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Chevrolet Lumina Maintenance and Repair

jabber1jabber1 Member Posts: 1
edited December 2013 in Chevrolet
I have a '97 Lumina. At night the instrument , radio & ashtray lights don't come on. All the interior lights work as do the headlights & signals. HELP, Please.
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Comments

  • emmanuelchokeemmanuelchoke Member Posts: 97
    Have you tried moving the instrument panel dimmer switch from full off to full on a couple of times? Maybe there's a bad spot in the resistor.

    I've got a 98 and I don't see any fuses that correspond to those particular lights.
  • luvturtlesluvturtles Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1995 chevrolet lumina 3.1 i drove less than a mile and turned off my car and now it wont start. I have changed the starter, ignition switch and lock cylinder and it still wont start and on the dash lights the securtiy light is flashing. please help!!! :confuse:
  • dollycardollycar Member Posts: 2
    1998 Lumina 3.6;V8; Brake lights do not come on when pressure is put on brakes. Only the light mounted on back window lights up. Bulbs all ok. At first it lit up randomly now it wont come on at all. Whats the problem?
  • emmanuelchokeemmanuelchoke Member Posts: 97
    The turn signal switch needs replacement. The airbag and steering wheel have to be removed to access it. If you are not familiar with those procedures, (the air bag can be dangerous) best left to someone with experience.
    The switch itself costs $55 at autozone.
  • dollycardollycar Member Posts: 2
    Good Golly, Thanks. We've came to that conclusion and decided to take it in......now I have to cough up 200+ bucks for it.
  • malikamalika Member Posts: 3
    I am trying to replace the flasher in my 94 Lumina and have litterly torn it apart trying to find it. Also, called dealership, parts stores......can anyone help?
  • cf11cf11 Member Posts: 2
    did you ever find the cause? i have the same problem no dash lights on my 97 lumina..
  • hotgun_1hotgun_1 Member Posts: 3
    I have recently bought a 93 chevy lumina and need to replace the vacuum line and need to find the information to do so and if there might be any problems i dont know about fixing it. The pump was already changed out.

    kristina
    newlinger@yahoo.com
    hotgun_1@carspace.com
  • bigbri39bigbri39 Member Posts: 1
    I am having the same problem, did you ever find out where the stupid flasher is? I can't find it anywhere! please let me know if you found out where it is, thank you,
  • hotgun_1hotgun_1 Member Posts: 3
    My friend says that if you have changed all of that. You need to change the sensor on the back of the engine. You might have problems with your oxygen sensor and might need to change that. Used to have that problem on a different type of car but had to change it for the car to start.
  • hotgun_1hotgun_1 Member Posts: 3
    i hear that the flasher unit is in the steering column itself and is a pain in the butt to change. I am haveing to change the power steering lines on the pump.
  • kanuchikanuchi Member Posts: 8
    i have a 1996 checy lumina.after starting it up and driving it off i the morning it runs fine,then after stopping and going to drop off deliveries when i start it up it sometimes (in oark) start to put put like its going to stall
    so i just give it the accelerator for a second and drive off and it's fine it never stalls while i drive it
    i put a new fuel filter no help.dry gas no help/i know its not the fuel pump because once in drive its fine on freeway
    or city driving never stalls

    pls advise :)
  • malikamalika Member Posts: 3
    never did find the flasher......its cold out.....guess it can wait till spring :blush:
  • woodyonewoodyone Member Posts: 8
    Just yesterday on a city street I noticed a slight whine and rough upshift from 1st to overdrive.There is a whine on a hill but no noise once attaining 55mph on the level. Sounds and feels expensive!
    Any help?
    Thanks,
    woody
  • woodyonewoodyone Member Posts: 8
    This is an addition to message # 15,

