1998 Chevrolet Venture Visibility Problems

(1)WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL FAILURE. WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE / OPERATED ERRATICALLY DURING RAINSTORM AT NIGHT. WIPERS WORK AT TIMES, NOT AT ALL AT OTHERS. TURNING THEM OFF, THEN BACK ON MAY GET THEM WORKING AGAIN, OR MAYBE NOT. (2) HAD TO PULL OFF OF THE INTERSTATE. WAS ONLY ABLE TO GET THE WIPERS RUNNING ON INTERMITTENT MODE. CONTINUED DRIVING TO DESTINATION WITH CAUTION (WHITE KNUCKLE DRIVING ALL THE WAY). (3) PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED YET. WILL NOT DRIVE IN THE RAIN, UNTIL PROBLEM IS SUCCESSFULLY DIAGNOSED / REPAIRED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10142438

Incident

Nov 5, 2005

Mileage

69,750 mi

THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR ON MY VAN AS BROKEN SEVERAL TIMES. IT STARTS BY JUST COMING OF TRACK AND YOU HAVE TO PUSH THE WINDOW TO GET IT TO CLOSE AND SEAL AND EVENTUALLY THE REGULATOR BRAKES ALL TOGETHER AND THE WINDOW SLAMS DOWN OR YOU HEAR A LOUD METAL POP AND THE WINDOW GOES FORWARD AND THE CORNER THAT IS IN THE UPPER LEFT IS NOW IN THE CENTER OF WHERE THE WINDOW SHOULD BE. IT CAME REAL CLOSE TO SHATTERING THE WINDOW. WE REPLACED THE REGULATOR AND IT IS DOING IT AGAIN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10108499

Incident

Nov 10, 2004

Mileage

98,000 mi

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY STOPPED WHILE IN OPERATION OR NOT WORK AT ALL DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE NOT COVERS UNDER A RECALL. *AK RECALL# 98V072000. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10080199

Incident

Nov 28, 2003

Mileage

110,000 mi

CONSUMER STATED AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE AND PARKING IT, ABOUT 1/2 HOUR LATER, THE BACK WINDOW EXPLODED. GLASS FLEW EVERYWHERE. NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10076132

Incident

Jun 11, 2004

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH REAR WINDOW EXPLODED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10057201

Incident

Jan 18, 2004

Mileage

120,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS ANTIFREEZE WAS MIXED IN WITH THE OIL. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THIS CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO BREAK. THE SLIDING DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE RUBBER TRIM HAD FALLEN OFF, WATER WOULD GET INTO THE TRUNK WHEN IT RAINED, AND THE REAR WINDSHIELD DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. *SC

NHTSA ID

10055639

Incident

Jan 10, 2004

Mileage

145,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10069907

Incident

Jan 15, 2003

Mileage

80,000 mi

SINCE PURCHASING THIS VAN I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS, WITH THE MOST RECENT BEING AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. THIS PROBLEM STEMS FROM THE BAD DESIGN OF GM'S INTAKE GASKET WHICH BREAKS DOWN AND CAUSES ANTI-FREEZE TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR AND/OR REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ID

10068939

Incident

Jan 15, 2003

REAR WINDOW ON VEHICLE BLEW OUT. *MR IN 2001 THE REAR WINDOW HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAD BLOWN OUT. IN 2003, THE SAME WINDOW HAD BLOWN OUT AGAIN WHICH WAS THE ORIGINAL FROM GM. THERE WAS NO SEAL AROUND THE ORIGINAL WINDOW. THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD SEAL HAD TO BE REPLACED BY GM IN WHICH THEY COVERED HALF THE COST. THERE WERE OTHER CHEVROLET'S WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. (THE CRACKED SEALED LEAKED COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE) THE CONSUMER FELT THAT GM SHOULD REIMBURSE THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10044153

Incident

Dec 26, 2001

Mileage

40,000 mi

MY WIFE CLOSED THE SLIDING DOOR ON OUR VENTURE VAN, AFTER OUR CHILDREN GOT IN AND THE GLASS SHATTERED IN ON THEM, LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT EXCEPT FOR A FEW MINOR CUTS.

