2011 Chevrolet Impala Electronic Stability Control Esc Problems
32 owner-reported electronic stability control esc complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (32)
ONE MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT IT USED FROM A DEALER I STARTED GETTING SERVICE STABILITRAK, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, SERVICE ABS LIGHTS WITH REDUCED POWER. IT HAS ALMOST 87K MILES ON IT.
WHEN DRIVING THE STABILITRAK LIGHT REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT COMES ON ALONG WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. MY CAR SLOWS DOWN AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD STALL WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS AND THE GAS PEDAL WOULD SOMETIMES SHAKE. AFTER SHUTTING THE CAR OFF FOR ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO THE STABILITRAK LIGHT WOULD GO OFF AND AFTER A DAY THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF AS WELL. WHENEVER I TAKE IT TO THE MECHANIC TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED AND FIXED THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING OFTEN EVEN WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND FRIGHTENS ME WITH HOPES THAT IT DOES NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT THAT COULD SERIOUSLY INJURE MYSELF OR OTHERS, OR CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT.
WHILE DRIVING THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON. POWER IS LOST. HAVE TO STOP, TURN CAR OFF AND TURN BACK ON. THE ENGINE LIGHT STILL STAYS ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS AND WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH.
SUDDEN DISPLAYED MESSAGE WHILE DRIVING: SERVICE STABILITY CONTROL , SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL , REDUCED ENGINE POWER. CAR WAS UNABLE TO GO AFTER STOP. PARKED THE CAR AND RESTARTED WITH JUST AN ENGINE LIGHT, BUT MESSAGES STARTED TO FLASH AGAIN. DID GET ME HOME.
I WILL BE DRIVING, SOMETIMES ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEEDS, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME AND SAY "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" "SERVICE STABILITRACK". THE ENGINE FASTLY REDUCES SPEED AND I AM UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
MY CHEVY SAYS STABILIZE TRACK THEN ENGINE POWER SLOWS IT'S VERY DANGEROUS SHOULD BE A RECALL.
I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING A REDUCED POWER READING IN MY CAR. IT COMES AND GOES AT WILL ALONG WITH A STABLITRACK WARNING. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH FRONT WHEEL HUBS AND THE POSITION SENSOR TO NO AVAIL. THIS CAN HAPPEN DRIVING OR JUST GOING FROM THE BRAKE TO THE GAS.
IT WAS DRIVING ON MY WAY BACK HOME. THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH SAID REDUCING ENGINE POWER BUT THEN THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON SO WHEN I GOT HOME I PARK THE CAR AND LEFT IT ALONE THAT DAY..THE NEXT DAY I TURN THE CAR ON AND THE ABS LIGHT IS ON AND THE TRACTION CONTROLL LIGHT IS ON I DRIVE THE CAR IT FEELS LIKE IF THE BRAKES ARE ON I HEAR A NOISE OUTSIDE THE CAR SO I TAKE IT TO A NEAR SHOP AND THEY TELL ME ITS A BAD WHEEL ROUTER SO I CHAGE IT FOR 180 AND IT WASNT THAT SO I SEE ALOT OF IMPALAS DEALING WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS
I WAS IN MOTION WHEN MY CAR NOTIFIED ME OF ENGINE REDUCE POWER AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH MY TRACTION LIGHT. I RECEIVED A LETTER IN NOVEMBER OF 2015 ABOUT THIS AND TO NOTIFY THE DEALERSHIP OF THIS WHEN IT HAPPENS. I NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS AND THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR 2 DAYS TO FIND AN EXCUSE NOT TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE LETTER. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD LOOSE $1200 IF THEY FIXED THE ISSUE DESCRIBED IN THE LETTER. I GUESS MY SAFETY AND LOYALTY AS A CUSTOMER MEANS NOTHING. THIS HAPPENED ON OR AROUND 4/04/2017
WHEN DRIVING MY CAR ON THE FREEWAY, STABIL TRAC COMES ON, AND IT SAYS ENGINE POWER REDUCED. THIS CAUSING ME TO DRIVE IN THE SLOW LANE. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE CAR SHUT OFF ON ME WHILE ON THE FREEWAY. MY FAMILY AND I WERE ALMOST STRUCK FROM BEHIND. WE'VE HAD THIS ISSUE BEFORE, AND WE GOT IT FIXED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP LAST WEEK, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET ANY CODES. BASICALLY WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON, AND IT'LL BE GONE THE NEXT DAY. THIS IS A SCARY SITUATION FOR ME BECAUSE I HAVE TO TRAVEL EVERY OTHER WEEKEND, AND I DON'T NEED THIS HAPPENING TO MY FAMILY AGAIN. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE TO KEEP PAYING FOR THE SAME PROBLEM OVER AND OVER.