    I should have mentioned in my 1st message that I have 73,000 miles on my 2000 Lumina Sedan with an automatic transmission.
    Thanks,
    Woody
  • nismo30091nismo30091 Member Posts: 1
    :sick: hey, this has nothing to do with flashers.... but i have a 1996 Lumina, base model, with 165,000 miles, on its second engine, and fourth transmission rebuild. i took it to a shop that a few friends suggested and they rebuilt it, fixing the hesitating problem. then it decided not to change from 1st to 2nd gear. it would reach about 25mph and then just rev. so we sent it back 3 more times and the 4th time seemed to fix it. its been normal for about a month and a half and now its not changing again. its still under warrantee from the shop. does anybody know whats up? is it a computer problem or what? :confuse:
  • coderedcodered Member Posts: 43
    hello what do you think about the z34???? i have 2 door with a 3.1...it has 134k on it with no truoble..i am thinking bout saleing and look for a z34...i dont know alot about the 3.4, any info woulf be great......thanks billy
  • hermtimmerhermtimmer Member Posts: 2
    I just purchased a 97 lumina with 100k. The engine knocks loudly when cold, is this piston slap and should I be worried? It goes away when warm. Also none of the interior lights work either with the switch or with the doors being open. I dont know where to begin to look. thanks
    hermtimmer
  • mrsgf97mrsgf97 Member Posts: 1
    I recently replaced a burned out low beam headlight bulb in my 1997 Lumina with a new 9006 bulb. Now my DRL's don't work in the daytime. The evening lights still come on by themselves. I checked the 10amp fuse in the dash and it was fine. I called the local Chevy dealer and spoke to the parts guy. He said he had no idea what the problem was either. Any help from anyone on this forum will be appreciated. :confuse:
  • pluto5pluto5 Member Posts: 618
    Don't worry about the motor as long as the noise goes away when the engine warms. I have the same model with only 54K miles and it does the same thing. As far as the interior lights I would start by replacing the bulbs.
  • hermtimmerhermtimmer Member Posts: 2
    thanks for the reply. i have checked the bulbs and they are ok. i think they used to work untill i sprayed the door hinges with wd40.
  • ssulmtdssulmtd Member Posts: 3
    I have a 1996 Lumina with a 3.1 V6 and I have been wanting to hook-up my aftermarket gauges for quite some time now but I cannot locate where! I cannot even find the original oil pressure sending unit. I have even considered cutting into the heater hose to add a "T" so I can atleast get a water temp reading. I much rather place both sensors into the block. Can someone help me?
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    If you don't get a reply here, you might try posting your question in Got a Quick Technical Question? in Maintenance & Repair.
  • icanresquicanresqu Member Posts: 3
    If you want to locate the oil pressure sending unit, locate the oil filter and look above it and to the right, above the starter. You will see a long round sensor, this is the oil pressure sending unit. It screws into the engine block and when you remove it you will get a dribble of oil. You will need to install a tee fitting here since the oil pressure switch operates the fuel pump when the engine is running, If the gage is a direct reading gauge I also suggest you use copper tubing to run the pressure line due to the location of the line. Heat and plastic dont go together. If it is electrical not really a problem. Use of a volt meter will greatly decrease the need for wire since you can go directly to the fuse box and attach to an ignition tap and get your reading here. The temp is the only other hook up and this one can be tricky. The heater hose may not be the best place to get a true reading. The closer to the thermostat you are the truer the reading. It may be to your advantage to contact an automotive technician for the proper location of this temperature sensor. Hope this helps.
  • emmanuelchokeemmanuelchoke Member Posts: 97
    98 Lumina, 90,000 miles, 3.8/4T65E drivetrain. The engine used to show 2000 rpm at 60 mph, now it's about 2600. If I manually shift out of overdrive to 3d at 60 mph, there's no change in rpm. While going downhill the engine drops to 1000 rpm and if I speed up the trans freewheels until it reaches 2600 rpm. If I leave it in 3rd the car drives great, just no overdrive. I changed the fluid and filter,no metal shavings in pan, but no difference. Scan tool shows pressure of 96 psi in 4th gear, 3 to 20 psi if I shift to 3rd. Transmission temperature never rose above 180 degrees after an hour's drive, engine temp 190-200. Torque converter does lock up in 3rd, so I don't think it's that. I've never had a car act like this before.

    Any suggestions or information appreciated.

