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#BS-1997-CHELUM-77A0

1997 Chevrolet Lumina

Based on reports from 438 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
438
Crashes
45
Fires
11
Recalls
2
TSBs
58
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 438 complaints, 45 crashes, 11 fires, and 2 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

leaking coolant intake manifold gasket failure

4 complaints • Severity 9.5/10

$X,XXX
2

sputters on startup intermittently

2 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX
3

stalls constantly

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Steering:rack And PinionHIGH

38 owners reported steering:rack and pinion issues — failures commonly reported around 85K miles.

!Inspect the SteeringMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

3
0–30K
16
30–60K
37
60–90K
20
90–120K
8
120–150K
13
150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (37 reports) • Median: 85K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Steering:rack And Pinion (38 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Steering:rack And Pinion38 (9%)
Steering20 (5%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline18 (4%)
Airbags18 (4%)
Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly16 (4%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip15 (3%)
Air Bags:frontal15 (3%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission13 (3%)

1997 Chevrolet Lumina: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Steering:rack And Pinion Issues

Steering:rack And Pinion complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1997 Chevrolet Lumina, with 38 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 84,937 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 85K-mile mark.

Steering Issues

Steering complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1997 Chevrolet Lumina, with 20 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to steering-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1997 Chevrolet Lumina, with 18 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1997 Chevrolet Lumina, with 18 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

44
00
56
01
45
02
72
03
53
04
5
05
6
06
3
07
3
08
5
09
4
10
2
12
10
14
1
15
3
16
2
19

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1997 Chevrolet Lumina. Recent trend: decreasing.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (2 recalls)

03V527000Feb 2004

STEERING:RACK AND PINION

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.

07E021000Apr 2007

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES

CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN O'RING AND RETAINER.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Chevrolet Lumina is the 1996 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 438 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Chevrolet Lumina Model Years

2008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987
View all Chevrolet Lumina years →

1997 Chevrolet Lumina: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1997 Chevrolet Lumina?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1997 Chevrolet Lumina is related to the steering:rack and pinion, with 38 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1997 Chevrolet Lumina reliable?
The 1997 Chevrolet Lumina has 438 complaints, 45 crash reports, and 11 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 1997 Chevrolet Lumina problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1997 Chevrolet Lumina have any recalls?
Yes, the 1997 Chevrolet Lumina has 2 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Chevrolet Lumina problems start?
Based on 97 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 84,937 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 438 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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