and 2013 cars, at 78 each. Read the full note on the model page. 2018 specifically: a year the record favours — 59 complaints, score 91/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Chevrolet Impala and Buick LaCrosse: the years to avoid, including 2018 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 59 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 7.38
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The transmission failed, shifting is no longer smooth. It hesitates and shakes the entire car, and the car slows down to almost a crawl uphill. I understand this is an issue with Chevrolet Impalas. So now I have an $8200 bill for a problem I was never told about, and that GM knew that it existed. So, yes, the issue has been identified, reproduced and confirmed by the dealer. The warning light came on when the iss…
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while the A/C was activated during the summer of 2025, the A/C failed to function as intended. The contact stated that hot air was blowing through the vents. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle with an EVAP leak. The leak was found on a corner near the evaporative canister. The…
I was driving and parked the car at the store. After checking out I went to the car got ready to leave and started backing out and the car would not turn to the left at all. I took it to the shop and was told they do not see anything wrong with my car but a steering message is coming up.
Recalls: 1 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 18V576000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a full-size car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 25 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,450
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Unknown Or Other16 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Power Train11 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Electrical System11 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Service Brakes8 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Steering7 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Engine7 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
Other Chevrolet Impala years
Chevrolet Impala years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Chevrolet Impala?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Unknown Or Other (16 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2018 Chevrolet Impala a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 91/100, computed from 59 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2018 Chevrolet Impala's most common problem?
16 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2018 Chevrolet Impala sit in the Unknown Or Other group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is diagnosis and mixed repair: about 2.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $360–$940 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2018 Chevrolet Impala cost to run per year?
About $4,379 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $21,898 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2018 Chevrolet Impala have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for the 2018 Chevrolet Impala, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 30/08/2018. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other fullsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2018 Chevrolet Impala really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 59 complaints, 1 recalls on record
- 59 NHTSA complaints on record (7.4/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (18.4/yr)
- 1 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems