1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE Complaints

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY, COULD FAIL AND PERMIT THE BALL BEARINGS TO ESCAPE. CONSUMER NOTICED THIS PROBLEM. VEHICLE VIN DOES NOT COMPLY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HUTCHINSON RIVER PARKWAY AT ABOUT 2:30 PM WITH MY FAMILY, MY WIFE HEARD A NOISE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. TO OUR HORROR, WE SAW CARS BEHIND US SWERVING TO AVOID A TIRE WHICH WAS SKIDDING ALONG THE ROAD. WE IMMEDIATELY EXITED AND, UPON LOOKING UNDER OUR 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE MINIVAN, SAW NEITHER OUR SPARE TIRE, NOR THE PLATE THAT HELD IN PLACE. IT APPEARED AS IF THE CABLE THAT HELD THE TIRE IN PLACE HAD COMPLETELY AND CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED, RESULTING IN A POTENTIALLY DEADLY SITUATION. FORTUNATELY FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED THE PAVEMENT WAS (FOR THE MOMENT) DRY, IT WAS DAYTIME, THE DRIVERS BEHIND WERE NOT TAILGATING (AS IS CUSTOMARY ON THE HUTCH) AND THE TIRE CAME TO REST ON THE MEDIAN, OUT OF THE LANES OF TRAFFIC. WE LOOPED BACK AND FOUND THE WHEEL ON THE MEDIAN AND, WHILE WE WERE TRYING TO DECIDE WHOM TO CALL TO REPORT THE INCIDENT (AAA, LOCAL POLICE, ETC) A WESTCHESTER COUNTY POLICE OFFICER STOPPED TO HELP US. HE BRIEFLY STOPPED TRAFFIC AND REMOVED THE WHEEL SO THAT NO ONE WOULD HIT IT. AS FAR AS WE COULD TELL, NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THERE WAS NO MAJOR PROPERTY DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF THE INCIDENT (WE HAVE YET TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH IT WILL COST TO REPAIR THE WHEEL AND THE SPARE TIRE HOUSING). UPON SEARCHING THIS SITE, WE HAVE NOTICED THAT A VERY SIMILAR PROBLEM HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED (A SPARE TIRE CABLE THAT HAS BECOME VERY CORRODED) AND BELIEVE OUR EXPERIENCE NOT TO BE AN ISOLATED EVENT, ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WHERE SALT IS COMMONLY USED IN THE WINTER TO KEEP THE ROADS CLEAR OF ICE. WE RECOMMEND THAT GENERAL MOTORS DEVISE AND IMPLEMENT A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM BEFORE LIVES ARE LOST (AND LIABILITIES ARE INCURRED) AS A RESULT OF THIS FAULTY DESIGN. *NLM

I BOUGHT MY 1998 VENTURE IN JULY. OF 2001. IT HAD 67000 ON IT. IT SEEMED TO HAVE THE SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE. IN JUNE OF 2003 OUR VANS INTAKE GASKET BURST CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE. APPARENTLY THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL PLUS TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE THE AVERAGE REPAIR BILL IS AT LEAST 6.6 HOURS LONG JUST FOR THE GASKET NOT INCLUDING ANY DAMAGE DONE TO THE CAM SHAFT (WHICH IS HOLLOW IN THIS MOTOR) I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST GM ON THIS MATTER. *NLM

I OWN A 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE LS VAN. THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES' SEALS DON'T KEEP THEM FROM FILLING FROM WATER CAUSING THE LIGHTS (HEADLIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS) TO SHORT OUT. FURTHER, DUE TO THE KNOWINGLY DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLIES, THE HEADLIGHT CRYSTALS POP OFF (DUE TO THE POOR SEAL). THIS OCCURRED TO ME WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND I SUBSEQUENTLY RAN OVER THE CRYSTAL SPRAYING DEBRIS BEHIND ME. IN CONTACTING CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER'S TOLL FREE NUMBER, THEY SAID THAT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS DEFECTIVE SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND THEY DON'T SEE A PROBLEM WITH THESE SCENARIOS. IN DOING FURTHER RESEARCH, I'VE DISCOVERED THAT THESE DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLIES WERE VERY COMMON, CHEVROLET HAS IN FACT ISSUED A TSB HIGHLIGHTING THIS COMMONLY KNOWN DEFECT, AND IN TALKING WITH A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP SERVICE WRITER HE RELATED THAT HE HAS SEEN FAR MORE OF THESE PROBLEMS THAN HE WOULD LIKE TO EVER SEE. DOES THE NTSB CONSIDER FULLY FUNCTIONAL HEADLIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS TO BE NECESSARY SAFETY EQUIPMENT? HOW ABOUT HEADLIGHT CRYSTALS FLYING OFF VEHICLES WHILE IN OPERATION? *NLM