    Robert.
  • casonicasoni Member Posts: 2
    i own a 1991 lumina and i cant read on the diplay how fast iam going. If i go slow the meter shows me that iam going 65km. I dont know when to stop for gas also. I get these weird readings i can only go for 200km and then the meter says that it is emty. Does anybody knows what to do or whath might be the problem? :confuse:
  • coderedcodered Member Posts: 43
    i have a 1990 with 4 wheel disc brakes..i have brake job on the back..now the E brake will not let go all the way.. can smell brakes getting hot.. not sure what a could have done..any help would be great..thanks billy
  • eztechguyeztechguy Member Posts: 1
    Hello everyone :-)

    I have a 1995 Chevy 3.1 Liter v6 car 4 door Heating and A/C problem. I have heat, I have A/C but the Climate Controls at any setting doesn't switch from directing air flow. When selecting air flow to go out at feet when on heat then when wanting to direct air flow to and out defrost area at windshield for example. The control will change fan speed fine though. Normally when you change and select air flow to go from defrost mode from windshield to floor feet setting you can hear the a duct flapper or air flow panel move and change. Now I don't hear any duct flapper or air flow director move anymore. Its now Feb. 4, 2007 cold winter, thankgoodness it blows heat hot and fine and it seems the air flow flapper or what ever is between air coming out at windshield and feet area. I did find on ebay a 95 chevy lumina car climate control panel with switches. I some how don't think its the control, it maybe some how the air flow flapper or what ever stuck or motor that moves the air flow director or flapper. How hard is it to get to duct and or area to see flapper or what ever? Has anyone had a similiar issue? I had a bud email me and say he had a rat or rodant or vermin to get up in his car duct work and croak blocking his. I don't smell any dead animal at all. This has been this way for a good while now. I am 99.9% sure its not a dead animal blocking the flapper.

    I sure would appreciate any input and help please, please!

