NHTSA Complaint #10023298 — 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE

I OWN A 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE LS VAN. THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES' SEALS DON'T KEEP THEM FROM FILLING FROM WATER CAUSING THE LIGHTS (HEADLIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS) TO SHORT OUT. FURTHER, DUE TO THE KNOWINGLY DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLIES, THE HEADLIGHT CRYSTALS POP OFF (DUE TO THE POOR SEAL). THIS OCCURRED TO ME WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND I SUBSEQUENTLY RAN OVER THE CRYSTAL SPRAYING DEBRIS BEHIND ME. IN CONTACTING CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER'S TOLL FREE NUMBER, THEY SAID THAT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS DEFECTIVE SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND THEY DON'T SEE A PROBLEM WITH THESE SCENARIOS. IN DOING FURTHER RESEARCH, I'VE DISCOVERED THAT THESE DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLIES WERE VERY COMMON, CHEVROLET HAS IN FACT ISSUED A TSB HIGHLIGHTING THIS COMMONLY KNOWN DEFECT, AND IN TALKING WITH A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP SERVICE WRITER HE RELATED THAT HE HAS SEEN FAR MORE OF THESE PROBLEMS THAN HE WOULD LIKE TO EVER SEE. DOES THE NTSB CONSIDER FULLY FUNCTIONAL HEADLIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS TO BE NECESSARY SAFETY EQUIPMENT? HOW ABOUT HEADLIGHT CRYSTALS FLYING OFF VEHICLES WHILE IN OPERATION? *NLM