AI Damage1997 Chevrolet Lumina: common problems
Owners of the 1997 Chevrolet Lumina filed 347 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 347
- involving a crash
- 34
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 25% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 15% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 14% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 10% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 5% of all complaints
- Steering: 88 complaints (25% of all), 9 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 52 complaints (15% of all).
- Fuel system: 50 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 37 complaints (11% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 36 complaints (10% of all), 22 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 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- 3.4 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 347 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 88 | 9 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 52 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 50 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 37 | 5 | 0 |
| Air bags | 36 | 22 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 26 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 11 | 2 | 0 |
| Suspension | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 6 | 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.
While driving home one day another driver hit the side of the car close to the headlight on the driver side this hit caused me to no longer be able to drive the vehicle. The airbags in the vehicle did not deploy.
My airbag did not deploy like it was developed to do. I received a traumatic brain injury because of the lack of it deploying broke 11 bones. 7 ribs and four vertebraes.
As a result, the contact rear ended another vehicle and the air bags failed to deploy. During pre-impact braking the front end of the vehicle lowered and went underneath the vehicle in front. The hood and radiator were pushed back however there was no damage to the front bumper.
If this part failed it could result in loss of steering control. The consumer believes the part failed and caused his daughter to loose control of the vehicle. As a result the vehicle crashed into a full size pickup which was pulling a stock trailer.
While making a left hand turn the steering wheel locked up, causing the vehicle to go into a spin and crash into a guard rail. A mechanic inspected the vehicle after the crash and indicated that the rack and pinion broke.
My wife was driving our 1997 chevrolet lumina sedan (which we have owned since new with no prior damage to vehicle) on her way to work on a local expressway going approximately 65 mph, when without warning the driver's side rear wheel separated from the vehicle.
After backing out of parking space with shift lever in drive position, the engine opened up at full throttle without foot applied on accelerator pedal. Vehicle was thrown off roadway, crashing into a school building. All 5 occupants were hospitalized with serious injuries.
Upon head on impact the rear seatback bent forward and crushed my daughter between the seatbelt and the rear seat. Dt
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 1,165 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 3% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Lumina has 198 complaints (15 years in the data). This year has 347, above average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Chevrolet Lumina?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, engine and cooling, fuel system. Total complaints: 347. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (11%), fuel system, fuel smell (6%), stalls while driving (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Chevrolet Lumina?
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 1997 Chevrolet Lumina 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 1997 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.