1997 Chevrolet Van Owner Complaints

I HAVE A 1997 CHEVY VENTURE. I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE RACK AND PINION. THERE IS A RECALL ON THEM BUT CHEVY SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL. I FIRST TALKED TO SOMEONE ON THE PHONE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT YES THERE WAS A RECALL. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO THE CHEVY DEALER. I TOOK IT AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL. SO I CALLED THE CHEVY 800 NUMBER AGAIN AND NOW THEY SAY THERE IS NO RECALL. BUT I STILL SEE THE RECALL HERE. SO WHAT CAN I DO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10209869

Incident

Nov 19, 2007

Mileage

158,000 mi

IN ONLY FOUR MONTHS, ALL 4 OF MY GOODYEAR REGATTA TIRES WITH ONLY 50,000 MILES ON THEM BLEW OUT WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. (4 DIFFERENT INCIDENTS). THE COMPANY HAD AUDACITY TO TELL ME THAT THESE WERE ALL THE RESULTS OF "ROAD HAZARDS" AND THAT THE SAME COULD HAPPEN TO ANY TIRE. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 40 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD A BLOW OUT UNTIL ALL FOUR OF THESE TIRES BLEW OUT OVER A PERIOD OF 4 MONTHS. HAS TO BE THE TIRES, NOT THE ROADS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10194002

Incident

May 9, 2007

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THE HEADLIGHTS WERE BLINDING TO OTHER VEHICLES. THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED NUMEROUS TIMES AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED ABOUT 10 TIMES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10127584

Incident

Jul 6, 2005

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THE HEADLIGHTS WERE BLINDING TO OTHER VEHICLES. THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED NUMEROUS TIMES AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED ABOUT 10 TIMES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10127583

Incident

Jul 6, 2005

STEERING LOCKED ON TAKING A LEFT TURN WITHIN A PARKING LOT. REMEMBERED THAT CHEVROLET HAD SERVICED A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE IN FEB 2003. HOWEVER, THEY ONLY REPLACED THE LOWER PINION BEARING, BUT DID NOT REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR. TOOK IT TO THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY. THEIR INSPECTION POINTED TO A WORN STEERING GEAR AS THE CAUSE OF THE STEERING LOCK. THIS HAPPENED WITHIN 17,000 MILES OF THEIR SERVICING THE RECALL. READ ABOUT NUMEROUS FAILURES UNDER INVESTIGATION (PE01038) ALL POINTING TO THE SAME FAILURE. GM DID NOT SERVICE THE RECALL ADEQUATELY - THEY HAVE A FAULTY RACK AND PINION WHICH IS A GLARING SAFETY ISSUE. THEY SHOULD BE REPLACING THE COMPLETE RACK AND PINION AS PART OF THE RECALL. HAD TO PAY FOR NEW RACK AND PINION AND LABOR CHARGES, OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. *JB

NHTSA ID

10106289

Incident

Oct 20, 2004

Mileage

96,500 mi

MY TRANSMISSION FAILED ON MY 1500 VAN. IT SUDDENLY FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE "REVERSE INPUT HOUSING BEARING" FAILED AND HAD SHREDDED INTO METAL SHARDS THROUGHOUT THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. AS SUCH, THE TRANSMISSION MUST BE REPLACED VS. REPAIRED. $3,000. FAILURE AT 64,920 SEEMS UNREASONABLE FOR A WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE THAT IS DRIVEN WITH CARE. I'M CONCERNED THAT THE REPLACEMENT WILL FAIL AND AN ACCIDENT AND INJURIES MAY RESULT. I'VE HEARD THIS TRANSMISSION HAS A HIGH FAILURE RATE. DT

NHTSA ID

769965

Incident

Nov 15, 2002

THE FUEL GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONSUMER WANTS EITHER TO RETURN THE VEHICLE OR THE DEALER TO REIMBURSE THE REPAIR EXPENSES. *YH

NHTSA ID

564929

CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION GASKET FAILED.(CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS VEHICLE)*JB

NHTSA ID

564471

02 SENSORS KEEP GOING OUT, CAUSING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. *AK

NHTSA ID

750883

Incident

Jul 1, 2001

THE ABS FAILS TO STOP THE VEHICLE DURING SHORT PANIC STOPS AT LOW SPEEDS IN WARM WEATHER BECAUSE ONE OF THE WHEELS PARTIALLY LOCKS UP, CONSUMER STATES HE DISCOVERED BRAKE FLUID UNDER THE MASTER CYLINDER AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE CAP, THE CAP SEAL WAS NOT SEALING PROPERLY AND A NEW SEAL WAS INSTALLED.*YH

