AI Damage1991 Chevrolet Lumina APV: common problems
Owners of the 1991 Chevrolet Lumina APV filed 47 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and latches, locks, linkages. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 47
- involving a crash
- 7
What fails most often
- 1 Structure 34% of all complaints
- 2 Latches, locks, linkages 13% of all complaints
- 3 Seat belts 11% of all complaints
- 4 Seats 11% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
- 7 Engine and cooling 9% of all complaints
- 8 Air bags 4% of all complaints
- Structure: 16 complaints (34% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Latches, locks, linkages: 6 complaints (13% of all).
- Seat belts: 5 complaints (11% of all).
- Seats: 5 complaints (11% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 5 complaints (11% 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 47 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 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Strut rod on front passenger's side came loose from the top, resulting in an accident. Please provide further nformation.
While driving about 30 mph consumer's vehicle was struck in the front by another vehicle. Upon impact, air bags did not deploy.
While driving north on the highway had made a u- turn and was struck by a drunken driver that had crossed the lanes. Neither airbag deployed, nor had the seat reclined backwards, upon impact.
Consumer suffered a whiplash at a slow rear end impact due to lack of head restraints on either of the two seats.
Front brakes failed due to stress created by the release of the front brake hose bracket, resulting in loss of control/accident.
While driving 15 mph, the contact lost steering ability. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the rear two bolts that hold the engine failed, which caused the steering column to disconnect. As of july 26, 2007, the dealer has not repaired the vehicle. The current and failure mileages were 168,000.
Now the driver's side door will not open from the outside. The door handles will pull up however the lock will not disengage. The dealer has not been alerted. Updated 05/30/06 about 6 weeks ago the driver's door started doing the same thing. Contact has to enter the vehicle through the sliding doors.
I took my van to the shop for a transmission leak, shop man took the van inside turned off the car with the key in his hands the van was smoking and the starter was turning the engine without the keys inside , the ignition switch was burning and the connectors .
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 5,507 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Lumina APV has 44 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 47, about average.
What to check before buying
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1991 Chevrolet Lumina APV?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, latches, locks, linkages, seat belts. Total complaints: 47. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (11%), seat belts (11%), door locks, latches, handles (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 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 1991 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 1991 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.