Problems with 2011 Chevrolet Impala SEATS

Well i have not to many complaints as i do my own maintenance but since i purchased the car used at 32000 miles at 83000 driver seat heater union and now at 114764 miles service air bags light is on display and light is illuminated at all times. it started when car was turned on sept 30 2017 in the morning.

Takata recall vehicle involved in a rear end collision, was pushed into oncoming traffic and hit head on. air bag never deployed additionally the back of drivers seat collapsed into the rear seat

Cannot see out of rear window due to obstructions from rear seat headrests

The three rear seat headrest are way too large and high and block the drivers view out of the rear window. each one of the three headrest block part of the view out of the rear window. this is a very dangerous situation that drivers of this car are being forced to deal with. there should be absolutely nothing interfering with the view out of the rear window from the drivers seat. the rear seat headrest are obviously obstructing the drivers view out of the rear window. this is an obvious safety hazard. it is just a matter of time before someone backs into something or someone or changes lanes causing a crash on a highway destroying property, injuring or killing someone. then there will be a huge civil suit and you can bet the driver of the car will prevail especially after this safety hazard has been reported to gm, nhtsa, the bbb and others and nothing was done to mandate a recall to have these headrest removed.

I purchased a 2011 chevrolet 2011 impala lt car recently. i find that the heights of the three back-seat head rests are extremely hazardous for a driver of this car. each head rest is five inches too high to see out the back window. i had not heard before hand that the 2011 impala was well known for this problem until after i had purchased the car. recently, because of my limited visibility past the left back-seat window head rests, in backing my car, i bumped a parked car. my left rear fender struck the license plate holder of that car. the cost of this fender repair was $983.00. i fear that my driving this car without changes made in the construction of these head rests is leading to another more serious accident waiting. to happen. i will appreciate your attention into this matter. thank you.

2011 chevrolet impala. consumer writes in regards to vehicle head rest issues. *smd the consumer would like the head rest removed. she stated they were too large, which blocked her view.

On two occasions while backing i have not been able to see behind me in the rear view mirror be cause the view is obstructed by the 3 rear seat headrests. i have almost hit two people who's heads were blocked by the rear seat head rests. i wish the head rests could be removed but the are molded as part of the rear seat. stupidest rear seat design i have ever seen. *tr

The back seats on this vehicle are a safety hazard. i have almost had numerous accidents due to not being able to see over the seats. *tr

2011 chevrolet impala. consumer writes in regards to vehicle back row head rests. *smd the consumer stated when using the rear view mirror, the head rest obstructed his vision so that approximately two-thirds of the rear window was blocked from view.

Rear seat center head rest limits visibility, should be a recall on this. it is a definite hazard. *tr

While driving my 2011 impala in reverse, rear head restraints block half of my view, so extra caution has to be used. this is not a problem on other vehicles i have owned. also the front head restraints are positioned too far forward and puts my neck in an uncomfortable position. on long trips my neck aches very bad. raising the head restraints does not help this problem. if chevrolet has no fix for these two problems i will be forced to make them myself or get rid of this car. *tr

The tall rear seat headrests severely obscure vision to the rear when backing up. the middle rear seat headrest is the worst offender, and completely blocks my rear vision to the point where i cannot tell if there is a vehicle or other object behind me while driving down the road or backing up. it appears that the problem has been recognized by gm as i have noticed the 2012 impala does not have this center rear headrest! this is an accident waiting to happen and a recall needs to be issued for these older model impalas so these rear seat headrests can be removed. i already submitted a complaint to gm (reference #[xxx]) information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Cannot see out of the rear view mirror because the middle rear seat headrest is very tall. this headrest is not present on the 2012 impala, so this is an issue. also, turning and trying to look out the back window is impossible because of high rear seat headrests. *tr

After i purchased this vehicle this summer i noticed that the engine wouldn't accelerate when pulling out in front of traffic plus i had to really press hard on the gas pedal to get power on small inclines. took it to a dealership and of course they couldn't find anything wrong with it. it seems that if the engine light isn't on they don't have a clue. so i took the mechanic for a little drive and he still couldn't feel anything wrong or hear the slight squeak in the gas pedal but finally told me about the sensors in the pedal and that he would lube it. after he lubed the accelerator the vehicle ran great for awhile and now it is starting again and the gas pedals squeak is more noticeable when depressing it. the thing is my full warranty has now expired and i doubt that chevy would cover any costs. another thing is the headrests in the back seat are way too big. you practically have to dislocate your shoulder to see out the back window when backing up; this is a real safety issue for vision. they need to have a recall to replace the whole bench and get rid of these high headrests! *tr

My husband is 6' tall and we got a 2011 chevy impala the back seat has 3 headrest and the middle headrest blocks his view using the rear view mirror he did not pay any attention when he test drove it and when i drove it home i could not see the car behind me so i told my husband and when we got home with the car we both really like it so i called the dealership and ask if the back seat could be replace and they told me no so now we are stuck with a safety defect!!!! you need to drive one around for awhile and see what i mean. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the middle headrest in the rear of the vehicle would sit too high, blocking the contact's view of the roadway when utilizing the rearview mirror. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was approximately 900. the current mileage was approximately 11,300. the vin was unavailable.

