CHEVROLET LUMINA APV · model year

1991 CHEVROLET LUMINA APV

58 NHTSA complaints, 9 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1991CHEVROLETLUMINA APV carries 58 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 9 crashes, 3 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1991 LUMINA APV is structure:frame and members with 6 filings, followed by latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch (6) and seat belts:front:retractor (5). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1991 LUMINA APV, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

58
Complaints
9
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

58 filings

Crashes Reported

9 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS6
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH6
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR5
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR4
STRUCTURE4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC3
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS3
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION2
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE2
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY1
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM1
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER1

Recent Complaints

20100728CrashSTRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

1991 CHEVY LUMINA APV,WHILE DRIVING OVER NOT SO SMOOTH WISCONSIN STREETS THE FRAME RETAINER ROTTED OFF OF THE MOUNTING BOLT CAUSING THE FRAME RAIL TO DROP DOWN OVER 4 INCHES CAUSING POOR STEERING CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THIS POINT UNSAFE TO OPERATE. GM HAS A RECALL CAMPAIGN FOR THIS HOWEVER THEY REFUSE TO HONOR IT. *TR

Mileage: 131,000

20100709STRUCTURE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 CHEVROLET LUMINA APV. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SPIN AROUND WITH NO RESISTANCE; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE IN ANY DIRECTION THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V189000. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 143,000.

Mileage: 143,000

20070726STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 CHEVROLET LUMINA APV. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST STEERING ABILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE REAR TWO BOLTS THAT HOLD THE ENGINE FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING COLUMN TO DISCONNECT. AS OF JULY 26, 2007, THE DEALER HAS NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 168,000. UPDATED 02/01/08. *LJ

Mileage: 168,000

20070726ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 CHEVROLET LUMINA APV. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST STEERING ABILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE REAR TWO BOLTS THAT HOLD THE ENGINE FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING COLUMN TO DISCONNECT. AS OF JULY 26, 2007, THE DEALER HAS NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 168,000. UPDATED 02/01/08. *LJ

Mileage: 168,000

20060502LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ONLY THE SLIDING SIDE DOOR WILL OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER DOOR AND LIFT GATE FAILED FIRST SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. NOW THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE DOOR HANDLES WILL PULL UP HOWEVER THE LOCK WILL NOT DISENGAGE. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED. UPDATED 05/30/06 ABOUT 6 WEEKS AGO THE DRIVER'S DOOR STARTED DOING THE SAME THING. CONTACT HAS TO ENTER THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE SLIDING DOORS. *TT

Mileage: 206,000

20060502LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ONLY THE SLIDING SIDE DOOR WILL OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER DOOR AND LIFT GATE FAILED FIRST SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. NOW THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE DOOR HANDLES WILL PULL UP HOWEVER THE LOCK WILL NOT DISENGAGE. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED. UPDATED 05/30/06 ABOUT 6 WEEKS AGO THE DRIVER'S DOOR STARTED DOING THE SAME THING. CONTACT HAS TO ENTER THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE SLIDING DOORS. *TT

Mileage: 206,000

20030428STRUCTURE

THE CRADLE BOLTS RUSTED AND PULLED THROUGH THE FRAME. *JB *TS

20030425STRUCTURE

THIS VEHICLE MODEL YEAR HAS AN ACTIVE RECALL,NHTSA # 97V058000. HOWEVER CHEVROLET STATES THAT MY VEHICLE FALLS OUTSIDE THE RANGE OF APPLICABLE VINS, AND WILL NOT PERFORM THE RECALL. THIS VEHICLE'S REAR CRADLE BOLTS PULLED THROUGH THE RETAINERS, JUST AS WRITTEN IN THE RECALL NOTICE. LUCKILY THE OPERATOR WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL AND AVOID AN ACCIDENT. (IT WAS THE ONLY CAR ON THE ROAD AT THE TIME). NHTSA MAY WANT TO INVESTIGATE AND HAVE GMC INCREASE THE RANGE OF VINS APPLICABLE TO THIS CAMPAIGN. ******DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS******757420.*AK *JB

