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1998 Chevrolet Lumina Recalls, Complaints & Specs

3 safety recalls list the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina, and owners have filed 223 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

3
safety recalls
223
owner complaints to NHTSA
8 / 6
complaints citing a crash / fire
19–21
MPG combined (EPA)

3 safety recalls for the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (engine and engine cooling) and engine (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 15V701000 Reported 1,003,556 vehicles potentially affected General Motors LLC

    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…

    Remedy: The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engine’s front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are…

  2. Engine and engine cooling

    NHTSA 09V116000 Reported 1,497,516 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    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…

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine’s front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engine’s plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, free of charge. The…

  3. Rack and pinion (steering)

    NHTSA 03V527000 Reported 750,283 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    Certain passenger vehicles have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These retainers could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.

    Remedy: Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began on february 5, 2004. Owners should contact…

223 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina have filed 223 complaints with NHTSA; 8 describe a crash and 6 describe a fire. Reports cite 12 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 100,579 miles. Complaints peaked in 2004 with 32 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“This problem exists bwhen the vehicle is sationary and in transit. It appears to be intermitten as well. My brake lights work when i am braking, but they seem to intermittenly be failing when i use my”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 8, 2020 · Unknown or other

“I was forced to drive this company vehicle by new transportation manager, even though i had another company vehicle assigned to me to drive. From 11/9/2018 to 11/13/2018 i worked overtime plus my regu”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, December 9, 2018 · Unknown or other

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina/Monte Carlo. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined19–21 mpg
City / Highway16–17 / 25–27
FuelRegular
EPA classMidsize Cars
Engine6 cyl, 3.1/3.8 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Compare Chevrolet Lumina model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Chevrolet Lumina model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1987 Chevrolet Lumina01
1990 Chevrolet Lumina7427
1991 Chevrolet Lumina3352
1992 Chevrolet Lumina2342
1993 Chevrolet Lumina1243
1994 Chevrolet Lumina0126
1995 Chevrolet Lumina6492
1996 Chevrolet Lumina2245
1997 Chevrolet Lumina1347
1998 Chevrolet Lumina3223
1999 Chevrolet Lumina2103
2000 Chevrolet Lumina530
2001 Chevrolet Lumina321
2002 Chevrolet Lumina10
2008 Chevrolet Lumina01

Checking a specific 1998 Chevrolet Lumina

How do I know if my 1998 Chevrolet Lumina has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 1998 Chevrolet Lumina; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Chevrolet dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 03V527000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Chevrolet models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.