1994 CHEVROLET LUMINA APV

CATASTROPHIC SUB FRAME FAILURE. AFTER 16 YEARS OF SALTED NE OHIO ROADS THE VAN'S FRONT SUB FRAME COLLAPSED AND MADE THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. IT WOULD JOLT FROM LANE TO LANE WHILE SHIFTING, AND HAD LOST MOST STEERING CONTROL. MECHANICS REPLACED OVER $700 OF PARTS TRYING TO FIX THE ISSUE UNTIL A FRIEND FOUND THE REAL CULPRIT OF THE CLUNKING AND LOST STEERING. PLEASE BE VERY WARY OF GM PRODUCTS IN THE RUST BELT. REPLACEMENT OF SUB FRAME SOLVED ALL ISSUES PROCURED FROM INITIAL PROBLEM HOWEVER, AND IT IS FAIRLY INEXPENSIVE TO HAVE A SUB FRAME SHIPPED UP HERE FROM ARIZONA ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE ENGINES/TRANS IN THESE VEHICLES WERE JUST ABOUT BULLET PROOF AND IT JUST DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO JUNK SUCH A RELIABLE RUNNING VEHICLE. GOOD VEHICLE OTHERWISE AND THE UNIBODY IS GALVANIZED, SO THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS SOUND.

Mileage: 145,000

CATASTROPHIC SUB FRAME FAILURE. AFTER 16 YEARS OF SALTED NE OHIO ROADS THE VAN'S FRONT SUB FRAME COLLAPSED AND MADE THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. IT WOULD JOLT FROM LANE TO LANE WHILE SHIFTING, AND HAD LOST MOST STEERING CONTROL. MECHANICS REPLACED OVER $700 OF PARTS TRYING TO FIX THE ISSUE UNTIL A FRIEND FOUND THE REAL CULPRIT OF THE CLUNKING AND LOST STEERING. PLEASE BE VERY WARY OF GM PRODUCTS IN THE RUST BELT. REPLACEMENT OF SUB FRAME SOLVED ALL ISSUES PROCURED FROM INITIAL PROBLEM HOWEVER, AND IT IS FAIRLY INEXPENSIVE TO HAVE A SUB FRAME SHIPPED UP HERE FROM ARIZONA ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE ENGINES/TRANS IN THESE VEHICLES WERE JUST ABOUT BULLET PROOF AND IT JUST DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO JUNK SUCH A RELIABLE RUNNING VEHICLE. GOOD VEHICLE OTHERWISE AND THE UNIBODY IS GALVANIZED, SO THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS SOUND.

Mileage: 145,000

DT: THE CONTACT STATES TRANSMISSION STILL ACTS LIKE IT WANTS TO OVERHEAT. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED ON JAN 5TH THE LINES ARE LEAKING. THE CONTACT FEELS THIS IS RELATED TO RECALL 96V015000. THE CONTACT HAS NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER. THE VEHICLE HAS 202,000 MILES ON IT. ALSO, THE FRONT AND MIDDLE SEAT BELTS ARE NOT RETRACTING. THE WEBBING IS COMING OFF. THIS PROBLEM IS IN RELATED TO RECALLS 93V212000 AND 94V100000. THE CONTACT HAS NOT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER CONCERNING THE SEAT BELTS. *AK UPDATED 11/29/2005 - *NM THE ENGINE OVERHEATED, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 01/11/06. *JB THE CONSUMER IS STILL WAITING ON A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. UPDATED 05/24/06

Mileage: 202,000

DT: THE CONTACT STATES TRANSMISSION STILL ACTS LIKE IT WANTS TO OVERHEAT. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED ON JAN 5TH THE LINES ARE LEAKING. THE CONTACT FEELS THIS IS RELATED TO RECALL 96V015000. THE CONTACT HAS NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER. THE VEHICLE HAS 202,000 MILES ON IT. ALSO, THE FRONT AND MIDDLE SEAT BELTS ARE NOT RETRACTING. THE WEBBING IS COMING OFF. THIS PROBLEM IS IN RELATED TO RECALLS 93V212000 AND 94V100000. THE CONTACT HAS NOT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER CONCERNING THE SEAT BELTS. *AK UPDATED 11/29/2005 - *NM THE ENGINE OVERHEATED, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 01/11/06. *JB THE CONSUMER IS STILL WAITING ON A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. UPDATED 05/24/06

