1994 CHEVROLET LUMINA Recalls, Complaints & Safety

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 CHEVROLET LUMINA. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DRIVE IN REVERSE WHEN THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHELL CRACKED DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW. REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 93,100.

I NOTICE SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, INSIDE MY CAR, QUITE OFTEN- AT LEAST 2 TIMES A WEEK. MY BRAKES WEAR OUT FASTER THAN THEY SHOULD. I HAVE TO REPLACE THE DRIVERSIDE HUB ASSEMBLY KIT EVERY 3-6 MONTHS BECAUSE IT STARTS CLICKING THEN WEARS OUT THE BRAKES IF I DON'T GET IT DONE- AT THE CHEAPEST 100 EVERY TIME. CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN A WRECK AND I DO NOT KNOW WHY IT DOES THIS. *TR

THE INCIDENT DATE THAT THIS OCCURRED ON WAS THE THIRD TIME IT HAPPENED. I DROVE THIS CAR WITH NO PROBLEMS EXCEPT FOR THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT AND FASTENED SEAT BELT LIGHTS COMING ON PERIODICALLY FOR THE PAST MONTH. WE HAD AN UNEXPECTED SNOW STORM, AND I HAD DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES AND NOTICED WHEN I HAD STOPPED AT A CONVENIENT STORE THAT THE BATTERY VOLTAGE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT HOME ,AND A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER WENT TO THE GROCERY STORE. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT, FASTEN SEAT BELT LIGHT, AND BATTERY VOLTAGE LIGHT CAME ON. AS I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT THE CAR DIED AND I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT EVEN THOUGH THE LIGHTS, RADIO AND ETC WERE WORKING.*AK THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED TWICE BEFORE IN THE PAST. I HAD GOT THE FUEL INJECTORS AND STARTER REPLACED, HAD THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR CHECKED WITH NO PROBLEMS. A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, I WENT TO START IT AND SUPRISINGLY IT HAD STARTED. THE CAR DOES RUN EXCELLENT WHEN THIS UNEXPLAINABLE PROBLEM HAPPENS THOUGH.

THE COMPACT SPARE TIRE FELL OUT OF ITS COMPLETELY RUSTED FASTENERS AS THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. (NAR) *PH *CB

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN TURNING ON THE VEHICLE, HIS FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, HE PLACED THE VEHICLE IN GEAR AND SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND WENT THROUGH THE GARAGE DOOR. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE IDENTIFIED AND WAS UNSURE AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. *AK *SC *JB

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WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE NOT WORKING AND WATER WAS GETTING ONTO THE FLOORBOARD. *AK *MR

TIRE RUBBING INSIDE DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRE WELL FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS. ONE REPAIR SHOP CHANGED THE REAR STRUTS. THAT DIDN'T HELP. THE NEXT SHOP CHANGED SOME KIND OF PADS OR BUSHINGS. THAT DID NOT HELP EITHER. IT SEEMS TO ONLY HAPPEN WHEN WE ARE MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN, AND THERE IS SOMEONE SITTING IN BACK BEHIND THE DRIVER. AS OF THIS DATE 08-29-03, NOONE SEEMS TO KNOW HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. CAN YOU HELP? *AK

SUBFRAME ON 1994 CHEVROLET LUMINA WITH 65,000 MILES RUSTED AND BROKE THROUGH. *AK

SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN TWICE DURING NORMAL DRIVING. *JB

WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED APPLIED BRAKES AND VEHICLE SURGED. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE IDLER ARM BECAME DISCONNECTED. *JB

PROBLEMS WITH SPARE TIRE. *MR WHILE DRIVING THE SPARE TIRE FELL OUT IT'S COMPLETELY RUSTED FASTENERS. *TT *NLM

THE SPARE TIRE BROKE WHILE DRIVING.*AK *JB

FRONT DOOR HANDLES, LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE BROKEN. DRIVERS DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. PASSENGER DOOR OPENS ONLY FROM INSIDE. SIDE SLIDING DOOR AUTOMATIC OPERATION INOPERATIVE; DOORO OPENS OR CLOSES ONLY MANUALLY. REAR HATCH DOOR HANDLE HAS FALLEN APART NUMEROUS TIMES. A DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD. DRIVING A VEHICLE WITH NO IMMEDIATE ESCAPE OPTION IS DEADLY BUSINESS.