20020805STRUCTURE

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING ENGINE CRADLE BOLT RETAINERS BROKE OFF AND RELEASED TRANSMISSION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED; HOWEVER ,WAS UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK

20020322FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

I TOOK MY VAN TO THE SHOP FOR A TRANSMISSION LEAK, SHOP MAN TOOK THE VAN INSIDE TURNED OFF THE CAR WITH THE KEY IN HIS HANDS THE VAN WAS SMOKING AND THE STARTER WAS TURNING THE ENGINE WITHOUT THE KEYS INSIDE , THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS BURNING AND THE CONNECTORS . NOW THERE IS TWO OTHER LUMINA VAN THAT HAD ELECTRICAL FIRE BUT THERE WAS NO ONE TO STOP IT SO IT COUGHT ON FIRE. THAT IS ONLY THE TWO VAN THAT HAD THE SAME THING .NOW THERE ARE TWO LUMINA VAN THAT ELECTRICALS IN HIS HANDS. *AK

20020322FirePOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES

I TOOK MY VAN TO THE SHOP FOR A TRANSMISSION LEAK, SHOP MAN TOOK THE VAN INSIDE TURNED OFF THE CAR WITH THE KEY IN HIS HANDS THE VAN WAS SMOKING AND THE STARTER WAS TURNING THE ENGINE WITHOUT THE KEYS INSIDE , THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS BURNING AND THE CONNECTORS . NOW THERE IS TWO OTHER LUMINA VAN THAT HAD ELECTRICAL FIRE BUT THERE WAS NO ONE TO STOP IT SO IT COUGHT ON FIRE. THAT IS ONLY THE TWO VAN THAT HAD THE SAME THING .NOW THERE ARE TWO LUMINA VAN THAT ELECTRICALS IN HIS HANDS. *AK

20020315ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

AFTER SHUTTING OFF ENGINE IGNITION SWITCH STARTED SMOKING, IGNITION SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK

20010912SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

LEFT REAR WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED ON WET ROAD. VEHICLE BEEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. HAVE A APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

20010723STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

I WAS DRIVING 25 TO 30 MPH WHEN THE CARRIAGE DROPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE STEERING TO ALSO BE PULLED OUT. THE ENGINE DROPPED APPROXAMATELY 6 INCHES AND THE TIE RODS WHERE ALSO BENT.*AK

20010723ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

I WAS DRIVING 25 TO 30 MPH WHEN THE CARRIAGE DROPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE STEERING TO ALSO BE PULLED OUT. THE ENGINE DROPPED APPROXAMATELY 6 INCHES AND THE TIE RODS WHERE ALSO BENT.*AK

20010723STEERING:LINKAGES

I WAS DRIVING 25 TO 30 MPH WHEN THE CARRIAGE DROPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE STEERING TO ALSO BE PULLED OUT. THE ENGINE DROPPED APPROXAMATELY 6 INCHES AND THE TIE RODS WHERE ALSO BENT.*AK

20000517CrashSUSPENSION

STRUT ROD ON FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE CAME LOOSE FROM THE TOP, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER NFORMATION. *AK

20000511CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK IN THE FRONT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

20000508CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING NORTH ON THE HIGHWAY HAD MADE A U- TURN AND WAS STRUCK BY A DRUNKEN DRIVER THAT HAD CROSSED THE LANES. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, NOR HAD THE SEAT RECLINED BACKWARDS, UPON IMPACT. *AK

20000508CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

WHILE DRIVING NORTH ON THE HIGHWAY HAD MADE A U- TURN AND WAS STRUCK BY A DRUNKEN DRIVER THAT HAD CROSSED THE LANES. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, NOR HAD THE SEAT RECLINED BACKWARDS, UPON IMPACT. *AK

Compare 1991CHEVROLETLUMINA APV to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1991 CHEVROLET LUMINA APV have?
The 1991 CHEVROLET LUMINA APV has 58 NHTSA complaints, 9 crashes, 3 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 CHEVROLET LUMINA APV?
The most-complained component for the 1991 CHEVROLET LUMINA APV is STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR.
Is the 1991 CHEVROLET LUMINA APV safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.