1999 CHEVROLET VENTURE Complaints

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AFTER HAVING TO STOP AND REFILL THE VEHICLE WITH COOLANT. SHE WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A MANIFOLD INTAKE VALVE CRACK WHICH CAUSED THE COOLANT TO LEAK. *JB *NM

THIS COMPLAINT IS DIRECTED AT POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE CONCERNING VEHICLES USING THE GMC V6 ENGINE. IN MY CASE, WITH A 1999 CHEVROLET VENTURE, A POORLY DESIGNED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET CAUSED THE DEX-COOL COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE. THIS COOLANT IS CORROSIVE AND WILL LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. THE PROBLEM IS ESPECIALLY SERIOUS SINCE THE LEAK CANNOT BE EASILY DETECTED DUE TO ITS INTERNAL NATURE. A BRIEF INVESTIGATION ON THE INTERNET FOUND WELL OVER 5,000 OTHER PERSONS REPORTING THE SAME FAILURE. GM HAS REFUSED TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, BUT SHOULD DO SO IMMEDIATELY.*AK

1 INCH OF SLUDGE IN ENGINE, LOST OF COOLANT, THE ENGINE PINGING AND KNOCKING, STEERING AND BRAKES LOCKED UP WHICH CAUSED THE ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING. WE CHANGED THE OIL PUMP, OIL CONNECTING ROD, SPARK PLUGS, SPARK PLUG WIRES, COILS AND STILL ENGINE IS BROKEN. STARTED WITH COOLANT IN THE OIL. UNSURE SYMTOMS LEADING UP TO THE ACCIDENT. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH VEHICLE IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, CAUSING IT TO REAR END THE OTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER SEAT TRACK AND ANCHORAGE CAME UNATTACHED. *AK

EARLY FAILURE OF THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, WHICH CAUSED LOST OF COOLANT. 40,000 MILES ON 1999 CHEVY VENTURE. BELIEVE A POOR DESIGN OF GASKET AND THAT THE RADIATOR LEVEL IS BELOW THAT OF THE MANIFOLD. AN AIR POCKET CAN BE TRAPPED IN THE MANIFOLD AND WHEN THE ENGINE IS OFF THE RESIDUAL HEAT OF THE ENGINE COOKS THE GASKET. BELIEVE THIS THEORY IS SUPPORTED BY THE COOLANT SENSOR IS ON EVEN THOUGH THE LEVEL IN THE RADIATOR IS FULL AND THE RESERVOIR IS FULL. *CB

HEATER FAN DOES NOT OPERATE ON THE TWO LOWER SPEEDS. BOTTOM INSIDE OF TAILGATE IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE. POWER LOCKS WILL NOT OPERATE FROM DOOR SWITCHES, ONLY FROM THE REMOTE OR WHEN ACTIVATED BY PUTTING VEHICLE INTO GEAR.

WATER ACCUMULATES IN THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR MAT, THEN SATURATES THE ADDED FLOOR MAT (BY OSMOSSIS ???). FITSR OCCURRED AUGUST 1998, THEN AGAIN SEVERAL YEARS LATER, AND HAS OCCURRED REPEATEDLY (FOUR TIMES) IN 2003 DURING A TRIP OF ABOUT 1800 MILES (ROUND TRIP). THE CHEVROLET SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS ADVISED THAT THE A/C DRAIN LINE WAS STOPPED UP (AND WAS REOPENED BY THE MECHANIC), BUT THE DRAINAGE FROM THE UNIT DRAIN LINE CAN BE SEEN DRIPPING TO THE GROUND FROM THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. (IT APPEARS TO BE DRAINING ONTO THE FRAME AND DRIPPING IN TWO SEPARATE PUDDLES FROM EACH SIDE OF THE RIGHT FRAME, JUST IN FRONT OF THE FIRE WALL. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN NOVEMBER 1997, THE FIRST SIGN OF A WET FLOOR MAT OCCURRED IN AUGUST OF 1998. IT OCCURRED AGAIN IN JULY 2002, THEN IN JUNE 2003 (WHEN THE DRAIN LINE WAS AGAIN REOPENED), THEN DURING THE 11 DAY TRIP (FROM JUNE 30TH THROUGH JULY 10TH THE WET FLOOR MAT SITUATION RETURNED. FROM 15JUL03 THROUGH 25JUL03 THE CHEVROLET SERVICE DEPARTMENT ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE WATER LEAK, AND WAS UNABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO LEAK !!! ANY IDEAS ?????

6/99:AUTOMATIC,POWER SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT STAY CLOSED. 2/00:AUTOMATIC,POWER SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT STAY CLOSED. 5/01:AUTOMATIC,POWER SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT STAY CLOSED. 9/01:REPLACE PASSENGER SIDE DOORS POWER WINDOW SWITCH. 12/01:AUTOMATIC,POWER SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT STAY CLOSED. 6/02:AUTOMATIC,POWER SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT STAY CLOSED. 10/02:REPLACE PASSENGER SIDE DOORS POWER WINDOW SWITCH. AFTER REPAIR THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER LOCK SWITCH STOPPED WORKING. 3/03:AUTOMATIC,POWER SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT STAY CLOSED. 5/03:AUTOMATIC,POWER SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT STAY CLOSED.

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKS ALLOWING DEX COOL COOLANT TO ENTER THE ENGINE AND MIX WITH THE OIL. GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE WILL NOT HELP. THEY SAY "THERE IS NO PROBLEM THAT THEY KNOW OF". $1000.00 REPAIR BILL FOR A $20.00 PART. PLEASE SEE:WWW.PETITIONONLINE.COM/GMCNSMRS/PETITION.HTML AND HTTP://WWW.GM-V6LEMONS.COM/ THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF FOLKS WITH THIS PROBLEM.

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1999 CHEVY VENTURE MINI-VAN. WE HAD THE OIL CHANGED AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC EVERY 3,000 MILES. LAST WEEK MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AND HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE. THE VAN STALLED AND WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC. HE LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THERE WERE MAJOR INTERNAL PROBLEMS. WE THEN HAD IT TOWED TO OUR DEALER AND WERE TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. OUR MECHANIC SAID SINCE WE FAITHFULLY GOT THE OIL CHANGED THERE IS NO REASON WE SHOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE. THE DEALER GAVE US AN ESTIMATE OF $5,300 FOR THE NEW ENGINE. WE CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE TO SEE IF THEY WOULD HELP PAY SOME OF THE COST. WE JUST MAILED THEM A COPY OF ALL OUR MAINTANENCE AND ARE WAITING FOR A REPLY