1998 Chevrolet Lumina Brakes Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET LUMINA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE BRAKES LINES FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE METAL BRAKES LINES WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000. UPDATED 08-09-12 *BF THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO HAVE HIS COMPLAINT REMOVED. HE STATED WILL BE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH GM REGARDING THE ISSUE. UPDATED 08/09/12. *JB

NHTSA ID

10467825

Incident

Jul 26, 2012

Mileage

124,000 mi

WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT MY 1998 CHEVROLET LUMINA, ALL OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE WORKING PROPERLY. HOWEVER, A FEW WEEKS LATER I WAS DRIVING AND A MAN TOLD ME THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE OUT. THE TOP BRAKE LIGHT HAS ALWAYS WORKED, BUT THE TWO SIDE LIGHTS AND THE REVERSE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM EVER SINCE I NOTICED IT. WE HAVE TIRED THE FOLLOWING: SWITCHING THE LIGHT BULBS, CHANGING THE FUSES, AND GETTING A PROFESSIONAL WORK DONE. HOWEVER, NOTHING WORKS. THE NEW FUSE MAKES THE LIGHTS WORK FOR LESS THAN A DAY IF I'M LUCKY, BUT THEN THE FUSE BLOWS; AND THE EXPERTS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS WRONG. I LIVE IN MILWAUKEE, WI, AND HAVE SEEN OVER TEN CARS WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM! I HAVE GOTTEN PULLED OVER AND TICKETED 3 TIMES NOW, AND HAVE HAD TO PAY OVER $100 IN FINES, AND AT LEAST $300 AT THE AUTO SHOP, JUST FOR THE BRAKE LIGHT PROBLEM. ALSO, THE REVERSE LIGHTS HAVE NEVER BEEN FIXED, NOT EVEN WITH A NEW FUSE PUT IN. GM NEEDS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I CANNOT AFFORD TO GET ANY MORE TICKETS, OR FIX THE PROBLEM MYSELF. SEEING THAT MANY CARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM HAS TO BE A MANUFACTURES PROBLEM, AND I WOULD LIKE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS PLEASE. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ADDRESS MY CONCERNS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10384073

Incident

Apr 1, 2006

Mileage

98,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET LUMINA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHILE DRIVING. HE NOTICED A SMALL PIN HOLE IN THE BRAKE LINE CAUSED BY CORROSION. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY A MECHANIC. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 160,000. UPDATED 10/07/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE RIGHT REAR STEEL BRAKE LINE WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AT 2 LOCATIONS. UPDATED 10/08/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10239192

Incident

Aug 19, 2008

Mileage

160,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET LUMINA. IN MARCH OF 2008, THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH A CRACKED WINDSHIELD. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE WINDSHIELD. THE FOLLOWING DAY, WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AND NEARLY CAUSED A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY KEPT IT FOR THREE DAYS. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ONCE MORE, BUT IT SHUT OFF AGAIN. THE DEALER REFUSED TO MAKE ANY MORE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 140,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,897. UPDATED 7/3/08 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED AT LEAST 10 TIMES. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE ENGINE WAS BAD. UPDATED 07/03/08

NHTSA ID

10230850

Incident

Apr 13, 2008

Mileage

129,897 mi

MY BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS MALFUNCTIONED IN MY VEHICLE. THEY HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED AND WILL GO OUT WHEN I AM TURNING OR TRYING TO STOP. I HAD THEM CHECKED FOR 4 YEARS STRAIGHT- PADS CHANGED AND COMPLETELY SERVICED- MY MECHANIC SAID IT IS SOME COMPUTER SENSOR IN THE BRAKES THAT GOES OUT IN THIS PARTICULAR CHEVY. IT IS EXPENSIVE AND A DEFECT. I HAVE WENT THROUGH INTERSECTIONS- AND BEEN SO CLOSE IN REAR ENDING SEVERAL VEHICLES BECAUSE OF MY INABILITY TO STOP MY CAR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10166708

