NHTSA Complaint #10032733 — 1997 CHEVROLET VENTURE

DESCRIPTION : I BOUGHT A USED 1997 CHEVROLET VENTURE FROM THE NORWOOD GROUP IN WARWICK, RI BACK IN SEPT 2002. APPROXIMATELY 5 WEEKS AGO I BEGAN EXPERIENCING OVERHEATING PROBLEMS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO PEP BOYS IN WARICK, RI FOR A DIAGNOSTIC THINKING THAT IT WAS THE THERMOSTAT. THEY RAN THE TEST AND CAME BACK WITH AN ENGINE PROBLEM, AND ADVISED ME TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. I DID THIS AND THE SERVICE DEPT AT NORWOOD INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. AFTER HAVING MY VEHICLE FOR TWO WEEKS THEY REPAIRED THAT AND WHEN TAKING IT FOR A TEST DRIVE BEFORE RETURNING IT TO ME, THEY DECIDED THAT I NOW HAD A THROTTLE BODY PROBLEM. FIXED THAT AND TWO WEEKS LATER THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SMELL STRONGLY OF GAS. AGAIN I TOOK IT TO PEP BOYS WHERE ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC WAS RUN AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL INJECTOR, INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE FUEL INJECTOR KIT HAD TO BE REPLACED. BACK TO NORWOOD I GO....NORWOOD ASSUMED A PORTION OF THIS REPAIR BUT IT STILL COST ME A LOT MORE MONEY THAN IT SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERING THEY HAD JUST DONE THIS WORK.LESS THAN 48 HOURS AFTER GETTING MY VEHICLE BACK, WHILE ON THE ROAD AND 120 MILES AWAY FROM HOME THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE FROM UNDERNEATH. OIL IS SPRAYED ALL OVER THE VEHICLE'S EXTERIOR,THE ENGINE AND UNDERCARRIAGE. I HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO NORWOOD. THE ENGINE APPEARS TO BE SEIZED UP AND WILL NOT TURN OVER. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED OVER THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS VEHICLE, THE DEALERSHIP AND THE CASH OUTLAY I AM HAVING FORCED UPON ME. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE IN THE WAY OF RECOURSE.*AK