FaultScore

1994 Chevrolet Lumina electrical problems

19 of the 190 complaints about the 1994 Chevrolet Lumina are about the electrical system — 10% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 159,000 miles.

A

19

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Ignition 4 21.1%
Electrical System 3 15.8%
12V/24V/48V Battery 2 10.5%
Front Underhood 2 10.5%
Interior/Under Dash 2 10.5%
Alternator/Generator/Regulator 2 10.5%
Horn 1 5.3%
Wiring 1 5.3%
Module 1 5.3%
Starter Assembly 1 5.3%

Electrical System across every Chevrolet Lumina year

1990 26 9.1%
1991 28 9.8%
1992 50 17.5%
1993 36 12.6%
1994 19 6.6%
1995 49 17.1%
1996 31 10.8%
1997 28 9.8%
1998 19 6.6%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 159,000 miles Austin, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I NOTICE SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, INSIDE MY CAR, QUITE OFTEN- AT LEAST 2 TIMES A WEEK. MY BRAKES WEAR OUT FASTER THAN THEY SHOULD. I HAVE TO REPLACE THE DRIVERSIDE HUB ASSEMBLY KIT EVERY 3-6 MONTHS BECAUSE IT STARTS CLICKING THEN WEARS OUT THE BRAKES IF I DON'T GET IT DONE- AT THE CHEAPEST 100 EVERY TIME. CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN A WRECK AND I DO NOT KNOW WHY IT DOES THIS.

NHTSA complaint #10192939 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 200,000 miles Detroit Lakes, MN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE INCIDENT DATE THAT THIS OCCURRED ON WAS THE THIRD TIME IT HAPPENED. I DROVE THIS CAR WITH NO PROBLEMS EXCEPT FOR THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT AND FASTENED SEAT BELT LIGHTS COMING ON PERIODICALLY FOR THE PAST MONTH. WE HAD AN UNEXPECTED SNOW STORM, AND I HAD DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES AND NOTICED WHEN I HAD STOPPED AT A CONVENIENT STORE THAT THE BATTERY VOLTAGE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT HOME ,AND A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER WENT TO THE GROCERY STORE. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT, FASTEN SEAT BELT LIGHT, AND BATTERY VOLTAGE LIGHT CAME ON. AS I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT THE CAR DIED AND I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT EVEN THOUGH THE LIGHTS, RADIO AND ETC WERE WORKING.*AK THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED TWICE BEFORE IN THE PAST. I HAD GOT THE FUEL INJECTORS AND STARTER REPLACED, HAD THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR CHECKED WITH NO PROBLEMS. A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, I WENT TO START IT AND SUPRISINGLY IT HAD STARTED. THE CAR DOES RUN EXCELLENT WHEN THIS UNEXPLAINABLE PROBLEM HAPPENS THOUGH.

NHTSA complaint #10186976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 36,272 miles Bandon, OR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN TWICE DURING NORMAL DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #10021195 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pine City, MN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

ABOUT 4 TIMES IN THE PAST 6 YEARS A SMALL PLUME OF SMOKE ROSE FROM BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA complaint #760213 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Toms River, NJ

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

THERE WAS A SHORT IN WIRING HARNESS WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO START SMOKING WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION.*AK CONSUMER STATES SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, PROBABLY FROM STEERING COLUMN.

NHTSA complaint #888060 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Aurora, IL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN

CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH HORN. WIRE CONNECTED TO STEERING WHEEL IS BLOCKING THE HORN BOTTON . WHEN HORN BUTTON FALLS OFF, VEHICLE CANNOT TURN.

NHTSA complaint #866536 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Indianapolis, IN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

SMOKE EMITTED FROM STEERING COLUMN AT STARTUP TWICE IN ONE DAY.

NHTSA complaint #721676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Barstow, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING, VEHICLE STALLED . THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 6-7 TIMES . HAD BEEN TO DEALER EACH TIME. MECHANIC CHANGED WATER PUMP/ ALTERNATORS/ BATTERY/ HAD LOCKS REPLACED ON DOORS DUE TO NOT RELEASING OR LOCKING/FRONT WINDOWS CAME OFF TRACK & HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RELEASE FROM TRACK.

