1992 Chevrolet Lumina problems & reliability
342 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1992 Chevrolet Lumina. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
10 complaints report injuries (16 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1992 Chevrolet Lumina vehicles were involved in 2 fatal crashes with 3 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 158 | 46% |
| Electrical System | 44 | 13% |
| Seat Belts | 34 | 10% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 29 | 8% |
| Power Train | 25 | 7% |
| Structure | 15 | 4% |
| Steering | 13 | 4% |
| Wheels | 13 | 4% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 12 | 4% |
| Suspension | 12 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Subframe washers rust and fail which caused in this case the steering rack to disconnect . I have been auto tech for 25 years and have seen many makes have very concerning safety problems . The nhtsa has failed in my eyes . The state I live in uses salt so the problems show up faster here in rust and cold related…”
Structure · filed Dec 4, 2014
“Vehicle would not start after parked less then 2 hours. The spark plugs worked fine, with sufficient spark. The compression was at a normal level of function. The problem was found to be the fuel injectors to be stuck in the wide open (full throttle) position. Which was causing the vehicle to be flooded, preventing…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Feb 10, 2013
“Tl* the contact owns a 1992 chevrolet lumina. The contact was driving 30 mph when the steering seized. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where the mechanic confirmed that sub frame that controlled the rack and pinion was corroded and detached from the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the…”
Steering · filed Oct 28, 2011
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- CORRODED REAR DISK BRAKES
Preliminary Evaluation PE94063 · opened Aug 12, 1994 · closed Dec 21, 1994
- APV FUEL LINE FIRES
Preliminary Evaluation PE92052 · opened Jun 4, 1992 · closed Oct 30, 1992
Technical service bulletins
14 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1992 Chevrolet Lumina. The 10 most recent:
No tcc apply, malfunction indicator lamp (mil) on, tcc surge, possible p0740, p1870, or 39 after installation of a reman (srta) 4t60/4t60e. *tt
01880 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2004
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…
990730030A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2001
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
990730030 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 1, 1999
Customers may complain of grinding / scraping / groaning noise from rear suspension. *tt
990309004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 1999
Some v6 engines may, on a very infrequent basis, have an oil odor condition that is generally encountered after the engine's oil has been changed.typically the odor lasts approximately 1000 miles after the change of oil…
876002A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 1998
Comment that the abs light is on with diagnostic trouble codes (dtc's) 46 and 86 set as current or history. *yc
970801735026 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 1, 1997
Cold start rattle noise (diagnosis/service procedure). *tw
577106A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 1997
Excessive oil consumption (replace pcv harness). *tw
676001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 1997
Cold start rattle noise. *tw
577106A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 1, 1996
Grinding and/or growling noise in park on incline.*sd
9573T4001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 1, 1995
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1992 Chevrolet Lumina in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1992 Chevrolet Lumina?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.