YearToAvoid

2012 Chevrolet Impala Airbags Problems

NHTSA lists 20 airbag complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Impala, 8% of that year's 258 total complaints. Eight of those complaints involved crashes and nine involved injuries, with a median failure mileage of 42,447. No related recalls are listed for this problem area.

Airbags complaints
20
8% of 258
Crashes reported
8
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
9
Median mileage
42,447 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical airbag symptoms owners report

  • Owners report airbags failing to deploy during moderate-to-severe crashes, including intersection collisions and multi-car pileups, sometimes with the airbag light illuminated beforehand.
  • Some drivers describe crashes where no front or rear airbags released despite significant impact, resulting in neck, shoulder, or rib injuries.
  • Several complaints describe a false passenger-seat sensor triggering the airbag-off warning light or seat belt chime even when only an object, not a person, sat in the seat.
  • Owners report the SDM (airbag sensor/module) needing replacement after the air bag warning light flickered on and off intermittently.
  • One complaint describes the passenger-side airbag cover physically detaching from the dashboard while the vehicle was parked.

When 2012 Chevrolet Impala airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Jun 5, 2012, latest Apr 16, 2021.

2012 Chevrolet Impala airbags complaints: complaints filed per month1Jun 2012May 2014Sep 2014May 2016Oct 2017Jan 2018Dec 2019
20 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jun 2012 to Apr 2021; peak Jun 2012 (1).

Airbags recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Impala

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Airbags complaints by Impala model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2010101 (23%)
  2. 201137 (7%)
  3. 201220 (8%)
  4. 201319 (7%)
  5. 201443 (7%)
  6. 201529 (10%)
  7. 201616 (14%)
  8. 201717 (15%)
  9. 20186 (10%)
  10. 20195 (18%)
  11. 20202 (13%)

Frequently asked questions

How many airbag complaints does the 2012 Chevrolet Impala have?
NHTSA lists 20 airbag complaints for the 2012 Impala, which is 8% of the 258 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there an airbag recall for the 2012 Chevrolet Impala?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for the airbag problem area on this vehicle.
Did the airbag issues cause crashes or injuries?
Of the 20 airbag complaints, 8 involved crashes and 9 involved injuries, with no fires reported.
At what mileage do airbag problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure for airbag complaints on the 2012 Impala is 42,447 miles.
How does 2012 compare to other Impala model years for airbag complaints?
The 2012 Impala's 20 airbag complaints and 8% share are lower than the 2010 model year, which had 101 complaints and a 23% share, the highest among the listed years.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.