Over 36,000 police-issued Impalas have been recalled, just one day after 1,713 Canadian Impala police sedans were recalled. – Click to Tweet.
The vehicle’s front lower control arm may not be designed to handle the stress of police activity — specifically, the control arm may fracture and separate from its bushing sleeve.
The results can be reduced steering control and changes in handling, which can be disastrous to a police force that relies on its vehicles for criminal chases as well as regular law enforcement activity. The notices issued by GM also say the tire squealing or “chirping” during turns may be a side effect.
The Police Impala Track Record
In general, the Police Impala has served its purpose extremely well, with no unexpected in-service failures that have put people at risk of serious injury or death.
The newest version, the 2012 model, is also a remarkable piece of engineering, with improved performance in several key areas over the already-capable 2011 model. The top speed and acceleration of this model are best in class, thanks mostly to the Impala’s 3.6L V6 engine that puts out 302 horsepower.
This new model is also reasonably easy on police budgets as well, with respectable fuel economy at 28 miles per gallon — a 4 MPG improvement over the 2011 model.
Issues for Non-Police Impalas
After analysis, it was confirmed that all civilian Impalas do not need a recall. All of the Impala vehicles manufactured by GM exceed typical GM durability requirements — the only reason the police vehicles were recalled is that they undergo stress much greater than typical vehicles.
It’s also worth noting that no crashes, injuries, or deaths have been associated with the problem — and the vehicles with weak control arms will have both right-hand and left-hand control arms replaced free of charge.
Other GM Contributions to Police Forces
Chevy also makes the police-issue Caprice and “Detective” cars, along with a 2012 Chevy Tahoe police version. These other vehicles are often used for special needs applications, with the Caprice having an optional 6.0L V8 engine. The Tahoe PPV in particular is often used for “HAZMAT, K9, Medical First Responder and tactical operations.”
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