FaultScore

1996 Chevrolet Lumina transmission problems

25 of the 312 complaints about the 1996 Chevrolet Lumina are about the transmission — 8% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 76,000 miles.

B

25

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Automatic Transmission 18 72.0%
Manual Transmission 3 12.0%
Power Train 2 8.0%
Gear Position Indication (Prndl) 1 4.0%
Column Shift 1 4.0%

Transmission & Drivetrain across every Chevrolet Lumina year

1991 11 6.6%
1992 25 15.0%
1993 12 7.2%
1995 60 35.9%
1996 25 15.0%
1997 21 12.6%
1998 13 7.8%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 102,000 miles Mayflower, AR Crash

POWER TRAIN

ON 7/20/03 THE BATTERY WAS GETTING WEAK SO I BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY COMPATIBLE WITH THE CAR. ON THE FIRST START WITH THE NEW BATTERY THE CAR BEHAVED NORMALLY. HOWEVER, WHEN I STARTED IT THE SECOND TIME AND WAS BACKING UP A SLIGHT SLOPE OF A DRIVEWAY, THE CAR DIED. I PUT THE CAR BACK IN PARK AND RESTARTED THE CAR. WITHOUT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL WITH MY FOOT, THE GAS PEDAL DROPPED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE CAR RACED FORWARD WITH THE GEAR SHIFT STILL IN PARK. THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. I STEERED THE CAR TRYING TO LOCATE THE EMERGENCY BRAKES BUT THEY WERE TOO FAR AWAY FOR ME TO REACH AND STILL MAINTAIN THE RACING CAR. I THOUGHT TURNING OFF THE ENGINE WOULD STOP THE CAR SINCE THE BRAKES HAS FAILED BUT EVEN TURNING OFF THE ENGINE, IT RACED EVEN FASTER AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW I HAD CRASHED INTO A TREE TOTALLING OUT THE CAR. I CRACKED MY HEAD INTO THE WINDSHIELD BREAKING MY NOSE. LUCKILY, THE VISOR WAS DOWN AND PROTECTED MY FACE. I ALSO SUSTAINED BRUISING AND BACK INJURIES ALONG WITH THE CONCUSSION. ALSO, THE AIR BAG DID NOT ACTIVATE. THANKFULLY, AS I AM SHORT AND IF IT HAD, THEN I WOULD HAVE BEEN DECAPITATED OR KILLED FROM IT. MY INSURANCE ONLY GAVE BLUE BOOK VALUE TO THE CAR AS IT WAS UNREPAIRABLE AND HAD TO BE TOTALLED. I AM WANTING TO SEEK LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE MANUFACTURER. IS THERE ANY CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM ON THE LUMINA'S? I FEEL IT WAS COMPUTER PROBLEM THAT SHUT DOWN THE CAR MADE IT BEHAVE LIKE IT WAS POSSESS. NO LIGHTS CAME ON INSIDE THE CAR TO INDICATE THERE WAS A COMPUTER PROBLEM OR ANY OTHER PROBLEM. THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO PUT IN A BATTERY SO IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE BATTERY. DEBRA K. OLIVER

NHTSA complaint #10069901 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50,000 miles Kings Mountain, NC

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A PROBLEM WHEN SHIFTING GEARS IN COLD WEATHER.

NHTSA complaint #10057729 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW Brighton, MN

POWER TRAIN

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED SUCH AS 70MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD INTERMITTENTLY TAKE IT SELF OUT OF GEAR, CAUSING A UNEXPECTED SLOW DOWN WITH OUT THE USE OF BRAKES AND AT THE SAME TIME THE ENGINE RPMS WOULD INCREASE RAPIDLY.

NHTSA complaint #9004880 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Painesville, OH

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW WENT DOWN WOULD NOT GO BACK UP-NO PROBLEM WITH THIS WINDOW BEFORE-DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WINDOW-SLUGGISH,OFTEN LOSES POWER......DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW KNOB PUSHED IN CANNOT RETRIEVE IT.....ENGINE BEGAN OVER HEATING IN NOV...ANTIFREEZE PUT IN...ANTIFREEZE MIXED IN WITH ENGINE OIL..ENGINE FROZE UP-HAD TO BE REPLACED.........ANTIFREEZE PART JUST SHATTERTED AS CAR COMING OUT OF PARKING SPACE--FLUIDS LOST-ENGINE LOST POWER---MECHANIC REPORTS NEW TRANSMISSION NEEDED ESTIMATES $2,500---MECHANIC REPORTS THAT THIS OR SIMILAR FAILURES OF TRANSMISSSION COMMON ON THIS VECHICLE AND THAT TRANSMISSION EXPERTS ARE AWARE OF THIS AND HAVE FREQUENT COMPLAINTS.....ALL THESE EVENTS OCCURRED IN LAST 6 MONTHS IN ADDITION TO THE NEED OF BRAKE HUB BEARING ON LEFT REAR WHEEL..TOTAL ESTIMATED COST $5,000

