NHTSA Complaint #765240 — 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE

AFTER MUCH RESEARCH WITH AREA GM DEALERSHIPS AND YOUR WEBSITE, IT APPERS THAT THE 1998 VENTURE MINI-VAN'S INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET DEVELOPS A LEAK AT 80000 TO 90000 MILES. I HAD THIS REPLACEMENT IN MAY 2002. SINCE MY VAN WAS OUT OF WARRENTY BY 1000 MILES (IT WAS SHY 2 WEEKS OF BEING 4 YEARS OLD). I SPOKE WITH GM'S CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. EVEN THOUGH I HAVE MAINTAINED MY VEHICLE ON SCHEDULE FOR ALL TUNE-UP/OIL CHANGES/TIRE ROTATIONS, ETC. I ENDED UP PAYING $575.00 TO HAVE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED. SINCE THEN MY VAN HAS NEVER BEEN THE SAME. IT IS NOW IN THE SHOP IN NEED OF A WHOLE NEW ENGINE WITH ONLY 82000 MILES. IT SEEMS A PISTON ROD SPUN AND DAMAGED THE CRANK SHAFT. AFTER MUCH INVESTIGATION, I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET COULD HAVE CAUSED ALL OF THIS. NOW I AM FACED WITH REPLACING THE WHOLE ENGINE WITH AN USED ENGINE WITH 4,000 MILES FOR $2400 + TAX, GETTING A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE FOR $3865 OR TRADING IN THE CAR. I DO BELIEVE AN INVESTIGATION IN THE LEAKING OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET SHOULD DEFINATELY BE PURSUED. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE. FOR THE HEADLIGHT, MY HEADLIGHT LENS FALL OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVEN ON A HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 55 MPH. I NEVER COULD FOUND THE LENS AND LUCKY THE LENS FLYING OFF DID NOT CAUSE A CRASH. I CONTACTED THE GM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND ONCE AGAIN WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO ASSIST US. THIS WASN'T A KNOWN PROBLEM. AFTER INVESTIGATING AGAIN, I SEE THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. REPLACING THE LENS MEANT REPLACING THE WHOLE HEADLIGHT UNIT AT THE TUNE OF $328.03. WHAT IS THE CONSUMER TO DO??NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK