Headlight complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Turn signal switch causes rear brake lights not to work. I didn't find out about it until a police officer pulled me over for the brake lights not coming on. I was let off with a warning. I did a search online and found that there is a lot of people with the same problem as me with the same model vehicle. This can cause a serious accident due to the fact that the people behind you on the road will not see that you are stopping.
Brake lights not working or working on/off. Found the cause to be the turn signal switch after replacing the stop light switch several times. This problem is very dangerous and should be repaired by the manufacturer at no cost to the owners of the cars.
We bought the car used. At time of purchase brake lights appeared to work. Same evening, the two rear/side brake lights did not work (the third/middle light works). We did some trouble shooting, replaced bulbs, checked for shorts. In our research we found that this is in fact a common problem among GM sedans and is caused by failure of the multifunction switch in the steering column. The switch contacts commonly fail when the switch begins to loosen/disintigrate. This causes a variety of issues among the systems that pass through that switch. Brake light failure is one such issue, and obviously a safety issues. Yes, I know it's an old car and yes I expect to have to make repairs to it, but I do not expect our student driver to suddenly be without brake lights because of the faulty manufacture of this component. …
This problem exists bwhen the vehicle is sationary and in transit. It appears to be intermitten as well. My brake lights work when I am braking, but they seem to intermittenly be failing when I use my directional switch (4 way). I have been advised on 3 occassions, twice by sheriff's deputies that my brake lights are not working. But they do work except when the directionals are on. After some research we have discovered that replacing the 4 way switch will resolve the problem. May I note that I have never had this device fail in any of my vehicles ever. That regardless of the ges and makes of my vehiclces the manufacturers have had the good sense to make certain the 4 way switch was reliable. Might I add linking braking with the switch might be consider irresponsible of the engineers. Has the 1998 Chevy Lumina 4way switch been recalled!?
Brake light failure detected before any incident. Center light functions while signal/brake combination lights fail. Failure caused by multi function switch located in steering column. This part cuts off the brake light when the signal lights are activated. This problem is intermittent, which makes it difficult to identify at first. Through internet research, I have found many references to this problem. Although my car is 1997, it only has 64K miles, thus I would not expect this type of failure related to moderate usage. If not fixed, brake light failure May result in rear-end collision.
Turn signal was inoperative. Dealer and the manufacturer were not notified at this time. Owner made repairs. The black plastic actuator button for the hazard flashers cracked down in the shroud around the steering column. When this happened the broken piece moved down into the switch assembly for the hazard/turn signal flasher and became wedged. As a result neither the hazard lights nor the flashers could be activated. The consumer considered this to be a serious safety problem since the brake light system is control through the same switch.
Normal wear and tear causes multi-function switch to fail. This causes safety problems. A small truck was behind me a couple of days ago, and slammed his brakes on behind me. He then pulled next to me and told me my two rear brake lights do not work, but the third (top) one does. Also, rear turn signals do not work. Right signal works most of the time, but switch will not signal a left turn. All bulbs are fine. In researching just in a couple hours, I found about 40 other reports of the same problem. Multi-function switch replacement is the repair most reports cite as working. The repair is costly, requiring disassembly of steering column.
Tl contact owns a 1996 Chevrolet Lumina. The contact stated that he noticed a recurring failure within the turn signal switch which would suddenly stop functioning, causing the brake lights to stop working. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the vehicle was repair. The failure occurred two additional times and was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000. The current mileage was approximately 308,000.
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Lumina years have headlight problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1995 (25), 1997 (15), 1996 (14) and 1998 (10) model years. Headlight complaints make up 5% of all complaints for the 1995.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Lumina headlight problems?
No. NHTSA lists no lights 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 headlight problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 122,000 miles; 0% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the brake lights (22 mentions), followed by the turn signal › switch (18).
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.