1996 Chevrolet Lumina recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Exterior lighting › Turn signal › Switch

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET LUMINA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED A RECURRING FAILURE WITHIN THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH WHICH WOULD SUDDENLY STOP FUNCTIONING, CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO STOP WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIR. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWO ADDITIONAL TIMES AND WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 308,000.

  Dec 1, 2004 · 90,000 miles
• Visibility › Power window devices and controls

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET LUMINA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION WHO REPLACED THE ENGINE EGR VALVES. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURE AND REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS CLEANED, WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO A LOUD SQUEAKY NOISE. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC WINDOW MECHANISM WAS INOPERATIVE AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 157,000. UPDATED 04/24/09. *LJ THE…

  Aug 8, 1999 · 22,000 miles
• Suspension › RearCrash1 injury

  IN AUGUST 2008 I PURCHASED A CLEAN WHITE 1996 CHEVY LUMINA WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES ON THE DASH. IT SEEMED TO BE RUNNING PRETTY WELL AT FIRST BUT I NOTICED THE CAR HAD A LITTLE SKIP EVERY NOW AND THEN IN DEEP CURVES. THEN ON NOVEMBER 1, 2008 THE FRONT LEFT AXLE BROKE A LOOSE FROM THE MAIN PORT AS I WAS LEAVING MY YARD WHICH WAS STRANGE AND UNCOMMON. ON NOVEMBER 8, 2008 A LICENSED MECHANIC WAS HIRED AND FIXED THE BROKEN AXLE ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE. AFTER THE REPAIR THE CAR WAS TEST DRIVEN AND SEEMED TO BE RUNNING AS GOOD AS NEW. LATER ON THAT NIGHT WHILE MY SON WAS GOING THROUGH A CURVE THE CAR LOSS CONTROL AND STARTED FISHTAILING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CURVE. AS HE WAS…

  Nov 8, 2008 · 99,000 miles
• Engine and engine cooling

  I LOVE MY CAR BUT THE ENGINE HAS BEEN GOING OUT FOR SOME TIME NOW AND THE PERSON WHOM I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM HE KNEW OF THIS SITUATION AND HE DIDN'T TELL ME. THIS CAR IS MY FIRST CAR AND MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION SO CAN YOU ALL PLEASE HELP ME. *TR

  Jan 1, 2007 · 221,878 miles
• Engine and engine cooling

  OIL LEAK 1996 3.4 DOHC CHEVY LUMINA I DID MY RESEARCH THAT IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THESE CARS THEN ITS COSTS A PRETTY GOOD PENNY TO FIX BY THE DEALERSHIP LIKE $2000. *TR

  Mar 11, 2007 · 180,000 miles
• Air bagsCrash2 injuries

  I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AND CAME UP TO A INTERSECTION WHERE I HAD THE RIGHT OF WAY. THE OTHER PERSON HAD A STOP SIGN. THIS PERSON THOUGHT THAT I HAD A STOP SIGN ALSO SO SHE PROCEEDED INTO THE INTERSECTION AND I SMASHED INTO HER MAKING HER TRUCK FLY ACROSS THE HIGHWAY AND FLIPPING OVER. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND BECAUSE OF THAT I FEEL THAT I WAS INJURED MORE THAN IF MY AIRBAG WOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. MY CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR

  Apr 9, 2007
• Engine and engine cooling

  PURCHASED 1996 CHEVY LUMINA W/3.1 LITER ENGINE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND CURRENTLY HAS 115,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. THE ISSUE IS THAT THE CAMSHAFT HAS BROKEN. WHY WOULD A VEHICLE THAT HAS HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM? IT SEEMS AN EXTREME PROBLEM FOR A WELL-CARED FOR VEHICLE. THIS WAS A FORMER POLICE VEHICLE (FIRST 96,000 MILES). MY SON'S GIRLFRIEND ALSO OWNS A LUMINA (1999, NO VIN AVAILABLE) AND SHE TOO HAS HAD THE CAMSHAFT REPLACED IN HER VEHICLE AT 170,000. *TR

  Nov 11, 2007 · 115,000 miles
• Unknown or other

  EXTERIOR PAINT , PEELING , FLAKING , RUSTING . I REALIZE THIS CAR IS NOW 11 YEARS OLD , BUT THIS PROBLEM STARTED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY ABOUT 5 YEARS OLD . THE PAINT HAS PEELED OFF IN LARGE PATCHES IN MANY AREAS OF THE CAR , REVEALING THE DULL GRAY PRIMER . *JB

  Jan 15, 2000

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILUREClosedLed to recall 03V527000

  GM'S LETTER TO NHTSA DATED DECEMBER 11, 2003, EXPANDS ITS ORIGINAL RECALL (NHTSA 02V286) TO INCLUDE CERTAIN W-BODY VEHICLES: 96-97 OLDS CUTLASS SUPREME; 98 OLDS INTRIGUE; 97-98 OLDS CUTLASS; 97-98 CHEVY LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND MALIBU; 96 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX; AND 96-98 BUICK REGAL.THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES RECALLED IS 750,283.GM DETERMINED THAT FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION IS RELATED TO DAMAGE OF THE LOWER PINION BEARING AND THE LEVEL OF THE PINION BEARING PRE-LOAD SPRING FORCE.GM STATES, HIGHER RACK PRE-LOAD SPRING FORCE (133 LB.) IS THE DESIGN CHARACTERISTIC MOST CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER BEARING DAMAGE RATES IN MOST OF THE VEHICLE APPLICATIONS THAT USED THE GENERAL BEARING COMPANY (GBC) BEARING.ALL OF THE VEHICLES COVERED IN THE EXPANDED RECALL HAVE THE 133 LB SPRING FORCE.THE 96 LUMINA/MONTE CARLO AND 97-98 CENTURY W-BODY VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THIS INVESTIGATION UTILIZE A LOWER…

  EA03019 · opened Sep 15, 2003 · closed Dec 18, 2003
• POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILUREClosed

  GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, CHEVROLET LUMINA APV, CHEVROLET VENTURE, OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINIVANS, AND CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND PONTIAC SUNFIRE SEDANS BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997.ODI OPENED THIS RQ AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS THAT OTHER VEHICLES WERE EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES.BASED ON ODI'S REVIEW OF TECHNICAL AND COMPLAINT DATA COLLECTED DURING THE RQ, THE W-CARS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER A HIGHER STEERING COMPLAINT RATE OR A HIGHER LPB FAILURE RATE THAN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED UNDER THE RQ AND ARE ABOVE OR NEAR THE RATES FOR THE RECALLED…

  RQ03001 · opened Jan 2, 2003 · closed Sep 15, 2003
• INAPPROPRIATE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTClosed

  THE FAILURE RATE (1.25/100K) ON THIS ISSUE IS LOW.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF THE AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITURE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR THIS ISSUE.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS CLOSING REPORT IS INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC FILE.

  EA96023 · opened Sep 27, 1996 · closed Feb 13, 1998
• INAPPROPRIATE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTClosed

  There is no summary currently available

  PE96031 · opened Apr 18, 1996 · closed Sep 27, 1996