Chevrolet Lumina Reliability
4,006 NHTSA complaints (1987–2008). Complaint rate: 34239.3 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 1990–1992 Chevrolet Lumina (83 crash-related complaints). The 1999–2001 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Chevrolet Lumina Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 222 | 14.4% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER | 205 | 3.4% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 192 | 4.2% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 157 | 9.6% |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 128 | 1.6% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 116 | 0.9% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 112 | 0.9% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 111 | 0.0% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | 111 | 1.8% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM | 99 | 2.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987GOOD | — | 2 | 0 | — | View 1987View→ |
| 1990AVOID | — | 615 | 38 | 9 | View 1990View→ |
| 1991AVOID | — | 483 | 25 | 11 | View 1991View→ |
| 1992AVOID | — | 483 | 20 | 14 | View 1992View→ |
| 1993 | — | 344 | 22 | 14 | View 1993View→ |
| 1994 | — | 190 | 8 | 2 | View 1994View→ |
| 1995AVOID | — | 670 | 66 | 8 | View 1995View→ |
| 1996 | — | 312 | 34 | 3 | View 1996View→ |
| 1997 | — | 438 | 45 | 11 | View 1997View→ |
| 1998 | — | 276 | 12 | 6 | View 1998View→ |
| 1999GOOD | — | 132 | 12 | 5 | View 1999View→ |
| 2000GOOD | — | 35 | 1 | — | View 2000View→ |
| 2001GOOD | — | 25 | 0 | — | View 2001View→ |
See also: Chevrolet Luminaaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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