NHTSA Complaint #10186967 — 2001 CHEVROLET VAN

OUR 2001 CHEVROLET VENTURE ONLY HAS 78,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FROM ABOUT THE TIME WE PURCHASED IT. IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS , FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007 WE HAVE PUT $5000 INTO OUR VAN. WE REPLACED THE INTAKE GASKET FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE FIRST ONE WAS DONE BY THE DEALER, VERY POOR JOB. WE HAD NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE ENGINE WOULD TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, ON AND OFF. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING. WE THEN TOOK IT AGAIN OFF WARRANTY AND THEY STILL COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING. AS TIME PASSED, IT BEGUN TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN AND BECOME A PROBLEM. I BECAME A NERVOUS WRECK WHILE DRIVING, HOPING AND PRAYING IT WOULD MAKE IT TO EACH DESTINATION. IN FEBRUARY 2007 IT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES TO AND FROM WORK AND THIS ONE WAS THE LAST STRAW, IT STALLED ON THE FREEWAY WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH AND BLOCKED TRAFFIC. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC TO GET THE JOB DONE. THE DEALER IS COMPLETELY USELESS. IN ADDITION TO MY PROBLEM, THE LIGHT PANELS MELTED IN THE REAR LIGHTS, THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH BURNED OUT, THE FUSE BOX WAS SHORTED OUT, THE DEALER INSTALLED ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY AND ALSO SHUT OUR SYSTEM DOWN, HAD TO HAVE REMOVED. REAR AC BLOWER HAD TO BE REPLACED, NOW THE AC SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK AT ALL, NEEDS NEW CONDENSER. LIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL FLICKERED DUE TO ALTERNATOR GOING OUT, HAD TO HAVE ALTERNATOR REPLACED. WE WILL NEVER BUY A CHEVROLET AGAIN... UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE HAD A VERY BAD EXPERIENCE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THE DEALER; COINCIDENTALLY, COULD NEVER FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. *AK