CONSUMER STATES HAS CONSTANT PROBLEMS WITH STEERING PULLING EXCESSIVELY TO THE LEFT WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. TS

CONSUMER STATES THAT ENGINE STALLS INTERMITTENLY WITHOUT WARNING. TS

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BRAKES ARE GRINDING AND GOING TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS VERY UNSAFE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE THERE IS A WIERD SQUEAKING TS

THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LATCH BROKE OFF. THE DOOR WON'T OPEN AND CONSUMER HAS TO CLIMB ACROSS TO THE PASSENGER SIDE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER FURTHER EXPLAINS THAT THE COUNTER WEIGHT ARM IS MADE OF ALUMINUM ALLOY ALLOWING FOR THE FREQUENT BREAKING. *TS *JG NLM

REAR STRUTS HAVE GOTTEN NOISY, WITH RATTLING AND GROANS. SEEMS LIKE A BUSHING IS OUT. ALSO SHOCKS ARE OVERLY FIRM, AS IF THEY ARE DEFECTIVE. THE OVERLY FIRM SHOCKS HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPORTED TO NHTSA. THE RATTLING HAS RECENTLY STARTED AND WHEN A SHARP BUMP IS HIT WITH THE RIGHT REAR TIRE, IT HAS A LOT OF SMALL SHARP BOUNCES, WITH THE TIRE ABSORBING THE SHOCK. REAR SHOCK/STRUT PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE VERY COMMON ON THESE CARS AND REPLACEMENTS FROM THE DEALER ARE $300. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM THAT GM SHOULD FIX, OR OFFER A DISCOUNT ON THE REAR STRUTS, SINCE SO MANY ARE BAD. THANKS.*AK

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM OUTSIDE. SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE CARS.*AK

REAR SHOCKS ARE OVERLY FIRM AND DO NOT COMPRESS WELL. THIS SEEMS TO HAMPER THE STEERING CONTROL ON CURVY BUMPY ROADS. I PLAN ON REPLACING THEM MYSELF AT MY COST, BUT I HAVE HEARD FROM OTHERS THE SIMILAR PROBLEM ON THE GM W-CARS. (88-NEWER CUTLASS SUPREME, REGAL, LUMINA, GRAND PRIX). MOST CARS, THE SHOCKS GET BOUNCY AND SOFT WHEN THE SHOCKS WEAR, BUT ON THESE CARS, THEY GET OVERLY FIRM. AS IF THEY GAIN PRESSURE AND DO NOT WANT TO COMPRESS. THE DEALER WANTS $300. FOR NEW REAR STRUTS/SHOCKS, WHICH I FEEL IS ABSURD, CONSIDERING I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM. THANKS.

ABOUT 4 TIMES IN THE PAST 6 YEARS A SMALL PLUME OF SMOKE ROSE FROM BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. *AK

WHILE ADJUSTING SEATING POSITION IN HIS POWER SEATS, SEAT ANCHOR BROKE AND THE SEAT CANNOT BE USED WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND CORRECTED PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

SEAT BELT LOOSENS UP AS MOVEMENT IS MADE IN SEAT. FRONT SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT RETRACT UNLESS BELTS WERE PUSHED DOWN INTO MECHANISM. DEALER HAD TO TAKE A PART THE SIDE PANEL AND PHYSICALLY REPLACE TWO BELTS. THE CHARGE $327.35. *AK *SLC

WHILE DRIVING 60MPH CONSUMER SHIFTED IN FRONT SEAT AND SEAT BROKE. CONSUMER WENT TO BACK OF VEHICLE AND ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE.*AK

NOISE IN DASH (LIKE SOMETHING TRYING TO ADJUST) CAUSING PARTIAL LOST TO BRAKING POWER, ANTI-LOCK LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON UNTIL THE CAR IS TURNED OFF, AT FREQUENT INTERMITTENT TIMES, BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO FLOOR LOSING ALL BRAKING CAPABILITIES. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30MPH ON A SIDE STREET AND HEARD A BANGING NOISE, AND VEHICLE JUST SHUT OFF . DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. *AK

THERE WAS A SHORT IN WIRING HARNESS WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO START SMOKING WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION.*AK CONSUMER STATES SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, PROBABLY FROM STEERING COLUMN.*JB