Incident

Jan 10, 2006

THE TWO MAIN BRAKE LIGHTS NO LONGER COME ON WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE 3RD BRAKE LIGHT IN REAR WINDOW STILL WORKS. BOTH BULBS WERE CHECKED AND EVEN REPLACED TO NO AVAIL. THE TURN SIGNALS FLASH AT A HIGH SPEED, UNLESS THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER IS MANIPULATED WITH A SLIGHT PULL/PUSH. CHECKED SEVERAL INTERNET SITES ON THE PROBLEM, AND IT SEEMS IT MAY BE THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL SWITCH. NOT SURE IF THIS IS A MAJOR FIX WITH SPECIALIZED TOOLS IF THE PROBLEM IS IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10157909

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

Mileage

150,000 mi

1998 CHEVROLET LUMINA - BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE (CENTER LIGHT IS OK, BOTH TAILLIGHTS DON'T WORK). VERY COMMON, ACCORDING TO WEB SEARCHES OF THE PROBLEM. RELATED TO TURN SIGNAL AND/OR EMERGENCY FLASHER SWITCH (IF THESE ARE PHYSICALLY 'JIGGLED' BRAKE LIGHTS TEMPORARILY WORK). *NM

NHTSA ID

10106536

Incident

May 1, 2004

BOTH REAR BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE FAILED AND ONLY THE CENTER HIGH MOUNTED LIGHTS ARE WORKING. I REPLACED THE BULBS BUT TAHT DID NOT HELP SO I DID A LITTLE TROUBLESHOOTING AND FOUND THAT THE BULBS WORKED AS THEY LIT UP WHEN I USED THE SIGNAL LIGHTS, HAZARD LIGHTS, AND HEAD LIGHTS. I NEXT TRIED REPLACING THE TURN SIGNAL/HARZARD FLASHER BUT THIS DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY TURN SIGNAL LEVER AND THAT IF THIS PART WAS WIGGLED THE LIGHTS WOULD WORK AGAIN. I CHECKED THIS ON THE CAR AND FLIPPED THE HIGH BEAMS ON AND OFF A COUPLE OF TIMES VIA THE TURN SIGNAL STALK AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS STARTED TO WORK AGAIN. I FIND THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS THAT A CRITICAL PIECE OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT RELIES ON SOMETHING AS TRIVIAL AS A TURN SIGNAL STALK. I HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT GENERAL MOTORS HAS ISSUAD A RECALL CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM BUT THAT IT WAS VERY NARROWLY CONFINED AND DID NOT INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE DESPITE THE FACT THAT MANY PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10098253

Incident

Nov 3, 2004

Mileage

134,030 mi

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL ANDC BRAKES BECAME INOPERATIVE. CONSUIMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. *AK

NHTSA ID

10088067

Incident

May 20, 2003

ANTI-LOCK BRAKES RELAYS CLICK AND CYCLE CONTINUALLY WHEN BRAKING. DEALER STATES THE TRACTION CONTROL MODULE MAY BE MALFUNCTIONING. DOES NOT SEEM TO AFFECT NORMAL BRAKING. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10016443

Incident

Apr 15, 2003

Mileage

98,000 mi

I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE USED AND IT STILL HAD 1000 MILE WARRANTY FROM THE DEALER. WHEN I GOT THE CAR THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP SO THEY REPLACED IT. BEFORE I EVEN GOT OUT OF THE PARKING LOT THE (VIBRATION SHUDDER HOSE) WENT BAD. OR AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT THE GUY AT THE SERVICE AREA TOLD ME THE NAME WAS. THEY HAVE REPLACED THAT. AND FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING WITH THEM THAT THE POWER STEERING HAS BEEN WHINING. ALSO THE BRAKES DO NOT STOP TO WELL IN THE RAIN. I TRAVEL A LOT AND WE GO THROUGH BRAKES LIKE WATER. WE ALSO HAD THE AC COMPRESSOR GO OUT LAST YEAR DURING THE SUMMER. THE CAR WAS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. WE KEEP OUR CAR UP VERY WELL. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND ALL THESE PROBLEMS. I KNOW THIS MAY NOT SEEM LIKE BIG PROBLEMS BUT WHEN I KEEP MY CAR UP AND HAVE BEEN FIGHTING WITH THE DEALER DUE TO WHINING THIS IS FRUSTRATING.*JB