WHEN DRIVING IN REGULAR TRAFFIC,THE WARNING SYSTEM SIGNALS, AND A MESSAGE "SERVICE STABILITRAK SYSTEM, BRAKE LIGHT." THERE IS NO REDUCED POWER, NOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I HAD SERVICE FOR THIS PROBLEM 2 YEARS AGO, NOW ITS BACK! ONSTAR SHOWS SYSTEM "NORMAL, NO ISSUES." WHAT'S GOING ON???
VEHICLE WILL NOT DRIVE ANY FASTER THAN 30 MILES PER HOUR. THE DASH LIGHT WARNING READS SERVICE STABILITRAK. VEHICLE SHUTTERS AND JERKS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE IT.
SERVICE STABILITRAK LIGHT CAME ON AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. BEFORE I COULD PULL OVER AND CHECK ON IT, THE CAR CUT OFF NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE LANES AND COULD NO LONGER STEER THE CAR AT ALL. UPON ATTEMPTING TO START AGAIN, AS I WAS ON THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE AND NOT AS SAFELY OFF THE ROAD AS I NEEDED TO BE, IT TURNED ON AND OFF AGAIN, THIS TIME WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. *TR
STABLITRAC. SERVICE GOES ON. ENGINE SPEED IS REDUCED AND THIS IS HAPPENING INTERNMENT
DRIVING MY CAR THE STABIL TRACK NEEDS REPAIRED THEN TRACTION CENTER THEN REDUCING ENGINE POWER.I WAS GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE NOTICE STARTED.
MY CAR JUST REACHED 50,000 MILES AND I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH A STABILITRAK ERROR MESSAGE. THEN A MESSAGE SAYING ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW! I WENT ONLINE AND STARTED TO RESEARCH THESE ISSUES AND FOUND THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE EXACT ISSUES MOST EVEN THE SAME YEAR.
JANUARY 31,2016 I WAS DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 55MPH ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR SPEED GAVE THREE STALLED JERKS I IMMEDIATELY PUT ON ME EMERGENCY FLASHERS BECAUSE TWO OTHER VEHICLES WERE BEHIND ME. FROM THAT POINT ON I DROVE AT A MUCH SLOWER SPEED; WASN'T SURE IF MY CAR WAS GOING TO CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC OR NOT. IT WAS SCARY BECAUSE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. THE TRACTION STABILITY -SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. MY CAR WAS SERVICED FOR THIS VERY THING APRIL 2015. WHY I AM HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM?
DRIVING ON 494E IN BLOOMINGTON, MINNESOTA DURING RUSH HOUR AND SNOWING. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE CAR STARTED TO SLOW DOWN VERY FAST AND LOST POWER.THE FOLLOWING MSG CAME UP SERVICE STABILTRAK, REDUCING ENGINE POWER.THE CAR FELT LIKE IT LOST A COUPLE OF CYCLINDERS AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT UP EASILY. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING THE STABILTRAK MSG WAS GONE AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WENT OFF AND THE CRUISE CONTROL STARTED WORKING AGAIN.FEW DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF. CHEVY GARAGE NOT SURE OF PROBLEM WANTS CAR FOR SEVERAL DAYS. I HAVE HEARD MAY BE THROTTLE BODY NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *JS
FIRST TIME I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE LEFT TURN WHEN ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THEN MESSAGE TO CHECK STABILIY TRAC AND THEN TRACTION CONTROL CAR LOST POWER WHILE MAKING TURN AND JERKED .I GOT THE CAR BACK HOME BY DRIVING AT LOW SPEED HAD TO SHUT OFF AND START SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT WOULD CLEAR AFTER IT CLEARED DROVE FINE FOR ABOUT TEN MILES AT LOW SPEED AS SOON AS I GOT UP TO50 MPH ENGINE LITE CAME ON STARTED JERKING AND LOST POWER AGAIN AGAIN MESSAGE THE SAME ONLY NOW ALL MESSAGES ARE MESSED UP EVERYTHING IS FOLLOWED BY CAL I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR AS IT IS VERY DANGEROUS .ONLY HAD THE CAR ONE MONTH BOUGHT IT ON 6/16/2014 FIRST PROBLEM HAPPENED ON 7/16/2014 SECOND 7/19/2014. *TR
THE CAR STARTED JERKING WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MESSAGE PANEL SAID THAT THE STABILITRAC NEEDED SERVICE AND THAT ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED AND THE TRACTION CONTROL NEEDED SERVICE. I HAD JUST BOUGHT THE CAR I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID IT WAS SOMETHING SIMPLE AND FIXED IT. THE NEXT DAY IT HAPPENED AGAIN ONLY WORSE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 40 MPH. THE CAR IS JERKING AND I AM AFRAID TO EVEN DRIVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS JUST LIKE THIS. THERE REALLY NEEDS GO BE SOMETHING DONE TO HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM. *JS
