NHTSA Complaint #10132957 — 1999 CHEVROLET VENTURE

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY 1999 CHEVROLET VENTURE WHICH MY HUSBAND PURCHASED NEW FOR ME IN DECEMBER 1998. LAST YEAR I EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYING ON, COOLANT LEVEL CONSTANTLY DROPPING NO MATTER HOW OFTEN WE ADDED DEX COOL, AND THEN IN THE SPRING I HAD TO HAVE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED DUE TO ENGINE OIL IN THE COOLANT. HE TOLD ME HE HAS HAD SEVERAL CUSTOMERS WITH CHEVY VENTURE AND OLDS SILHOUETTES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER THIS REPAIR WHICH COST ME OVER $1,000.00 MY CAR SUDDENLY STALLED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON ROUTE 22 ON MY WAY TO WORK. I MANAGED TO GET IT TO THE SHOULDER BEFORE IT STOPPED ROLLING DESPITE LOSING POWER AND CALLED MY MECHANIC. HE TOWED ME TO HIS SHOP AND HAS INFORMED ME THAT MY CAMSHAFT IS BROKEN AND HE HAS NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE! WELL, AFTER FINDING THIS SITE WHILE RESEARCHING WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, I FOUND THIS SITE AND WAS SHOCKED TO SEE ALL THE SAME COMPLAINTS AND SINCE AT LEAST 2001 CHEVROLET HAS KNOWN ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS AND DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS ENOUGH TO WARN THEM OR OFFER TO REPLACE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM BEFORE WE HAD MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE LIKE MINE. I AM LUCKY I WAS NOT KILLED ON THE HIGHWAY BY A TRUCK REAR ENDING ME OR SOMETHING! I AM A SINGLE MOM WITH 4 KIDS AND I STILL OWE MY MECHANIC OVER $800.00 FOR MY LAST REPAIRS AND NOW THIS! NO WAY CAN I AFFORD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE! BESIDES, ANOTHER VENTURE ENGINE WOULD JUST HAVE MORE PROBLEMS! AND NOW I'M READING ABOUT OTHER PROBLEMS LIKE AIR BAGS NOT WORKING AND WINDOWS EXPLODING AND TRANSMISSION FAILURES, TAIL LIGHTS AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS! THESE CARS ARE DEATH TRAPS! AND MOST PEOPLE WHO PURCHASE MINI VANS HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN! GM SHOULD BE ASHAMED! *NM