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NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1995–2008

Chevrolet Lumina recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 18 recall campaigns and 1,462 owner complaints for the Chevrolet Lumina, covering model years 1995 to 2008. The 1995 model year drew the most complaints (492), and Engine and Engine Cooling is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Chevrolet Lumina VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

  • 18 recall campaigns on file
  • 1,462 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
  • 9 model years with data (1995–2008)
  • most complaints: 1995 (492 for that model year)
  • top component: Engine and Engine Cooling (238 complaints)
  • latest recall 15V701000 (reported Oct 26, 2015)
  • 127 complaints reporting a crash (8.7%)
  • 28 complaints reporting a fire (1.9%)
  • 86 complaints reporting an injury (5.9%)
  • 10 complaints reporting a death (0.7%)

Chevrolet Lumina complaints by model year

8 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 1995 model year has the most complaints: 492 of 1,462, or 33.7%. Next come 1997 (347) and 1996 (245). The fewest are for 2008, with 1 complaint.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years
Chevrolet Lumina owner complaints to NHTSA by model year, 1995–2008Column chart of 1,462 complaints across 14 model years. The highest is 1995 with 492. The full figures are in the table below the chart.1995: 492 complaints49219951996: 245 complaints24519961997: 347 complaints34719971998: 223 complaints22319981999: 103 complaints10319992000: 30 complaints3020002001: 21 complaints2120012002: 0 complaints20022003: 0 complaints20032004: 0 complaints20042005: 0 complaints20052006: 0 complaints20062007: 0 complaints20072008: 1 complaint12008
Chevrolet Lumina complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Chevrolet Lumina complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model yearComplaintsReporting a crashReporting a fireReporting an injuryReporting a death
1995492508285
1996245242241
1997347348183
19982238660
199910310481
2000301010
2001210010
200810000
All model years1,462127288610

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Chevrolet Lumina components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Engine and Engine Cooling is the component named most often, in 238 complaints (16.3% of all 1,462), followed by Service Brakes, Hydraulic (197) and Steering (192).

Components named most often in Chevrolet Lumina complaints (top 15)
Components named most often in Chevrolet Lumina complaints (top 15)
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints
Engine and Engine Cooling23816.3%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic19713.5%
Steering19213.1%
Visibility1449.8%
Power Train1339.1%
Electrical System1298.8%
Air Bags1258.5%
Fuel System, Gasoline845.7%
Structure684.7%
Exterior Lighting674.6%
Vehicle Speed Control644.4%
Suspension584.0%
Seat Belts533.6%
Unknown or Other443.0%
Seats352.4%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

  • They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
  • Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
  • Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
  • One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
  • Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Chevrolet Lumina recalls

18 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name Lumina, newest first. The 18 campaigns cover model years 1995 to 2002. The 1995 model year appears in the most campaigns (6).

  • 18 recall campaigns
Chevrolet Lumina recall campaigns covering each model year
DecadeYears ending in 0Years ending in 1Years ending in 2Years ending in 3Years ending in 4Years ending in 5Years ending in 6Years ending in 7Years ending in 8Years ending in 9
1995: 6 campaigns1996: 2 campaigns1997: 1 campaign1998: 3 campaigns1999: 2 campaigns
2000: 5 campaigns2001: 3 campaigns2002: 1 campaign
Highlighted: the model year with the most campaigns.

  1. NHTSA campaign 15V701000

    Reported

    Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe; Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine

    Model years 1998–1999

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. 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.

    Consequence:
    Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.
    Remedy:
    The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engine’s front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are covered by recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, or 15V-201 that have not yet received the original remedy will instead receive the improved remedy under the original recall number. The recall began on February 19, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Oldsmobile customer service at 1-800-442-6537 and Pontiac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15757. Note: Until the improved remedy has been applied, owners are advised to park their vehicle outside since the fire risk exists even when the vehicle is unattended.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  2. NHTSA campaign 09V116000

    Reported

    Engine and Engine Cooling

    Model years 1998–1999

    General Motors is recalling 1,497,516 MY 1997-2003 Buick Regal, MY 1998-2003 Chevrolet Lumina, monte carlo and impala, MY 1998-1999 oldsmobile intrigue, MY 1997-2003 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8L V6 naturally aspirated engine. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which drops of engine oil may be deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking.