WHILE ON FREEWAY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL CAME ON AND DISPLAY READ "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" AND "SERVICE STABILITRAK" APPARENTLY A VERY COMMON AND DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY WIFE A COUPLE MONTHS AGO USED AND IT HAS GONE OFF MULTIPLE TIMES. THE ENGINE SHIFTS GEARS VERY ROUGH AND POWER IS LOST. SCHEDULED TO GO TO DEALERSHIP TOMORROW BUT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL COST ME. *TR
BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE WHEN CHECK ENGINE, STABILITRAK PROBLEM, REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME ON MESSAGE PORTION OF DASH.DROVE UNDER REDUCED POWER, MAX 30 MPH, TO DEALER, APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES. LEFT CAR WITH DEALER FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 DAYS. INVOICE FROM DEALER SAID, DIAGNOSE CODE P2135, TRACE TO THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR-BULLETIN REPLACED SENSOR ASSEMBLY, GM 19300180 SENSOR KIT, NO CHARGE TO ME UNDER POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. TODAY, APRIL 30, 2014, SAME WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, STABILITRAK PROBLEM, REDUCED POWER, WHEN BACKING OUT OF SAME GARAGE. PARKED CAR BACK IN GARAGE AND CALLED DEALER, HAVE APPOINTMENT TOMORROW. HOPE THEY CAN PERMANENTLY FIX PROBLEM AS DRIVING UNDER REDUCED POWER IS DANGEROUS AND CAN OCCUR ANYWHERE. *JS
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN "REDUCED ENGINE POWER, ENGINE LIGHT,ELECTRONIC STABILI TREK" WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. MY RPM WAS RACING UPWARDS BUT MY ENGINE NEVER RAN HOT. I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE OF THE WARNINGS AND LOST OF ACCELERATION. I GOT HOME AND CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO ADVISED ME OF NO RECALL FOR THAT PROBLEM AND CONNECTED ME TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP AND I MADE AN APPOINTMENT. RESEARCHING THE CAR MALFUNCTION, I FOUND NUMEROUS POSTINGS ABOUT THE AFOREMENTIONED PROBLEM. I TOOK THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND MECHANIC CALLED AND SAID I NEEDED A APP SENSOR / PEDAL WHICH IS A FACTORY ONLY PART. I OK'D THE SERVICE WORK. THE NEXT DAY (APRIL 18TH,2014) THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON BRIEFLY AND THE CAR WAS HESITATING AGAIN, I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP AT 2:35 AND SPOKE WITH MECHANIC THAT REPAIRED MY CAR AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM. MECHANIC ASKED ME IF THE LIGHT WAS STAYING ON I REPLIED NO AND HE STATED THE MECHANICS ARE LEAVING IN HOUR. I ASKED THE MECHANIC IF IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE CAR UNTIL MONDAY, HE REPLIED YES. *TR
WHILE DRIVING DOWN SIDE STREETS, MY CAR LOCKED UP. LATER MY STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON. SEEMS TO GRAB AND PULL CAR IN A JERKING MOTION. TURNED OFF CONTROL FOR THE STABILITY BUT AFRAID TO DRIVE ON EXPRESSWAY. *TR
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 45 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE CAR LIGHTED UP AND READ THE STABILITRAK WAS HAVING A PROBLEM AND REDUCED POWER...CAR SLOWED SUDDENLY. SHE WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT. SHE PULLED OVER, SHUT OFF THE CAR, RESTARTED IT. THIS LAST WEEK, THIS IS NOW A MULTIPLE TIME PER DAY OCCURRENCE. LAST SUMMER AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT, SHE TOOK THE CAR TO THE CHEVY DEALER IN WATERVILLE, WHO HOOKED IT UP TO THE COMPUTER WHICH DID NOT SHOW ANY CODE. HE TOLD HER TO CONTINUE DRIVING IT AND IT PROBABLY GOT WET. SHE TOOK IT AGAIN TODAY TO ANOTHER GARAGE IN WATERVILLE, WHO HOOKED IT UP TO THE COMPUTER, AND IT DID NOT SAY ANYTHING WAS WRONG. SHE IS EXPERIENCING LOSS OF POWER TO THE CAR MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY WITH MULTIPLE WARNINGS ABOUT THE STABILITRAK. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR
I STARTED MY CAR, AND AS I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY THE FOLLOWING MESSAGES STARTED COMING UP REDUCED ENGINE POWER, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL , SERVICE STABILITY TRACK. I PULLED BACK IN , I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON, THE CAR SEEMED NORMAL AGAIN, I THEN ,STARTED GOING TO WORK, ABOUT A MILE FROM WORK THE SAME MESSAGES STARTED COMING UP AND I DID THE SAME STEPS TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THE TURNED IT ON AGAIN. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND HE STATED IT COULD BE THE THROTTLE BODY, AND THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR. HOWEVER I WAS STATED THAT IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR THIS DEFECT. ARE THEY REAL, THE HAVE MANUFACTURERS DEFECTIVE PART AND I HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS, THAT IS UNFAIR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REDUCE ENGINE POWER AND CHECK STABLE LINK WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,915.
