NHTSA Complaint #754870 — 1997 CHEVROLET VENTURE

ON DECEMBER 30, 1999, I DROPPED MY CHEVROLET, VENTURE TO PUENTE HILLS CHEVROLET DEALER FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE. THE DEALER!/S TECHNICIAN FOUND A HOLE IN THE AIR CLEANER HOUSING. BASED ON THE DEALER!/S DIAGNOSTICS, THE HOLE WAS BURNED BY EXHAUST HEAT. SINCE THE DEALER HAD NO PART AVAILABLE, THE TECHNICIAN JUST SIMPLY TAPED THE HOLE AS A FIX. A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE MINIVAN!/S ENGINE STARTED TO STALL OCCASIONALLY WHEN THE VAN WAS DECELERATED BEFORE THE RED LIGHT, LEFT OR RIGHT TURN. I SENT THE VAN TO GLENDORA CHEVROLET DEALER TWICE, ONE WAS ON MARCH 12, 2001, AND ANOTHER WAS ON MAY 15, 2001 WITH NO SUCCESS. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM, AND DID NOTHING (OBVIOUSLY, THEY DIDN!/T DO ENOUGH TESTING). ON OCTOBER 14 OF 2001, MY WIFE GOT AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE ENGINE STALL WHEN SHE EXITED FROM A FREEWAY. I SENT THE VAN TO PUENTE HILL DEALER NEXT DAY, ASKING TO CHECK THE ENGINE STALL PROBLEM AND, AT THE SAME TIME, TO REPLACE THE AIR CLEANER HOUSING. IT TOOK THE DEALER SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THEY WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ENGINE STALL PROBLEM BY THE SERVICE MAN, MARK FETTERMAN, DURING HIS ROAD TEST, BUT HAS NO CLUE WHY THE ENGINE STALLED. EVENTUALLY, THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE HOLE BURNED BY EXHAUST HEAT WAS VERY CLOSE TO AN ENGINE SENSOR AND THEY GUESSED THAT THE HOLE MIGHT CAUSE THE ENGINE STALL PROBLEM. THE DEALER!/S GUESS WAS CORRECT. AFTER A NEW AIR CLEANER HOUSING WAS INSTALLED ON OCTOBER 19, WE NEVER HAVE THE ENGINE STALL PROBLEM AGAIN. *AK