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Selling a junk Chevrolet Impala

Any Impala sells for scrap or parts, running or not. Below: what owners report most often for each model year, the recalls on file, and which of those change the offer. Enter your ZIP for a buyer near you.

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What owners report about the Chevrolet Impala

NHTSA has 15,194 owner complaints on file for the Chevrolet Impala, model years 1995 to 2020, the 27th-most of the 423 models in our data. The most-reported components are electrical system (3,493, 23%), other (1,626, 11%), engine (1,263, 8%). 931 complaints involved a crash, 468 a fire, and 258 say the vehicle had to be towed. The median mileage when the problem was reported is 74,500 miles. The 2004 model year has the most complaints (1,378). Data as of 2026-10-12.

When the top complaint is electrical system, the question for a seller is whether a buyer will resell the car, pull the parts or scrap it. Read our guide to selling a car that doesn't run: it explains which offers assume the part works and how to describe the car so the price holds at pickup.

Chevrolet Impala by model year

YearComplaintsMost reportedCrashFireRecallsMedian miles
199564Brakes111—
1996120Steering221—
19972Suspension000—
19984Steering010—
19994Steering000—
20001,128Electrical system73951092,000
2001959Electrical system55871081,000
20021,077Electrical system5242780,000
2003936Electrical system4445890,000
20041,378Electrical system8034772,500
2005811Electrical system6220484,000
2006803Steering9136280,000
2007932Electrical system8015365,007
20081,203Electrical system8015276,000
20091,368Air bags8915580,000
2010738Electrical system305476,000
2011844Other398268,800
2012422Other406355,000
2013468Other310155,000
20141,026Electrical system31151265,105
2015436Electrical system1317360,000
2016178Other158054,922
2017138Other60048,000
201888Other70152,600
201941Electrical system611—
202026Other400—

Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not confirmed defects. Median miles is the odometer reading owners gave when they reported a problem, shown only where 20 or more reports include it.

Chevrolet Impala recalls

NHTSA lists 35 recall campaigns across these model years, most often for air bags (8), steering (5), electrical system (4). Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer. Before you sell, check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a buyer who plans to resell the car will.

  • 2018 model year, brakes (campaign 18V576000, Aug 2018): 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 …
  • 2009 model year, air bags (campaign 16V507000, Jul 2016): General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 25, 2008 through February 16, 2010. The front passenger seat frame may contact and damage the wires of the pa…
  • 2000 model year, engine and cooling (campaign 15V701000, Oct 2015): 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 ve…
  • 2014 model year, air bags (campaign 15V465000, Jul 2015): General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 15, 2013, to June 19, 2015, equipped with front vented-heated passenger seats. Accordingly, the Automatic Occ…
  • 2004 model year, engine and cooling (campaign 15V201000, Apr 2015): General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 2, 2015, that they are is recalling certain model year 2004 Buick Regal vehicles manufactured April 9, 2003, to June 1, 2003, 2004 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactur…

What a Chevrolet Impala is worth as a junk car

Buyers price a junk Impala on four things: its weight at today's scrap steel price (the floor), the parts still on it that can be resold, whether it starts and drives, and how far they have to tow it. None of those come from a complaint database, so use this page to describe the car accurately and our junk car value guide to work out a ceiling for the metal. Then get more than one offer.

Guides for selling this car

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Questions people ask

What is a junk Chevrolet Impala worth?
What a yard can recover: the car's weight at the current scrap steel price, plus parts it can resell (the catalytic converter, engine, transmission and wheels if they're good), minus towing and processing. The same Impala gets different offers from different buyers, so compare at least two. Our value guide shows the public benchmark.
Will a junkyard buy a Chevrolet Impala that doesn't run?
Yes. Junkyards and junk car buyers take cars that don't start, and most arrange the tow. Tell them honestly whether it starts, whether the engine and transmission are still in it, and whether the catalytic converter is on; those are what change the price.
Should I fix an open recall before selling a Chevrolet Impala?
Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer for as long as the car exists. If the car is going for scrap, the repair won't change the scrap price. If a buyer might resell it or pull parts, a completed recall can help. Check your VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup first.
Where do these Chevrolet Impala numbers come from?
From the complaint and recall data NHTSA publishes for every make and model, counted by model year on 2026-10-12. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and the count rises with how many of the model were sold.