NHTSA ID

10007741

Incident

Feb 18, 2003

Mileage

38,000 mi

THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES HAD TO BE REPLACED, DUE TO THE LENS COVERS POPPING OUT AND THE HEADLAMPS BLOWING OUT, THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE VENTING SYSTEM IN THE HEADLAMPS, AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*JB

NHTSA ID

562897

Incident

Jun 8, 2001

WHEN IT RAINS IT GOES INTO VEHICLE WHERE DOME LIGHT AND ELECTRONIC COMPUTER WERE MOUNTED ON THE CEILING WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. ALSO, ON MIDDLE REAR SEAT BOTH SEATBELTS JAMMED AND WOULD NOT LOCK IN PLACE, WHICH WONT PROTECT CHILD IN EVENT OF A CRASH. DEALER REPLACED PASSENGER'S SIDE SEATBELT, AND FIXED DRIVER'S REAR SEATBELT. FINALLY, REAR MIDDLE WINDOW PIN KEPT FALLING, WHICH ALLOWED THE WINDOWS TO STAY OPEN. DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM 3 TIMES, BUT ON THE FOURTH TIME, THEY REPLACE THE WHOLE UNIT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

870030

Incident

Nov 1, 1999

REAR WINDOW WASHER FAILED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

553651

Incident

Mar 23, 2000

THE AIR VENT / DEFROSTER / DEFOGGER DOES NOT REMOVE THE FROST OR ICE OFF THE FRONT SIDE WINDOWS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

852577

Incident

Nov 4, 1997

DURING COLD WEATHER DEFOGGER DOESN'T PERFORM WELL WHEN ACTIVATED. IT FOGS UP THE SIDE WINDOWS, BLOCKING THE VIEW OF THE EXTERIOR MIRRORS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

836827

PIN FELL OUT OF ATTACHMENT TO THE PUSH OUT WINDOW ON RIGHT SIDE OF SLIDING DOOR, THIS PREVENT THE WINDOW FROM OPENING OR CLOSING AND ALSO RATLLES WHILE DRIVING. NLM

NHTSA ID

607797

Incident

Jun 1, 1998

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED, CAUSING THE REAR WINDSHIELD TO SHATTER, WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN AN INJURY. CAUSES UNKNOWN. *AK

NHTSA ID

828277

Incident

Sep 25, 1998

REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER GOES OFF WHEN SHUTTING THE AUTOMATIC PASSENGER DOOR/ALL ELECTRONICS AN DASHBOARD GOES OFF WHEN USING HEADLIGHT CONTROLS/HEADLIGHTS GOES OFF BY THEMSELVES EVERY 10 SECONDS/DRIVER'S CONTROL FOR DOOR LOCKS HAS COMPLETELY GONE OUT/EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CANISTER VEND SOLENOID VALVE ASSEMBLY FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL, VAN IS NOT IDLING PROPERLY.

NHTSA ID

539674

INTERMITTENT OPERATION OF WINDSHIELD WIPERS. IN ADDITION, ALL ELECTRONICS ON DASHBOARD GOES ON AND OFF/HEADLIGHTS GO OFF BY THEMSELVES EVERY 10 SECONDS/DRIVER'S CONTROLS FOR DOOR LOCKS FAILED/EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CANISTER VEND SOLENOID VALVE ASSEMBLY FAILED PRIOR TO MANUFACTURER'S RECALL/POOR IDLING AND VEHICLE IS SLUGGISH/DRIVER'S INFORMATION CENTER FAILS TO WORK PROPERLY, AND AIR BAG WIRES ARE STILL EXPOSED TO REAR PASSENGERS' FEET.

NHTSA ID

780180

WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH THE REAR WINDSHIELD EXPLODED, CAUSING THE REAR WINDSHIELD TO SHATTER, WHICH ALMOST RESULTED AN INJURY. CAUSE UNKOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

825476

Incident

Jul 15, 1998

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE PRORELY, ESPECIALLY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, AFFECTING VISIBILITY. *AK

NHTSA ID

533869

Incident

Apr 5, 1998

WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY GO OFF BY THEMSELVES WHEN HITTING A NORMAL BUMP IN THE ROAD, AND WHEN THE FRONT/REAR HEATER OR AIR CONDITIONER CONTROLS ARE USED. IN ADDITION, DRIVER'S INFORMATION MESSAGE CENTER IN THE EXTENDED OVERHEAD CONSOLE HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY. TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASES AT LEAST 1/8 TO 1/4 INCHES AND STAYES THERE. AIR BAG WIRES ARE STILL EXPOSED TO REA RPASSENGER'S SEAT. DROVER'S/PASSENGERS DOOR LOCKS FAILED. HEADLIGHTS GO OFF BY THEMSELVES EVERY 10 SECONDS. FINALLY, EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CANISTER FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL. 780180 DUP OF 533715; POSTED ON 09-07-1999. *AK

NHTSA ID

533715

HAVING ALARM INSTALLED. RUG PULLED BACK & NOTICE D 1/2 IN WATER. MECHANIC SAID MOISTURE UNDER WINDSHIELD DRIPPED INSIDE VEHICLE. TOOK TO DEALER & TOLD PROBLEM EXISTED 3 TIMES BEFORE ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS OFFERED. *AK

NHTSA ID

821356

Incident

Jan 2, 1997