The Lemon Index2004 Chevrolet Impala.
The 2004 Chevrolet Impala is better than average by owner complaints: 167 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 67, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about electrical, it has 7 recalls, and it gets 20 to 22 mpg combined. The best Chevrolet Impala year is 2019.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 1,073 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Chevrolet Impala year. 2004 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 48K to 101K miles on the car (859 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- electrical complaints mostly came at 50K–98K miles
- lights complaints mostly came at 58K–135K miles
- engine complaints mostly came at 90K–140K miles
Recalls 7
- engine 2015
The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.
- engine 2015
On May 18, 2015, GM expanded the recall to cover an additional 49,751 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2003, to June 25, 2004.
- electrical 2014
If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Show all 7 recalls
- steering 2009
DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE VARIO…
- steering 2008
DORMAN PRODUCTS IS RECALLING 3,900 INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFTS DORMAN PART NOS. 425-151, 425-152, AND 425-153, (SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS" BRAND NAME), BALKAMP #'S 7-3057, 7-3058, 7-3059 (SOLD UNDER THE "NAPA" B…
- fuel system, other 2007
CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS.
- brakes 2004
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH LOWER THAN SPECIFIED TORQUE ON BOTH FRONT BRAKE CALIPER TO STEERING KNUCKLE ATTACHMENT BOLTS.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Chevy told dealers about
Chevy sent dealers 495 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Concerns with clunk noise from front of vehicle turning maneuver / steering wheel rotation.*jb…
- Remote keyless entry inoperative after body control module (bcm) replacement
- Clunk noise from front of vehicle during turning maneuver/steering wheel rotation
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★☆ · rollover ★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $2900–4000 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.4L 6-cyl, 3.8L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
The instrument cluster starts to fail one gauge at a time until none of the gauges work.
2004 Chevrolet Impala owner · NHTSA complaint 10211778
More owner reports
04 chevy Impala with approx. 42,000+ mi. Erratic speedometer reading. From time to time speedometer shows 20 to 30 mph over actual speed. Cannot be sure of car's actual true speed.
NHTSA complaint 10183449
Gas leaking out throttle body. Car is idling low. Cuts off while driving. Instrument panel cluster went out and then all of the before mentioned problems started happening. Skips after being tuned up.
NHTSA complaint 10203057
Quick answers
Is the 2004 Chevrolet Impala reliable?
Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.5× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 67; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Chevrolet Impala year by this measure is 2019.
What are the most common 2004 Chevrolet Impala problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are electrical (43%), brakes (16%) and steering (13%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2004 Chevrolet Impala have?
7 safety recalls (latest: engine). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2004 Chevrolet Impala get?
20 to 22 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2004 Chevrolet Impala problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 48,000 and 101,800 miles. The middle report was at 70,000 miles, from 859 complaints.
Does the 2004 Chevrolet Impala have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 7% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2004 Chevrolet Impala cost in fuel a year?
About $2900 to $4000 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2004 Chevrolet Impala have?
3.4L 6-cyl, 3.8L 6-cyl.
What Chevrolet Impala year is better than the 2004?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2019, 2010 and 2016.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works