2001 Chevrolet Lumina Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2001 Chevrolet Lumina, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Transmission417.4%
- Brakes417.4%
- Engine417.4%
- Seat belts313.0%
- Suspension313.0%
- Electrical28.7%
- Driver assistance28.7%
- Body & structure14.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER COMING TO A FULL STOP AT A CROSSOVER, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SEIZED COMPLETELY. A RATTLING NOISE, THEN A BUMP WAS HEARD INSIDE THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN BECAUSE THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 40668 MILES. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO NOTIFY THE MANUFACTURER AFTER FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA.
THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY SEIZED UP. THE CAR WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARDS. THE PLANETARY GEARS (2) WERE STRIPPED. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET LUMINA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V364000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH) WAS REFERENCED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR MECHANIC. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 90,000. UPDATED 09/15/08 *BF UPDATE 09/22/08. *JB
WHILE DRIVING AND COMING TO COMPLETE STOP AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SHIFT PROPERLY FROM THE FIRST GEAR TO THE SECOND GEAR. ALSO, HAD A BRAKE PROBLEM. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
JULY 2009 I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT AROUND 75 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE DIED AND WOULDN'T START, PULLED OFF THE ROAD, ENGINE WOULD CRANK BUT NOT START, AFTER A FEW MINUTES IT STARTED AND I DROVE HOME. I CALLED A MECHANIC AND HE SAID IT PROBABLY WAS THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE, GO TO THE JUNK YARD AND GET ONE. FROM THEN THROUGH DECEMBER 2012 I REPLACED THE IGNITION MODULE THREE TIMES. IN DECEMBER 2012 I REPLACED BOTH THE MODULE AND THE CRANK POSITIONING SENSOR, THINKING THAT IT COULD BE CAUSING THE MODULE FAILURE. THREE MONTHS LATER THE ENGINE DIED AGAIN I HAD THE MODULE TESTED, IT WAS OK, HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER, THEY CHECKED IT FOR THREE DAYS AND SAID THE HEAT FROM THE ENGINE HAD MADE THE CRANK POSITIONING SENSOR TO SEPARATE INTERNALLY AND IT WAS REPLACED AGAIN. CAR RAN FINE FOR THREE WEEKS AND WOULDN'T START AFTER DRIVING AROUND TOWN LET IT SIT FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, STARTED UP ON THE FIRST TRY DROVE IT HOME. APRIL 2013 MY JUDGMENT TELLS ME THAT THE PLUG TO THE POSITIONING SENSOR IS THE PROBLEM, WHEN ENGINE IS HOT THE PLUG EITHER OPENS UP OR SHORTS OUT FROM LIQUID FROM THE ENGINE. I CHECKED WITH THE PARTS MAN AND HE SAID HE HAD SOLD ONE POSITIONING SENSOR ALL YEAR (MINE) AND SOLD 30 PLUGS GOING TO IT, I'M REPLACING MY PLUG! *TR
2001 CHEVROLET LUMINA HAD GASKET FAILURE. *NJ
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
SEAT BELTS FAILED. THE BUCKLE WOULD NOT LOCK INTO THE LOCKING MECHANISM. CONSUMER DIDN'T HEAR THE CLICK WHEN FASTENED. *AK
REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT LATCH PROPERLY. ALSO, INTERMITTENTLY THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR WILL NOT LATCH PROPERLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BELTS, BUT THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD RECUR. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
RIGHT REAR ROARING SOUND. TIRE WEAR ON INSIDE TREAD. TIRE ROTATION AND 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT REQUIRED. EVIDENTLY CAUSED BY DRIVING THROUGH POTHOLE IN STREET AND KNOCKING REAR TORSION BARS OUT OF ALIGNMENT ON RIGHT SIDE. VERY CHEAPLY BUILT. *JB
CONSUMER NOTICED WHEN TRAVELING IN THE MORNING AND WHEN BACKING OUT VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A RUBBING SOUND. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED SOUND WAS NORMAL. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET LUMINA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE WIPERS AND TURN SIGNALS ACTIVATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 25 MPH AND HEARD A SEVERE RATTLING COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT THE MAIN ELECTRICAL HARNESS WHICH WAS NOT BRACKETED PROPERLY. THE HARNESS ALSO CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE SERPENTINE BELT. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET LUMINA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE WIPERS AND TURN SIGNALS ACTIVATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.
WHEN APPLYING ACCELERATOR PEDAL AFTER A STOP ENGINE WILL REVV, BUT VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE. THEN, VEHICLE WILL LURCH FORWARD, THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER CANNOT FIND CAUSE.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE DOOR HANDLES CANNOT BE EASILY GRIPPED WITH FINGERS MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR OLDER OCCUPANTS. NLM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .