Chevrolet Lumina Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 238 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the Chevrolet Lumina across 7 model years. The 1995 model year has the most (66). The words owners use most often: “intake manifold” (18% of reports).
- 238engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $1,650typical repair cost reported by owners
- 31%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.
- Intake manifold: mentioned in 42 of 238 complaints (18%)
- Head gasket: mentioned in 17 of 238 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the Chevrolet Lumina at $1,650, and half of them between $1,300 and $2,900.
Based on 30 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2010), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 83 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 238 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 7 a fire, 4 an injury.
Chevrolet Lumina engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 Lumina | 4 | 19% | 66,000 |
| 2000 Lumina | 6 | 20% | 77,500 |
| 1999 Lumina | 41 | 40% | 62,840 |
| 1998 Lumina | 33 | 15% | 93,300 |
| 1997 Lumina | 52 | 15% | 76,409 |
| 1996 Lumina | 36 | 15% | 115,000 |
| 1995 Lumina | 66 | 13% | 97,279 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe; engine and engine cooling:engine
Model years: 1998, 1999
Problem: 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.
Risk: Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.
Fix: 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 engineÂs 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.
Engine and engine cooling
Model years: 1998, 1999
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: Dealers will replace the engineâs front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engineâs 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 chevrolet lumina. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking oil. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the valve cover gasket failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vin was not included in nhtsa campaign…
1998 chevrolet lumina. Consumer writes in regards to replacement parts not available to repair recall notice 15757. *smd the consumer stated the vehicle has an oil leak, and she was advised not to park in a garage. *jb
1999 chevrolet lumina. Consumer writes in regards to several mechanical problems and recall issues. *smd the consumer stated the vehicle cut off, while driving on the highway. It was determined, the ignition needed to be replaced. Also, the wiring harness in the steering column went out, the egr…
I drove a lumina that had a problem that sounds like same type of engine shutoff problem that has been in the news lately. It happened most often when driving on the highway. As i decelerated on exit ramps, the engine would shutoff. This became a fairly regular occurrence with this car. Several…
July 2009 i was driving on the interstate at around 75 mph when the engine died and wouldn't start, pulled off the road, engine would crank but not start, after a few minutes it started and i drove home. I called a mechanic and he said it probably was the ignition control module, go to the junk…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Luminas have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 238 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the Chevrolet Lumina. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Chevrolet Lumina engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the Chevrolet Lumina?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,650 (half paid between $1,300 and $2,900), from 30 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the Chevrolet Lumina?
The most frequent phrase is “intake manifold”, in 42 of 238 complaints, followed by “head gasket” (17).
Other Chevrolet Lumina problems
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (197)
- Steering problems (192)
- Visibility problems (144)
- Power Train problems (133)
- Electrical System problems (129)
- Air Bags problems (125)
See all Chevrolet Lumina problems.