IllustrationTL*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.
1994 Chevrolet Lumina
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1994 Chevrolet Lumina do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 126.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Lumina years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 7 of 126 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
126 reportsI 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 N…
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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 CO…
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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 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 HAPPEN…
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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
THE COMPACT SPARE TIRE FELL OUT OF ITS COMPLETELY RUSTED FASTENERS AS THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. (NAR) *PH *CB
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…
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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
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.