NHTSA complaint #850737 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Barstow, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING, VEHICLE STALLED . THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 6-7 TIMES . HAD BEEN TO DEALER EACH TIME. MECHANIC CHANGED WATER PUMP/ ALTERNATORS/ BATTERY/ HAD LOCKS REPLACED ON DOORS DUE TO NOT RELEASING OR LOCKING/FRONT WINDOWS CAME OFF TRACK & HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RELEASE FROM TRACK.

NHTSA complaint #850737 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sagamore Beach, MA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

ON THE DATE IN QUESTION, THIS CAR WAS DRIVEN ALL DAY WITHOUT A PROBLEM. UPON RETURNING HOME THAT NIGHT, ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY , I FIRST NOTICED THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT COME ON. I PULLED INTO A REST AREA AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE WITH THE INTENT OF JUST RESTARTING IT TO RECYCLE THE SYSTEM. WHEN I WENT TO RESTART IT, AND ALTHOUGH THERE WAS ENOUGH ELECTRICITY FOR THE INTERIOR AND UNDER HOOD LIGHTS, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ELECTRICITY TO RESTART THE CAR. I CALLED AAA TO COME AND GET ME GOING. AAA DID COME AND RESTART THE CAR BY JUMPING THE BATTERY AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE. ABOUT 3 MILES DOWN THE ROAD AS WE WERE EXITING THE INTERSTATE, OTHER DASH WARNING LIGHTS STARTED TO COME ON, AND THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED TO INDICATE I WAS TRAVELING AT 85MPH (ALTHOUGH I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 35). I THEN NOTICED THE HEADLIGHTS GOING DIM. BY THE TIME I COULD GET TO A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER I HAD LOST ALL ELECTRICITY. I HAD NO BRAKES, NO LIGHTS, AND NO POWER STEERING. ONCE AGAIN I CALLED AAA. THIS TIME THEY CAME AND TOWED ME HOME. SINCE THIS CAR IS MY SON'S AND IS NOT USED THAT OFTEN WHILE HE IS AWAY AT COLLEGE, NOTHING WAS DONE TO IT FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. I THEN WENT OUT TO THE CAR AND TRIED TO START IT. SURPRISINGLY ENOUGH IT STARTED RIGHT UP. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS OF IT STARTING I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. NO ATTEMPT HAS BEEN MADE TO START OR MOVE THE CAR SINCE.

NHTSA complaint #705328 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Matthews, NC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

DEFECTIVE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE SYSTEM CUTS OFF FUEL TO ENGINE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE STALL, LOSS OF POWER. DEALER HAS REPLACED PARTS 4 TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #831481 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Waialua, HI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

INSTRUMENT PANEL REPLACED, IN MAY, DUE TO FAILURE OF TEMPERATURE, VOLT, RPM GAUGE, AND ALL LIGHTS. PRESENTLY, JULY, SAME GAUGES HAVE FAILED AGAIN AND THERE IS A ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL.

NHTSA complaint #536813 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lansing, IL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

ALTERNATOR FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #521121 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Jesse, WV

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

CONSUMER HAS HAD A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE PADS WEARING OUT, ALSO THE RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT HAS BEEN REPLACED, THE BRAKES ALSO MAKE LOUD NOISE. *AK CONSUMER STATES ON ONE OCCASTION WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES AROUND CURVES, THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT. ALTERNATOR FAILED. AIR CONDITIONER WAS REPAIRED FOUR TIMES. TIMING BELT FAILED. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #803619 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Springfield, MA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

WIRES CORRODED DUE TO LOCATION OF BATTERY. EXPLAIN IN MORE DETAIL.

NHTSA complaint #983471 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Washington, DC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

VEHICLE STALLS OUT AFTER TRAVELING LONG DISTANCES, DEALER CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND HAS NOT REPLACED ANY PARTS. TT

NHTSA complaint #979432 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Washington, DC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

VEHICLE STALLS OUT AFTER TRAVELING LONG DISTANCES, DEALER CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND HAS NOT REPLACED ANY PARTS. TT

NHTSA complaint #979432 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hunnington, WV

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH WATER HOLE CAR LOST POWER, RESULTING IN POWER BRAKE AND STEERING LOST. TT

NHTSA complaint #970157 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pomona, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

VEHICLE MISSES/STALLS. *SKD

NHTSA complaint #489880 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1994 Chevrolet Lumina problems

← Full 1994 Chevrolet Lumina report