1997 Chevrolet Lumina engine problems

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET LUMINA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED COMPLETELY LOSING ALL POWER. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND DRIVE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE TIRE RODS WERE DEFECTIVE, THE ENGINE MOUNTS HAD FALLEN OUT, AND THERE WERE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE TIE ROAD AND ENGINE MOUNT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 199,876.

NHTSA complaint #10325427 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

I KNOW OF SEVERAL OWNERS OF CHEVY LUMINA WHERE PAINTS IS PEELING AND ENGINE FAILURE IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO START AN INVESTIGATION.

NHTSA complaint #10242051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

1997 LUMINA HAS LOUD LIFTER NOISE. LIFTERS REPLACED ONCE BY DEALER, BUT NOISE IS ESPECIALLY LOUD NOW THAT THE WEATHER IS COLD.

NHTSA complaint #10208106 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

'97 CHEVY LUMINA WITH A DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WHICH GM WILL NOT COVER REPAIR.

NHTSA complaint #10182204 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET LUMINA. THERE WAS A RECALL ON OTHER GM PRODUCTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. CHEVROLET HOWEVER SAYS MY MODEL IS NOT INCLUDED IN THEIR RECALL. I DISAGREE, BECAUSE THE MANIFOLD GASKET IS A CONTINIUING PROBLEM PREVALENT IF NOT ALL, THAN MOST GM VEHICLES IN THIS TIME PERIOD.

NHTSA complaint #10100141 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1997 CHEVROLET LUMINA WITH 3.1 L ENGINE. LOWER INTAKE GASKET LEAKING INTO ENGINE. COST TO REPAIR $900 US FROM DEALER. PROBLEM IS APPARENTLY CAUSED BY USING GM DEXCOOL ANTIFREEZE AND A DEFECTIVE GASKET. GM IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND KNOWS IT EFFECTS ALL 3.1L AND 3.4L ENGINES PRODUCED FROM AROUND THE MID 1990S TO 2000. NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED BY GM SINCE THIS SEAMS NOT TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint #10098881 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

DEALERSHIP REPLACED TWICE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT WAS LEAKING COOLANT INSIDE THE ENGINE. ALSO, TIRES SHOWED SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE WEAR EVERY 3000 TO 4000 MILES. DEALER HAD FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION ALIGNED. THE TIRES WERE ROTATED, BUT EXCESSIVE WEAR STILL PERSISTED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A BRAKE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10084031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

I HAVE BEEN THE OWNER OF A 1997 CHEVROLET LUMINA SINCE JULY OF 2002. IT WAS WELL MAINTAINED BY MY UNCLE, WHOM I BOUGHT IT FROM. IT HAD 57K MILES WHEN BOUGHT. SHORTLY AFTER BUYING IT, I NOTICED COOLANT LOSS IN THE OVERFLOW BOTTLE. TO MAKE A LONG AND EXPENSIVE STORY SHORT, I HAD TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AT A COST OF NEARLY $600. THIS IS A COMMON REPAIR ON GM V6 ENGINES I LATER FOUND OUT AFTER TALKING TO MECHANICS AND READING ON VARIOUS WEB SITES SUCH AS GM-V6LEMONS.COM. THIS IS A FLAWED ENGINE DESIGN THAT GM DENIES HAS ANY PROBLEMS. I ATTEMPTED TO GET GM TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS BY ASKING FOR RENUMERATION AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I WASN'T THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THIS RESPONSE WAS IN REPLY TO A LETTER WRITTEN TO KURT RITTER, CEO OF CHEVROLET.

NHTSA complaint #10066112 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER MANAGED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10065168 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

CONSUMER STATED INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. HE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE SEEING A LOT OF THESE TYPES OF VEHICLE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS.

NHTSA complaint #10053625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

MY 1997 CHEVROLET LUMINA HAS HAD TO HAVE THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS REPLACED TWICE IN THREE YEARS AT A COST OF $900 EACH TIME. THIS IS A DEFECTIVE CAR WITH A POOR DESIGN USING DEX-COOL ENGINE COOLANT WHICH IS THE ORIGIN OF THE PROBLEM. I'VE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE COOLANT PUMP AND ASSOCIATED OTHER PARTS.

NHTSA complaint #10041033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS

WHEN THE SERPENTINE BELT GETS WET IT HAS A TENDENCY TO SLIDE OFF THE PULLEYS.

NHTSA complaint #10037791 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING COOLANT LEAKED FROM THE RADIATOR. *AK *PH

NHTSA complaint #10031627 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

INTAKE EXHAUST MANIFOLD LEAKING, HAD TO TAKE TO MECHANIC AND HAVE REPAIRED.

