Electrical complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
On many occasions the anti-theft light on this 2000 malibu has come on and the car will not start for 20 to 30 minutes. One time it came on while driving and the car stalled. It has been to the dealer 3 times and they have not been able to fix it.
This car will not start due to a defect of the anti-theft security built-in it. To be able to start the vehicle I have to turn on the ignition and off and wait three to four minutes to start and turns on. This problem is 90% of the time.
Car caught fire in my driveway 10 minutes after I returned home. Luckily no one was injured and fire dept. Was able to put out fire before it spread to my home. Fire inspector said it looked like it was caused by the fuel injectors.
While driving, my car will just suddenly cut off and this occurs whether stopped at the light or while pressing the accelerator. The volt light comes on and the car just cuts off and the steering wheel locks up. My local Chevrolet dealer (youman's Chevrolet, macon, ga) tried to find out what was the problem by running diagnostics, but could never determine the cause. Since the problem continued to occur, and wondering if the problem could be due to the age of the car, I parked the car and purchased another car in May, 2013. The car is still parked in my yard. I decided to report this because this seems to be the same thing that is happening to the other GM cars but my model is not part of the recall. I know that there are many 1999 luminas still being driven and you need to know that this has happened.
Both rear brake lights have failed and only the center high mounted lights are working. I replaced the bulbs but taht did not help so I did a little troubleshooting and found that the bulbs worked as they lit up when I used the signal lights, hazard lights, and head lights. I next tried replacing the turn signal/harzard flasher but this did not resolve the problem. I checked on the internet and found that several people have had this problem and the failure was caused by a faulty turn signal lever and that if this part was wiggled the lights would work again. I checked this on the car and flipped the high beams on and off a couple of times via the turn signal stalk and the brake lights started to work again. I find this extremely dangerous that a critical piece of safety equipment relies on something as trivial as a turn signal stalk. …
Vehicle would not turn using the key, took our vehicle to the dealership.. Had a new key made.. The key was not the issue..had a new ignition installed through dealership, the vehicle worked for a short time but starting showing the same problems. Hundreds of $$ later, the car is parked now we don't want to put any more money into it, but can't sell it unless it's fixed. This is some sort of steering/ignition problem. This car has also been known to stall while driving it. We have installed a new starter, a new alternator, battery we also had all the electrical wiring re-done.. We don't know why it stalls.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Chevrolet Lumina. While driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled completely losing all power. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drive to a local mechanic who stated that the tire rods were defective, the engine mounts had fallen out, and there were electrical problems. The mechanic repaired the tie road and engine mount. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. The current mileage was 199,876.
I have a 1997 Chevy Lumina the car. My problem is that I have less than 80,000 miles on it and now it wont start. I have changed the battery and alternator. It seems to work then not work. An article in popular mechanic s magazine said that they had a lot of trouble with the resistor on the keys and that's what cased it to not start your input on this problem would be gladly accepted.
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Lumina years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1995 (43), 1996 (30), 1997 (26), 1998 (17) and 1999 (8) model years. Electrical complaints make up 9% of all complaints for the 1995.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Lumina electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for any Chevrolet Lumina model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Lumina electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 107,000 miles; 14% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the horn (25 mentions), followed by the alternator/generator/regulator (22).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.