NOTED ON MAR7TH BY MECHNIC FLAT SPOT OR AS HE PUT IT THE TIRE WAS OUT OF ROUND AND WEARING VERY WRONG. HE STATED CAR WAS IN GOOD ALIGNMENT. SO HE RECOMMENDED WE TAKE IT BACK TO ORIGINAL DEAL WE HAD PUT ON THE TIRES. MAR.8TH TAKEN TO TIRE SHOP THEY ROTATED 3 FO THE TIRES AND LEFT THE BAD ONE IN PLACE. MAR 21ST BACK TO OUR MECHANIC WHO AGAIN CHECKED ALIGNMENT PER TIRE SHOPS SUGGESTION. OUR MECHANIC ALIGNED CAR BUT SAID THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. SO HE MOVED THE TIRE TO THE BACK AND PUT ON A CAM BOLT TO HELP KEEP IT RIDING AS SOOTHE AS HE COULD. MAR 22ND CALLED GOODYEAR IN CINNCINNATI AND TOLD THEM OF THE PROBLEM, THEY RECOMMENDED WE TAKE IT BACK TO TIRE SHOP TO BE LOOKED AT AGAIN. THE Y SUGGETED THE TIRE SHOP CHECK ALIGNMENT AGAIN. APPT. SCHEDULED FOR MAR 26TH , APPT CANCELLED DUE TO DEATH IN FAMILY, RESCHEDULED FOR MAR 27TH. MAR.26TH RECEIVED A VERY RUDE PHONE CALL FROM CINNCINATTI STATING THEY HAD TALK IT OVER WITH TIRE SHOP AND WERE TOLD THEIR WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRE EXCEPT THAT OUR CAR WAS INPOOR ALIGNMENT. I DON'T UNDERSSTAND THIS BECAUSE NOBODY AT THE TIRE SHOP MADE ANY THOUGHT OF THIS ON OUR FIRST VISIT TO THEM ON MAR8TH WHEN WE HAD ALREADY HAD THE CAR CHECKED BY OUR MECHANIC ON MAR 7TH AND NOTED THE PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH. WE CANCELLED OUR APPT. FOR MAR 27TH IN ABSOLUTE DISGUST AND WE PUT ON MANY MILES ALREADY RUNNING BACK AND FORTH HAVING THIS CHECKED OUT. OUR HOMETOWN MECHANIC STILL BELIEVES THIS IS A MANUFACTURES DEFECT AND SHOULD BE REPLACED AT NO COST TO US.*AK (TIRESIZE: P205/60R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/60R16 )

PASSENGER'S DOOR FAILS TO REMAIN CLOSED. PIN TO HOLD DOOR TO CLOSE HAD BROKEN.VENICLE NEVER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. PIN CANNOT BE REPLACED. ENTIRE DOOR FRAME NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, ACCORDING TO MECHANIC. *AK

I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR FRONT BRAKES ON 11-25-00. I WAS TOLD THE BACK BRAKE PADS WERE WEARING UNEVENLY AND THAT I WOULD NOT HEAR ANY "WEAR NOISE" BEFORE THE PAD WORE THROUGH AND WRECKED THE ROTORS. THE MECHANIC SAID THE "SLEEVE" GM INSTALLED TO MOVE THE BRAKE PADS WAS "SEIZED". HE SAID THE "KIT" HE WOULD USE WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS EXTRA COST FOR 2 REAR CALIPERS WAS INCURRED BY ME BECAUSE GM'S FACTORY INSTALLED CALIPERS WERE INFERIOR. I ALSO LEARNED THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT TO HELP CUSTOMERS LIKE ME WHO HAVE THESE BAD BRAKE PARTS. I CALLED GM, BUT THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE I DID NOT TAKE IT TO A GM DEALER TO GET THE BRAKES DONE. I WENT TO MY LOCAL GM DEALER THAT SAME DAY AND LEARNED THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ALSO. IS THERE ANY "SECRET WARRANTIES" ON THIS??? WHO CAN I CONTACT FOR SOME REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE EXTRA $404.98 I INCURRED FOR THIS DEFECT???*AK

PREMATURE WEAR OF BRAKES, ROTORS AND CALIPERS. DEALER HAS REPAIRED/REPLACED THE CALIPERS AND ROTORS SEVERAL TIMES, AT TIMES, THE BRAKES ARE NOISEY. *AK *SLC

SLIDER ON THE DISC BRAKE SYSTEM WOULD MALFUNCTION AND CAUSE THE BRAKES TO ENGAGE ON ONE SIDE AND OVERHEAT. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PART WAS NOT COVER UNDER RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.*AK

BRAKE PADS, CALIPERS AND ROTORS FAILED CONTINUALLY WITH EXCESSIVE WEAR. *ET

CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY TWO MECHANICS THAT THE BRAKE CALIPERS WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY IF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS NOT USED 2-3 TIMES A WEEK WHICH CAUSED THE ROTORS TO RUST OUT. NLM

REAR LEAF SPRING FAILED. YH

AFTER BEING REPAIRED, A FEW MONTH LATER, ROTORS STARTED MAKING NOISE AND VIBRATED. ALSO, EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD OPERATED POORLY. BRAKES HAD BEEN REPLACES FIVE TIMES. *AK

CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH HORN. WIRE CONNECTED TO STEERING WHEEL IS BLOCKING THE HORN BOTTON . WHEN HORN BUTTON FALLS OFF, VEHICLE CANNOT TURN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT, A PIECE OF TIRE ABOUT 4 BY 6 INCHES CLOSE TO THE WHEEL RIM, REPLACE MICHELIN TIRE SIZE (P195-75R-14)

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SMOKE EMITTED FROM STEERING COLUMN AT STARTUP TWICE IN ONE DAY. *AK