1995 Chevrolet Lumina APV Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about windshield wipers that stop working intermittently, usually in rain, and sometimes cannot be restarted. A second recurring theme is body hardware and doors: exterior handles and latches that fail, plus power sliding doors that move or close on their own. Seat frame and brake complaints appear alongside occasional stalling reports on these high-mileage vans.

1. 1
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield wipers stop or fail intermittently

   • 31 complaints (30%)
   • median 122,000 mi at 9.0 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1997–2007

   Complaints describe front wipers that quit without warning, sometimes for a few wipes and sometimes for the rest of a trip, most often while driving in rain, snow or sleet. Several owners say the washer fluid also stops working at the same time and that the rear wiper keeps working. Some report that a wiggle of the switch, a bump, or waiting brought them back. Dealers in the complaints often could not reproduce the problem, and some owners were quoted several hundred dollars for a wiper motor replacement; one owner traced it to a soldered ground connection inside the wiper motor and had it resoldered. Reported across many years of use, from low mileage up into the 160,000-mile range, typically in wet weather.

   What to check: Operate the wipers through every speed and intermittent setting, including while spraying washer fluid, and ask whether the wiper motor or switch has been replaced. Repeating the check on a wet day is more telling than a dry-lot test.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Windshield wipers only work when they want to. On going problem since I bought van. Chevy says no recall was issued and it's not their problem. I have replaced the motor and still have the same problem. I can not drive if it is raining due to wipers may work but they could stop working again at any time. Also wiper fluid does not work when wipers do not work. I can not tell you how many failures due to it happens everytime it rains/snows/sleets. Meaning they may work or may not but if they do work they always stop.”

   NHTSA complaint #10154461, filed 2006-04, 165,819 miles

   “Windshield wipers either don't turn on or, lately, stop altogether when driving. This is an intermitent problem, but unpredictable. I am particularly concerned since they now fail after they are on. Before, they just wouldn't turn on and I could wait until they would. This is a really dangerous situation.”

   NHTSA complaint #706733, filed 1999-05
2. 2
   Body and structure

   Door handles and latches fail or will not open

   • 5 complaints (5%)
   • typically at 4.8 yrs old
   • filed 1999–2001

   Complaints describe exterior door handles breaking off and doors that then open only from inside, or not at all, and latches that broke more than once on the same door. Some owners report that a replacement handle or rod did not last, or that a dealer repair left the door still not opening from outside. A few reports describe locks that would not function and, in one case, a sliding door that came open while driving. Filed from the mid-1990s through the 2000s on vans at a range of mileages; no single mileage pattern stands out in the sample.

   What to check: Open and close every door from both inside and outside several times, including the rear hatch and sliding door, and look for handles that feel loose or appear to have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driver's and passenger's door locks broke. Also, ABS braking light stays on, indicating a problem with the brakes which may cause a crash. Please provide further information.”

   NHTSA complaint #839437, filed 1999-06

   “Passenger's door does not open from the outside due to poor design of the internal door latch which is too short. It will happen again even if replaced with a new rod/stick.”

   NHTSA complaint #854582, filed 2000-02
3. 3
   Body and structure

   Power sliding door moves or closes on its own

   • 6 complaints (6%)
   • typically at 2.0 yrs old
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–1998

   Owners describe a power sliding door that continues moving after it is opened, closes by itself on a slope or even on level ground, or will not lock or move at all after an electrical fault. In several reports the door caught or pressed an occupant's arm or a child in the doorway. In one complaint a dealer replaced the door motor and the door still closed on its own. Reported on vans of this era, often described as happening when parked on a hill or when the door was in motion; mileage is not given in most of these reports.

   What to check: Test the power sliding door on a slight incline: open it fully and see whether it stays put, and confirm the door locks and unlocks with the remote and the interior switch.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The automatic sliding door when opening, the door will continue to move forward, causing the occupant's arm to be pinned in between the door, resulting in injuries. Consumer contacted the dealer and the dealer ordered parts to correct the problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #807600, filed 1997-01

   “Vehicle has a remote sliding door. When the door is opened it closes without the remote being pushed. When the vehicle is on a slight hill it closes. Sometimes when no hill at all, it also closes. The dealer has been notified about the vehicle's door. The dealer repalced the motor on the door. After the replacement of the motor, the door still closes on it's own. Child was closed up in the door while on a hill. (she was pressed between the door and where the vehicle and the door meets.”

   NHTSA complaint #816472, filed 1998-01
4. 4
   Seats

   Driver seat frame or track breaks

   • 5 complaints (5%)
   • median 103,750 mi at 10.2 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2006

   Complaints describe the steel frame or track under the driver's seat breaking, which lets the seat back recline suddenly or the seat rock backward. Owners report welding the broken frame, sometimes repeatedly, or replacing the seat with another used one that broke the same way. One owner said a dealer and an upholstery shop described the failure as common on these vans; a separate report describes seat backs folding back in a collision. Reported on high-mileage vans, with examples around 77,500 and 130,000 miles.

   What to check: Grab the seat back and rock it firmly while watching the frame and track underneath for cracks or fresh weld marks; check both front seats, not just the driver's.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 1995 chevy lumina van and the steel frame under the drivers seat keeps breaking. I welded the first seat 3 times until it was so bad I had top buy another one. The second seat I got was the same and I am about to weld it a second time also. I know of another person with a 1992 lumina van who had the same problem. I can't believe it hasn't been recalled yet. Thanks .”

   NHTSA complaint #10159649, filed 2006-06, 130,000 miles

   “1995 Chevrolet Lumina Apv drivers side seat track/frame breaks, causing the back of the seat to recline suddenly. I had a 1994 Chevrolet Lumina Apv which was involved in an accident in febuary of 2001, in which the seat track/frame broke. Mine just broke while I was driving. Luckily I was it at a time when there wasn't much traffic, and I got stopped without an accident. I have talked to an upholestry shop and a dealer and have been told this is common on these vans.”

   NHTSA complaint #10029177, filed 2003-07, 77,500 miles
5. 5
   Brakes

   ABS and brake pedal concerns

   • 10 complaints (10%)
   • typically at 1.9 yrs old
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2001

   Complaints describe an ABS or brake warning light that stays on, long stopping distances that owners attributed to the ABS, and a pedal that briefly lost braking before engaging. One owner reported that the rear brakes locked and led to early front brake wear. Dealers in several of these reports told owners the brakes were normal or could not find the cause. Mileage is rarely given in these reports; several were filed on vans already many years old.

   Recall 95V048000

   What to check: Confirm the ABS light comes on at start and goes out, and ask for service records on the brake pedal arm; a recall on the brake pedal arm exists for certain vehicles, so check by VIN whether it was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I am reporting this to let you know that attempts to get information from GM or its local dealers has fallen upon deaf ears! The company line if you in the recall, you will be notified in writing! If my car crashes today, that won't do me much good. The ABS brakes on this van have never worked properly. Stopping distances are very long! I have always suspected but have always been told the brakes are fine. I was told the same today. …”

   NHTSA complaint #709014, filed 1999-07

   “When applying brakes, momentarily losses brakes before engaging. Them. Dealer notified, and was unable to locate the cause. Please provide any further details.”

   NHTSA complaint #870092, filed 2000-09

Buying note. Check the wipers, every door handle and latch, the power sliding door, and the front seat frames before buying, since these are the faults owners most often describe on this model year. Ask for records of wiper motor, door hardware or seat frame repairs, and verify by VIN whether open recalls for the brake pedal arm, throttle cable bracket and transmission cooler line were completed.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.