Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Chevrolet Venture submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 45 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 45, in the owner's own words
NEEDS REPLACED FRONTEND HUBS ,TIEROD,PINION REPAIRS/RECALL THIS VAN NEEDS A NEW OWNER!!! NOTHING BUT COSTLY REPAIRS CHEVY NEEDS TO RECALL ALL THEM VENTURES. *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING 15 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED 3 SEPARATE TIMES. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. UPDATED 12/05/06. *JB
THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT WORK, THEY WERE DEFECTIVE. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES, BUT THEY WANTED CONSUMER TO PAY FOR IT. CONSUMER FELT THAT MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. ALSO, THE SLIDING DOOR MOTOR ON 1997 CHEVROLET VENTURE IS DEFECTIVE. CONSUMER PAID FOR REPAIRS 3 DIFFERENT TIMES, BUT IT KEPT BREAKING.*AK PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW SWITCH FAILED. WIPER MODULE SHORTED OUT. THE VEHICLE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER FOUND A BAD CONNECTION AT THE EBCM. ALSO FOUND BOTH TRACTION BULBS WERE MISSING. *NM
THIS IS A FOLLOW UP OF ACOMPLAINT FILED ON 3/10/1997. AFTER SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH CHEVY CORP. THEY HAVE ADVISED ME THAT THEY WILL OFFER NO ASSISTANCE IN REPAIRING MY VENTURE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ADVISED ME THAT REPAIRS WILL COST A MINIMUM OF $2000. ADD THIS TO THE $7500 THAT I STILL OWE AND I WILL OWE $9500 ON THIS VAN. I AM AMAZED BY THE DENIAL OF CHEVY CORP. WITH ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS BY CONSUMERS WHO HAVE BLOWN HEAD GASKETS FROM DEX COOLANT. I AM ASKING THAT SOMEONE PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER!! THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITH ONLY 75,000 MILES ON THIS VAN. THAT'S AN AVERAGE OF 12,000 MILES PER YEAR, AND I HAVE DOCCUMENTED PROOF OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, SLIDING DOOR, SEAT LATCHES, AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH POWER WINDOWS. I WILL NEVER BY ANOTHER GM PRODUCT AGAIN!!*AK
FROM ABOUT 40000 MILESPROBLEMS WITH THE TEMP GAUGE INDICATING ENGINE RUNNING HOT WHEN IN FACT IT NEVER WAS AND COOLANT WAS ADEQUATE MECHANIC NEVER ABLE TO FIGURE OUT 60000 INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED 90000 MILES ENGINE LOSING POWER AND STALLING ENGINE BLOCK CRACKED POSSIBLE AND HEAD GASKET. BRAKES NOISY WITH A GRINDING FEEL IN THE PEDAL LIGHTS ON DASH ON & OFF ABS AND COOLANT LOW WHEN NO PROBLEM EXISTS! CAR PULLS TO LEFT AND HARD TO STEER IN A PUDDLE HORN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ACTIVATE. DIRECTIONAL AND HAZARD LIGHTS FLASH WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. *AK
SUMMER OF 2003 ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND WITH DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR WITH LITTLE OR NO BRAKING ACTION. LOUD SHUTTER AND VIBRATIONS WERE FELT FROM THE WHEELS. ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY. SERVICE FACILITY FOUND FAULTY ABS SENSOR, COST $580.00. NOW THE PROBLEM HAS COME BACK. LITTLE OR NO BRAKING WITH ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATING ALL THE TIME. *CB
OVER THE PAST YEAR THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON. RECENTLY I NOTICED COOLANT ON THE FLOOR OF MY GARAGE SO I DECIDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSIS. LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND POSSIBLE LIFTER PROBLEMS. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE BRAKES REPLACED A COUPLE OF TIMES AND HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR SEVERAL RECALL RELATED ISSUES. A WEB SITE HAS BEEN SET UP TO PETITION GM TO RECALL THIS ISSUE HTTP://WWW.PETITIONONLINE.COM/MOD_PERL/SIGNED.CGI?GMCNSMRS&1 .