NHTSA complaint #10018882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ALL ENGINE MOUNTS UPPER AND LOWER HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALSO HAD TO REPLACE BOTH TIE-ROD ENDS, INNER & OUT.

NHTSA complaint #10018883 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

"GM SHOULD RECALL FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET INSTALLED IN THEIR VEHICLES". AS OF APRIL 10, 2002, THERE IS A NATIONWIDE BACKORDER OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. AT THIS TIME, IS IT NOT EVEN KNOWN WHEN THE PART WILL BECOME AVAILABLE. BEING AWARE OF THIS PROVES THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED. BECAUSE OF APPARENT POOR ENGINEERING, GM CAN NOT MANUFACTURE REPLACEMENTS FAST ENOUGH FOR ALL THE VEHICLES IN WHICH THEY ARE NEEDED. INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKS CAN LEAD TO ANY NUMBER OF VERY SERIOUS, AND EXPENSIVE, PROBLEMS. WHILE THE PART ITSELF ISN'T COSTLY, THE LABOR TO REPAIR IT IS VERY INTENSIVE, AND HAS BEEN QUOTED AROUND $800 USD (GIVE OR TAKE A COUPLE HUNDRED DEPENDING ON THE VEHICLE). THIS IS IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER COSTLY PROBLEM(S) THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK MAY HAVE PRODUCED. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10010762 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ALLOWS DEXTOL ANTI FREEZE TO LEAK INTO OTHER PARTS OF ENGINE. PH

NHTSA complaint #10007557 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

THE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKED OIL, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL.

NHTSA complaint #10007212 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS LEAKING OIL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. PH

NHTSA complaint #10002124 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

CONSUMER STATES ENGINE LOOSES POWER THEN ENGINE DIES, TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY REBUILT TRANSMISSION, THE PASSENGER WINDOW WILL NOT ROLL UP OR DOWN, WATER PUMP FAILED ON JULY 24, FLASHER LEVER BROKE INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN, BRAKES INOPERATIVE. MR *NLM

NHTSA complaint #8020923 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

INTAKE MANIFOLD IS LEAKING OIL ONTO ENGINE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK THE ENGINE HAD A HOLE WHERE THE DISTRIBUTOR USED TO BE AND THE HOLE WAS CAPPED WITH O? RING AND A PLUG. THE HARDENING OF THE O'RING WAS DUE TO HEAT CAUSEING THE OIL TO LEAK.

NHTSA complaint #8012478 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THERE IS A ROAR IN THE ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #562988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

THE CONSUMER HAS MULTIPLE PROBLEM WITH HER VEHICLE THERE IS COOLIANT LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. NLM

NHTSA complaint #8007867 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THERE IS A ROAR IN THE ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #562988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

VEHICLE OVERHEATED. INDEPENDANT MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT RADIATOR WAS PLUGGED, AND FLUSHED RADIATOR. ONE WEEK LATER, VEHICLE OVERHEATED AGAIN. CONSUMER CHECKED ANTI FREEZE, IT WAS LOW, SO HE ADDED ANTI FREEZE. NEXT DAY VEHICLE OVERHEATED, AND CONSUMER NOTICED WATER IN OIL. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALER DETERMINED THAT FACTORY ANTI FREEZE WAS EATING THROUGH T GASKETS, AND CAUSING INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE. VEHICLE NEEDS NEW ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #898163 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

VEHICLE OVERHEATED. INDEPENDANT MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT RADIATOR WAS PLUGGED, AND FLUSHED RADIATOR. ONE WEEK LATER, VEHICLE OVERHEATED AGAIN. CONSUMER CHECKED ANTI FREEZE, IT WAS LOW, SO HE ADDED ANTI FREEZE. NEXT DAY VEHICLE OVERHEATED, AND CONSUMER NOTICED WATER IN OIL. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALER DETERMINED THAT FACTORY ANTI FREEZE WAS EATING THROUGH T GASKETS, AND CAUSING INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE. VEHICLE NEEDS NEW ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #898163 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED BRAKE PROBLEMS, FRONT ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE, FRONT BRAKE PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, REAR SHOES GLAZED. STEERING GEAR REPLACED DUE TO CONSUMER LOSING POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING, POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED, RACK WAS ALSO REPLACED. WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING AND WAS REPLACED. AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, DEALER STATED SIR COIL INOPERATIVE. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #561955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

NOTICED OIL SPOTS ON DRIVEWAY. REPARKED IN DIFFERENT LOCATION AND MORE OIL SPOTS. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT INTAKE GASKETS WERE LEAKING. HAD NO PROBLEM DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #885617 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.