1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE Complaints

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT HEADLIGHT LENS CAME OFF THREE TIMES AND THE LEFT ONCE. THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE HEAD LAMP TWICE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. *AK

(1)WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL FAILURE. WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE / OPERATED ERRATICALLY DURING RAINSTORM AT NIGHT. WIPERS WORK AT TIMES, NOT AT ALL AT OTHERS. TURNING THEM OFF, THEN BACK ON MAY GET THEM WORKING AGAIN, OR MAYBE NOT. (2) HAD TO PULL OFF OF THE INTERSTATE. WAS ONLY ABLE TO GET THE WIPERS RUNNING ON INTERMITTENT MODE. CONTINUED DRIVING TO DESTINATION WITH CAUTION (WHITE KNUCKLE DRIVING ALL THE WAY). (3) PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED YET. WILL NOT DRIVE IN THE RAIN, UNTIL PROBLEM IS SUCCESSFULLY DIAGNOSED / REPAIRED. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES BOTH HEADLIGHTS SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. HE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE WHY THIS HAPPENED. HE HAS NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. *AK UPDATED 11/30/05. *JB

DT: CONSUMER OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE. AT 55000 MILES THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WENT OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS MAINTAINED IMMACULATELY. THIS HAPPENED IN OCTOBER 2003. VEHICLE WAS FIXED BY A DEALER ON OCTOBER 10, 2003. HE THEN CHECKED THE INTERNET TO FIND THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO A COOLANT THAT THE MANUFACTURER USED. ON JULY 2, 2005 THE HEAD GASKET FAILED SUDDENLY, VEHICLE HAD 75,000 MILES. THIS WAS TWO WEEKS AFTER A GARAGE HAD DONE A 75000 MILE CHECK UP ON VEHICLE. WELL OVER $40000 WAS SPENT. HE DID FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET TO FIND MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE. HE FELT THIS WA A SAFETY ISSUE, AND IT WAS ENDANGERING THE LIFE OF HIS FAMILY. HE CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD CALL HIM BACK, AFTER NOT BEING CALLED BACK BY THE MANUFACTURER AND HIM CALLING MANUFACTURE OFTEN BACK THEY FINALLY MADE HIM AN OFFER OF A DISCOUNT ON SOMETHING. HE REFUSED THE OFFER,. HE FELT THAT THE OFFER WAS NOT NEAR WHAT HE HAD SPENT ON REPAIRS THAT MANUFACTURE SHOULD HAVE PAID FOR REPAIRS. *AK

I NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLES COOLANT LEVEL HAD BEEN DROPPING OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERLA WEEKS. AFTER HAVING IT TESTED IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE LOWER INTAKE MANILFOLD HAD A SLOW LEAK AND NEEDED REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 70,000 MILES ON IT AND IT SEEMS VERY UNUSUAL FOR THIS TO HAPPEN SO SOON.

TICKING BEGIN AT AROUND 45000 TO 50000 MILES ON 1998 VENTURE, SOON IT NEEDED BEARINGS AND RODS, THE MECHANIC TOOK OFF THE OIL PAN AND OIL WAS LIKE MUD, I HAVE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES, I SAW THE OIL, IT WAS AWFUL, THEN ONE DAY THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT AND AT AROUND 70000 MILES I NEED NEW ENGINE, I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A GENERAL MOTORS PERSON MAINLY CHEROLET, BUT, AS OF NOW, I AM THINKING IT WILL BE A COLD DAY IN ---- BEFORE I BUY ANOTHER, I SEE WHY THE FOREIGN MOTOR COMPANIES ARE KICKING BUTT...I AM NOT THE 1ST TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE VENTURES.. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE MAIFOLD IS LEAKING INTO THE OIL SYSTEM THERE BY CAUSING THIS PROBLEM WITH ENGINES BLOWING...I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO, I HAVE 4 CHILDREN 2 OF WHOM ARE IN COLLEGE AND 2 AT HOME, I CAN'T JUST RACE OUT AND BUY A NEW ONE, WHICH CHEVY OFFERED TO MAYBE GIVE ME A LITTLE OFF IF I WANTED TO BUY A NEW ONE.

MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE NOW ON MY 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE (2003 AND 2005). ALSO THE RACK AND PINION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR TURNING LEFT.

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE. TWO MONTHS AGO SHE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE DUE TO THE CAM SHAFT BREAKING. SHE REPLACED THE OLD ENGINE WITH A NEW ONE. ONE WEEK LATER THE CAM SHAFT BROKE AGAIN ON THE SAME SPOT AS THE OTHER. MECHANIC SAID THAT HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF A HOLLOW CAMSHAFT, AND THAT WAS THE WAY ALL CAM SHAFTS WERE FOR THIS VEHICLE.*AK

1998 CHEVY VENTURE MINI-VAN. HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR (NOW TWICE) DUE TO OVERHEATING CAUSED BY "SLUDGE" IN THE COOLING SYSTEM. ALSO, MECHANIC REPORTS A COOLANT LEAKAGE IN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, WHICH APPARENTLY IS A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM. HAVE ONLY PUT DEXCOOL IN SYSTEM, SO WONDER WHERE SLUDGE CAME FROM. HAVE NOT HAD GASKET REPAIRED YET BECAUSE I THINK GM SHOULD DO IT FOR FREE.

I HAVE HAD ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT EVERYONE HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT, BUT, THE WORST TO ME IS THAT I AM SITTING HERE IN NEED OF A MOTOR IN MY 1998 VENTURE VAN. I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO USE TO AT LEAST 100,000 MILES. I STARTED GETTING THE TICKING NOISE LIKE AT 50,000 MILES AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE LIFTERS, COULDN'T BELIEVE IT, THEN BEFORE IT HIT 60,000 I HAD RODS BEARINGS AND I AM NOT SURE WHAT ELSE DONE AND BY 70,00 MY MOTOR IS BLOWN. I AM A HOMEMAKER WITH 2 CHILDREN IN COLLEGE AND 2 WEDDINGS GOING ON, I CAN'T AFFORD A NEW CAR AND NOW I AM DRIVING MY BROTHERS, IT IS EMBARRASSING TO SAY THE LEAST. I HAD CONTACTED CHEVY AND THEY OFFERED ME A LITTLE VOUCHER TO HELP PAY ON A NEW VAN. I CAN'T AFFORD A NEW ONE, I AM NOT A VAIN PERSON, I JUST WANT A CAR I CAN TRUST AND THOUGHT THAT I HAD ONE IN CHEVY. NOW I SEE WHY PEOPLE ARE BUYING FOREIGN. I SAW IN THE COMPLAINTS WHERE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL VENTURES WHAT ARE WE TO DO?