2011 chevy impala. consumer writes in regards to vehicle headrest and not being able to see out of the rear view mirror *tgw

2011 chevrolet impala. consumer writes in regards to issues with vehicle head rest *tgw the consumer stated the rear head rest were too high and it was difficult to see, which made backing up difficult. *jb

I bought a used 2011 impala and did notice the rear seat head rests were quite high, but thought i would get used to it. i however after three weeks have not. it is a hindrance having to spend eye time on the rear of the vehicle due to the seat head rests being too high. when driving in 5 lane traffic you need to devote all of your attention to all around you, and you are not able to do this in a 2011 impala. i have not contacted the dealer because it appears from other postings that the only resolution at this time is to buy 2012 rear seats for over $400. these seats are definitely a dangerous accident waiting to happen. *tr

Rear seat headrests impair visibility through rear window. the center headrest is the worst offender as it blocks motorcycles and even smaller cars from your view. over 50% of the view through the rear window is blocked. one must use extra caution when trying to navigate on the roads and it actually causes a dangerous situation when backing into or out of parking spaces. a person walking behind the car can easily be missed by the driver. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala . the contact stated that the height of the headrest was blocking the visibility of the roadway when the contact had to look through the rear window. the dealer was contacted and they stated that the design of the vehicle could not be altered. the vehicle was neither diagnosed nor repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 32,000.

2011 chevrolet impala. consumer states issues with rear seat head rests being too high. *tgw the consumer stated the rear seats has three large head rests, which makes it impossible to see out of the rear window. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala. while parked, the contact noticed that the three head rests on the rear seats were interfering with the rear view mirror visibility. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing where the technician recommended replacing the rear seat with a newly designed one. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 19,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala. the contact stated the head rest on the rear middle seat blocked his view. the manufacturer was made aware of the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 30 and the current mileage was 18,000. updated 06/05/12 *bf updated 06/07/12 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala. the contact noticed that the rear seat middle head rest obstructed her view of the roadway when looking through the rear view mirror. the head rest could not be removed. the contact also noticed that the front passenger side air bag was not pushed flat down into the compartment. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 28,855.

The rear headrests in the impala are terrible. it is a safety concern/issue. they obstruct, obscure, or impair the driver's clear view. this is an accident waiting to happen. there should be a recall on this. this is a major flaw. another thing is the side mirrors, why are they soooo tiny? side mirror are supposed to provide maximum visibilty. the driver of any motor vehicle should have a clear view of the roadway & objects surrounding the vehicle from any angle!!!! automakers, keep this in mind when designing a vehicle. safety first!!!! do not sacrifice safety for style!!!!!! *tt

We, like others, didn't realize how tall the three rear headrests were when we purchased our 2011 chevy impala. the center headrest is especially a problem; it creates a blindspot and to me is an accident waiting to happen. gm really needs to address we owners who are stuck with this; they obviously know there's a problem because they removed that center headrest on the 2012 model. in the meantime, so far, they've ignored their big mess up and do nothing to correct the problem with the 2011 model. if we'd known what an issue this was going to be we would have never bought this car; it's beautiful, but it's also got a serious safety issue. gm either needs to provide a solution, such as having an upholstery shop remove the center headrest or replace the seat with the new model. does someone have to die before they'll actually care????????????? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the rear seat headrests were sitting too high, obscuring her vision of the roadway when attempting to change lanes or reverse. the contact was unable to see anything behind the vehicle due to the obstruction. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they advised the contact that the head rests were designed in a specific manner and could not be redesigned. the manufacturer was contacted but they offered no assistance. the failure mileage was approximately 7,500. updated 04/10/12*lj updated 04/11/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that while reversing from a residential driveway, he crashed into a parked car. the contact stated that his view of the vehicle was obstructed by the rear middle seat headrest. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact that the head rest could not be replaced, removed or adjusted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 3,000 and the current mileage was 3,100.

