AI Damage1990 Chevrolet Lumina APV: common problems
Owners of the 1990 Chevrolet Lumina APV filed 99 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and seats. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 99
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Structure 35% of all complaints
- 2 Seats 14% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 12% of all complaints
- 4 Seat belts 11% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 9% of all complaints
- 7 Latches, locks, linkages 6% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 4% of all complaints
- Structure: 35 complaints (35% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seats: 14 complaints (14% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 12 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 11 complaints (11% of all).
- Service brakes: 10 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.1 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 99 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 35 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 14 | 3 | 0 |
| Steering | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Child seat | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Upon impact, during rear end collision, driver/pass. Seat backrest collapsed rearward.
Brake pedal would go to floor while trying to brake, had fixed happened again, had accident. Tt
Driver side seat back broke and collapse during rearend impact.
Goodyear regatta 2 tires with 23 thousand miles are beginning to leak and split half way up the sidewall of both front tires from a raised area around the circumference of the inside of each tire.
The driver immediately lost steering control and the steering wheel turned 360 degrees non stop. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer who determined that the subframe rusted which caused the engine and rack and pinion to collapse to the ground.
Sliding door latch failed, also back hatch latch failed.
Vehicle experienced power steering leak, dealer replaced the rack and pinion, consumer was also informed that the power steering cooler was missing. Also upon inspection consumer was informed that the sub frame was rotted out and was advised the vehicle is unsafe to operate.
While driving 10-15 mph consumer heard a clunk, steering felt tight, then spun freely. Mechanic determined subframe assembly bolts snapped off on both sides, causing steering wheel to become detached.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 3,592 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 10% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Lumina APV has 44 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 99, above average.
What to check before buying
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Chevrolet Lumina APV?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, seats, steering. Total complaints: 99. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (9%), door locks, latches, handles (7%), steering or power steering problems (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1990 Chevrolet Lumina APV?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1990 Chevrolet Lumina APV from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1990 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.