WE HAD A MANIFOLD GASKET ON OUR 1998 CHEVY VENTURE GO BAD EARLIER THIS YEAR. IT LEAKED ANTI-FREEZE INTO THE OIL. IT APPEARS THAT THE ANTI-FREEZE LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE OIL HAS CAUSED FAILURES IN THE STRENGTH OF THE CRANKSHAFT. AND SINCE THIS SITE DOES NOT COMBINE SIMILAR PROBLEMS, IT MAY APPEAR THAT THERE ARE JUST A FEW PROBLEMS WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM, GASKETS AND CRANKSHAFT ON THE 1998-2000 VENTURE VANS. YOU NEED TO LOOK AT ALL THE COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEM REPORTS. NOW THE CRANK SHAFT HAS BROKEN. WE HAVE LEARNED THAT OF OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS VAN. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP HAS TOLD US IT WILL COST OVER $5,000.00 TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE ENGINE. I HAVE HAD MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF CARS IN THE PAST, ONE NISSAN MAXIMA WE HAVE NOW HAS ALMOST 200,000 MILES, WITH NO ENGINE REPAIRS LIKE THIS. I BELIEVE GM HAS HAD A MAJOR DEFECT WITH THE MANIFOLD GASKET AND COOLING SYSTEM ON THIS VAN AND HAS AVOIDED A RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT. WE WERE JUST TOLD TO "HAVE A NICE DAY" BY ROSE UHL AND CHRISTY HARDCASTLE OF "GM CUSTOMER SERVICE". I THINK A $5,000.00 REPAIR BILL IS SOMETHING TO MAKE COMPLAINTS ABOUT ON A VAN THAT COST $23,000.00. *JB

1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE WITH 41,000 MILES TAKEN FOR OIL CHANGE WHERE LOW COOLANT CONDITION WAS NOTED. GM DEALERSHIP REPLACED LOWER INTAKE GASKET. THIS IS THE SECOND GASKET PUT ON THIS CAR. THE ORIGINAL GASKET WAS REPLACED AT APPROXIMATELY 15,000 MILES. *NLM

I BOUGHT MY 1998 VENTURE IN NOV. OF 2001. IT HAD 66000 ON IT. IT SEEMED TO HAVE THE SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE. IN DECEMBER OF 2002 SOMEONE TOLD US THAT THE GASKETS WERE NOTED FOR LEAKING. MY HUSBAND REPLACED IT, AND GAVE IT AN OIL CHANGE IN FEB. IT WAS THICK AND DARK ORANGE IN COLOR. IT STARTED KNOCKING WHEN YOU ACCELERATED. SO ONCE AGAIN MY HUSBAND HAS IT TORN APART AND FOUND THE CRANK SHAFT IS COMING APART DUE TO THE ANTIFREEZE LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE. NOW I AM PAYING ON A DEAD HORSE. WE CAN'T AFFORD TO GET IT REPAIRED. IT WOULD BE NICE IF GM WOULD RECALL THIS. *JB

1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE-BOTH HEADLIGHT COVERS FELL OFF OVER A ONE MONTH PERIOD. COST WAS $180.00 FOR REPLACEMENT COMPONENTS. *NLM

1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WENT BAD AND GOT COOLANT IN MY ENGINE. HAD TO REPLACE WATER PUMP ALSO. COST 927.35 TO REPLACE. I FEEL GM SHOULD MAKE THIS ITEM A RECALL AS I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS WEB SITES WITH PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH ALL SORTS OF GM VEHICLES.*JB

THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME UP ONE MORNING. A CERTIFIED FRIEND MECHANIC CHECKED IT OUT AT HOME WITH HIS ENGINE ANALYZER/COMPUTER & FOUND NOTHING WRONG. HE THEN CHECKED OUT THE GAS CAP IF SECURE. AFTER AWHILE, THE LIGHT WENT OFF. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT WAS THE GAS CAP BECAUSE I'M VERY CAREFUL ABOUT LOOSE GAS CAPS. ANYWAY, AFTER 2 DAYS OF DRIVING, THE LIGHT CAME OUT AGAIN. BEFOREHAND, HE SUGGESTED TO HAVE THE GAS CAP REPLACED IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN. SO I CHANGED IT & HAVE BEEN DRIVING AROUND FOR ALMOST 3 WEEKS NOW BUT THE LIGHT IS STILL THERE. SOMEBODY SAID THAT IT MIGHT TAKE A COUPLE OF GAS TANK REFILLS BEFORE THE GAS CAP GET "CROSS-THREADED" OR SEALED TIGHT. I ALREADY HAD 2 REFILLS & THE LIGHT'S STILL THERE. THE VAN'S RUNNING WELL & AM EXPERIENCING NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER. I JUST WANT TO HAVE THAT LIGHT TURNED OFF.