THIS HAS HAPPENED TOO MANY TIMES, AND I HAVE TAKING IT TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES. STABILITRAK REDUCE ENGINE POWER COMES ON. ONE TIME THROTTLE DISARMED CAME ON AND MY CAR CUT OFF ON THE FREEWAY AND ALL I COULD DO WAS COAST OFF THE RAMP. THIS IS HAPPENING SO OFTEN AND I AM TIRED OF IT. PLEASE HELP ME. *TR
I PURCHASED A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA A YEAR AND HALF AGO FROM VICTORY CHEVROLET IN MOUNT HOLLY< N.C. AFTER THE FIRST WEEK OF OWNING THE CAR WHICH HAD ONLY 27000 MILES ON IT THE STABILTRAK LIGHT CAME ON, SINCE THEN IT HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES INCLUDING TODAY, TWO OF THESE TIMES I CAME CLOSE TO HAVING A WRECK. I FOUND ON THE WEB THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO THE IMPALAS. I WROTE GM TO ASK IF SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TO BE KILLED TO RECALL THESE AND BE FIXED. IF YOU LOOK AT THIS YOU WILL SEE THEY DID RECALL THE POLICE CARS BUT NOT THE PERSONAL VEHICLES. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HELP BUT I WILL CONTACT ALL THE NEWS MEDIA TILL SOMEONE WILL LISTEN. AGAIN I HAVE TO TAKE MY CAR IN FOR REPAIRS FOR THE SAME REASON. THANK YOU! IF CANADA IS SUING GM FOR THIS REASON THEN WHY IS SOMETHING DON'T DONE HERE? *TR
I WAS MERGING ON TO THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH WHEN THE BELLS AND ALARMS WENT OFF AND THE ENGINE REDUCED POWER. ERROR ON HUD SAID SERVICE STABILITRAK REDUCED ENGINE POWER SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL. *TR
MY WIFE AND I WERE RETURNING HOME ON I-81 TRAVELING NORTHBOUND. A WARNING BELL SOUNDED AND SHE NOTICED THE TCS(TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM) WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND A WARNING NOTICE TO HAVE THE STABILTRAC SERVICED, ENGINE POWER REDUCED WARNING AS WELL. WE DROVE THE REST OF THE WAY HOME AT A REDUCED SPEED AND PARKED IT. MY WIFE WENT OUT TODAY AND STARTED THE CAR AND THE ONLY INDICATION WE HAD WAS THE TCS LIGHT WAS ON. NO OTHER WARNINGS APPEARED. THIS IS SOMETHING GM REALLY NEEDS TO ADDRESS SINCE I HAVE READ ABOUT MANY SUCH COMPLAINTS. A RECALL IS NEEDED GM. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM AND YOU SHOULD COVER THE COSTS NOT US CONSUMERS!! *JS
ON 5/11/12, THE "SERVICE STABILITRAK" LIGHT CAME ON; THEN A NOTICE THAT THE ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED CAME ON. I CALLED THE DEALER FOR SERVICE AND HE SAID I COULD BRING IT IN ON 5/14. I ASKED IF IT WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN THE MEANTIME AND HE SAID NO. I WAS DRIVING ON 5/12 AND WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC WAITING TO TURN LEFT. I WENT TO TURN LEFT AND EXPERIENCED A GREATLY REDUCED RESPONSE FROM THE GAS PEDAL WHICH WAS FRIGHTENING. THE DEALER JUST CALLED ME ON 5/14 AND SAID THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND HE IS REPLACING IT. I FOUND A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE OF THIS SAME ISSUE GOING BACK TO THE 2007 MODEL. I THINK THIS SHOULD PROMPT A SAFETY RECALL, SINCE A NON-RESPONSIVE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *JS