Catastrophic sub frame failure. After 16 years of salted ne ohio roads the van's front sub frame collapsed and made the vehicle unsafe to drive. It would jolt from lane to lane while shifting, and had lost most steering control. Mechanics replaced over $700 of parts trying to fix the issue until a friend found the real culprit of the clunking and lost steering. Please be very wary of gm products in the rust belt. Replacement of sub frame solved all issues procured from initial problem however, and it is fairly inexpensive to have a sub frame shipped up here from arizona especially considering the engines/trans in these vehicles were just about bullet proof and it just didn't make sense to junk such a reliable running vehicle. Good vehicle otherwise and the unibody is galvanized, so the rest of the vehicle is sound.
The worst 1994 Chevrolet Lumina Apv problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Seat belts14
- Electrical8
- Transmission8
- Brakes7
- Airbags5
- Body5
- Locks5
- Visibility5
- Engine3
- Fuel system3
- Acceleration2
- Seats2
- Steering2
- Tires2
- Lights1
- Suspension1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1994 Chevrolet Lumina Apv
Recalls 4
Power train: automatic transmission: cooling unit and lines
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles manufactured from august 1991 through july 1995. The transmission oil cooler line can separate when the vehicle is operated in low temperatures in combination with high transmission loads.
- Risk
- Vehicle fires can occur due to the spillage of transmission fluid.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the transmission oil cooler lines.
Recall number 96V015000 · Recall details
Seat belts: front: webbing
- What is wrong
- The second row, right hand shoulder belt can become "pinched" between the seat and the door frame pillar trim. The shoulder belt may not retract properly, which does not comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 208, "occupant crash protection." the 1994 vehicles have an optional integral (built in) childseat installed next to the power sliding side door. The 1993 involved vehicles have standard seats in that same position.
- Risk
- Improper shoulder belt retraction does not provide adequate protection to the seat occupant in the event of a sudden stop or collision.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the door frame pillar trim panel with a redesigned trim panel. Also, a caution label will be applied to the child seat advising the owner not to install the seat to the passenger side of a vehicle with a power sliding side door.
Recall number 94V100000 · Recall details
Seat belts: front: retractor
- What is wrong
- The third row safety belt retractors may be installed incorrectly and may lock-up when the vehicle is on slopes of less than 15 degrees, which does not comply with fmvss no. 209, "seat belt assemblies."
- Risk
- Consequence of non-compliance: passengers seated in these positon maybe unable to extract and fasten their seat belts until the vehicle is moved to a more level surface. Unbelted occupants are more at risk of injury in the event of a collision than those using safety belts.
- Remedy
- Dealers will remove third row safety belt retractors and reinstall them properly.
Recall number 94V015000 · Recall details
Seat belts: rear/other
- What is wrong
- The safety belt retractors for the rear center position are missing a pawl spring and in case of an accident, will allow the safety belt webbing to extend beyond the minimum requirements of fmvss no. 208, "occupant crash protection."
- Risk
- In the event of an accident the safety belt would notrestrain the occupant, subjecting the occupant to increased risk of injuries.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the safety belt retractor assembly and replace the retractor if the pawl spring is missing.
Recall number 93V212000 · Recall details
See all 4 recalls for the 1994 Chevrolet Lumina Apv
Defect investigations
Passenger side dash fires
There is no summary currently available
PE95062
Trnsaxl oil hose separates
There is no summary currently available
PE94070
Technical service bulletins for the 1994 Chevrolet Lumina Apv 21
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Equipment: electrical: anti-theft devices
- Equipment
- Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
- Owners of some vehicles equipped with hydra-matic 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E or 4T65-E transaxles may comment on a...
- Some vehicles equipped with hydra-matic 3T40, 4T60 or 4T60-E transxales may comment on a grinding and / or...
- Intermittent hestiations, low power, and rough running engine in cold temperatures (replace PCM)
- Special policy adjustment - linear exhaust gas recirculation system
- Engine hard to start (replace fuel pump pulsator)
- Cold start rattle noise (diagnosis/service procedure)
- Cold start rattle noise
What 1994 Chevrolet Lumina Apv owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Dt: the contact states transmission still acts like it wants to overheat. The transmission was replaced on jan 5th the lines are leaking. The contact feels this is related to recall 96v015000. The contact has never received a recall letter. The vehicle has 202,000 miles on it. Also, the front and middle seat belts are not retracting. The webbing is coming off. This problem is in related to recalls 93v212000 and 94v100000. The contact has not received a recall letter concerning the seat belts. *ak updated 11/29/2005 - *nm the engine overheated, the intake manifold gasket was replaced. Updated 01/11/06. *jb the consumer is still waiting on a response from the manufacturer. Updated 05/24/06
I was reading information on the following: the federal safety agency action number : pe95062 the federal safety agency recall campaign number : n/a make : chevrolet model: lumina apv manufacturer : general motors corp. Year : 1994 component : electrical system:wiring my 1994 lumina apv started to smoke in the steering column on 2 occasions. I turned off the ignition key and it stopped. I turned it back forward to the on position without starting the vehicle and it did not smoke then, but when I went ahead and started the van is began to smoke again. Being the only vehicle I own and cant go without it, I carefully removed the 4 screws on the center wheel that holds the airbag, and found that the large yellow plug that conects the airbag was blackened by heat. Have you received any other notifications of this in the past? Thank you in advance.
I have a 1994 chevrolet lumina apv. Back in 2000 I had the windshield washer motor/assembly replaced because of failure to operate on numerous occasions. In the past two years gm has issued a repair/refund for same motor for all other vehicles with problems but not for the lumina/lumina apv. This was a costly repair and would like to know what gm is going to do about it. I have called gm's customer service and reported/ inquired about this problem at least a dozen times. I know of many lumina owners who have had this problem and repaired them. When is this going to be resolved???
I own a 1994 chevrolet lumina van and the windshield wipers work only when they "feel like it". In speaking to an independent mechanic (not a chevy dealership), he mentioned that this is the same windshield wiper assembly that is on your recall 98v150001, however, this vehical is not listed as part of that recall. Upon contacting chevy, they used that same reasoning as not covering replacement. If, in fact, this is the same windshield wiper motor as what's in the other chevrolet models listed in the recall, it would seem to me that replacement of that part would also be covered on the lumina van.
Vehicle steering column was made of aluminium instead of steel.
The anti-lock brake system failed and the brakes "locked up". Consumer collided with a tree.
Collided head-on into a tree and the driver's side air bag did not deploy. Ph
Consumer states that the spare tire rack and cable have broken from underneath the vehicle while driving. Dealer and the manufacturer has been notified . Feel free to provide any further information.
No summary listed for above vehicle.
Compare the 1994 Chevrolet Lumina Apv
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Questions about the 1994 Chevrolet Lumina Apv
Is the 1994 Chevrolet Lumina Apv reliable?
Owners have filed 65 complaints about the 1994 Chevrolet Lumina Apv, 1.4 times a typical Lumina Apv model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1994 Chevrolet Lumina Apv?
Seat belts, with 14 complaints. Next is electrical (8).
How many recalls does the 1994 Chevrolet Lumina Apv have?
4 recalls, covering power train and seat belts.
Was there a recall on the 1994 Chevrolet Lumina Apv seat belts?
Yes, 3 recalls: 94V100000, 94V015000, 93V212000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Chevrolet Lumina Apv have the most seat belts problems?
The Chevrolet Lumina Apv model years with the most seat belts complaints are 1992 (17 complaints), 1994 (14 complaints) and 1993 (12 complaints).
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