NHTSA Complaint #10071344 — 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE

LEAKING COOLANT LED TO ENGINE FAILURE. GM AND DEALERSHIP TRY TO SHIFT BLAME TO ME. THEY SAY THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I HAD TO PUSH IT TO THE SIDE OF A BUSY STREET WITH A SMALL CHILD INSIDE. THE ENGINE OIL FILLED WITH ANTI FREEZE AND CEASED UP WITHOUT WARNING. IT HAD BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT CHECKED AND THEY JUST ADDED STOP LEAK AND SAID IT WOULD BE FINE. THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING. THIS HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED FOR OVER A YEAR BUT GM IS STILL IN DENIAL. MY 1998 CHEVY VENTURE WAS PURCHASED USED IN SEPTEMBER 2001. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 40,000 MILES ON IT. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN SEPT. 2002 FOR 15 POINT INSPECTION AND OIL CHANGE AT ABOUT 45,000 MILES. THIS WAS LAST DAY UNDER WARRANTY. IN JANUARY 2003 THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. I CHECKED THE COOLANT LEVEL AT IT LOOKED ALMOST DRY. THERE WAS NO PRIOR EVIDENCE LIKE STAINS ON MY DRIVEWAY. THEY SAID GOOD THING I BROUGHT IT IN RIGHT AWAY AND FLUSHED AND FILLED IT AND SAID THERE WAS A SMALL LEAK IN ONE OF THE GASKETS AND ADDED STOP LEAK. IN MAY THE ENGINE SEIZED UP AND I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A REBUILT ONE AT A COST OF $4000.00. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 50000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALERSHIP AND GM ASSISTANCE CLAIM NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS. IN JULY MY NEIGHBOR WHO OWNS A 2000 CHEVY SILHOUETTE HAS THE SAME THING HAPPEN AND NEEDS HIS ENGINE REPLACED. A FRIEND OF MINE SAYS HE HAD HIS GASKET FIXED WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. PLEASE HELP ME AND THE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN HURT BECAUSE GM REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I FEEL THE ONLY OPTION THAT I HAVE IS TO GO TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT WHERE I PROBABLY WON'T HAVE A CHANCE AGAINST GENERAL MOTOR?S LAWYERS. I HAVE A COUPLE OF WEB SITES THAT HAVE BEEN SORT OF LIKE MY SUPPORT GROUP SINCE MY ENGINE FAILED. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE AWARE OF ANY OF THEM.