NHTSA ID

562152

SIRS, I HAVE TWO EXPRESS VANS (1999 AND 1997) BOTH HAVING TRANSMISSION FAILURES BEFORE 50000 MILES. HMMMMM I SEE A PATTERN HERE. DOES ANYONE ELSE. *AK

NHTSA ID

747626

Incident

Nov 1, 1999

DEALERSHIP DOES NOT HAVE PARTS AVAILABLE TO REPAIR A RECALL ON FUEL FILLER VALVE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

885123

Incident

Mar 29, 2001

WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED GAS GAUGE READING 1/2 OF TANK, SOON AFTER GAS INDICATOR WOULD READ A FULL TANK OF GAS. *AK DEALER REPLACED FUEL TANK SENDER UNIT WITH PUMP. *SLC

NHTSA ID

883773

Incident

Oct 1, 2000

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING, AND BRAKE CONTROL. *AK CHECK THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON BEFORE THE VEHICLE STALL. THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED BUT STARTED STELLING AGAIN. *YH

NHTSA ID

882448

Incident

Mar 1, 2000

SIDE CARGO DOOR FROZE AT HINGES, AND DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK THE CONSUMER FEELS THE DOOR WAS UNSAFE. *YH

NHTSA ID

881829

Incident

Jun 14, 1999

EXPERIENCED 2 HARD 1ST-2ND GEAR SHIFTS AND SET TROUBLE CODE P1870 INDICATING INTERNAL SLIPPAGE. DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT, OR OVERHAUL. OTHER RESEARCH INDICATES COMMON PROBLEM FOR GM WITH THE 4L60E TRANSMISSION QUITE POSSIBLY STEMMING FROM SWITCHING FROM A CAST IRON VALVE BODY IN EARLIER MODELS TO AN ALUMINUM VALVE BODY IN LATER MODELS OF THAT TRANSMISSION. *AK

NHTSA ID

737955

Incident

Aug 16, 2000

HUGE LOUD SHIMMY/VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEED, REPLACED DUE TO LARGE SIDEWALL BULGE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: BM05326-1 TIRESIZE: LT24575R16)

NHTSA ID

732895

Incident

May 9, 2000

BRAKES PADS ARE TOO SMALL FOR VEHICLE, CAUSING IT TO WEAR OUT EVERY 15,000 MILES, AND DRUMS NEEDS TO REPLACED EVERY OTHER TIME. DEALER CLAIMED THIS IS WAS NORMAL.*AK TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED FOUR TIMES. THE THREE KNOBS FOR THE HEATER BROKE. POWER STEERING MAKES NOISE AND LEAK DUE TO FAULTY POWER STEERING PUMP. FRONT BRAKE MAKES NOISE. *YH

NHTSA ID

865933

A/C LEAKED AT REAR AIR UNIT CORRODING THE CONNECTIONS AND DOES NOT BLOW COLD AIR DUE TO THE COMPRESSOR FAILURE. YH

NHTSA ID

553141

Incident

May 19, 2000

WHEN GAS IS USED, ESPECIALLY WITH A FULL TANK, THE GAS GAUGE WILL GO DOWN TO EMPTY AFTER DRIVING SOME DISTANCE, THEN WHEN IT GETS DOWN TO ABOUT A QUARTER TANK THE GUAGE WILL GO BACK UP AND REGISTER FULL EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE NOT BOUGHT ANY FUEL. THEN VEHICLE WILL RUN OUT WHEN GUAGE REGISTERS FULL! *AK

NHTSA ID

716055

Incident

May 1, 1997

BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING BECAUSE THE NEGATIVE CABLE FROM THE BATTERY TO THE ENGINE BLOCK WORE A HOLE IN THE METAL BRAKE LINE.

NHTSA ID

549630

Incident

Jun 22, 1999

THIRD FAILURE OF THIS ITEM, DEALER AND CHEVROLET WILL NOT KNOWLEDGE PROBLEM. NO DEFECT STATED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID

703467

Incident

Feb 14, 1999

WHILE DRIVING SPEEDOMETER READS IMPROPERLY,PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, ALSO BRAKE ROTORS ARE FAULTY, POSSIBLE MANUFACTURING FLAW. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

824392

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE SHUT DOWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK

NHTSA ID

818736

Incident

Nov 9, 1997

CONSUMER COMPLAINS THAT DOOR MOUNTED SHOULDER BELTS PROHIBITING ENTERING/EXITING OF VEHICLE WHEN CONNECTED AND WHEN DISCONNECTED HANG LOOSELY.

NHTSA ID

603430