    Thanks from eztechguy
  • martenkempmartenkemp Member Posts: 1
    I tugged on the hatch handle to see if was locked. The handle came loose and I heard something falling to the bottom of the door. I haven't been able to get the door open to see if I can fix it myself. Any suggestions?
  • kcwolfpack59kcwolfpack59 Member Posts: 122
    It is a vacuum leak. Some of these cars and Monte Carlos do it. Don't waste your money on switches. I don't know exactly how, but the vacuum ball that is in the body work ahead of the front tire becomes disconnected. Do a google search and there should be a better explanation than I could give.
  • tpayertpayer Member Posts: 2
    hello i am looking for a ASG 5.0L V8 engine for my lumina Z34. and a kick [non-permissible content removed] body kit can someone help me out.
  • oscarmoscarm Member Posts: 4
    Hey everyone I own a 1996 chevy lumina with about 130k miles on it she's a 3.4 V6 she ran great until I notice oil spills and if I passed 60mph, it started to shake a little. Well today I tried to take her apart to change the spark plugs, I have a shop manual and I notice oil in the around the spark plugs and a lot of it I removed the head and two of the seals for the spark plugs where a little twisted out of shape one in the front and the other in the rear where the spark plugs went I was going to remove fuel rail because I notice oil and antifreeze moisture around the area but I'm stuck I don't know what to do the manual does not really tell me anything else ??? :confuse:
  • oscarmoscarm Member Posts: 4
    Hey everyone I own a 1996 chevy lumina with about 130k miles on it she's a 3.4 V6 she ran great until I notice oil spills and if I passed 60mph, it started to shake a little. Well today I tried to take her apart to change the spark plugs, I have a shop manual and I notice oil in the around the spark plugs and a lot of it I removed the head and two of the seals for the spark plugs where a little twisted out of shape one in the front and the other in the rear where the spark plugs went I was going to remove fuel rail because I notice oil and antifreeze moisture around the area but I'm stuck I don't know what to do the manual does not really tell me anything else ??? I also posted this message in another forum with a different title by mistake.. :confuse:
  • fbryanfbryan Member Posts: 2
    I just had the same problem on my 97, it wasn't the control, it was a broken vacuum line. All the controls are operated by engine vacuum. On my 97 there is a vacuum reservoir under the battery. You have to remove three screws from under the car. Just under the left headlight, front corner of the left front fender, under the battery. The reservoir is a sphere about the size of a soft ball. The one vacuum lines goes from it up by the battery, down the side of the engine compartment past the brake booster. Mine was smashed under the battery. It's a hard plastic line about 1/8". You can remove the panel under the glove box, and the glaove box itself to see all the controls and vacuum lines there too. It may be one pulled off at that location as well.
    good luck.
  • fbryanfbryan Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone know at what temperature the cooling fans come on on a 97 Lumina 3.1L ? Is it controlled by the ECM, or the CTS ? I replaced the CTS due to innacurate guage readings and I remember that it had two terminals. I would think that one is for the guage, one is for the ECM. Is that right? That would mean that the fans are controlled by the ECM ?
    I want to get the fans to turn on sooner. By the time they do, the temp is up to 250 according to the guage. It'd like them to come on around 210-220.
  • malikamalika Member Posts: 3
    my antilock light would come on in wet weather......now it stays on and when I turn to the right theres a whirr sound and I have no brakes, then they catch. Then the light goes off for awhile. My brakes are good. Is there some type of sensor that could be causing this? By the way, anyone ever find out where the flasher fuse is on one of these?
  • ajkeenajkeen Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1993 lumina z34. for the last few months the car has either not run well or not at all. i have replaced basically everything in the engine, including fuel injectors, spark plugs, spark plug wires, map sensor, fuel filter, ignition control module, knock sensor, i think thats it. after i replaced the map sensor and a fuel line part, the car was finally running great. i was able to drive it all over town and it gave me no problems driving it an hour away. however, a few days ago i turned a corner and the thing just died. i can not get it to start now. that is when i replaced the ignition control module and spark plug wires, but i cant get it to spark. it cranks, but it wont spark. does anyone have ANY idea what could be the problem? i have put close to 1000 dollars and countless hours into this damn car, so at this point im not gonna stop until i get it running. ill try to check back at this website, but if someone has a suggestion if you could email it to me at ajkeen@bsu.edu, i would GREATLY appreciate it. thanks everyone!
  • looramlooram Member Posts: 17
    I own a 1999 Lumina 4-door. Does it have an in car air filter and how do you replace it?
  • maussie389maussie389 Member Posts: 1
    i have a 95 chevy lumina 3.1 recently driving home from a road trip black smoke started coming out the back as i accelerated it has plenty of power til about 25-30 mph then starts choking black smoke starts coming out and loses power if any help would be much appreciated thanx
  • mmgheemmghee Member Posts: 1
    i have a 97 lumina with 180k miles and has been running fine up until yesterday. it first started making a noise i normally associate with the power steering fluid being out so i filled it up later that day. i then drove it a few hours and it started back up this time worse than before so i parked it. this morning i tried to drive it and was nearly impossible to turn the wheel. it turns slightly when i apply gas....please help!!!
  • coderedcodered Member Posts: 43
