1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE ACCELERATOR CABLE SNAPPED. *AK *JB

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE JERKED BACK AND FORTH. DEALER STATED THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE CRANKCASE. *AK *NM

'98 CHEVY VENTURE ONLY HAS 51,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED REGULARLY BY DEALER. RECENTLY HAD INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS REPLACED DUE TO LEAK OF COOLANT INTO CRANKCASE AT A COST OVER $1,000. ENGINE IS KNOCKING AND NOW NEEDS REPLACEMENT WITH EXPECTED COST OF OVER $5,000. SO FAR, NO FINANCIAL CONSIDERATION GIVEN BY GM.*JB

REAR LOCKING LATCH PLATE BROKE WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK. *AK

LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON WHILE WIFE WAS DRIVING AND SHE SAID TEMPERATURE GAUGE SOARED THEN DROPPED, SHE PULLED OUT AND DROVE AGAIN AND IT SOARED THEN DROPPED AGAIN ALONG WITH LOW COOLANT LIGHT. SAW ON THE INTERNET THIS IS COMMON FOR 1998 CHEVY VENTURE AND OTHERS. A LOT OF MINIVANS WITH KIDS AND SPOUSES OUT THERE ENCOUNTERING THIS. I CHECKED THE ENGINE UPON ARRIVAL AND THINK IT MAY BE AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE AND HAVE CONTACTED A LOCAL SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE. *LA

LEAKING COOLANT LED TO ENGINE FAILURE. GM AND DEALERSHIP TRY TO SHIFT BLAME TO ME. THEY SAY THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I HAD TO PUSH IT TO THE SIDE OF A BUSY STREET WITH A SMALL CHILD INSIDE. THE ENGINE OIL FILLED WITH ANTI FREEZE AND CEASED UP WITHOUT WARNING. IT HAD BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT CHECKED AND THEY JUST ADDED STOP LEAK AND SAID IT WOULD BE FINE. THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING. THIS HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED FOR OVER A YEAR BUT GM IS STILL IN DENIAL. MY 1998 CHEVY VENTURE WAS PURCHASED USED IN SEPTEMBER 2001. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 40,000 MILES ON IT. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN SEPT. 2002 FOR 15 POINT INSPECTION AND OIL CHANGE AT ABOUT 45,000 MILES. THIS WAS LAST DAY UNDER WARRANTY. IN JANUARY 2003 THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. I CHECKED THE COOLANT LEVEL AT IT LOOKED ALMOST DRY. THERE WAS NO PRIOR EVIDENCE LIKE STAINS ON MY DRIVEWAY. THEY SAID GOOD THING I BROUGHT IT IN RIGHT AWAY AND FLUSHED AND FILLED IT AND SAID THERE WAS A SMALL LEAK IN ONE OF THE GASKETS AND ADDED STOP LEAK. IN MAY THE ENGINE SEIZED UP AND I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A REBUILT ONE AT A COST OF $4000.00. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 50000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALERSHIP AND GM ASSISTANCE CLAIM NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS. IN JULY MY NEIGHBOR WHO OWNS A 2000 CHEVY SILHOUETTE HAS THE SAME THING HAPPEN AND NEEDS HIS ENGINE REPLACED. A FRIEND OF MINE SAYS HE HAD HIS GASKET FIXED WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. PLEASE HELP ME AND THE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN HURT BECAUSE GM REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I FEEL THE ONLY OPTION THAT I HAVE IS TO GO TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT WHERE I PROBABLY WON'T HAVE A CHANCE AGAINST GENERAL MOTOR?S LAWYERS. I HAVE A COUPLE OF WEB SITES THAT HAVE BEEN SORT OF LIKE MY SUPPORT GROUP SINCE MY ENGINE FAILED. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE AWARE OF ANY OF THEM.

CAR BEGAN LOSING COOLANT AT ABOUT 20000 MILES. HAD TO KEEP TOPPING COOLANT TANK. PRESENTED TO LOCAL DEALER AT 35,500 MILES TO BE REPAIRED. COOLANT SENSOR REPLACED, PROBLEM PERSISTED. WIFE'S CAR (1999 VENTURE) BEGAN HAVING SAME SYMPTOM, RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS (RECENTLY REDESIGNED BY GM). THIS PROBLEM CAN ALLOW COOLANT TO MIX WITH OIL, AND OIL WITH COOLANT. CAN RESULT IN SUDDEN CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE (CAMSHAFT BREAKS DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION). STRANDED VEHICLES WILL PRESENT MULTIPLE SAFETY HAZARDS.

LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK. LEAKING COOLANT. REPAIR ESTIMATED TO BE $800 BY ELCO CHEVROLET IN BALLWIN, MISSOURI. WE DISCOVERED THROUGH RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND TALKING TO MECHANICS AT A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR FRANCHISE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE CHEVY VENTURE VANS. WE ARE LOOKING FOR RELIEF FROM GM-THIS IS NOT THE FIRST PROBLEM WE HAVE HAD WITH COOLANT LEAKS IN THE VAN AND ARE NOW WONDERING IF THIS PROBLEM WAS UNDETECTED AND WE HAVE BEEN REPAIRING OTHER ITEMS NEEDLESSLY (WATER PUMP, ETC.) WHEN THIS WAS THE TRUE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE ENGINE ON THIS VEHICLE WITH THIS PROBLEM.

1998 CHEVY VENTURE, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, PULLED OVER ENGINE TAPPING & SMOKING. NO OIL LIGHT OR CHANGE IN TEMP, GAUGE OBSERVED. HAD TO WALK ON INTERSTATE 1.2 MILES TOOK RIDE FROM UNKNOWN COUPLE, HAD VAN TOWED. DIAGNOSES WAS: INTAKE GASKET COLLAPSED, CAUSING CONNECTING ROD TO GO THROUGH ENGINE. DEALERSHIP & GM CUSTOMER CARE REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE. OVERWELMED BY SEVERITY OF THIS GASKET PROBLEM READILY AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET. WE REPLACED OUR ENGINE WITH A USED ONE, THAT IS ALL WE COULD AFFORD. IT DEFINITELY WAS THE FAULTY GASKET THAT CAUSED OUR ENGINE TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THIS FIRST HAPPENED, NO DUMMY LIGHT CAME ON, NOTHING TO EVEN TELL ME THERE WAS A PROBLEM, SUCH AS LOW OIL OR SERVICE ENGINE. THE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED OUR ENGINE TOLD US HE HAS SEEN SEVERAL CHEVY VENTURE VANS WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WE HAD. WE HAD THE SERVIVE DONE AT D&N GARAGE 4929 SOUTH M-76 WEST BRANCH, MI 48661, THE OWNER IS NELSON SMITH. THE PHONE # IS 1 800 203 8504. IT COST US ALMOST $1600. TO REPLACE THE ENGINE, WE LUCKED OUT FINDING ONE THAT HAD ONLY 40,000 MILES ON IT. NELSON MADE SURE TO PUT THE NEW GASKET ON THIS ENGINE. THE GM DEALERSHIP HERE REFUSED TO HELP. WHERE WE BOUGHT THE VAN REFUSED TO HELP, THE GM HELPLINE JUST VERY RUDELY TOLD ME IT WAS MY PROBLEM.

KEPT LOOSING COOLANT - INITIAL PRESSURE TEST DID NOT DETECT LEAK. ASKED THEM TO CHECK INTAKE MANIFOLD & GASKETS. THEY DETECTED LEAK. COST TO REPAIR - 673.00. DO NOT KNOW YET IF ANY DAMAGE WAS DONE TO ENGINE.