    Consequence:
    If the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the engine’s front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engine’s plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during May 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537, and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or http://www.Pontiac.com or http:www.gmownercenter.com.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  3. NHTSA campaign 03V527000

    Reported

    Steering › Rack and Pinion

    Model years 1997–1998

    Certain passenger vehicles have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These retainers could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.

    Consequence:
    If this occurs, the pinion shaft can be forced upward during left turns and back down as the steering wheel is moved back and to the right. If the pinion shaft moves further, the driver will need to exert more effort to turn the steering wheel, similar to a vehicle without power assisted steering. If the pinion shaft moves even further, the driver will require much higher effort to turn left and may not be able to turn the wheel as much as intended. With the maximum pinion shaft movement, which requires internal gear component damage, the driver can encounter high resistance to turning left, followed by unintended power assist to the right. In any of these conditions, a crash could occur.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began on February 5, 2004. Owners should contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080; Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537; or Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  4. NHTSA campaign 02V329000

    Reported

    Air Bags › Frontal

    Model years 2001–2002

    On certain passenger, sport utility vehicles and mini vans, some of these vehicles have a passenger air bag that was manufactured without a check valve pin. An air bag without the check valve pin could produce increased pressure at the onset of the air bag deployment and reduced pressure afterward.

    Consequence:
    This could increase the severity of injury to a person who was not properly restrained and who was close to the passenger air bag at the time of deployment. It could also reduce the AB8ILITY of the air bag to protect a restrained front seat passenger.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag. Owner notification began December 16, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537, or Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, prompt #3.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  5. NHTSA campaign 01V026000

    Reported

    Air Bags › Frontal

    Model year 2001

    Vehicle description: passenger, sport utility vehicles and minivans. The passenger air bag inflator modules were built without the correct amount of generant, which produces the gas that fills the air bag. Some were built with a double load of generant and some were built without generant.

    Consequence:
    In the event of a crash that would trigger a passenger air bag deployment, a double load of generant can cause the inflator module to explode. If the air bag module explodes, metal and plastic debris could cause severe injury to vehicle occupant. A module with no generant would not inflate the air bag, and the occupants could receive more severe injuries.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the passenger air bag module. Telephone calls were made to owners on January 29, 2001. Follow up owner mailing began on April 17, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, or Saturn at 1-800-553-6000.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  6. NHTSA campaign 00V228003

    Reported

    Seat Belts

    Model years 2000–2001

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles, light duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and mini vans equipped with TRW seat belt buckle assemblies. The buckle base of these seat belt assemblies were not properly heat treated and therefore do not pass the load bearing requirement of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 209, "seat belt assemblies."

    Consequence:
    In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant may not be properly restrained.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect the vehicle's safety belt buckle assembly date codes and, if necessary, will replace any safety belt buckle assembly.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  7. NHTSA campaign 00V160000

    Reported

    Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Filler Pipe and Cap

    Model year 2000

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The clamp that secures the flexible fuel fill hose to the metal fill tube may be loose and could separate.

    Consequence:
    This could cause fuel leakage exceeding the permissible amount.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect the fuel hose fill neck clamp and, if necessary, reposition and tighten the clamp.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  8. NHTSA campaign 00V143000

    Reported

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Drum

    Model year 2000

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with rear drum brakes. The bolt head(s) on the rear spindle rod can separate.

    Consequence:
    The rear wheel can shift, causing rear steering of the vehicle. The driver could lose control and a crash could occur.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the rear spindle bolts.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  9. NHTSA campaign 99V357000

    Reported

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings

    Model year 2000

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The right front brake hose is incorrectly routed behind the brake pipe bracket restricting brake hose movement that could cause the hose to either be cut by the bracket or separated at the caliper.

    Consequence:
    If the hose becomes disconnected or damaged, there can be a loss of pressure in one half of the brake system. The brake warning lamp may be on, the pedal will be lower than normal, and stopping distances will be longer, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace and correctly route the right front brake hose assembly.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  10. NHTSA campaign 99V283000

    Reported

    Air Bags › Frontal

    Model year 2000

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The passenger side air bag modules have an undersized inflator orifice.

    Consequence:
    In the event of a crash that would trigger a passenger side air bag deployment, this undersized orifice can cause the inflator module to explode. If an air bag inflator module explodes, metal and/or plastic debris could cause severe injury to the vehicle occupant.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the passenger side air bag modules.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

Show 8 more recalls

  1. NHTSA campaign 98V306000

    Reported

    Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage

    Model year 1995

    The center rear seat belt anchor plate exhibits stress cracks.

