Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet lumina. The contact stated that there was a random power steering leak. The previous owner had to replace the fluid constantly. When a mechanic replaced the steering pump, the failure continued. The mechanic informed the previous owner that the steering rack may need to be replaced. The contact had also taken the vehicle to a mechanic who stated that the vehicle was included in a manufacturer recall for the federal safety agency campaign number: 03v527000 (steering); however, the recall was closed. The contact was to check with the manufacturer to determine a repair solution for the vehicle. The failure mileage was not available.
1998 Chevrolet Lumina steering problems
56 complaints (25% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 90,000.
- owner complaints
- 56
- of this car's complaints
- 25%
- typical mileage
- 90,000
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
- Rack and pinion20
- Hydraulic power assist system6
- Steering wheel/handle bar3
- Hydraulic power assist: pump3
- Linkages2
- Hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections2
- Rack and pinion: pinion shaft1
- Gear box (other than rack and pinion)1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Chevrolet Lumina steering problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina steering
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
Steering: rack and pinion
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 03V527000 · Recall details
Related 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
What 1998 Chevrolet Lumina owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Difficulty turning the steering wheel to the right at low speeds. Contacted gm and instructed to take the vehicle to a dealer. Charged $100 and told this vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency recall 03v527000 due to VIN. Replaced rack and pinion myself which fixed the issue. My car shows the exact same signs of the reason you did this recall. Why was my car not included? I demand an answer!
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet lumina. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, she noticed a grinding and banging sound coming from the steering wheel. The contact referenced the federal safety agency campaign number: 03v527000 (steering) but was advised by the manufacturer that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet lumina. The contact stated the vehicle would not steer to the left because the rack and pinion failed. The dealer was contact who advised that his VIN was not included in the recall associated with the federal safety agency campaign id number: 03v527000 (steering:rack and pinion). The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the vehicle was not included in the recall and offered no further assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 86,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet lumina. The contact stated that the vehicle became difficult to turn, similar to the federal safety agency campaign id number: 03v527000 ( steering:rack and pinion). The manufacturer was notified and advised the contact that her vehicle was not included in the recall. The contact did not inform the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The current and failure mileages were approximately 104,000.
Temporary loss of steering. On 4 occasions within the past 2 weeks I had recently left my residence and was making either a left or right turn. At the start of the turn I could not steer the car. It was as if something was broken, I did hear a squeal. I was able to return home (about 2 blocks) and again checked the power steering fluid and the serpentine belt. The fluid was correct and the belt is about 8 months old. For the recall #03v527000 in 2003 I did go to the chevrolet dealer in ft. Myers and they checked the vehicle and told me that the car was ok.
Vehicle would not turn using the key, took our vehicle to the dealership.. Had a new key made.. The key was not the issue..had a new ignition installed through dealership, the vehicle worked for a short time but starting showing the same problems. Hundreds of $$ later, the car is parked now we don't want to put any more money into it, but can't sell it unless it's fixed. This is some sort of steering/ignition problem. This car has also been known to stall while driving it. We have installed a new starter, a new alternator, battery we also had all the electrical wiring re-done.. We don't know why it stalls.
Rack and pinion.
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet lumina. While making a left turn at any speed, the power steering becomes difficult to maneuver. The contact is an asc certified mechanic and stated that the failure was with the rack and pinion. The dealer stated that the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign id number 03v527000 (steering:rack and pinion). The current mileage was 78,045 and failure mileage was 76,800.
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet lumina. While driving at any speed, the contact experiences difficulty turning the steering wheel to the right. The garage stated that the steering rack and pinion was malfunctioning and needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was 125,382. Updated 05/06/08. *lj the manufacture informed the consumer his vehicle did not meet the requirements for the recall .updated 05/08/08.
Questions about the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina steering
Does the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina have steering problems?
Owners have filed 56 complaints about the steering of the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina, 25% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.
At what mileage do 1998 Chevrolet Lumina steering problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 90,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina steering?
Yes, 1 recall: 03V527000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Chevrolet Lumina have bad steering?
The Chevrolet Lumina model years with the most steering complaints are 1997 (88 complaints), 1998 (56 complaints) and 1990 (39 complaints).
Other 1998 Chevrolet Lumina problems
Engine 43Brakes 35Electrical 17Airbags 15Transmission 12Fuel system 11Visibility 11Body 10Lights 10Seat belts 10Acceleration 9Suspension 8Seats 3Wheels 2Locks 1Tires 1
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