The middle headrest on the rear seat is too high and significantly obstructs the view from the rear view mirror. *tr

The 3 rear seat headrests make it all but impossible to safely back the car up plus they obscure the view of following vehicles. this is a significant problem as i just purchased the car,and took delivery before realizing how major this visibility issue is. the headrests cannot be removed or adjusted. there needs to be a recall as soon as possible. this is not an abstruse or difficult problem to recognize, nor is it one man's opinion. any time there is 70%+ view obstruction it makes perfect sense to remedy the problem. gm should certainly recognize this most obvious mistake which never should have happened to begin with. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala. the contact stated the driver was four feet eleven and the rear middle seat head rest obstructed the drivers view and could potentially cause a crash. the dealer stated the manufacturer was aware of the defect and they was in contact with the manufacturer concerning the defect. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 10 and the current mileage was 105. rvk updated10/27/11 *bf updated 3/30/12 *cn

This car is a accident waiting to happen, whoever thought of putting a stationary middle headrest on this cars backseat was either 7 feet tall, or has never backed out of a parking space in it! my 5'2" wife had a fit after driving it today. i bought it 9/14/11 without her. anyhow, for gm to let this car on the road without a backup camera or being not able to remove that headrest is just irresponsible. drive one and you will see exactly what i mean. *tr

The rear visibility both using the mirror and turning your head is compromised by the middle headrest located on the back seat. it should have been designed to be removed but is made into the rear seat. i believe it is an accident waiting to happen. the other two headrests also make it hard to see. i really believe it was an all around bad idea by gmc. i also get a film on my windshield like i've been smoking but nobody in my family smokes. i suggested to the dealership that it may be the heater core but they assured me it couldn't be the heater core. they told me to keep washing the windshield and it would eventually go away. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the front passenger side head rest blocked the contact's view of the roadway. in addition, the driver's side head rest was leaning entirely too far forward. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 3,000 and the current mileage was 12,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala. the contact noticed that the rear middle seat headrest was impairing his driving view. the contact called the dealer and was informed that the head-rest could not be removed. the vehicle was not repaired. the current and the failure mileages were 9,000.

2011 chevy impala lt. rear head rest reduces visibility. difficult to see vehicles when driving and backing. *tr

2011 chevrolet impala. consumer states problem with vehicle head rests *tgw the consumer stated the rear head rests are three inches to high and too wide. the three head rests block almost 40% of the view looking in the rear view mirror and out the back window. the problem is they cannot be folded down or removed. *jb updated 10/20/11.*jb

Purchased 2011 impala lt/4 door sedan 3 weeks ago. rear center headrest completely blocks the view of vehicle traveling behind, which prevents you from seeing the car in the rear view mirror. this is a dangerous situation. this also poses a hazard when backing up, due to 90% sight blockage. a recall needs to be issued by gm to remove the center rear headrest from this vehicle. the 2012 model of this vehicle does not have a center headrest. it only has headrests on the left and right, which proves this is an issue they have corrected for the newer model. something needs to be done to fix this problem in the 2011. i do not feel safe driving this vehicle because of the lack of visibility. *tr

Rear seat center headrest blocks view of traffic and pedestrians. very unsafe and someone will be seriouly injured. gm engineers for seats and not doing their job. *tr

Bought 2011 impala, rear seat head rests obstructing view on rear view mirror. very hazardous, will probably cause many accidents and possibly deaths. lot of persons complaining to dealer and gm and they say nothing can be done about this. they have been notified and their refusal to do anything about it needs to be looked at. *kb

Tl* the contact rented a 2011 chevrolet impala lt. the contact stated the rear seats head rest were very wide and obstructed the rear and side view. the failure and the current miles were 14,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that while stopped, he noticed that his vision through the rear was obstructed by the very large size of the rear headrests. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, where the contact was informed that he could remove the headrests at his own discretion. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 5.

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the rear middle head rest prevented the driver from having a clear line of vision when driving in reverse. the contact stated that the manufacturer was contacted but denied any assistance. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 7,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala. the contact stated the rear seat headrest was obstructing the driver's view of the rear window. the vehicle was not inspected or repaired. the failure and current mileage was 2,000. updated 07/08/11 *bf updated 07/18/11

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the rear headrests were obstructing the field of vision through the rear. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to provide assistance because the design of the vehicle could not be modified. the manufacturer was made aware of failure and filed a complaint. the manufacturer also stated that they would be getting in touch with the contact at a later date. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 5 and the current mileage was 7,300.

Rear seat headrests (3) are extremely high making it difficult for driver to see vehicles in rear. difficulty in backing car, as well as changing lanes. headrests are sewn into rear seat; non-adjustable. had to have middle headrest removed permanently. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the rear headrests were positioned too high and obstructed vision while reversing. the dealer and manufacturer were notified, but denied any assistance with the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 2,000 and the current mileage was 13,000.

Oversized, immovable third headrest in middle of back seat of 2011 chevy impala. blocks vision out of rear window - driver cannot use rear view mirror. driver cannot see vehicle following. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet impala. the contact entered the vehicle and noticed that he could not see when using the rear view mirror due to reduced visibility cause by the head rests on the rear seats. the contact stated that the view when using the rear view mirror was obstructed by approximately seventy percent. the contact also stated that while driving at any speed, the head lights from vehicles in the rearview mirror would intermittently disappear due to the reduced visibility. the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed and was not repaired. the failure mileage was 68 and the current mileage was 118.