1996 Chevrolet Lumina Engine Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET LUMINA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION WHO REPLACED THE ENGINE EGR VALVES. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURE AND REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS CLEANED, WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO A LOUD SQUEAKY NOISE. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC WINDOW MECHANISM WAS INOPERATIVE AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 157,000. UPDATED 04/24/09. *LJ THE EGR VALVES WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 04/28/09.*JB

NHTSA ID

10263726

Incident

Aug 8, 1999

Mileage

22,000 mi

I LOVE MY CAR BUT THE ENGINE HAS BEEN GOING OUT FOR SOME TIME NOW AND THE PERSON WHOM I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM HE KNEW OF THIS SITUATION AND HE DIDN'T TELL ME. THIS CAR IS MY FIRST CAR AND MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION SO CAN YOU ALL PLEASE HELP ME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10229318

Incident

Jan 1, 2007

Mileage

221,878 mi

OIL LEAK 1996 3.4 DOHC CHEVY LUMINA I DID MY RESEARCH THAT IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THESE CARS THEN ITS COSTS A PRETTY GOOD PENNY TO FIX BY THE DEALERSHIP LIKE $2000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10228936

Incident

Mar 11, 2007

Mileage

180,000 mi

PURCHASED 1996 CHEVY LUMINA W/3.1 LITER ENGINE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND CURRENTLY HAS 115,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. THE ISSUE IS THAT THE CAMSHAFT HAS BROKEN. WHY WOULD A VEHICLE THAT HAS HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM? IT SEEMS AN EXTREME PROBLEM FOR A WELL-CARED FOR VEHICLE. THIS WAS A FORMER POLICE VEHICLE (FIRST 96,000 MILES). MY SON'S GIRLFRIEND ALSO OWNS A LUMINA (1999, NO VIN AVAILABLE) AND SHE TOO HAS HAD THE CAMSHAFT REPLACED IN HER VEHICLE AT 170,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10208693

Incident

Nov 11, 2007

Mileage

115,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE'S INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. THE NON SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THE TOP OF THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER.

NHTSA ID

10171673

Incident

Dec 1, 2004

Mileage

143,000 mi

THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING AROUND 100K MILES AND GETTING WORSE EVER SINCE. THE PISTON PIN IS GOING BAD. I FOUND OUT THAT GM KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BY A CERTIFIED GM TECHNICIAN. HE TOLD ME THAT ALL 3.1L ENGINES HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND GM WONT FIX IT. I FEEL SHAFTED AND WILL NEVER BY A GM PRODUCT AGAIN. *NM

NHTSA ID

10163184

Incident

Jul 22, 2006

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ONE MORNING ON A HIGHWAY, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HEAD GASKET BLEW, MIXING THE OIL WITH THE WATER, CAUSING THE MOTOR TO NEED REPLACING. I HAD THE MOTOR REPLACED AT A COST OF $2680.07. WE HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY OF 6 YEARS 50 THOUSAND MILES, THE MOTOR BLEW AT 6.5 YEARS AND 52,091 MILES. NOTHING WAS DONE TO HELP ME THE CONSUMER. I CALLED THE DEALER( BURTNESS CHEVY,303 E.BELOIT ST. ORFORDVILLE,WI.53576), AND THEY SAID IT WAS MY FAULT FOR NOT TRADING IN THE CAR BEFORE THE WARRANTY WAS UP. THEN I CALLED GM(CENTRAL OFFICE P.O.BOX 33170, DETROIT, MI.48232-5170)AND THEY SAID A WARRANTY IS A WARRANTY. I JUST NOW CAME ACROSS YOUR WEB SIGHT, AND I FEEL I NEED TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. HOPE THEY CAN COME UP WITH A BETTER REASON IN THE FUTURE FOR OTHER CONSUMERS. THANKS YOU, CHERYL PHILLIPS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10150268

Incident

May 28, 2002

Mileage

52,091 mi

THE INTAKE GASKET ROTTED. THEREFORE, ANTIFREEZE LEAKED INTO THE OIL. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE. THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA ID

10142550

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

Mileage

16,000 mi

DT: CONSUMER SAYS VEHICLE GETS HOT AND IMMEDIATELY STALLS. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED ENGINE ONCE BEFORE. CONSUMER HAS BEEN TOLD THE PROBLEM IS THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. VEHICLE IS SERVICED REGULARLY, AND WAS TAKEN IN FOR RECALLS TO THE DEALER. ENGINE IN VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BAD AND IS COSTLY TO REPLACE. *TT

NHTSA ID

10124381

Incident

May 6, 2005

Mileage

230,000 mi

WHILE STARTING UP THE VEHICLE THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER,THE VEHICLE STARTED. THE DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE VACUUM HOSE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

NHTSA ID

10119034

Incident

Apr 21, 2005

MY DAUGHTER BROUGHT A USED 1996 LUMINA.SHE DROVE IT ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE IT STARTED ACTING UP. SHE LOST HEAT AND CAR WOULD GO TO OVERHEAT AND STALL. WHEN SHE GOT IT CHECKED SHE WAS TOLD THAT THE INTAKE GASGET WAS SHOT. THIS ALLOWED THE ANTIFREEZE GO INTO THE ENGINE. AS A RESULT THE SELLER WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY MORE THAN SHE PAID FOR IT TO REPAIR IT. SO WE ARE VERY DISSAPOINTED WITH THE CAR. I WOULD NEVER BUY ONE AGAIN AS I FOUND THIS IS A VERY COMMON THINK IN LUMINAS FOR SEVERAL YEARS RUNNING.

