NHTSA Complaint #10231571 — 2000 CHEVROLET VENTURE

ON LEAVING THE PARKING LOT AT SOUTHERN MARYLAND HOSPITAL, I HEARD A SCRAPING NOISE COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE VAN. I QUICKLY PULLED OVER AND LOOKED UNDER THE VAN. THE FRONT FRAME HAD DROPPED TO THE ROAD AND I FOUND THAT THE STEERING WHEEL NOW TURNED 360 DEGREES. FORTUNATELY, I HAD NOT ENTERED A HIGH SPEED ROAD SO I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER OUT OF HARMS WAY BEFORE ANYTHING DRASTIC HAPPENED. I HAD IT TOWED TO JACK WINEGARDNER CHEVROLET. THEY LOOKED IT OVER AND SAID THE BOLT HOLDING UP THE FRAME HAD SHEERED OFF. THEY DID NOT KNOW WHY IT HAPPENED. THE VAN HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT; THERE WAS NO RUST (THE VAN WAS WELL MAINTAINED). I ASKED THAT IT BE REPAIRED AND CALLED THE GM HEADQUARTERS TO ASK FOR RELIEF ON THE COST OF THE REPAIRS SINCE I FELT IT WAS PROBABLY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. THE DISTRICT MANAGER, TERRY LYNN, CALLED THE NEXT DAY AND SAID THEY DID NOT CONSIDER IT A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE VAN WAS TOO OLD (8-1/2 YEARS OLD) AND HAD 75,000 MILES ON IT. (THE 75,000 WAS MY ESTIMATE AT THE TIME. WHEN I GOT THE VAN BACK, THE MILEAGE WAS ACTUALLY 63,700.) THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP HAS ASSURED ME THAT THERE WOULD BE O.K. TO DRIVE THE VAN, THAT IS CONSIDERED SAFE. I HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE, BUT I BELIEVE AN ALERT SHOULD BE ISSUED. (I DROVE MY CHEVY CAVALIER FOR 17 YEARS AND OVER 400,000 MILES BEFORE TRADING IT IN ON THE 2000 VENTURE. AND NEVER ONCE DID THE FRAME "FALL TO THE GROUND".) I DID NOT ASK FOR THE RUINED PARTS TO BE RETURNED. SORRY! *TR