1999 CHEVROLET VENTURE Complaints

FAILURE OF INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET RESULTED IN COOLANT LEAKING INTO ENGINE CAUSING \\GUMMING\\. THIS CAUSED CAM SHAFT/ENGINE TO SEIZE. SUBSEQUENT \\KNOCKING SOUND\\ AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. SEIZING ENGINE SIMULATED A REAR-END COLLISION AS DESCRIBED BY MY WIFE WHO WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME. SHE WAS PICKING UP OUR KIDS FROM SCHOOL AT THE TIME. AFTER 3 TRIPS TO THE SERVICE DEALERSHIP AND 4 WEEKS ENGINE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT.

I HAVE DISCOVERED COOLANT IN THE ENGINE OIL. MY COOLANT IS DISAPPEARING, AND I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO TOP IT OFF. THE ENGINE IS MAKING TICKING NOISES, AND RUNNING ROUGHLY. I HAVE DONE A QUICK CHECK ON THE INTERNET TO SEE IF OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM, AND FOUND THAT IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM, AND THAT GM IS AWARE OF THIS. THEY HAVE REDESIGNED THE HEAD GASKET TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM, BUT HAVE NOT OFFERED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM ON MY CAR. CHEVY DENIED THAT THERE IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM, AND REFUSED TO HELP COVER THE NECESSARY REPAIR (THEY SAID THAT BECAUSE I HAD AROUND 70,000 MILES IT WAS TOO FAR OUT OF WARRANTEE). IT COST IN THE RANGE OF $815 TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET. AS A SIDE NOTE, THE AIR BAG LIGHT TURNED ON INTERMITTENTLY AFTER I GOT THE CAR BACK, AND NOW IS ON STEADY. I TOLD MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR ABOUT IT, AND IT TURNED OUT THEY ALSO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY HAD AN EVEN LARGER BILL ( I DON'T REMEMBER HOW MUCH), AND THEY HAVE ANOTHER FRIEND WHO HAS THE SAME PROBLEM...

I NOTICED A SMELL OF HOT ANTIFREEZE. ALSO IT WOULD MAKE A LOT OF NOISE WHEN STARTING UP. THE THERMOSTAT NEVER SHOWED ANYTHING OVERHEATING. OIL DIDN'T SHOW ANYTHING ON THE DIPSTICK. WE CHANGE THE OIL EVERY 3000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP THAT TORE INTO IT HAD SAID WE DID NOT CHANGE THE OIL EVER BY THE LOOKS OF THE INTERNALS. WE BOUGHT THIS USED 1999 CHEVY VENTURE LT , AUGUST 2000 HAVING 34,000 MILES ON IT ALREADY. THE PREVIOUS OWNER BOUGHT THIS VAN IN OCTOBER 1998 BRAND NEW. HOW COULD A VEHICLE HAVE TO HAVE A MOTOR DROPPED IN WITH ONLY 57,000 ON IT AND HAVE HAD DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP EVERYTHING IN WORKING ORDER. THIS IS NOT OUR FIRST CHEVY, OUR WHOLE FAMILY BUYS CHEVYS. JUST TO BRAG WE HAVE 13, AND ALL OF THEM MAINTAINED WELL. ONE EVEN HAVING OVER 200,000 MILES ON IT,1995 CHEVY ASTRO. ANYWAY, I WATCH THE GAUGES VERY CLOSELY AND NEVER DID I SEE ANYTHING WRONG.

THE PROBLEM WITH MY VENTURE TURNED OUT TO BE A LEAKING WATER PUMP BASED ON THE MECHANIC'S DIAGNOSIS. SO FAR, SO GOOD. ALTHOUGH, REPLACING A $300.00 WATER PUMP AT 82,000 IS SOMEWHAT RIDICULOUS! THE MECHANIC SAYS IT WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE EXTENDED LIFE COOLANT (DEX-COOL) DOESN'T PERFORM LIKE CHEVROLET SAYS IT SHOULD, AND IT IS THE CAUSE OF MANY WATER COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEMS. HE RECOMMENDS CHANGING THE EXT. LIFE COOLANT EVERY OTHER YEAR JUST LIKE REGULAR COOLANT, AND JUDGING FROM THE LOOK OF THE OLD COOLANT, I BELIEVE HIM! AUGUST UPDATE: I AM NOW FACING A TRANSMISSION REBUILD THAT THE TRANSMISSION MAN SAYS IS "TYPICAL" OF THESE VENTURES DUE TO A MFG. DEFECT CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION OIL PRESSURE TO DROP AND KICK THE OIL PUMP INTO HIGH PRESSURE MODE FORCING FLUID THROUGH THE SYSTEM AT SUCH HIGH PRESSURE THAT EVERY TIME IT SHIFTS, IT FEELS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WILL JERK ITSELF LOOSE FROM THE VEHICLE.

ELECTRICAL TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY CONNECTOR, BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT ARE MELTING (GROUND LEAD ONLY). ALL TAIL LIGHTS, STOP LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, ETC. ARE OUT. LOOKS LIKE CONNECTOR WAS UNDERSIZED TO HANDLE REQUIRED CURRENT FOR ALL LIGHTS.

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC AT CHEVROLET DEALER INDICATES INTERNAL FAILURE. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR IS $3000. THE VAN SHAKED MODERATELY DURING NORMAL DRIVING AND THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" TURNED ON. WHEN THE MINIVAN WAS RESTARTED (ABOUT 8 HOURS) THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" WAS OFF AND THE MINIVAN WAS BACK TO NORMAL. HOWEVER, THE SHAKING SYMPTOM WOULD REAPPEAR A WEEK OR TWO LATER. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED OCCASIONAL HARD TRANSMISSION SHIFTS DURING NORMAL DRIVING.

HAS 3.4 L ENGINE WITH LOWER INTAKE GASKET LEAKS. I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN NEW AND IT COVERED THE $700+ REPAIR COST. WILL THIS HAPPEN AGAIN IN ANOTHER 48K WHEN OUT OF MY EXTENDED WARRANTY?

MAIN PROBLEM: JAN 03 CAM SHAFT BROKE, ENGINE MUST BE REPLACED. MAR 02 : INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED. LEAKING COOLANT INTO ENGINE. OCT 02 BRAKE ROTORS WARPED. SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHILE BRAKING.

TRANSMISSION LOST ALL PRESSURE RESULTING IN GEARS NOT SHIFTING. VIOLENT GEAR SHIFTING. TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE OUT ON A 2 YEAR VEHICAL. HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED WITH OEM TRANSMISSION BY THE DEALERSHIP. 3YEAR 50,000 MILE WARRANTY.

VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SHOP SINCE 8/6/03 FOR REPAIR ON ENGINE, DUE TO CONTINUES LOST OF OIL THAT CANNOT BE FOUND. ENGINE NEED TO BE CLEAN,GASKETS WAS TO BE REPLACE ON TWO SEPARATED TIMES AND WAS NOT. HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT VAN IS LOSING OIL DUE TO BLOCK ENGINE. WIRES WERE PULLED AND NOT REPLACE BACK IN CORRECT ORDER.