NHTSA ID

10116042

Incident

Jan 27, 2005

CAR SEEMED TO BE OVERHEATING AND RUNNING OUT OF ANTIFREEZE MUCH TOO OFTEN. TOOK IT INTO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME MY ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING INTO MY OIL, AND THAT MY HEAD GASKETS WERE CRACKED AND LEAKING. WAS TOLD I WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE, OR THE PROBLEM WOULD JUST KEEP OCCURRING. *JB

NHTSA ID

10112340

Incident

Feb 26, 2005

AT LOW SPEED THE STEERING LOCKS. IF FEELS AS IF THE VEHICLE HAS SHUT OFF.

NHTSA ID

10092051

Incident

Sep 13, 2004

Mileage

146,000 mi

WATER LEAKED INTO THE CRANK CASE BECAUSE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS DEFECTIVE. ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET SIMILAR COMPLAINTS WERE FOUND. *AK

NHTSA ID

10087726

Incident

May 16, 2001

Mileage

10,000 mi

I JUST PAID OVER $700 TO HAVE A MECHANIC REPLACE THE INTAKE GASKET ON MY 1996 CHEVROLET LUMINA. I HAVE HEARD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON MY CAR AND ENGINE TYPE. THAT WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS A POSSIBLE RECALL FOR THIS, OR WHAT ACTION I SHOULD TAKE TO BE COMPENSATED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10060496

Incident

Mar 5, 2004

Mileage

120,000 mi

ON 7/20/03 THE BATTERY WAS GETTING WEAK SO I BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY COMPATIBLE WITH THE CAR. ON THE FIRST START WITH THE NEW BATTERY THE CAR BEHAVED NORMALLY. HOWEVER, WHEN I STARTED IT THE SECOND TIME AND WAS BACKING UP A SLIGHT SLOPE OF A DRIVEWAY, THE CAR DIED. I PUT THE CAR BACK IN PARK AND RESTARTED THE CAR. WITHOUT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL WITH MY FOOT, THE GAS PEDAL DROPPED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE CAR RACED FORWARD WITH THE GEAR SHIFT STILL IN PARK. THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. I STEERED THE CAR TRYING TO LOCATE THE EMERGENCY BRAKES BUT THEY WERE TOO FAR AWAY FOR ME TO REACH AND STILL MAINTAIN THE RACING CAR. I THOUGHT TURNING OFF THE ENGINE WOULD STOP THE CAR SINCE THE BRAKES HAS FAILED BUT EVEN TURNING OFF THE ENGINE, IT RACED EVEN FASTER AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW I HAD CRASHED INTO A TREE TOTALLING OUT THE CAR. I CRACKED MY HEAD INTO THE WINDSHIELD BREAKING MY NOSE. LUCKILY, THE VISOR WAS DOWN AND PROTECTED MY FACE. I ALSO SUSTAINED BRUISING AND BACK INJURIES ALONG WITH THE CONCUSSION. ALSO, THE AIR BAG DID NOT ACTIVATE. THANKFULLY, AS I AM SHORT AND IF IT HAD, THEN I WOULD HAVE BEEN DECAPITATED OR KILLED FROM IT. MY INSURANCE ONLY GAVE BLUE BOOK VALUE TO THE CAR AS IT WAS UNREPAIRABLE AND HAD TO BE TOTALLED. I AM WANTING TO SEEK LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE MANUFACTURER. IS THERE ANY CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM ON THE LUMINA'S? I FEEL IT WAS COMPUTER PROBLEM THAT SHUT DOWN THE CAR MADE IT BEHAVE LIKE IT WAS POSSESS. NO LIGHTS CAME ON INSIDE THE CAR TO INDICATE THERE WAS A COMPUTER PROBLEM OR ANY OTHER PROBLEM. THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO PUT IN A BATTERY SO IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE BATTERY. DEBRA K. OLIVER

NHTSA ID

10069901

Incident

Jul 15, 2003

Mileage

102,000 mi

INDEPENDENT SHOP REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AT OWNER EXPENSE OF $750.DOLLARS. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH

NHTSA ID

10050049

Incident

Dec 4, 2003

Mileage

85,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED WHICH CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK INSIDE THE ENGINE AND RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE OVERHEATING. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10040168

