ChevroletLumina1998Overview/chevrolet/lumina/1998/base/

1998 Chevrolet Lumina

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1998 Lumina.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1998 Chevrolet Lumina, a passenger car built on the Lumina platform, carries a 4.5‑qt oil capacity filled with 5W‑30 API lubricant. It accumulated 251 owner complaints, with steering problems topping the list, and incurred four recalls. This places the model year near the lower end of a complaint curve that peaked at 584 in 1995 but fell to just one in 2008, reflecting improved reliability.

Model year200120001999199819971996199519941993

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-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 Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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
Engine air filter19166106
Fuel filter25121293 discontinued
Spark plug12681664 alt 19301813
Front wiper blades15214346
Serpentine belt19244954 alt 24507264
Thermostat10226107 alt 24506985

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 weight3300 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.

7.6 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.60 sec — 1998 LTZ Sedan
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 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-6-5-4-3-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.0 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt

Engine torques

Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)6.2 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)103 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts75 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)17 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)31 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)14 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Cylinder Firing Order1-6-5-4-3-2
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5000-7000 ohms
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

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.85-1.00 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeGM part number 12345923 or equivalent.
Oil Capacity8.00-9.00 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

Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) — tightening sequence 1 stages
174 ft. lbs., Step 2: 10574 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1110 ft. lbs., step 2: 76110 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
144 ft. lbs.44 ft. lbs
295
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
137 ft. lbs.37 ft. lbs
2120 degrees120 degrees
3turn 30

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 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (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 1998 model year registers 251 complaints, 4 recalls, and 3 investigations, placing it within a clear downward trajectory from the mid-generation peak of 584 complaints and 7 recalls observed in 1995. While complaint volume remains above the 112 filings recorded for 1999, the 1998 figures represent a significant improvement over the 371 complaints logged in 1997 and continue the decline from the high-frequency period of 1990-1995. Technical service bulletins totaled 74 for this year, down from 92 in 1997, with steering (54 complaints), hydraulic service brakes (29), and engine cooling (27) constituting the primary categories of owner-reported issues, though the data does not specify exact root causes for these component concerns. The federal record shows 11 crash-related and 6 fire-related complaints for 1998, but establishes no causal linkage between these incidents and the reported component failures. Given its position in the declining phase of the complaint curve—after the resolution of earlier high-volume issues but before the minimal reporting of 1999-2001—the 1998 Lumina represents a relatively stable late-production option, making it a reasonable purchase provided documented maintenance addresses the steering and brake systems specifically noted in the federal record.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
74
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
251
Owner complaints
11 involved a crash · 6 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 251 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering54
Service Brakes, Hydraulic29
Engine & Engine Cooling27
Electrical System16
Air Bags13
Visibility11
Power Train10
Engine9

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15V701000Engine And Engine Cooling:EngineReported 26/10/2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo… Remedy: The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engine’s front valve…

09V116000Engine And Engine CoolingReported 08/04/2009

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 1,497,516 MY 1997-2003 BUICK REGAL, MY 1998-2003 CHEVROLET LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND IMPALA, MY 1998-1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE, MY 1997-2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.8L V6… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE’S FRONT VALVE COVER AND FRONT-VALVE-COVER GASKET WITH NEW PARTS OF AN IMPROVED DESIGN AND REMOVE THE ENGINE’S PLASTIC COVER AND PLASTIC…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 74 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 1998 Lumina take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1998 Lumina have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.