Your vehicle report
1996 Chevrolet Lumina
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 245
- Received Jan 1996 to May 2010
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Airbags fail to deploy in crashes24 complaints · 9.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Seat belt fails to latch or retract18 complaints · 7.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Fuel pump fails and engine stalls9 complaints · 3.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #96V122000These vehicles were assembled with one of the four brake booster tabs not properly located in the front of dash reinforcement assembly.
- Recall #96V069000The left front brake line can contact the transaxle mounting bracket or attachment bolt.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 24 crashes, 2 fires, 36 people injured, 3 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 29 |
| 1997 | 34 |
| 1998 | 27 |
| 1999 | 25 |
| 2000 | 37 |
| 2001 | 9 |
| 2002 | 14 |
| 2003 | 19 |
| 2004 | 20 |
| 2005 | 14 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 245 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 24 | 9.8% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 18 | 7.3% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 9 | 3.7% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 8 | 3.3% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 8 | 3.3% | – | |
| Plastic intake manifold cracks and leaks coolant | 8 | 3.3% | – | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 7 | 2.9% | – | |
| Brake lights fail or stay on | 7 | 2.9% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 6 | 2.5% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 6 | 2.5% | – | NHTSA recall #96V069000 |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 6 | 2.5% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 6 | 2.5% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 6 | 2.5% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 6 | 2.5% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 5 | 2.0% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 5 | 2.0% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 5 | 2.0% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 4 | 1.6% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 4 | 1.6% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 4 | 1.6% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #96V122000July 1, 19963,591 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum
These vehicles were assembled with one of the four brake booster tabs not properly located in the front of dash reinforcement assembly.
If this condition were present in a situation where stopping distances were small, a vehicle crash could occur.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect for proper booster installation. Boosters found to be improperly located will be removed and reinstalled properly.
NHTSA recall #96V069000April 19, 199643,213 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
The left front brake line Can contact the transaxle mounting bracket or attachment bolt.
This condition Can cause the brake line to wear through, resulting in loss of brake fluid and eventual loss of one-half of the vehicle's brake system, increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the vehicle for proper brake line clearance and reposition those brake lines found to have less than minimal clearance. Additionally, those brake lines found to have an indentation caused by the contact will be replaced and properly routed.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1996 Chevrolet Lumina.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN