ChevroletLumina1997Overview/chevrolet/lumina/1997/base/

1997 Chevrolet Lumina

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1997 Lumina.

Body PASSENGER CAR

Defined as a passenger car within a model history covering 1990 to 2008, the 1997 Chevrolet Lumina requires 4.5 quarts of 10W-30 API oil for engine maintenance. This specific year accumulated 371 total owner complaints with steering identified as the top complaint area, occurring alongside two recorded recalls. While the broader model history ranges from a high of 584 complaints in 1995 to a low of one in 2008, the 1997 iteration sits between these extremes. This positioning indicates a reliability profile that demands attention to specific steering components despite not reaching the peak complaint volumes of 1995.

Model year200120001999199819971996199519941993

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 78 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 78 · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205/70R15;OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ, na, 6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731175 alt 19210286
Engine air filter19166106
Fuel filter25121293 discontinued
Spark plug19301813 alt 12562911
Front wiper blades15214346
Serpentine belt19244954 alt 88986821
Thermostat10226107 alt 24507563

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length200.8 in
Overall width72.4 in
Overall height55.1 in
Wheelbase107.5 in
Curb weight3377 lb
Track (front / rear)59.4 / 59.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)64/36

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Lumina of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.1–9.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.10 sec — 1991 Z34 Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1998LTZ Sedan 3.8L V67.60 sec15.80 sec200 hpFWD
1995LS Sedan 3.4L V68.40 sec16.30 sec160 hpFWD
1995Sedan 3.1L V69.50 sec17.00 sec160 hpFWD
1991Z34 Coupe 3.4L V67.10 sec15.50 sec210 hpFWD
1990Euro Sedan 3.1L V69.80 sec17.90 sec140 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 10W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt

Engine torques

Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)24X Sensor: 8 ft-lbs, 7X Sensor: 6 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)8 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)103 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)96 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts75 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts76 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)17 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub151 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5000-7000 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.045 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.88 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type150
Oil Capacity8.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca
Standard BCI Group Number78

Service checks

Pressure Test15; Do not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Pressure Test15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum47.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)40.5-47

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket148 ft-lbs / 20 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle100 ft-lbs / 81 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.003 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.039 in / 0.433 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.039 in / 0.433 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.987 in / 0.385 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
144 ft. lbs.44 ft. lbs
290

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miTiming Belt (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect)
At 60,000 miTiming Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plug Wires (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1997 Chevrolet Lumina occupies a mid-cycle position in its generation, with federal complaint data revealing a notable but not extreme pattern. Complaints rose sharply in 1995 (584) before declining in 1996 (270), then climbing again to 371 in 1997—still below the 1995 peak but above the 1996 and 1998 figures. Recalls and investigations remained low (2 and 2, respectively), suggesting no systemic safety crises, though Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) surged to 92, the highest since the 1995 spike, indicating persistent but addressable issues. The top complaint areas—steering (73), engine cooling (42), and fuel systems (33)—align with broader mid-1990s GM trends, though crash-related complaints (34) and fire reports (8) are not outliers for the era. Compared to 1996’s quieter year and 1998’s further decline, 1997’s data implies a transitional phase where early build quality concerns were largely resolved, but not yet at the refined reliability of later years. **Takeaway:** While not the standout year, 1997 is a defensible choice if service records confirm TSB-related repairs were completed, though 1998 or 1999 would offer marginally better field performance.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
92
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
371
Owner complaints
34 involved a crash · 8 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 371 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering73
Engine & Engine Cooling42
Fuel System, Gasoline33
Air Bags27
Service Brakes, Hydraulic27
Electrical System18
Power Train15
Visibility13

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

07E021000Fuel System, Other:Storage:Tank Assembly:Pressure Relief DevicesReported 12/03/2007

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… Remedy: DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.

03V527000Steering:Rack And PinionReported 11/12/2003

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. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOWER PINION BEARING UNLESS INSPECT OF THE EXISTING BEARING INDICATES THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR ASSEMBLY IS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 92 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
17-NA-0732023-02-21EquipmentThis warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…
PIP4723F2022-01-14Service Brakes, HydraulicThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIP4723D2020-01-31Electrical SystemThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
19NA2732019-12-02Electrical SystemThis informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to…
PIC4696E2019-11-22EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Lumina. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1997 Lumina take?

4.5 qt of 10W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1997 Lumina have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.