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.
The worst 1996 Chevrolet Lumina 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.
- Engine36
- Airbags34
- Brakes31
- Electrical30
- Transmission24
- Steering18
- Visibility17
- Seat belts15
- Lights14
- Fuel system12
- Acceleration9
- Body9
- Seats6
- Tires6
- Locks5
- Suspension4
- Wheels3
Specific symptoms reported on the 1996 Chevrolet Lumina
Seat belt 9Stalling 8Grinding brakes 7Overheating 7No deployment 6Brake failure 6Engine failure 6Knocking 6Transmission failure 6Loss of power 5Wipers 5
Recalls 2
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum
- What is wrong
- These vehicles were assembled with one of the four brake booster tabs not properly located in the front of dash reinforcement assembly.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 96V122000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- The left front brake line can contact the transaxle mounting bracket or attachment bolt.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 96V069000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 1996 Chevrolet Lumina
Defect investigations
Power rack and pinion steering failure
Gm's letter to the federal safety agency dated december 11, 2003, expands its original recall (the federal safety agency 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 spring force and are not included in the recall.
EA03019
Power rack and pinion steering failure
Gm conducted a safety recall (the federal safety agency # 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 vehicles.thus, odi will further examine the w-cars (1996-1997 oldsmobile cutlass supreme, 1996-1998 buick regal, chevrolet lumina, chevrolet monte carlo, 1997-1998 buick century, and 1998 oldsmobile intrigue) under a new investigation, engineering analysis (ea)03-019.
RQ03001
Inappropriate air bag deployment
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 the federal safety agency 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
Inappropriate air bag deployment
There is no summary currently available
PE96031
Technical service bulletins for the 1996 Chevrolet Lumina 46
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy...
- Fuel system, gasoline
- This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to Unlock Delco...
- Equipment: electrical: anti-theft devices
- Equipment
- This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information with the field action courtesy...
- Equipment: electrical: anti-theft devices
- Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
- ABS pump running when not needed
- Intermittent chuggle or fishbite on light acceleration or a highway speeds with no diagnostic trouble...
1996 Chevrolet Lumina fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1L 6‑cyl | FWD | 18 | 26 | 21 |
| 3.4L 6‑cyl | FWD | 15-17 | 24 | 18-19 |
What 1996 Chevrolet Lumina owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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 egr valves were replaced. Updated 04/28/09.
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 straightening the car back out into his lane something malfunctioned in the rear and sent the car spinning sideways and out of control. The car stopped itself after running in a ditch and smashing it's side into an embankment injuring him and totaling the car. Rear right side wheel came completely off from where traction bar broke.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 .
Brake lights don't always work on 1996 lumina due to faulty turn signal switch, I've notice this on several other 1995 -2001 luminas as well.
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 chevrolet lumina. The contact's vehicle has three rear brake lights. The lower two lights fail to illuminate. When he changed the bulbs, they illuminated briefly and then quickly burned out again. The current mileage is 135,000 and failure mileage was 115,000.
Compare the 1996 Chevrolet Lumina
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Questions about the 1996 Chevrolet Lumina
Is the 1996 Chevrolet Lumina reliable?
Owners have filed 244 complaints about the 1996 Chevrolet Lumina, 11.6 times a typical Lumina model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Chevrolet Lumina?
Engine and cooling, with 36 complaints, typically around 115,000 miles. Next is airbags (34).
How many recalls does the 1996 Chevrolet Lumina have?
2 recalls, covering service brakes, hydraulic.
What year does the Chevrolet Lumina have bad engine?
The Chevrolet Lumina model years with the most engine complaints are 1995 (66 complaints), 1997 (53 complaints) and 1999 (45 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1996 Chevrolet Lumina get?
Official estimates for the 1996 Chevrolet Lumina range from 18 to 21 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.1L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 18 city and 26 highway.
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