NHTSA ID

10014066

Incident

Nov 1, 2000

Mileage

35,000 mi

WHEN BACKING UP AND SLOWING DOWN ABS STARTS TO CLATTER. ITS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8016591

Incident

Aug 19, 2001

I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED WITH 32,000 MI. FROM THE BEGINNING BRAKES WOULD NOT GRAB IN THE RAIN, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS EXTREMELY HARD. THE DEALER SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THAT'S THE WAY THIS CAR IS. I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS NOT USE TO 4 WHEEL DISC BRAKES. (I DRIVE A 4 WHEEL DISC CAR AT WORK.) I INSISTED THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. DEALER TURNED THE FRONT ROTORS WHICH DID NOT HELP. I INSTALLED HIGH PERFORMANCE DISC PADS ON ALL FOUR WHEELS WHICH HELPED A LOT BUT ONLY FOR ABOUT 20000 MILES. THE BRAKES USE TO WHEN THEY GOT WET. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE IN WET WEATHER! *TS ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS***762002

NHTSA ID

10009208

Incident

Mar 1, 2000

Mileage

35,000 mi

I WAS GOING 55 MPH ON BELTWAY. I DISCOVERED THAT MY BRAKES WERE VERY HARD TO PUSH AND COULD NOT STOP. PULLED OFF TO SHOULDER AND COULD NOT PICK UP ANY ACELERATION. I HAD THE CAR TAKEN IMMEDIATELY TO DEALER FOR CHECK-UP. THE DEALER (FOX) ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER HOSE FROM THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER BECAME LOOSE AND WAS "CRIMPED" NEAR THE HOOD AND FIRE WALL. THIS RESULTED IN THE FLOW OF VACUUM PRESSURE BEING COMPROMISED AND STOPPING. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER HOSE HAD TO BE "REPOSITIONED." THIS CORRECTED BOTH PROBLEMS OF FAILED BRAKING AND LACK OF ACCELLERATION. THE DEALER WOULD NOT OR COULD NOT FULLY EXPLAIN IF THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM OR WAS A RESULT OF HUMAN ERROR WHEN WORK IS PERFORMED ON THE CAR. THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE THE "CRIMPED" BOOSTER HOSE. LOST OF BRAKES WHEN GOING HIGHWAY SPEEDS WAS QUITE UPSETTING. I THOUGHT I WOULD PASS THIS COMPLAINT ON FOR YOU REVIEW AND ANY ACTION YOU DEEM FIT. IF THIS IS A SAFTY PROBLEM, PERHAPS A TECH BULLETIN OR WARNING SHOULD BE ISSUED BY CHEV. THANK YOU. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME FOR ANY OTHER INFORMATION REQUIRED ON YOUR PART.*AK

NHTSA ID

759571

Incident

Mar 12, 2002

THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES MAKES A CLICKING SOUND WHEN PEDAL IS PUSHED AS IF THEY ARE BEING ACTIVATED INTO THE SKID MODE AND EVERY TIME THEY CLICK THE LIGHTS ON THE CAR DIM. SO IF YOU GO TO SLOW DOWN THE BRAKES CLICK SEVERAL TIMES AND THE LIGHTS DIM AND ONCOMMING DRIVERS ARE ANNOYED BY MY LIGHTS DIMMING AND BRIGHTNING.*AK

NHTSA ID

758094

AIRBAGS ARE DEFECTIVE. REPAIRED BRAKES, STARTER

NHTSA ID

9004849

VEHICLE WAS SET ON CRUISE CONTROL AT 50-55MPH WHEN IT STARTED TO PICK UP SPEED. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND TRIED TO TURN CRUISE OFF. TO STOP VEHICLE CONSUMER PUT IT IN NEUTRAL/ APPLIED BRAKES, AND VEHICLE ROLLED OVER SOME GRAVEL WHICH HELPED TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN AND INTO PARK. A MECHANIC DISCONNECTED CRUISE CONTROL. BRAKES WERE BURNED OUT TRYING TO STOP THE VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER REFERRED THE CONSUMER TO A DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST DONE. *AK