    Consequence:
    In the event of a vehicle crash, the seat belt system can fracture, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the center rear seat belt system.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  2. NHTSA campaign 97V065000

    Reported

    Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage

    Model year 1995

    The center rear seat belt anchor plate exhibits stress cracks.

    Consequence:
    In the event of a vehicle crash, the seat belt system can fracture and injury to the seat occupant can occur.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the center rear seat belt system.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  3. NHTSA campaign 97V017000

    Reported

    Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Switch/Wiring

    Model year 1995

    Some of these vehicles have a strained or separated washer/wiper switch power feed wire.

    Consequence:
    This can cause the windshield washer/wiper to work intermittently and could ultimately result in inoperative wipers. If this were to occur in a severe weather situation, driver visibility could be reduced, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect and replace the old designed washer/wiper switches with a newly designed switch.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  4. NHTSA campaign 96V122000

    Reported

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum

    Model year 1996

    These vehicles were assembled with one of the four brake booster tabs not properly located in the front of dash reinforcement assembly.

    Consequence:
    If this condition were present in a situation where stopping distances were small, a vehicle crash could occur.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect for proper booster installation. Boosters found to be improperly located will be removed and reinstalled properly.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  5. NHTSA campaign 96V069000

    Reported

    Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings

    Model year 1996

    The left front brake line can contact the transaxle mounting bracket or attachment bolt.

    Consequence:
    This condition can cause the brake line to wear through, resulting in loss of brake fluid and eventual loss of one-half of the vehicle's brake system, increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect the vehicle for proper brake line clearance and reposition those brake lines found to have less than minimal clearance. Additionally, those brake lines found to have an indentation caused by the contact will be replaced and properly routed.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  6. NHTSA campaign 95V214000

    Reported

    Vehicle Speed Control

    Model year 1995

    These vehicles were assembled with throttle cable support brackets that could contact the throttle lever system and inhibit the throttle return. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS No. 124, "accelerator control systems."

    Consequence:
    Consequence of non-compliance: the throttle may faitl to return quickly causing the engine speed to not decrease to a level anticipated by the driver.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the throttle cable support bracket.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  7. NHTSA campaign 95V030000

    Reported

    Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar

    Model year 1995

    The four (4) steering column support bracket attaching bolts were under torqued during assembly.

    Consequence:
    Inadequate torque can cause these bolts to vibrate, loosen, or fall out resulting in loss of steering control and increase the potential for a vehicle crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will retorque the steering column support bracket attaching bolts to the correct specifications.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

  8. NHTSA campaign 94V230000

    Reported

    Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint

    Model year 1995

    A right-hand lower control arm tapered ball joint mounting hole was incorrectly machined. Movement within this attachment can allow the ball joint stud to fatigue and fracture.

    Consequence:
    If the ball joint fractured while the vehicle was in motion, loss of steering control to the vehicle can occur.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the right-hand lower control arm and ball joint stud on all involved vehicles.

    Filed by General Motors, LLC

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means
What each recall field means
FieldWhat it tells you
Campaign numberNHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
ComponentThe system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
SummaryWhat the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
ConsequenceThe safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
RemedyWhat the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.
  • Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
  • A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
  • Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Chevrolet Lumina questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Chevrolet Lumina have?

NHTSA lists 18 vehicle recall campaigns for the Chevrolet Lumina, covering model years 1995 to 2008. The most recent, 15V701000, was reported on October 26, 2015 and is filed under “Engine and engine cooling”. The 1995 model year is covered by the most campaigns (6).

Which Chevrolet Lumina model year has the most complaints?

The 1995 model year, with 492 of the 1,462 complaints in NHTSA’s file (33.7%). The next are 1997 (347) and 1996 (245). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Chevrolet Lumina complaint?

Engine and Engine Cooling is the component named most often: 238 complaints, or 16.3% of all 1,462. Service Brakes, Hydraulic (197) and Steering (192) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Chevrolet Lumina?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Chevrolet dealer.

How many Chevrolet Lumina complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 1,462 complaints, 127 report a crash, 28 a fire, 86 at least one injury and 10 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

Other Chevrolet models

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The Chevrolet models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Chevrolet VIN decoder with every Chevrolet model page, WMI code and VIN note.

All Chevrolet models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.