AI Damage1992 Chevrolet Lumina APV: common problems
Owners of the 1992 Chevrolet Lumina APV filed 76 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 76
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 36% of all complaints
- 2 Seat belts 22% of all complaints
- 3 Seats 14% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 8% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel system 5% of all complaints
- 7 Tires 4% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 4% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 27 complaints (36% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 17 complaints (22% of all).
- Seats: 11 complaints (14% of all).
- Structure: 6 complaints (8% of all).
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (7% 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
- 3.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 76 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 27 | 4 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
Anti-lock brakes failed, resulting in loss of control/accident.
Abs, brake failure, experience pedal impact 12:00 position speed 50 mph. Tt
While driving the vehicle (1992 chevrolet lumina apv) , the two rear cradle bolts of the frame pulled through the retainers due to corrosion of the retainer. The rear cradle was no longer supported at these mounting locations and dropped to the ground, and the steering intermediate shaft was ripped off with a complete…
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 30 mph on a residential roadway, the steering coupler of the steering column fractured without warning and the vehicle lost control. The contact managed to pull the vehicle over without incident.
Driver seat of 1992 chevrolet lumina apv minivan has broken at the bottom of the seat. In its original condition, seat had an "adjustable wheel" on the right rear side of the seat for adjusting the back of the seat forward and backward.
While making a turn at low speed, vehicle lost steering. Dealer contacted.. Consumer stated the rear cradle bolt on the front subframe pulled through the retainers due to corrosion, the cradle would no longer support the mounting, which also caused the shaft to separate.
Passenger side seat belt will not return into the retractor, leaving occupant without any restraint. Dealer and manufacturer were notified. The passenger front seat belt retractor broke. The retractors were poorly built since on two previous occasions the retractors were not working properly.
I pulled over thinking I had a blowout. Mechanic examined vehicle. In his twenty years in the business he had never seen anything like this. The rear trailer arm snapped cleanly in half, shearing my emergency brake cable and came within centimeters of shearing regular brakes.
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 4,234 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 12% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Lumina APV has 44 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 76, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1992 Chevrolet Lumina APV?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, seat belts, seats. Total complaints: 76. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (17%), brake failure (11%), rust, corrosion (3%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1992 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 1992 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 1992 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.