NHTSA ID

895134

Incident

Aug 17, 2001

BRAKES GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, SOMETIMES CONSUMER HAS TO PUMP BRAKE PEDAL FOR VEHICLE TO STOP. *AK

NHTSA ID

888876

Incident

Apr 1, 2001

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED PEDAL BECOMES HARD, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER WILL INSPECT VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

888708

WHILE SITTING IN STOPPED POSITION AND HAVING BRAKES APPLIED BRAKE PEDAL WILL SLOWLY LOSE PRESSURE. THIS WILL ALLOW PEDAL TO GO TO FLOORBOARD. CONSUMER HAS TO PUMP PEDAL FOR THIS NOT TO OCCUR. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR PEDAL TO GO TO FLOOR IF CONSTANT PRESSURE IS APPLIED. *AK FOUR B.F. GOODRICH TIRES EXPERIENCED CRACKING BETWEEN THE TREAD, REPLACED AT HALF PRICE BY B.F. GOODRICH. CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A TICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. *SLC

NHTSA ID

888041

Incident

Apr 25, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

745053

Incident

Apr 30, 2001

IN RAIN WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IT TAKES 3 TO 4 SECONDS BEFORE THERE IS BRAKING ACTION, PEDAL WILL FEEL HARD. DEALER STATED THAT WAS NORMAL.*AK

NHTSA ID

883703

Incident

Jun 1, 1999

WHEN DRIVING UNDER WET CONDITIONS THERE IS A LOSS OF BRAKES WHEN PEDAL IS APPLIED . DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

877395

I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR BRAKES ON MY 1998 LUMINA. THEY WOULD DRAG AND MAKE A METAL TO METAL NOISE. I TOOK THE CAR INTO FRONTIER CHEVROLET 5 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. AS I SAID, THE BRAKES MADE A METAL TO METAL NOISE, THE BRAKES WOULD DRAG, SOMETIMES EVEN SKIDDING THE TIRES ON DRY PAVEMENT. THIS HAPPENED WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE BRAKE PRESSURE ON THE PETAL. THE LAST TIME I WAS INTO FRONTIER CHEVROLET, THE SHOP FORMAN TOLD ME THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO FIX IT BECAUSE HE DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG. I CONTACTED GM AT THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE HOTLINE ON AT LEAST TWO OR POSSIBLY THREE OCCASIONS. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULDN'T REACH THE SHOP FORMAN AND THEY WOULD GET BACK TO ME. THEY NEVER DID. I LIVE IN MONTANA WHERE ICY ROADS ARE A PROBLEM IN THE WINTER. WITH WINTER WETHER SETTING IN I GAVE UP ON THE DEALER AND TOOK THE CAR INTO AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE CENTER TO HAVE THE BRAKES FIXED. I DIDN'T WANT TO CHANCE THE BRAKES LOCKING UP ON ICY ROADS AND SENDING ME OUT OF CONTROL. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SOON DISCOVERED METAL SHAVINGE ON THE DRUMS AND OTHER BRAKE PARTS. HE SAID THE SHOES WERE RUBBING ON THE INSIDE OF THE DRUMS WHEN THE PETAL WAS DEPRESSED. THIS CAUSED THE SHOES TO BIND INSIDE OF THE DRUMS, WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO DRAG AND POSSIBLY LOCK UP. HE MEASURED THE ORIGINAL SHOES AND THE REPLACEMENT SHOES AND FOUND THAT EVEN WITH 31,000 MILES OF RUBBING ON THE INSIDE OF THE DRUMS, THE ORIGINAL SHOES WERE .007 WIDER THAN THE REPLACEMENTS. MY NEIGHBOR TOLD ME OF A PONTIAC GRAND AM THAT SHE OWNED THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. SHE ALSO TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER, WHO COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ( IN ANOTHER CITY), TOLD HER THAT GM HAD INSTALLED THE WRONG SHOES ON HER CAR. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM FOR GM. WHILE THIS DIDNOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, IT VERY EASILY COULD HAVE IF I HADN'T HAD THE CAR FIXED AT MY OWN EXPENSE, EVEN THOUGH THE PARTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I HOPE YOU WILL LOOK INTO THIS PRO

NHTSA ID

735801

Incident

Jul 22, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

732556