    i have a 90 Lumina.....it has a noise that kicks in round 40mph......its not there when wheel is pulled to the right...i was told driver side wheel hub...but still not fixed .....any info would be great...thanks
  • casonicasoni Member Posts: 2
    Hi,
    its your power steering pump..i had the same.
  • stonedgemstonedgem Member Posts: 1
    have a 1997 lumina standard v-6. 99600 miles. purchased new, well maintained. experienced a low coolant situation after a trip of approx 70 miles, speeds around 70.. light flashed as i stopped at a light at the end of an interstate ramp. of course, i blinked and wondered. as i waited at the traffic signal, the low coolant light stayed lit. as i traveled through the intersection and began looking for someplace to check this out, the low coolant light went out. i added coolant to the reservoir, which was empty and hoped for the best on the return trip home. i watched every day and could not find any coolant leaking out on the ground. about two weeks later, i checked the reservoir and found it was again empty. filled it up, took the car to the shop to find out the problem. was told i had a leak at the intake manifold. muddled through for another 2 weeks waiting on the shop. finally they called and said .. ready to repair. repair was done, bill paid $515. took car on a short drive 65 miles. as i was traveling the temperature gauge was higher than normal, smelled a rubbery hot smell. suddenly lost all power, had to pull to the side of the road. tried to restart the car, got a clickety, clickety, click. called the mechanic, he had me get out and check the belt. it was fine. could not determine the source of the hot smell, but did check the reservoir and it was totally empty. told the mechanic and he gave me some cock and bull story about it needing to settle. what a hoot!!! then he said he thought my alternator might have failed. i told the mechanic he had better hope there was a wire off somewhere. had the car towed back to the shop. the next day the car was delivered to my workplace.. mechanic said that a clip that held a wire to the back of the alternator had failed and the wire was off. it had been replaced. i drove the car for another few days and was planning on driving approx a 100 miles so decided to check the reservoir as the car had been running, again, hotter than normal. the reservoir was empty. i immediately drove to the shop and asked the mechanic to talk to me.. as i knew there was still a leak somewhere. he hemmed and hawed and then reached across the top of the engine and a little bit below the top of it and moved some wiring. showed me a hose and connection that you could see the coolant leaking out of. the mechanic told me that this was a quick connect type of connection and that a plastic clip held it secure.. and that it looked like it was either missing or had broken. the mechanic told me that it would take about 10 mintues to replace. i was ok with this, what do i know? i then had to drive the car about 6 miles to the banks.. as i started down the ramp to the interstate i pressed the accelerator and the temperature gauge began a very fast climb and stopped at about what i call the 75% spot.. having 25% more to go to the red zone. i was surprised.. and waited for the damn thing to stop.. it didnt and as i turned on the a/c the gauge began a slow descent. when i stopped at the bank.. the gauge began a climb.. as i eased back onto the interstate .. it dropped. i just drove home totally befuddled. questions here: does this sound like it will be fixed (the coolant leak), when the clip is put on the quick connect type thingy and does it sound like in addition i have a gauge problem or do these things have a thermostat in them like the older cars ... i love my lumina and know that it has a whole lot more miles to give me. dont want to muck it up either by ignoring something like this. any help or suggestions? would be much appreicated. thanks. stonedgem
  • 062458062458 Member Posts: 2
    It is the DRL diode that needs to be replaced. It is located under the insturment panel on the left side of the steering coloum. I had mine replaced at the dealer. Around $125.00 total.
  • cardriver3cardriver3 Member Posts: 1
    The passenger door lock is stuck (no longer working) and I want to remove the door to see what's wrong. But I can't get the door off....does anyone know how to remove the passenger front door of a 1993 Lumina?
  • misspatmisspat Member Posts: 4
    I to have the same problem let me know if you get the answer.
    Thanks
    Pat
  • misspatmisspat Member Posts: 4
    I have found myself in need of the engine diagram and can not locate one online. Does anyone out there know where to get on for a 1995 3.1 Chevy Lumnia? I am having trouble with the airconditioning and need to know the specs and where each thing is under the hood. A A/C man told me to check for the little screen in my condenser or HIGH line but i have no idea if where is, is what i am looking at with out specs on the motor.
    Any information would help.
  • mcarbonemcarbone Member Posts: 1
    I have a '97 Lumina and I need to replace the AC Compressor, I'd rather do it myself than pay like $400 to have it done for me. Does anyone know how to do it that can tell me?
  • cog1233cog1233 Member Posts: 4
    Hello! I am new here.I have a 1995 lumina with the 3.1.It has the obd 1 system in it for reading the trouble codes.My problem is,I have the 12 pin ALDL connector.It says in my book and I have seen it on the net at various places that I should be able to use a jumper wire between the B and A terminal and then turn the ignition to the on position and watch the check engine light for the codes.Here's my delima,there is nothing in the B slot.I have on mine a wire in the A slot and directly below that in the M slot,so it would be the 2 far right slots that I have a wire in,and nothing in any of the other slots.I want to know if and how I can use the jumper wire on mine to read the codes?Please help!!!
  • lonewolf75lonewolf75 Member Posts: 2
    Hello everyone,

    My Lumina 95 turns off when is running, If someone have the same problem let me know, if you get the answer, please make me know

    Regards,
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