Mileage: 202,000

I WAS READING INFORMATION ON THE FOLLOWING: NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : PE95062 NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER : N/A MAKE : CHEVROLET MODEL: LUMINA APV MANUFACTURER : GENERAL MOTORS CORP. YEAR : 1994 COMPONENT : ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING MY 1994 LUMINA APV STARTED TO SMOKE IN THE STEERING COLUMN ON 2 OCCASIONS. I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION KEY AND IT STOPPED. I TURNED IT BACK FORWARD TO THE ON POSITION WITHOUT STARTING THE VEHICLE AND IT DID NOT SMOKE THEN, BUT WHEN I WENT AHEAD AND STARTED THE VAN IS BEGAN TO SMOKE AGAIN. BEING THE ONLY VEHICLE I OWN AND CANT GO WITHOUT IT, I CAREFULLY REMOVED THE 4 SCREWS ON THE CENTER WHEEL THAT HOLDS THE AIRBAG, AND FOUND THAT THE LARGE YELLOW PLUG THAT CONECTS THE AIRBAG WAS BLACKENED BY HEAT. HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY OTHER NOTIFICATIONS OF THIS IN THE PAST? THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.*AK

I HAVE A 1994 CHEVROLET LUMINA APV. BACK IN 2000 I HAD THE WINDSHIELD WASHER MOTOR/ASSEMBLY REPLACED BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO OPERATE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. IN THE PAST TWO YEARS GM HAS ISSUED A REPAIR/REFUND FOR SAME MOTOR FOR ALL OTHER VEHICLES WITH PROBLEMS BUT NOT FOR THE LUMINA/LUMINA APV. THIS WAS A COSTLY REPAIR AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT GM IS GOING TO DO ABOUT IT. I HAVE CALLED GM'S CUSTOMER SERVICE AND REPORTED/ INQUIRED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES. I KNOW OF MANY LUMINA OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND REPAIRED THEM. WHEN IS THIS GOING TO BE RESOLVED???*AK

I OWN A 1994 CHEVROLET LUMINA VAN AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK ONLY WHEN THEY "FEEL LIKE IT". IN SPEAKING TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC (NOT A CHEVY DEALERSHIP), HE MENTIONED THAT THIS IS THE SAME WINDSHIELD WIPER ASSEMBLY THAT IS ON YOUR RECALL 98V150001, HOWEVER, THIS VEHICAL IS NOT LISTED AS PART OF THAT RECALL. UPON CONTACTING CHEVY, THEY USED THAT SAME REASONING AS NOT COVERING REPLACEMENT. IF, IN FACT, THIS IS THE SAME WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR AS WHAT'S IN THE OTHER CHEVROLET MODELS LISTED IN THE RECALL, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT REPLACEMENT OF THAT PART WOULD ALSO BE COVERED ON THE LUMINA VAN. *AK

VEHICLE STEERING COLUMN WAS MADE OF ALUMINIUM INSTEAD OF STEEL. *MR

COLLIDED HEAD-ON INTO A TREE AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PH

THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED AND THE BRAKES "LOCKED UP". CONSUMER COLLIDED WITH A TREE.

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SPARE TIRE RACK AND CABLE HAVE BROKEN FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED . FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BANG, THEN VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. DEALER DETERMINED THAT PULLEY OFF WATER PUMP SHEARED OFF ITS AXLE, CAUSING SERPENTINE BELT TO COME OFF. *AK *MJ

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY NOTICED A SMELL OF SMOKE COMING FROM DIMMER SWITCH. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK MECHANIC FOUND NO PROBLEMS OR DAMAGE. MAY HAVE BEEN AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. CONSUMER HAS NO FURTHER COMPLAINTS. *JG

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT DOWN IN FRONT, UP IN THE BACK. CONSUMER PULLED OVER,AND SAW CABLE THAT HELD SPARE TIRE IN PLACE HAD SNAPPED. SPARE TIRE TURNED UP SIDEWAYS, AND JACKED VEHICLE UP IN BACK.*AK

SPARE WHEEL IS SUSPENDED BELOW CAR BY A SMALL CABLE. THIS CABLE FRACTURED AT THE JOINT WITH THE BLOCK WHICH CLAMPS THE WHEEL. THERE IS NO LOCKING MECHANISM FOR THE WHEEL. THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY, THE WHEEL WOULD HAVE DROPPED TO THE PAVEMENT AND WOULD HAVE CAUSED GRAVE DANGER TO ANY FOLLOWING MOTORIST.

I WOULD LIKE THE CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE REGARDING THIS MATTER. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

BRAKES SEEM TO GIVE OUT WHEN COMING TO A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT. *AK

WHEN OPENING THE DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE FELL DOWN INTO THE DOOR FRAME, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE. DOOR HANDLE WAS REPLACED BY PERSONAL MECHANIC AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK

WE HAVE HAD ALL THE DOOR HANDLES BREAK, CAUSING THE PASSENGERS TO BE UNABLE TO OPEN OR CLOSE THEIR DOORS. THE REAR BACK HATCH HAS BROKEN THREE TIMES AT AN APPROXIMATE COST OF $150 FOR EACH REPAIR. AFTER READING THE TOM AND RAY ARTICLE IN THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC ON JAN. 1, 2000, I BELEIVE THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT CAN CAUSE A SAFETY HAZARD.