1999 CHEVROLET VENTURE Complaints

EXPERIENCED COOLANT LEAK INTO ENGINE. PERSONAL MECHANIC FOUND THAT DEX-COOL HAD CAUSED EXCESSIVE CORROSION TO INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THAT GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED. SPENT IN EXCESS OF $500 TO REPAIR THIS. OTHER PEOPLE I KNOW SAY THAT IF THE CORROSION WAS BAD ENOUGH THAT THE CAM SHAFT MIGHT BREAK. I AM NOT WILLING TO PUT MY FAMILY'S LIVES IN JEOPARDY WITH AN ISSUE THAT GM IS AWARE OF. THE FACT THTA NOBODY HAS DIED FROM THIS IS NO EXCUSE NOT TO RECALL THE GM 3.4L ENGINE VEHICLES TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. ALSO, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DEX-COOL NEEDS TO BE RE-EVALUATED WITH REGARDS TO PERFORMANCE AND THE AFFECT ON ENGINE PARTS LONG-TERM.

WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS THE RIGHT OR LEFT, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A GRINDING NOISE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE INSPECTED AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. *AK *SC *JB

WHEN CLOSING THE PASSENGER POWER SLIDING DOOR, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE DOOR WOULD REOPEN. THE CONSUMER HAD THE DOOR REPAIRED BEFORE, HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

MY 1999 CHEVROLET VENTURE HAS 59,800 MILES. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY I NOTICED THE "COOLANT LEVEL LOW" WARNING LIGHT ON; THE COOLANT RESERVOIR WAS NEARLY EMPTY BUT THERE WERE NO VISIBLE LEAKS. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING. THE SERVICE SHOP REPLACED WORN GASKETS. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR WHICH SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY AT 60,000 MILES. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO OWNS A 1999 VENTURE WHICH HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, AND HE TOLD ME OF TWO OTHERS IN HIS CIRCLE OF FRIENDS. *LA

I BOUGHT A USED 1999 CHEVROLET VENTURE WITH 54,500 MILES ON IT. 7 MONTHS AND 32,000 MILES LATER, THE VAN IS AT MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER WITH $1,650 $2,200 OF ENGINE DAMAGE, DUE TO AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE.*AK THE VANS 3.4L ENGINE WAS WELL-MAINTAINED, WITH FREQUENT OIL CHANGES AND INSPECTIONS. THE ONLY WARNING SIGN THAT I GOT WAS THAT THE COOLANT LEVEL HAD TO BE TOPPED OFF ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. A MECHANIC SAID THAT THE COOLANT LOSS WAS DUE TO EVAPORATION. MY MECHANIC OFFERED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A USED ONE FOR $2,200. HE WOULD PUT A NEW INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ON THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE, SO I WOULD BE LESS LIKELY TO RUN INTO THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. I LEARNED OF GM TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #03-06-01-010, WITH SUBSEQUENT REVISIONS APPENDED A AND B, WHICH DESCRIBES A REPAIR PROCEDURE FOR COOLANT LEAKS ON 3.1L AND 3.4L ENGINES. THE REPAIR PROCEDURE IS INSTALL A NEW DESIGN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THE MATERIAL USED IN THE GASKET HAS BEEN CHANGED IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE SEALING QUALITIES OF THE GASKET. WHEN REPLACING THE GASKET, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BOLTS MUST ALSO BE REPLACED AND TORQUED TO A REVISED SPECIFICATION. THE NEW BOLTS WILL COME WITH A PRE-APPLIED THREADLOCKER ON THEM. MY SON CALLED CHEVROLET CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND SPOKE WITH JOHN BROOKS, WHO TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE MY VAN EVALUATED BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF A CHEVROLET DEALER BEFORE HE COULD OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. HE GAVE ME THE FOLLOWING SERVICE NUMBER WITH WHICH I COULD REFERENCE THE CALL: 1-201938-040. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK WAS CONFIRMED AT THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER. THE SERVICE MANAGER ESTIMATED THAT THE ENGINE COULD BE REPAIRED FOR ABOUT $1,650, INCLUDING PARTS AND LABOR, BUT THAT HE COULDNT CONFIRM THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE ENGINE. GETTING INTO THE ENGINE WOULD COST $500, AFTER WHICH THERE WOULD BE NO GOING BACK. HE SAID THERE WOULD BE NO ASSISTANCE FROM CHEVROLET, AS I HADN'T BOUGHT OR HAD MY VEHICLE SERVICED THERE.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTIONED, RESULTING IN POOR VISIBILITY. DEALER INDICATED THIS VEHICLE'S WIPERS WERE NOT RECALLED. *AK

LEAK IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKIT , WHICH HAS BEEN DIRETLY RELATED TO ENGINE FAILURE,WHICH I NOW HAVE WITH MY 1999 CHEVY VENTURE

FRONT END NOISE. THE TIE RODS AND RACK AND PINION STEERING WERE REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK POWER STEERING PUMP AND HOSES REPLACED.*MR

COOLANT LEAK ON 1999 CHEVROLET VENTURE 3.4L V6 INTAKE MANIFOLD. SO MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB FOR THE SAME "EXPENSIVE" PROBLEM! GM NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *AK

AIR BAG LIGHT WILL FLASH OR NOT GO OFF ON A DAILY BASIS. HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR 3 YEARS. IN THE PAST, I HAD BEEN TOLD IT WAS JUST DIRTY CONTACTS.THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT. JUST HAD MY VAN FOR ALMOST A WEEK DID NOT EVEN MENTION THE LIGHT AS A CONCERN. WHILE LOOKING UP OTHER INFO. I HAVE DISCOVERED THIS COULD BE A MAJOR PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS VAN HAS A "POOR" FRONTAL CRASH RATING EVEN WITH AIR BAGS!*AK