AI Damage1998 Chevrolet Lumina: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina filed 223 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 223
- involving a crash
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 25% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 16% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 15% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 7% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 5% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 5% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 5% of all complaints
- Steering: 56 complaints (25% of all).
- Service brakes: 35 complaints (16% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 33 complaints (15% of all).
- Electrical system: 17 complaints (8% of all).
- Air bags: 15 complaints (7% of all), 5 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 2 complaints
- 3.8 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 223 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 | 56 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 35 | 3 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 33 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 15 | 5 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| Suspension | 8 | 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.
The air bag indicator illuminated, but the air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was inoperable. The contact was waiting for his insurance company to determine if the vehicle was totaled. A police report was filed. The contact received injuries to the back, stomach, and neck. Medical assistance was needed.
Front end damage to both sides of car, air bags did not deploy, cruise control was on, kept increasing speed, sometimes would not release when brake was touched, other times it would shut off by itself, lost control of car, front end went into a ditch & car was flipped, air bags are still intact at this time.
Consumer was involved in an accident while making a normal stop due to brake failure. 2 weeks prior to the accident, consumer took vehicle to dealer . But, dealer did not check brakes.
Consumer was slowing to come to a complete stop when the vehicle suddenly speeded up. The experience was as if someone floored the accelerator. Pedal to the floor. Consumer looked to see if foot was on the gas and it was not.
While going 30mph another vehicle cut in front & stopped suddenly. Driver in the lumina applied brakes & hit right side of ranger (door & bed). Neither air bags deployed upon impact. Seat belt caused slight trauma to heart area.
Upon impact the driver's airbag exploded and a chemical smoke came out from it. The passenger's airbag deployed and busted the windshield. Dealer notified.
The contact stated that there was a random power steering leak. The previous owner had to replace the fluid constantly. When a mechanic replaced the steering pump, the failure continued. The mechanic informed the previous owner that the steering rack may need to be replaced.
When the vehicle was started, smoke appeared under the hood and the contact noticed a crack in the vacuum hose. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the water pump needed replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 185,000.
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 1,814 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 5% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Lumina has 198 complaints (15 years in the data). This year has 223, about average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, service brakes, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 223. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (9%), knocking, grinding or other noise (7%), seat belts (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 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 1998 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 1998 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.