NHTSA complaint #746268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

West Bend, WI

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION FAILED. NLM

NHTSA complaint #561072 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ST. Charles, IL

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

THIS CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND ONLY HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES OR 3 MONTHS. NO ABUSE HAD BEEN DONE. NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT. NO DENTS. IT IS IN PERFECT SHAPE. OIL AND TRANSMISSION FLUID CLEAN. SO WHAT HAPPEN? THIS IS COSTING ME TIME AND $2000 FOR A CAR THAT SHOULD HAVE HELD UP. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS PROBLE AND PART FAILURE TO A FAIRLY NEW CAR. PLEASE RESPOND ASAP.

NHTSA complaint #732236 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Warrington, PA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION GEAR CASING SHATTERED AT ABOUT 50 MPH LEAVING VEHICLE WITH ONLY 1ST GEAR, NO REVERSE

NHTSA complaint #730569 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Warrington, PA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION GEAR CASING SHATTERED AT ABOUT 50 MPH LEAVING VEHICLE WITH ONLY 1ST GEAR, NO REVERSE

NHTSA complaint #730569 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Winter Springs, FL

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

DURING ACCELERATION VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT FROM 2ND TO DRIVE. DRIVE GEAR WAS NOT ENGAGED AND ENGINE RACED FREELY. UPON INSPECTION TRANS FLUID WAS OK. VEHICLE CONTINUED NOT GO INTO DRIVE BUT COULD BE DRIVEN IN 2ND. AFTER SEVERAL MILES VEHICLE BEGAN TO PERFROM NORMALLY. DEALER COULD FIND NO PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION AND INDICATED MIGHT BE WITH SOLINODES IN TRANS. PROBLEM MAY GET WORSE OVER TIME. HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T FAIL ON 2 LANE ROAD DURING PASSING MANUEVER!!

NHTSA complaint #714344 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fairhaven, MA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE DRIVING AND STOPPING AT A STOP LIGHT VEHICLE STARTED OFF AND WOULD NOT GO OVER TWENTY MILES PER HOUR .SOON AFTER AND TRYING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL. A GARAGE DIAGNOISED THIS AS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #848498 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chicopee, MA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE VEHICLE JUMPED OUT GEAR. ALSO, ENGINE RACED VERY HIGH.

NHTSA complaint #843885 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Strongsvil, OH

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION PUMP FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOOSE ALL POWER TO THE WHEELS OF THE VEHICLE. NLM

NHTSA complaint #545813 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

OAK Creek, WI

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA complaint #706139 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

South Milw, WI

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

THE RELEASE SHIFT LEVER BUTTON FREEZES IN FREEZING WEATHER ONLY RELEASING WHEN THAWED OUT.

NHTSA complaint #544052 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Miami, FL

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION KEEPS SLIPPING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO GO IN TO REVERSE WITHOUT WARNING .

NHTSA complaint #830334 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tampa, FL

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO THE A TUBE COMING OUT OF THE SOCKET, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO BE INOPERATIVE AND THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #827072 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Niles, OH

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE IN THE PASSING GEAR MODE/ENGINE MAKES TICKING SOUND.

NHTSA complaint #538405 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Newark, OH

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION FAILED AT PURCHASE.

NHTSA complaint #530613 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Puyallup, WA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION SLIPS

NHTSA complaint #526930 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

E. Lansing, MI

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

CONTROL VALVE ON TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF ACCELERATION.

NHTSA complaint #518529 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Minneapolis, MN

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

DRIVER KNOCKS TRANSMISSION OUT OF DRIVE WHEN HE BRAKES DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER.

NHTSA complaint #504229 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lake Ronko, NY

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL.

NHTSA complaint #505833 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LK. Ronk., NY

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

AFTER DRIVING AT HWY SPEED FOR SEVERAL MILES THEN EXITING, AUTO-TRANS W/OVERDRIVE PERFORMS ERRATICALLY, SLUGGISH.

NHTSA complaint #985665 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Lansi, MI

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ABOVE 30 MILES PER HOUR DUE TO TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING UP WHEN IN OVERDRIVE. *DSH

NHTSA complaint #504551 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Seilins Grov, PA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHEN STOPPED AT LIGHT OR HILL WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, VEHICLE WILL MOVE BACKWARDS. TT

NHTSA complaint #977481 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1996 Chevrolet Lumina problems

← Full 1996 Chevrolet Lumina report