Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1999 Chevrolet Lumina, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine and engine cooling41
- Service brakes, hydraulic18
- Electrical system8
- Steering7
- Power train7
- Air bags7
- Visibility5
- Vehicle speed control5
- Engine4
- Tires4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 13 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 6 1999 Lumina vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 3 people died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1999 Chevrolet Lumina failed the safety check 3.84% of the time — 118% more often than the average 1999 passenger car (1.76%). Median odometer at inspection: 106,766 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 11.3–11.7 L/100 km (about 20–21 mpg US), CO₂ 260–269 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lumina · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.3 | 8.8 | 11.3 |
| Lumina · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.8 | 9.0 | 11.7 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 1,497,516 MY 1997-2003 BUICK REGAL, MY 1998-2003 CHEVROLET LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND IMPALA, MY 1998-1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE, MY 1997-2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.8L V6 NATURALLY ASPIRATED ENGINE. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH DROPS OF ENGINE OIL MAY BE DEPOSITED ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD THROUGH HARD BRAKING.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Chevrolet told its dealers about the 1999 Chevrolet Lumina: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 635006 | INFORMATION ON SERVICING 4T65-E TRANSAXLE SPACER PLATE AND GASKETS FOR VARIOUS MODELS FROM 1997 THROUGH 2002. *TT |
| 634997 | INFORMATION ON SERVICING 4T65E TRANSAXLE SPACER PLATE AND GASKETS. *TT |
| 634985 | CONCERNS WITH SLIPS, HARSH UPSHIFT OR GARAGE SHIFTS, LAUNCH SHUDDERS, FLARES, ERRATIC SHIFTS AND INTERMITTENT CONCERNS, DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1811 OR P0748 SET. *TT |
| 634813 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A REPEAT ENGINE OIL PAN LEAK. *TT |
| 634708 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD INSTALLATION. *TT |
| 629375 | SUBJECT REGARDING WHINE NOISE IN PARK OR NEUTRAL, SERVICE ENGINE SOON OR SERVICE VEHICLE SOON LAMP ILLUMINATION. *TT |
| 628928 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A TRANSMISSION OIL LEAK. *TT UPDATED *EH |
| 623615 | INFORMATION REGARDING EXTRA CLIPS IN THE 4T65E TRANSMISSION. *SLC |
| 620810 | SUBJECT REGARDING POLYMER SERVICE PISTONS. *TT |
| 619370 | OWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES MAY COMMENT ON A GRINDING AND / OR GROWLING NOISE THAT IS NOTICEABLE WHEN STANDING IN PARK ON A HILL OR SLOPE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE PARKING BRAKE NOT APPLIED. *TT |
| 619369 | A CONDITION MAY EXIST IN WHICH THE FUEL GAUGE READS INCORRECTLY / FLUCTUATES, LOW FUEL CHIME SOUNDS PREMATURELY. *TT |
| 619360 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON DRIVEABILITY SYMPTONS OF LONG OR HARD STARTS, CHUGGLE, ROUGH IDLE AND LIGHT OR INTERMITTENT MISFIRE DUE TO CLOGGED FUEL INJECTORS. *TT |
| 619177 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A REPEAT ENGINE OIL PAN LEAK. *TT |
| 619176 | ENGINE COOLANT CONSUMPTION OR COOLANT LEAK (INSPECT FOR MATERIAL DEGRADATION/REPLACE INTAKE MANIFOLDS) *TT UPDATED 11/02/07 *NJ |
| 611290 | SOME OWNERS OF VEHICLES WITH A HYDRA-MATIC 4T65-E TRANSAXLE MAY COMMENT ON HARSH UPSHIFTS OR HARSH GARAGE SHIFTS, SOFT SHIFTS, SHUDDERS ON HARD ACCELERATION, OR SHIFTS ERRATIC. *TT |
| 609721 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: 1) THE FUEL GAUGE READING INCORRECTLY. 2) LOW FUEL CHIME SOUNDS PREMATURELY. 3) FUEL GAUGE MAY FLUCTUATE FROM FULL TO EMPTY. *TT |
| 6092333 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE BLACK PLASTIC HOUSING AROUND THE OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR TURNS CHALKY OR IS DULL IN COLOR. *TT |
| 6089996 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60 OR 4T60-E TRANSXALES MAY COMMENT ON A GRINDING AND / OR GROWLING NOISE THAT IS NOTICEABLE WHEN IN PARK ON INCLINE. *TT |
| 6088901 | CONDITIONS WITH INACCURATE FUEL GAUGE / FLUCTUATES, PREMATURE LOW FUEL CHIME. *TT |
| 608393 | SUBJECT ON 98067-PRODUCT EMISSION CAMPAIGN EMISSION LABEL ERROR. *MJS |
| 607586 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE FUEL GAUGE READS INCORRECTLY / FLUCTUATES, AND THE LOW FUEL CHIME SOUNDS PREMATURELY. *TT |
| 606581 | PRODUCT EMISSION CAMPAIGN REGARDING EMISSION LABEL ERROR. *TT |
| 606542 | SUBJECT REGARDING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN - INCORRECT INVOICE, PRICE LABEL AND BODY EMBLEM. *TT |
| 605963 | PRODUCT EMISSION CAMPAIGN INFORMATION REGARDING EMISSION LABEL ERROR. *TT |
| 602745 | SUBJECT ON ENGINE MISFIRE - INSPECT/ REPLACE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE. *YC |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation