NHTSA Complaint #10107981 — 2001 CHEVROLET VENTURE

VACATIONING 500 MILES OUT OF MY HOME STATE, I SUDDENLY DISCOVERED I COULD NOT BACK UP MY VEHICLE -- REVERSE GEAR WOULD NOT WORK. I SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND RESTARTED AND DROVE IMMEDIATELY TO AN AUTHORIZED CHEVROLET DEALER. UPON INITIAL EXAMINATION OF THE TRANSAXLE/TRANSMISSION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS SHREDDDED METAL IN THE FLUID AND PAN. A SUBSEQUENT TEARDOWN OF THE ASSEMBLY REVEALED THAT MAJOR COMPONENTS WERE DESTROYED, REQUIRING A REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY. THE CARE HAD BEEN MAINTAINED BY THE SELLING DEALERSHIP AT HOME, ACCORDING TO MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES, AND HAD ONLY 42,000 MILES ON IT. WE HAD NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS BEFORE THIS OR WARNING OF ANY DAMAGE OCCURRING TO THE TRANSAXLE/TRANSMISSION -- NO OPERATING PROBLEMS, NO NOISES, NO LEAKAGE, NO SMOKING ENGINE, ETC. WE HAD TO EXTEND OUR VACATION FOR ABOUT 5 DAYS AT CONSIDERABLE LODGING AND VEHICLE RENTAL COST, BUT FORTUNATELY THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSAXLE/TRANSMISSION ITSELF WAS COVERED UNDER EXTENDED VEHICLE WARRANTY WHICH I HAD PURCHASED WITH THE VEHICLE IN 2001 (LESS A $100 DEDUCTIBLE). WE KNOW OTHER CHEVROLET OWNERS WHO REPORTED TO US LATER THAT THEY HAD HAD TO REPLACE FRONT WHEEL TRANSAXLES/TRANSMISSIONS, ONE ALSO IN A VENTURE SEVERAL YEARS OLDER THAN OURS AND ONE IN A SUBURBAN ABOUT THE SAME YEAR AS OURS. OUR HOME DEALERSHIP TOLD US THEY THOUGHT OUR EXPERIENCE WAS UNUSUAL BUT WE ARE NOT SO SURE.*AK