1997 Chevrolet LUMINA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
249 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
80,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 80 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering:Rack And Pinion is the most frequently named component, appearing in 37 of 249 complaints (14.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 75 | 30.1% |
| Braking behavior | 30 | 12.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 21 | 8.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 3.6% |
| Engine operation | 9 | 3.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 8 | 3.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering:Rack And Pinion | 37 |
| Steering | 20 |
| Air Bags | 14 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly | 12 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 10 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 10 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 9 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 8 |
Steering:Rack And Pinion: 37; Steering: 20; Air Bags: 14; Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly: 12; Air Bags:Frontal: 10; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 10; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 9; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 5 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 29 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 16 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 19 |
| 150,000 and above | 10 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 5; 50,000 to 74,999: 29; 75,000 to 99,999: 16; 100,000 to 149,999: 19; 150,000 and above: 10
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (29). 169 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 36 |
| 2001 | 37 |
| 2002 | 37 |
| 2003 | 61 |
| 2004 | 47 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1 |
2000: 36; 2001: 37; 2002: 37; 2003: 61; 2004: 47; 2005: 4; 2006: 6; 2007: 3; 2008: 2; 2009: 4; 2010: 2; 2012: 1; 2014: 4; 2015: 1; 2016: 3; 2019: 1
Pattern summary
Steering:Rack And Pinion leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 75 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 30 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 21 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10001234 · 2002-12-31 (December 31, 2002)
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FAILURE WITH THE RACK AND PINION STEERING, THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE ISSUE, HOWEVER IT DID NOT APPLY TO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. 69,461 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001234 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002667 · 2003-01-14 (January 14, 2003)
CAR WAS HARD TO TURN TO THE LEFT. COUPLE DAYS LATER WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE STEERING WENT CONPLETELY OUT. HEARD ON NEWS THERE WAS RECALL ON LUMINAS AND OTHER CHEVROLET MODELS, DEALER CLAIMS ITS ONLY ON LUMINA VANS.
Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002667 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10019263 · 2003-05-25 (May 25, 2003)
BETWEEN NOVEMBER 2002 AND MAY 2003, I HAVE GONE THROUGH 4 BATTERIES AND 3 VISITS TO THE DEALER FOR ELECTRICAL "SHORTS." EITHER THE ANTILOCK BRAKE WARNING LIGHT, OR THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD COME ON, AND THE INTERIOR DASH LIGHTS WOULD BECOME INCREASINGLY DIM INDICATING A BATTERY DRAIN. WITHIN A DAY OR TWO, THE BATTERY WOULD BE COMPLETELY DRAINED, AND THERE IS NO POWER AT ALL. THE DEALER REPORTS FINDING PROBLEMS IN THE BATTERY CELLS AND SHORTS IN THE HARNESS UNDER THE DASH EACH TIME, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10019263 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10025188 · 2003-06-30 (June 30, 2003)
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, OUR 1997 CHEVROLET LUMINA'S HIGH-MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT IS THE ONLY ONE TO GO-ON, THE TWO REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WON'T LIGHT; WHEN YOU GENTLY PUSH THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER TOWARDS THE DRIVER W/ FOOT APPLIED ON BRAKE PEDAL, ONLY THEN DO ALL THE BRAKE LIGHTS LIGHT-UP...THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, NOW WE HAVE TO PAY A IND. GAS STATION TO REPLACE THE TURN-SIGNAL MODULE W/ LABOR.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 73,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10025188 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000888 · 2003-01-09 (January 9, 2003)
MY WIFE HAD BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL THAT SHE COULD SMELL WHILE BOTH IN HER VEHICLE DRIVING, AS WELL AS, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND SHE WAS OUTSIDE OF IT. I INVESTIGATED AND DETECTED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL AS WELL. WE THEN HAD OUR MECHANIC INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM FURTHER AND HE DISCOVERED THAT THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK WAS SEVERELY CORRODED, AS WELL AS, IN THE AREA OF THE TANK'S SEAM. THE MORE FUEL IN THE TANK, THE WORSE THE RELEASE OF FUEL VAPORS BECOMES, AS THE TANK ITSELF BECOMES SATURATED DUE TO THE SEVERE CORROSION. …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000888 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10001509 · 2003-01-09 (January 9, 2003)
CONSUMER FOUND GAS LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK. THE GAS TANK IS DEGRADING BECAUSE SNOW, RAIN AND ROAD SALT ACCUMULATES ON THE TOP OF THE TANK. *JG *JB *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001509 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 551837 · 2000-04-12 (April 12, 2000)
TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT INTO THE LAST GEAR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO REACH A TOP SPEED OF 40-45 MPH ON A BUSY ROAD WHERE THE LIMIT IS 55MPH. NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 551837 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 745086 · 2001-05-08 (May 8, 2001)
WE CAN NOT TELL WHAT GEAR THE TRANSMISSION IS IN, IT KEEPS CHANGING OVER TIME. I CAN NOT TELL WHEN AND IF I AM IN REVERSE UNTIL I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND STEP ON THE GAS. SOMETIMES REVERSE SOMETIMES NOT. TODAY, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE INDICATOR IS IN REVERSE THE CAR IS IN NEUTRAL. WHEN THE INDICATOR SHOWS NEUTRAL THE TRANSMISSION IS IN DRIVE,WE THINK. WHEN I GO TO PARK IT COULD BE REVERSE, NEVER SURE. IN FACT NEVER SURE WHERE REVERSE IS. TODAY MY WIFE ASKED ME TO WRITE OUT HOW TO TELL WHICH GEAR SHE IS IN. SHE DECIDED NOT DRIVE IT BECAUSE …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 745086 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10007212 · 2003-02-12 (February 12, 2003)
THE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKED OIL, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 53,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007212 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10022291 · 2003-06-04 (June 4, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AND NO NO WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL STALL, AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10022291 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10044846 · 2003-10-26 (October 26, 2003)
VEHICLE'S TENSIONER AND POWER STEERING FAILED.*MR THE TENSIONER FAILED IN THE DRIVEWAY. OTHER FAILED PARTS INCLUDES FUEL GAUGE, TURN SIGNAL SWITCH, AND ALTERNATOR ( NEW BATTERY REQUIRED AND VEHICLE WAS TOWED). THESE PARTS FAILED BETWEEN 36,500 MILES AND 42,000 MILES. CONSUMER DISAPPOINTED WITH THE LOW MILEAGE FAILURES OF HIS VEHICLE. *PH *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10044846 at NHTSA ↗