1998 Chevrolet Lumina Steering Problems
Owners have filed 56 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina, 25% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 81,400 miles. The words owners use most often: “rack pinion” (34% of reports).
- 56steering complaints
- 81,400median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 18%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Rack pinion: mentioned in 19 of 56 complaints (34%)
- Making turn: mentioned in 7 of 56 complaints (13%)
- Steering wheel locked: mentioned in 5 of 56 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 26 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
None of the 56 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Chevrolet Lumina steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Lumina | 1 | 100% | 250,000 |
| 2000 Lumina | 3 | 10% | 84,000 |
| 1999 Lumina | 7 | 7% | 79,528 |
| 1998 Lumina | 56 | 25% | 81,400 |
| 1997 Lumina | 88 | 25% | 93,500 |
| 1996 Lumina | 19 | 8% | 139,000 |
| 1995 Lumina | 18 | 4% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Steering:rack and pinion
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
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 nhtsa recall 03v527000 due to vin. Replaced rack and pinion myself which fixed the issue. My car shows the exact same…
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 nhtsa campaign number: 03v527000 (steering) but was advised by the manufacturer that the vin was…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 Chevrolet Luminas have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 56 owner complaints about steering for the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina (25% of the 223 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 81,400 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina?
The most frequent phrase is “rack pinion”, in 19 of 56 complaints, followed by “making turn” (7).
See all 1998 Chevrolet Lumina problems or steering problems across all Lumina years.