I AM THE OWNER OF A 1997 VENTURE CHEVROLET VAN THAT I PURCHASED IN MAY OF 1997. I HAVE SEVERAL CONCERNS AFTER REVIEWING YOUR WEB SITE. FIRST, I JUST CHARGED ON MY CREDIT CARD ALMOST $2,000 (DECEMBER 2003) TO FIX THE RACK AND PINION STEERING AND TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THERE WAS A RECALL IN NOVEMBER 2002 THAT I WAS NOT NOTIFIED FOR THE RACK AND PINION. SECOND, I HAVE JUST LEARNED THAT THERE IS A RECALL RELATED TO THE POWER PUMP STEERING. IT IS NOT BY CHANCE THAT BOTH OF THESE ITEMS HAVE MALFUNCTIONED ON MY VEHICLE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE EXERTION ON MORE PRESSURE TO MAKE TURNS AND THIS IS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE RELATED TO THE RECALL. I CAN NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE OF THE INCIDENTS WHEN THE ISSUES FIRST STARTED BUT IT IS FAIR TO SAY IT STARTED SOMETIME IN 2003. WHAT PROCEDURES SHOULD I FOLLOW TO GET THESE CHARGES TAKEN OFF OF MY CREDIT CARD? SINCE I PAID FOR OR IS CHARGED TO MY CREDIT CARD, I CAN NOT GET THE REPAIRS FREE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A COPY OF BILLS - PLEASE LET ME KNOW. ALSO, I HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE LEAKING OF BREAK FLUID IN 2001. AFTER VIEWING YOUR WEB SITE IT APPEARS THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY ANOTHER DEFECT. I DO NOT THINK IT IS JUST BY CHANCE THE THREE MAJOR REPAIRS THAT I HAVE PAID FOR ON MY VEHICLE ARE RECALLS FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION. *LA
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING ENGINE WOULD STALL, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. ALSO, BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. *AK
THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACE, ALONG WITH THE WATER PUMP. IN ADDITION, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR BRAKING SYSTEM CAUSING THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTOL SYSTEM NOT TO WORK. LAST MONTH THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE LEFT REAR BRAKE LAMP IN MY 1997 CHEVROLET VENTURE VAN A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES AND THE RIGHT REAR ONCE. AFTER REMOVING THE BULBS, I NOTICED THE BASE OF THE BULBS WERE CHARRED AND MELTED. I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE CHARRING/MELTING EVENTUALLY CAUSING A FIRE. IF THE BULB ASSEMBLY IS PULLING ENOUGH POWER TO MELT THE BASE, SHOULDN'T THE FUSE BLOW? THE LAST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER WORK WHEN ANOTHER MOTORIST TOLD HER SHE HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS. AFTER I CHECKED THE VAN, I DETERMINED THAT BOTH BRAKE LAMPS WERE CHARRED AND MELTED. I HAVE NOT CHECKED ANY OF THE OTHER BULBS YET, BUT NOTICED ANOTHER COMPLAINT HAD BEEN FILED ABOUT THE BULBS MELTING/FUSING TO THE SOCKET. *PH
CONSUMER STATES THAT REAR BRAKE LIGHTS BULB WENT OUT, ALSO STATES THAT THE CURRENT PAST IS CAUSING THE BULB TO BLOW. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITION INFORMATION. TS
CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AT 40 MPH, PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER STATED THAT THE RIGHT BRAKE LINE HAD A HOLE. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. *AK 2 PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. *SCC
LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKE ASSISTED WHEN GOING THROUGH SHALLOW PUDDLE. BATTERY LIGHT WENT ON AND OFF. ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND OFF. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, IT WAS RAINING AND THE ROAD WAS WET WITH SOME PUDDLE IN THE ROAD. WHEN I HAVE TO USE THE RIGHT LANE TO MAKE RIGHT OR LEFT TURN, I HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOME WATER THAT PONDED ALONG THE GUTTER LINE, THE STEERING SEIZE ON ME AND REQUIRED FORCEFUL TURN. BRAKE PADDLE WAS HARD TO PRESS AND DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE APPROPRIATELY.*AK
THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET BLEW AND FILLED THE ENGINE WITH WATER, THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE 3.4 ENGINE THAT GM IS AWARE OF. THE SLIDING DOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAS FALLEN OFF THE VAN 4 TIMES SINCE WE HAVE HAD DEALER FIXED 3 TIMES THEN IT WAS OUT OF WARRENTY. THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES STARTED SQUEALING WHEN THE VAN HAD 1000 MILES ON IT AND CONTINUE TO THIS DAY. GM SAYS THEY ARE DESIGNED LIKE THAT. THE SEAT BELTS IN THE VAN COME UNLATCHED AT ANY TIME, THE BELTS IN THE REAR WILL CONTIUALLY TIGHTEN WHEN YOU HIT BUMPS IN THE ROAD. GM TOLD US THAT WE WERE NOT USING THE SEATBELTS PROPERLY. THE RACK AND PINION STEERING STARTED MAKING A GROWLING NOISE IMMIDIATLY FOLLOWING THE WARRENTY RUNNING OUT. *AK
HEADLAMP FELL OUT WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD, NEVER DID FIND IT. ANTILOCK BRAKES ARE MALFUNCTIONING, VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE, TRANSMISSION WENT OUT VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR, ESPECIALLY WITH SO LITTLE MILES ON THIS VEHICLE. THESE PROBLEMS THAT I AM REPORTING ARE VERY COMMOM AND NEED SOME ATTENTION GRANTED TO THEM. VEHICLES COST SO MUCH AND THEN WHEN YOU HAVE TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO THEM IT CAN FINANCIALLY DRAIN YOU. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS. THANK YOU, [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
CONSUMER STATES WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE THE ABS WOULD INCREASE THE STOPPING DISTANCE ON DRY SURFACE WHICH COULD LEAD IN A VEHICLE CRASH, MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. NLM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
ABS SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED BECAUSE OF CIRCUIT BOARD ACCORDING TO THE DEALER . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAIL. *AK
FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED LAST YEAR TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM OF VEHICLE STARTING HARD. VEHICLE IS NOW ACTING UP AGAIN AND WE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME STARTING IT. ALSO, THE VEHICLE IS STILL MAKING A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. WE WERE TOLD IT WAS THE SHOCKS LAST YEAR AND HAD THEM REPLACED. OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS NOT THE CORRECT ANSWER!!! BRAKES WERE ALSO REPLACED WHEN VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. BRAKES STILL FEEL SOFT AND ARE MAKING A GRINDING/SQUEALING NOISE.*AK
HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE REBUILT, NEW FUEL PUMP, FRONT/REAR SHOCKS & STRUTS,INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY, BRAKES. I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING EXTREMELY WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE AND IT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED.
TOLD DEALER THAT ENGINE IS KNOCKING/MAKING A TICKING SOUND. CAN HEAR IT CLEARLY FROM WITHIN OR OUTSIDE OF THE VAN. TOOK IT TO DEALER ONCE ALREADY AND WILL BE TAKING IT AGAIN ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2000 FOR TESTING. ENGINE IS ALSO TAKING LONGER TO START...HARD START NO MATTER IF HOT/COLD START. ALREADY HAD TO HAVE NEW BRAKES, SHOCKS AND STRUTS PUT ON THE VEHICHLE. *AK
CAR SHUT DOWN ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASSIONS. INSPECTION AFTER SECOND FAILURE AT AUTO SHOP INDICATED FUEL PUMP WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR UNDER LEFT MIDDLE PASSENGER SEAT WAS FILLED WITH WATER AND SEVERELY CORRODED, CAUSING ELECTRICAL SHORT. SIMILAR CONNECTOR FOR ABS BRAKES ALSO SHOWS SIMILAR PROBLEM, BUT HAS NOT YET FAILED. MECHANIC ASKED FOR REPLACEMENT PIGTAIL. GM TOLD THEM ONLY ENTIRE HARNESS WAS AVAILABLE (ENGINE HARNESS ETC). SHOP CUT CONNECTOR OFF AND SPLICED WIRES WITH SOLDER.*AK
FRONT DISC BRAKES HAVE PITTED IN THE INNER SURFACE, CAUSING A PULSATION. THERE ARE PITTED SO DEEP THAT THEY CANNOT BE CLEANED. *AK
BRAKES CONTINUALLY SQUEAL, CONSUMER HAS HAD VEHICLE SERVICED ON FOUR OCCASIONS TO TRY TO REMEDY, HOWEVER DEALER STATES THAT THE BRAKES ARE DESIGNED THIS WAY. *MJS
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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