NHTSA Complaint #10023261 — 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE

WE HAD A MANIFOLD GASKET ON OUR 1998 CHEVY VENTURE GO BAD EARLIER THIS YEAR. IT LEAKED ANTI-FREEZE INTO THE OIL. IT APPEARS THAT THE ANTI-FREEZE LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE OIL HAS CAUSED FAILURES IN THE STRENGTH OF THE CRANKSHAFT. AND SINCE THIS SITE DOES NOT COMBINE SIMILAR PROBLEMS, IT MAY APPEAR THAT THERE ARE JUST A FEW PROBLEMS WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM, GASKETS AND CRANKSHAFT ON THE 1998-2000 VENTURE VANS. YOU NEED TO LOOK AT ALL THE COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEM REPORTS. NOW THE CRANK SHAFT HAS BROKEN. WE HAVE LEARNED THAT OF OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS VAN. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP HAS TOLD US IT WILL COST OVER $5,000.00 TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE ENGINE. I HAVE HAD MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF CARS IN THE PAST, ONE NISSAN MAXIMA WE HAVE NOW HAS ALMOST 200,000 MILES, WITH NO ENGINE REPAIRS LIKE THIS. I BELIEVE GM HAS HAD A MAJOR DEFECT WITH THE MANIFOLD GASKET AND COOLING SYSTEM ON THIS VAN AND HAS AVOIDED A RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT. WE WERE JUST TOLD TO "HAVE A NICE DAY" BY ROSE UHL AND CHRISTY HARDCASTLE OF "GM CUSTOMER SERVICE". I THINK A $5,000.00 REPAIR BILL IS SOMETHING TO MAKE COMPLAINTS ABOUT ON A VAN THAT COST $23,000.00. *JB