Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Chevrolet Lumina problems

Owners filed 26 complaints about the 2001 Chevrolet Lumina with NHTSA between Jan 2001 and Sep 2014. The most-cited component is power train (5).

Complaints
26
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train5
  2. Engine and engine cooling4
  3. Suspension4
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic4
  5. Seat belts3
  6. Electrical system2
  7. Vehicle speed control2
  8. Steering2
  9. Structure2
  10. Exterior lighting1
  11. Visibility1
  12. Air bags1
  13. Tires1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20013
20023
20036
20044
20052
20062
20071
20081
20091
20101
20110
20120
20131
20141

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

5 reports
“NUMEROUS THINGS HAVE GONE WRONG WITH MY 2001 MONTE CARLO. 5 OR 6 TIMES THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPAIRED THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WHERE IT CONTINUALLY POPS OUT. I AM REALLY CONCERNED WHEN IT MIGHT EXPLODE W/O A CRASH OR IF THERE IS A DRIVER SIDE CRASH IF IT WILL COME OUT TO PROTECT ME. STEERING AND FRONT SUSPENSION POPS. AT 55,117 MILES WE HAD THE OIL CHANGED (WHICH HAS BEEN DONE EVERY 3000 MILES) OR LESS AND ON THE MULTI POINT INSPECTION SHEET, IT LISTED SEVERAL THINGS THAT "MIGHT NEED ATTENTION" SOON. THEY ARE STEERING LINKAGE AND STEERING COMPONENTS, CV AXLE BOOTS OR DRIVE SHAFT AND U JOINTS. THESE THINGS SHOULD NOT BE WORN OUT ON A CAR WITH NO MORE MILES THAN THIS. MY REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER DOESN'T WORK. NOTICED THIS AFTER ONE OF THE AIRBAG REPAIRS. THIS CAR HAS BEEN VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF BUT STILL THE NOISES PERSIST AND NOW TO BE TOLD THAT THESE PARTS MIGHT NEED REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT? WE PAID A LOT OF GOOD MONEY FOR THIS VEHICLE (THIS IS A LIMITED EDITION HIGH SPORT VEHICLE) AND FEEL GM SHOULD BUY IT BACK AND REIMBURSE EVERY DIME OF IT DUE TO THE POOR QUALITY OF IT OR PROPERLY REPAIRED OR PARTS REPLACED AT GM EXPENSE WHILE PROVIDING AN EQUAL VALUE VEHICLE WHILE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 28, 2007Steering, Suspension, Power train, Visibility, Air bagsODI 10204358

Engine and engine cooling

4 reports
“JULY 2009 I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT AROUND 75 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE DIED AND WOULDN'T START, PULLED OFF THE ROAD, ENGINE WOULD CRANK BUT NOT START, AFTER A FEW MINUTES IT STARTED AND I DROVE HOME. I CALLED A MECHANIC AND HE SAID IT PROBABLY WAS THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE, GO TO THE JUNK YARD AND GET ONE. FROM THEN THROUGH DECEMBER 2012 I REPLACED THE IGNITION MODULE THREE TIMES. IN DECEMBER 2012 I REPLACED BOTH THE MODULE AND THE CRANK POSITIONING SENSOR, THINKING THAT IT COULD BE CAUSING THE MODULE FAILURE. THREE MONTHS LATER THE ENGINE DIED AGAIN I HAD THE MODULE TESTED, IT WAS OK, HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER, THEY CHECKED IT FOR THREE DAYS AND SAID THE HEAT FROM THE ENGINE HAD MADE THE CRANK POSITIONING SENSOR TO SEPARATE INTERNALLY AND IT WAS REPLACED AGAIN. CAR RAN FINE FOR THREE WEEKS AND WOULDN'T START AFTER DRIVING AROUND TOWN LET IT SIT FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, STARTED UP ON THE FIRST TRY DROVE IT HOME. APRIL 2013 MY JUDGMENT TELLS ME THAT THE PLUG TO THE POSITIONING SENSOR IS THE PROBLEM, WHEN ENGINE IS HOT THE PLUG EITHER OPENS UP OR SHORTS OUT FROM LIQUID FROM THE ENGINE. I CHECKED WITH THE PARTS MAN AND HE SAID HE HAD SOLD ONE POSITIONING…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 19, 2013Engine and engine coolingODI 10508758

Suspension

4 reports
“RIGHT REAR ROARING SOUND. TIRE WEAR ON INSIDE TREAD. TIRE ROTATION AND 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT REQUIRED. EVIDENTLY CAUSED BY DRIVING THROUGH POTHOLE IN STREET AND KNOCKING REAR TORSION BARS OUT OF ALIGNMENT ON RIGHT SIDE. VERY CHEAPLY BUILT. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 27, 2006SuspensionODI 10156344

Service brakes, hydraulic

4 reports1 crash
“THE TAHOE BRAKE ROTORS WERE BADLY GROVED, AND THE VEHICLE BRAKES WERE LIKE NEW. DEALER SAID THE VEHICLE STOPPED OKAY, BUT WHEN I HAD THE ROTORS AND BRAKES REPLACED, THERE WAS A WORLD OF DIFFRENCE AS HOW THE VEHICLE STOPPED.I KEPT THE BRAKES AND ROTORS FOR PROOF. VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 26, 2005Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10118525

Seat belts

3 reports1 related recall
“REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT LATCH PROPERLY. ALSO, INTERMITTENTLY THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR WILL NOT LATCH PROPERLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BELTS, BUT THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD RECUR. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 18, 2003Seat beltsODI 10051752

Electrical system

2 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET LUMINA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE WIPERS AND TURN SIGNALS ACTIVATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 19, 2014Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlODI 10637440
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.