ENGINE NOISE.
1996 Chevrolet Lumina complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1996 record →
BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK
POWER WINDOW CONTROL FAILED.
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT (45) MPH THE ACCELERATOR CABLE BROKE AND ALL POWER IN VEHICLE BECAME LOST. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STEER VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD SAFELY. ACCELERATOR CABLE WAS REPLACED BY DEALER. *AK
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG BROKE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD, INSTRUMENT PANEL AND INJURED 5 PEOPLE.
WHEN MAKING SUDDEN OR NORMAL STOP CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE FRONT BRAKES ARE BURNING, CAUSING A VERY BAD ODOR AND EXCESSIVE FRONT BRAKE WEAR. *AK
DESIGN OF VEHICLE WITH AIR BAG IS NOT CONDUCIVE FOR DRIVERS 5.0 FEET TALL.
AFTER DRIVING THROUGH A RAIN STORM AND HAVING VEHICLE PARKED OVERNIGHT THE WHEELS FROZE. VEHICLE HAD TO SIT UNTIL THE TEMPERATURE MODERATED. *AK
VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM REAR AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE. DEALER ATTEMPTED TO FIX SEAT BUT THE SEAT STILL FALLS DOWN WHILE DRIVING. SO THE DEALER REALLY DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK
COMPUTER FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL.
AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK FAILED
FRONT BRAKES DEFECTIVE.
WHEN THE SUN SHINES THE ANGLE OF THE WINDSHIELD REFLECTS THE DASHBOARD MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE DETAIL THROUGH THE GLASS, DUE TO DESIGN.
RECALL WORK ON SHOULDER BELTS NOT DONE DUE TO PARTS NOT BEING AVAILABLE.
AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS FAILED AFTER COLLISION, CONSUMER TRAPPED INSIDE.
FOUR STUDS/NUTS ON DRIVERS FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF, CAUSING WHEEL TO COME OFF/LOSS OF CONTROL.
SLOWED DOWN TO MAKE LEFT TURN, VEHICLE HIT DRIVER ON FRONT RIGHT SIDE, DOOR FLEW OPEN AND SLAMMED SHUT, CATCHING DRIVVER'S FINGERS AND CUTTING OFF THREE FINGERS. THINKS THE LATCH CAME LOOSE. *AK
ALTERNATOR FAILURE. *AK
WHEN PUT THE CHILD SAFETY SEA TIN, IT DID NOT FIT BECAUSE THE SEAT BELTS IN THE REAR/MIDDLE POSITION ARE DESIGNRD TOO FAR DOWN ON THE SEAT. *AK
OVERHEATING OF THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND RADIO DIALS.
HORN COMMUNICATION SYSTEM IS ASSEMBLED INCORRECTLY, CAUSING THE HORN NOT TO FUNCTION CORRECTLY, LOSS OF SOUND. *AK CONSUMER STATES WHEN THE WINDOW IS ROLLED DOWN AFTER A CAR WASH OR RAIN THE WATER COMES DOWN FREELY ON THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. DEALER ADVISED THAT THE HORN IS N THE PROXIMITY OF THE AIR BAG WHICH KEEPS IT FROM SOUNDING AND THAT WAS THE WAY VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT.*JB
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO ACTIVATE THE HORN/ WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN A COLLISION BECAUSE DRIVER COULD NOT LOCATE THE HORN. *AK
EXPRESSES A DESIRE THAT A SOLUTION SHOULD BE FOUND TO MAKING THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS SAFE FOR SMALL WOMEN AND CHILDREN. *AK
UPON PURCHASING VEHICLE, OWNER WASN'T AWARE THAT REAR WINDOW HAS NO SYSTEM TO DEFROST AND WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY. OWNER HAS REPEATED DIFFICULTY WITH CLEARING FOG. *AK *SLC
WHILE DRIVING THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY REASON.*AK CONSUMER STATED HE TRAVELED ABOUT 300- 400 FEET WHEN PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED, THERE WAS SOME FLOODING ON THE INTERIOR OF FLOOR. DEEALER NOT WILLING TO HELP CONSUMER*JB
TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING AFTER DRIVING THROUGH WATER.
COMPUTER/BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING THREE WARNING LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE ON THE DASH, AS WELL AS AN ACCIDENT.
FAILURE OF THE FRONT CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS, WHEN DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL CAME OFF.*AK
IN WET AND DRY WEATHER THE BRAKES DON'T STOP CAR, IT SLOWS IT DOWN . *AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE GLIDES TO A STOP. STARTER MAKES STRANGE NOISE. MOUNTING BOLT MISSING FROM RADIO CAUSING RATTLING NOISE. DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY WORKS IMPROPERLY. WINDOW STICKING, DEALER ADJUSTED UPPER DOOR AND WINDOW MOLDINGS ALONG TRACK. *SLC
HORN INOPERATIVE.
AFTER DRIVING AT HWY SPEED FOR SEVERAL MILES THEN EXITING, AUTO-TRANS W/OVERDRIVE PERFORMS ERRATICALLY, SLUGGISH. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *SD
FAILURE ON THE BRAKE SHOES AND PADS OF THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE BRAKES FAILED. *AK
VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH TWISTED SEAT BELTS, IN FRONT SEATS ONLY. *AK
HEAD RESTRAINTS TOO LOW TO PROVIDE PROPER SUPPORT IN CASE OF ACCIDENT.
DRIVER KNOCKS TRANSMISSION OUT OF DRIVE WHEN HE BRAKES DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER.
EXPERIENCING NOISE, BURNING SMELL AND BRAKE FLUID LEAK; CAUSES JERKING/LOCKING FEELING ON OCCASION. *AK
VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ABOVE 30 MILES PER HOUR DUE TO TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING UP WHEN IN OVERDRIVE. *DSH
AIR BAGS, THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED (NOTE THE CONSUMER WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT). *AK
WHILE DRIVING, PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT INCIDENT, COVER TO AIR BAG HIT WINDSHIELD AND SUNROOF. *AK
DASHBOARD REFLECTS ON WINDSHIELD DISTORTING VISIBILITY. *SD
DESIGN/LOCATION OF HORN MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO LOCATE; ALSO, DIFFICULT TO PUSH HORN; SAFETY HAZARD, COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT. TT
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS. *SD
WHEN STOPPED AT LIGHT OR HILL WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, VEHICLE WILL MOVE BACKWARDS. TT
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1996 Chevrolet Lumina → · Every Lumina year → · How the figures are calculated →