FaultScore

1998 Chevrolet Lumina electrical problems

19 of the 276 complaints about the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina are about the electrical system — 7% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 120,000 miles.

B

19

Complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Ignition 5 26.3%
Horn 4 21.1%
Electrical System 3 15.8%
Alternator/Generator/Regulator 2 10.5%
12V/24V/48V Battery 1 5.3%
Front Underhood 1 5.3%
Switch 1 5.3%
Control Module 1 5.3%
Instrument Cluster/Panel 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 125,000 miles Pflugerville, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN USING THE KEY, TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP.. HAD A NEW KEY MADE.. THE KEY WAS NOT THE ISSUE..HAD A NEW IGNITION INSTALLED THROUGH DEALERSHIP, THE VEHICLE WORKED FOR A SHORT TIME BUT STARTING SHOWING THE SAME PROBLEMS. HUNDREDS OF $$ LATER, THE CAR IS PARKED NOW WE DON'T WANT TO PUT ANY MORE MONEY INTO IT, BUT CAN'T SELL IT UNLESS IT'S FIXED. THIS IS SOME SORT OF STEERING/IGNITION PROBLEM. THIS CAR HAS ALSO BEEN KNOWN TO STALL WHILE DRIVING IT. WE HAVE INSTALLED A NEW STARTER, A NEW ALTERNATOR, BATTERY WE ALSO HAD ALL THE ELECTRICAL WIRING RE-DONE.. WE DON'T KNOW WHY IT STALLS.

NHTSA complaint #10259092 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 114,000 miles Media, PA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET LUMINA. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30-35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLS AND THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYS INACCURATE READINGS. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE KICKS AND BEGINS LOSING SPEED. THE VEHICLE IS EITHER LOSING OR NOT GETTING ENOUGH FUEL. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 073021000 (FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.

NHTSA complaint #10233606 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 120,000 miles West Richland, WA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE

THE PASS-KEY II THEFT-DETERRENT SYSTEM PREVENTED THE STARTING OF MY VEHICLE WITH ONE OF MY INITIAL KEYS. I USED THE SPARE KEY FOR A WHILE AND NOW THE SYSTEM WILL NOT ALLOW STARTING OF THE VEHICLE WITH BOTH KEYS. THE COST TO FIX THIS IS TOO EXCESSIVE FOR A CHEVY 1998 LUMINA LTZ. THE CAR IS ON A GOVERNMENT SITE AND I DON'T HAVE THE VIN# OR ACCURATE PURCHASE DATE AVAILABLE UNTIL I HAVE IT TOWED.

NHTSA complaint #10165340 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 134,030 miles LAS Vegas, NV

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

BOTH REAR BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE FAILED AND ONLY THE CENTER HIGH MOUNTED LIGHTS ARE WORKING. I REPLACED THE BULBS BUT TAHT DID NOT HELP SO I DID A LITTLE TROUBLESHOOTING AND FOUND THAT THE BULBS WORKED AS THEY LIT UP WHEN I USED THE SIGNAL LIGHTS, HAZARD LIGHTS, AND HEAD LIGHTS. I NEXT TRIED REPLACING THE TURN SIGNAL/HARZARD FLASHER BUT THIS DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY TURN SIGNAL LEVER AND THAT IF THIS PART WAS WIGGLED THE LIGHTS WOULD WORK AGAIN. I CHECKED THIS ON THE CAR AND FLIPPED THE HIGH BEAMS ON AND OFF A COUPLE OF TIMES VIA THE TURN SIGNAL STALK AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS STARTED TO WORK AGAIN. I FIND THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS THAT A CRITICAL PIECE OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT RELIES ON SOMETHING AS TRIVIAL AS A TURN SIGNAL STALK. I HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT GENERAL MOTORS HAS ISSUAD A RECALL CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM BUT THAT IT WAS VERY NARROWLY CONFINED AND DID NOT INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE DESPITE THE FACT THAT MANY PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10098253 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 63,000 miles Arcadia, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN ENGAGED. WHEN CONSUMER MADE A LANE CHANGE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS DISENGAGED. THE CRUISE CONTROL ALSO DISENGAGED WHEN THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL WAS TURNED ON. THIS CONDITION HAPPENDED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *PH

NHTSA complaint #8023480 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Naranja, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

AIRBAGS ARE DEFECTIVE. REPAIRED BRAKES, STARTER

NHTSA complaint #9004849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Garland, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

ALTERNATOR JUST DIES ON HIGHWAY AND WARNING LIGHT COMES ON ABOUT 3 SECONDS BEFORE VEHICLE WILL DIE IN MIDDLE OF SPEEDING CARS. ONCE CONSUMER WAS HIT AND COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY PUT IN A NEW ALTERNATOR. *AK *TT

NHTSA complaint #897102 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cheshire, CT

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

AT 30,000 MILES VEHICLE BEEN EXPERIENCING AN ONGOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FIVE OCCASIONS, AND IT APPEARED PROBLEM WAS STILLOCCURRINNG. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.

NHTSA complaint #879513 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Eden Prairie, MN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN

VERY HARD TO INVOKE SOUND FROM THE HORN. MY FAMILY ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE HORN FAILED TO PRODUCE SOUND.

NHTSA complaint #736296 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cheshire, CT

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

LOSS OF POWER / STALLS/ AS IT IS BEING DRIVEN DOWN RD.

NHTSA complaint #734249 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cheshire, CT

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

LOSS OF POWER / STALLS/ AS IT IS BEING DRIVEN DOWN RD.

NHTSA complaint #734249 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Shorter, AL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND COMING TO A STOP, THE CAR WILL CUT-OFF WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IT WILL SKIP/PULL BACK AND KEEP MOVING WHILE DRIVING 55/70 MPH. IT'S BEEN IN THE SHOP FOUR (4) TIMES AND THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL I DRIVE IT HOME AND THE PROBLEM OCCURS AGAIN. HAS ANYONE ELSE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM?

NHTSA complaint #733615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fillmore, NY Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL WIRING SYSTEM FAILURE RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #553540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Aventure, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN

IT'S DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS AND SOUND THE HORN. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES. *AK

NHTSA complaint #858202 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

West Hartford, CT

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN

EXTREME PRESSURE IS REQUIRED WHEN APPLYING THE HORN WHICH COULD BECOME DANGEROUS IN EMERGENCY TRAFFIC SITUATIONS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #856178 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Gothenburg, NE

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

ALTERNATOR FAILED. YH

NHTSA complaint #548981 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Gothenburg, NE

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

IGNITION FAILED. YH

NHTSA complaint #548981 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Harrisurg, PA

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

DESIGN OF THE PLACEMENT OF THE BATTERY MAKES IT DIFFFICULT TO JUMP START ANOTHER VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #543487 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mountainsi, NJ

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN

HORN DESIGN CREATES A DIFFICULTY IN TRYING TO ACTIVATE DURING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, ONLY ONE LOCATION CAN BE HIT TO ENGAGE DUE TO AIR BAG/HORN DESIGN.

NHTSA complaint #543133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1998 Chevrolet Lumina problems

← Full 1998 Chevrolet Lumina report