NHTSA Complaint #10069907 — 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE

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.