Incident

Sep 17, 2003

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKING DEXCOOL ON MY CHEVY LUMINA 1996 3.1 AND WHILE I WAS IN THE MIDAS SHOP CHECKING MY CAR A GIRL HAVE MONTI CARLO 97 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM MY MECHENIC TELLING MY HE GETS ALOT OG THESE PROBLEMS WITH CHEVY 3.1 3.4

NHTSA ID

10003410

Incident

Jan 20, 2003

Mileage

115,000 mi

VEHICLE WAS SERVICED ABOUT 2 YRS AGO BECAUSE IT STARTED LOSING POWER AND WAS RUNNING ROUGH. THE POWER WINDOW ON DRIVER SIDE STOPPED FUNCTIONING. BRAKES GRIND WHEN WET EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED. NOTICED AROUND THIS TIME THAT THE CAR TEMPERATURE GAUGE SOMETIMES CREEPED UP ABOVE NORMAL. IT SEEMED TO BE LOSING ANTI-FREEZE. THE HEATER STOPPED WORKING. I REFILLED THE ANTI-FREEZE. IT SEEMED TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT IT SLOWLY RETURNED. VEHICLE WAS ALSO VERY SLOWLY LOSING OIL. LAST MONTH (10/02) I STARTED HOME FROM WORK. THE CAR SUDDENLY OVERHEATED. STRONG FUMES CAME INTO THROUGH THE VENTS, BURNING MY EYES. I HAD TO STOP REPEATEDLY TO LET THE CAR COOL SO THAT I COULD GET HOME. I WORK ONLY 3 MILES FROM HOME. WHEN I GOT HOME, THE OIL STICK CONTAINED OIL HALFWAY UP THE STICK. STARTED OVER FLOWING FROM THE OIL CAP WHEN I RESTARTED. SMOKE WAS HEAVY FROM THE BACK. HAD SOMEONE CHECK THE CAR. THE CAR IS NOT FUNCTIONABLE. WILL NOT TURN OVER. REPLACED THE STARTER BUT DIDN'T HELP. THERE IS OIL IN THE RADIATOR, WATER IN THE OIL. SEEMS TO BE FUEL IN THE ANTI-FREEZE. APPEARS TO BE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET OR MORE. HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THIS MAKE AND MODEL YEAR WAS RECALLED FOR MOTOR PROBLEMS PREVIOUSLY PARALLELING THESE SAME PROBLEMS. DT

NHTSA ID

770078

COOLANT IS LEAKING UNTO ENGINE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO RUN HOT/ROUGH/ VIBRATE AND TICK. CONSUMER FOUND A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ( TSB ) ON PROBLEM, AND DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT COOLANT WAS LEAKING INTO ENGINE AND IT WAS BEING RUINED. *AK

NHTSA ID

8003621

Incident

Feb 5, 2002

HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON CHEVROLET LUMINA @ 80,000 ENGINE MILES. DEALER, DEL CHEVROLET FIXTED PROBLEM @ MY COST OF 1,612.46 DOLLARS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND REGULAR SERVICED @ CHEVROLET DEALERS ON THIS CAR, I HAVE THERE RECEIPTS. PROBLEM OCCURRED, HEATED-UP, WHEN TRAVELING TO GM DEALERS ON 7/14/01. SHOULD THIS PROBLEM HAVE HAPPENED ON A 80,000 MILE ENGINE?*AK

NHTSA ID

748729

Incident

Jul 14, 2001

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW WENT DOWN WOULD NOT GO BACK UP-NO PROBLEM WITH THIS WINDOW BEFORE-DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WINDOW-SLUGGISH,OFTEN LOSES POWER......DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW KNOB PUSHED IN CANNOT RETRIEVE IT.....ENGINE BEGAN OVER HEATING IN NOV...ANTIFREEZE PUT IN...ANTIFREEZE MIXED IN WITH ENGINE OIL..ENGINE FROZE UP-HAD TO BE REPLACED.........ANTIFREEZE PART JUST SHATTERTED AS CAR COMING OUT OF PARKING SPACE--FLUIDS LOST-ENGINE LOST POWER---MECHANIC REPORTS NEW TRANSMISSION NEEDED ESTIMATES $2,500---MECHANIC REPORTS THAT THIS OR SIMILAR FAILURES OF TRANSMISSSION COMMON ON THIS VECHICLE AND THAT TRANSMISSION EXPERTS ARE AWARE OF THIS AND HAVE FREQUENT COMPLAINTS.....ALL THESE EVENTS OCCURRED IN LAST 6 MONTHS IN ADDITION TO THE NEED OF BRAKE HUB BEARING ON LEFT REAR WHEEL..TOTAL ESTIMATED COST $5,000

NHTSA ID

746268

Incident

Dec 1, 2000

CONSUMER NOTICED A SMELL COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. WHEN LIFTED HOOD NOTICED THAT THE ANTIFREEZE WENT INTO CRANKCASE OR ENGINE BLOCK. MIXED WITH OIL, AND IT SMELLED LIKE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATED. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. *AK

NHTSA ID

888923

Incident

May 10, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

737790

Incident

Dec 12, 2000