1998 Chevrolet Venture Other / unspecified Problems

DECEMBER 2002 - MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED, ALLOWING DEXCOOL COOLANT TO MIX WITH THE OIL SYSTEM. GASKET REPLACED. NOVEMBER 2004. REPLACEMENT GASKET FAILED. COOLANT IN OIL SYSTEM AGAIN. MODIFIED GASKET KIT INSTALLED. JAN 2, 2005. CAM SHAFT BREAKS. BEARINGS/BUSHING SEIZED DUE TO OIL SYSTEM CONTAMINATION. ON JAN 2, 2005, THE VAN STALLED IN INTERSECTION. CAR RESTARTED. CAR THEN STALLED ON THE EXPRESSWAY ON THE WAY HOME AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE STALL OCCURRED ON A BEND COMING OUT OF A TUNNEL. APPROACHING CARS HAD LITTLE WARNING THAT OUR VAN WAS ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. POLICE HELPED PUSH THE VAN OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ONTO THE GRASS. THE VAN CANNOT BE COST EFFECTIVELY REPAIRED. IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10106377

Incident

Jan 2, 2005

Mileage

139,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HUTCHINSON RIVER PARKWAY AT ABOUT 2:30 PM WITH MY FAMILY, MY WIFE HEARD A NOISE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. TO OUR HORROR, WE SAW CARS BEHIND US SWERVING TO AVOID A TIRE WHICH WAS SKIDDING ALONG THE ROAD. WE IMMEDIATELY EXITED AND, UPON LOOKING UNDER OUR 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE MINIVAN, SAW NEITHER OUR SPARE TIRE, NOR THE PLATE THAT HELD IN PLACE. IT APPEARED AS IF THE CABLE THAT HELD THE TIRE IN PLACE HAD COMPLETELY AND CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED, RESULTING IN A POTENTIALLY DEADLY SITUATION. FORTUNATELY FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED THE PAVEMENT WAS (FOR THE MOMENT) DRY, IT WAS DAYTIME, THE DRIVERS BEHIND WERE NOT TAILGATING (AS IS CUSTOMARY ON THE HUTCH) AND THE TIRE CAME TO REST ON THE MEDIAN, OUT OF THE LANES OF TRAFFIC. WE LOOPED BACK AND FOUND THE WHEEL ON THE MEDIAN AND, WHILE WE WERE TRYING TO DECIDE WHOM TO CALL TO REPORT THE INCIDENT (AAA, LOCAL POLICE, ETC) A WESTCHESTER COUNTY POLICE OFFICER STOPPED TO HELP US. HE BRIEFLY STOPPED TRAFFIC AND REMOVED THE WHEEL SO THAT NO ONE WOULD HIT IT. AS FAR AS WE COULD TELL, NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THERE WAS NO MAJOR PROPERTY DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF THE INCIDENT (WE HAVE YET TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH IT WILL COST TO REPAIR THE WHEEL AND THE SPARE TIRE HOUSING). UPON SEARCHING THIS SITE, WE HAVE NOTICED THAT A VERY SIMILAR PROBLEM HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED (A SPARE TIRE CABLE THAT HAS BECOME VERY CORRODED) AND BELIEVE OUR EXPERIENCE NOT TO BE AN ISOLATED EVENT, ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WHERE SALT IS COMMONLY USED IN THE WINTER TO KEEP THE ROADS CLEAR OF ICE. WE RECOMMEND THAT GENERAL MOTORS DEVISE AND IMPLEMENT A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM BEFORE LIVES ARE LOST (AND LIABILITIES ARE INCURRED) AS A RESULT OF THIS FAULTY DESIGN. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10023584

Incident

Jun 22, 2003

Mileage

77,000 mi

THE JACK THAT CAME AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WITH THE THE VEHICLE FAILED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS REPLACING A TIRE. *AK *NLM

NHTSA ID

10017844

Incident

Mar 11, 2003

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE WHEEL STUDS CAME OFF WHICH DISENGAGED WHEEL FROM VEHICLE.*AK CONSUMER STATED THE 6 WHEELS STUDS SHEARED OFF FROM WHEEL.*TT

NHTSA ID

8001382

Incident

Dec 29, 2001

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH WHEEL STUDS CAME OFF WHICH LED TO DISENGAGEMENT OF WHEEL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

8001260

THE SPARE TIRE MECHANISM AT THE REAR OF THE VAN INCLUDES A CABLE THAT WITH A BOLT SECURES THE SPARE TIRE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VAN. THE CABLE BROKE AND THE TIRE FELL TO THE GROUND. THIS OCCURRED AS THE CAR WAS BEING BACKED FROM THE GARAGE ONTO THE STREET. AT NO TIME HAS THE SPARE TIRE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE VAN PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT.*AK

NHTSA ID

749579

Incident

May 15, 2001

CONSUMER WENT TO CHANGE TIRE BY USING FACTORY JACK THAT CAME EQUIPPED WITH VEHICLE WHEN IT BENT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO FALL, BARELY MISSING CONSUMER'S LEG AND DAMAGING BUMPER. *AK

NHTSA ID

853636

WHILE CHANGING THE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE THE JACK BUCKLED IN HALF. *AK

NHTSA ID

850874

Incident

Oct 6, 1999