1997 CHEVROLET VENTURE Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

1997 CHEVROLET VENTURE, CAUGHT FIRE AND BECAME FULLY ENGULFED CAUSING TOTAL DAMAGE. *BF ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE VEHICLE HAD ENGINE TROUBLE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0318-89)*JB UPDATED 09/13/10*BF

I HAVE OWNED 3 CHEVY VENTURE MINIVANS OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS. ALL OF THEM HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS, THE SIGNAL AND HEAD LIGHTS GO OUT, THE WINDOW SWITCH GOES OUT AND FINALLY THE HEAD GASKET GOES. THEY RUN GREAT UNTIL THE DAY IT STARTS OVERHEATING, THEN YOUR OUT A VEHICLE. EVERYONE I KNOW WHO HAS A VENTURE HAS HAD AT LEAST ONE OF THESE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET VENTURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTIFREEZE IN HER VEHICLE HAS CORRODED THE RADIATOR, WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT, AND INTAKE VALVE. THIS IS THE COOLANT THAT WAS LISTED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL AND IS ALWAYS USED IN HER VEHICLE. A RECALL WAS SENT TO CHEVROLET CONSUMERS, BUT IT WAS NOT ISSUED BY NHTSA. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

NEEDS REPLACED FRONTEND HUBS ,TIEROD,PINION REPAIRS/RECALL THIS VAN NEEDS A NEW OWNER!!! NOTHING BUT COSTLY REPAIRS CHEVY NEEDS TO RECALL ALL THEM VENTURES. *TR

HAD HEAD GASKET REPLACED LAST YEAR. RECENTLY THE VAN STALLED AND WAS TOLD THAT ANTI-FREEZE HAD BEEN LEAKING INTO THE CYLINDERS, AND I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE NEW ENGINE NOT ONLY COULD BUT WOULD HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM AT SOME POINT. WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THESE VEHICLES.*AK

THIS HAPPENED TWICE THE FIRST TIME THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING INTO THE OIL DUE TO A INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE. I REPLACED THIS AT A COST OF 25.00, LUCKILY IT WAS COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS IN JULY OF 2003 I HAD JUST GOTTEN ONTO TO THE HIGHWAY WITH MY TWO 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTERS SUDDENLY THE CAR JUST SLOWED DOWN AS IF TO STALL WHITE SMOKE EVERYWHERE.. IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE MANIFOLD GASKET AGAIN BUT THIS TIME THE ENGINE WENT AND I HAD TO GET THE ENGINE REPAIRED AT A PRICE OF $4400.00. MY MECHANIC THOUGH AT LEAST GUARANTEES ME ON THIS ENGINE OF 3 YEARS OR 75000 MILES. MORE OF A WARRANTY THAN GM GAVE ME. I WILL NEVER BUY AMERICAN GM PRODUCTS AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME IT OCCURRED, I WAS ONLY 1,000 MILES OVER ON MY EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT...

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE INTO THE ENGINE. WHEN TAKING THE OIL CAP OFF THERE IS A MILKY MIX. MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE.*AK

MY VEHICLE A 1997 CHEVY VENTURE, SUDDENLY LOST POWER WHILE CRUISING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE TEMP LIGHT CAME ON AND I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY IT HAPPENED TO BE THE DEALERSHIPS EXIT AND I PULLED RIGHT IN TO THE SERVICE BAY. THEY TELL ME I HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. WHEN THEY TOOK THE ENGINE APART THE SERVICE MANAGER ALLOWED ME TO SEE THE ENGINE. THE COOLANT CHANNELS ARE COATED WITH A BROWN GUMMY SUBSTANCE AND THE CYLINDERS WERE FULL OF COOLANT. THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS GIVEN A SAMPLE OF THE SUBSTANCE AND SAID HE WILL GIVE IT TO THE GM REP WHEN HE COMES IN LATER THIS WEEK. COST WILL TOP $2500. PREVIOUSLY I REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND THE WATER PUMP. THIS SEEMS LIKE FAULTY GASKETS OR COOLANT I DON'T KNOW WHICH. I'M JUST GLAD IT DIDN'T STRAND ME OUT SOMEWHERE AWAY FROM TOWN. *NM

DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPAIRED 4-TIMES REPLY DIRECTLY TO THE CONSTITUENT. *BF THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE CONSUMER'S A/C UNTIL THE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION FLUID BURNED AND THE PCV VALVE WAS GUMMED WITH DEXCOOL. THE SERPENTINE WAS WORN OUT. *NM

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WILL REIMBURSE FOR PART OF THE REPAIR. *JB

ENGINE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT BECAUSE OF A BROKEN CAMSHAFT. CAMSHAFT BROKE DUE TO ENGINE COOLANT LEAKS INTO ENGINE VIA DAMAGED INTAKE MANIFOLD. REPAIR COST ESTIMATED AT $5180. THIS INCIDENCE IS SIMILAR TO MANY CASES REPORTED BY OWNERS OF VEHICLES (VENTURE, MONTANA, GRAND AM, ETC.) WITH EITHER THE 3.1L OR 3.4L GM ENGINE. THERE IS NO PRIOR WARNING BEFORE ENGINE FAILED, EXCEPT FOR THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT TURNED ON A WHILE BACK. COOLANT WAS TOPPED OFF TO RECOMMENDED LEVEL AT THAT TIME. OWNER OF THESE VEHICLES SHOULD VISIT HTTP://WWW.GMINTAKELEAK.COM/ FOR MORE INFORMATION.

MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK

OVER THE PAST YEAR THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON. RECENTLY I NOTICED COOLANT ON THE FLOOR OF MY GARAGE SO I DECIDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSIS. LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AND POSSIBLE LIFTER PROBLEMS. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE BRAKES REPLACED A COUPLE OF TIMES AND HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR SEVERAL RECALL RELATED ISSUES. A WEB SITE HAS BEEN SET UP TO PETITION GM TO RECALL THIS ISSUE HTTP://WWW.PETITIONONLINE.COM/MOD_PERL/SIGNED.CGI?GMCNSMRS&1 .

THIS ALL STARTED IN DEC OF 2002, THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING INTO THE OIL DUE TO A INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE. I REPLACED THIS AT A COST OF 850.00. AFTER READING ALL THE COMPLAINTS ON THIS FROM OTHER WEBSITES I DECIDED TO WRITE THE BBB ALSO WHO WROTE BACK STATING NOT GMS FAULT SINCE THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY COMPLAINTS. THATS A LIE, BECAUSE THERE IS A THOUSAND OF THEM ON THE INTERNET INCLUDING A PETITION-ON-LINE. ANYWAY THOUGH, AFTER ONLY ONE MONTH AFTER I FIXED THE MANIFOLD GASKET THE ENGINE WENT ANYWAY AND SINCE I STILL HAVE A LARGE "BALANCE DUE" ON THE CAR I HAD TO GET THE ENGINE REPAIRED AT A PRICE OF $4300.00. MY MECHANIC THOUGH AT LEAST GUARANTEES ME ON THIS ENGINE OF 3 YEARS OR 75000 MILES. MORE OF A WARRANTY THAN GM GAVE ME. I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT BEFORE I GOT THE...

TWO MONTHS AGO I TOOK MY CHEVROLET VENTURE(WITH 53,000 MILES)TO A CERTIFIED CHEVROLET REPAIR SHOP COMPLAING THAT THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT WAS ON, AND THAT MY VAN WAS EXPERIENCING A LOSS OF POWER. AFTER HAVING MY CAR IN THE SHOP FOR 8 DAYS I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS. I WAS CHARGED 153.00 FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND AN OIL CHANGE. A WEEK AGO MY CAR STARTED TO OVERHEAT. I AGAIN TOOK THE VAN TO THE SHOP. I WAS TOLD THAT I NEED A BRAND NEW ENGINE AT A COST OF $5,000. I JUST FINISHED PAYING OFF THIS $27,000 VAN. NOW IT IS WORTHLESS. I DON,T UNDERSTAND. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY I CAN NOT ROLE UP MY WINDOW ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, AS THE POWER SWITCH HAS FAILED

OUR VAN SUDDENLY OVERHEATED COMING HOME FROM WORK A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND TOTALLY SHUT DOWN. OUR DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT WE NEED NEW GASKETS AND THE HEADS ARE WARPED DUE TO THE ENGINE GETTING SO HOT. THERE IF OIL IN THE COOLANT AND BOILED THE COOLANT AND OVERHEATED THE ENGINE!! WE HAVE ONLY HAD OUR VAN FOR 11 MONTHS WITH NO EXTENDED WARRANTY AND WE KNOW OF A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. GM HAS NOT SO FAR DONE ANYTHING TO HELP!!! OUR DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN VERY NICE, BUT THEY SAY THERE IS NO RECALL AT THIS TIME FOR THIS PROBLEM!!! SINCERELY. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

IN MARCH 03, I NOTICED THAT THE VAN DID NOT HAVE HEAT. THE VAN WAS TAKEN TO HIGHLAND CHEVROLET, AURORA ONTARIO FOR RECALL WORK AND WE ASKED THAT THEY CHECK THE NO HEATING PROBLEM! THE NO HEAT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. AT THE TIME OF REPLACEMENT THE VAN HAD 59274 KILOMETERS (37000 MILES) ON IT. THE VAN WAS REPAIRED WITH NEWLY DESIGNED GASKETS THAT CAME OUT IN NOVEMBER 2002. THE VAN STILL DID NOT HAVE HEAT AND THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS NO LONGER WORKING AFTER THE ABOVE REPAIR. THE VAN WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER, WHO RECHECKED THE VAN AND STATED THAT THE CABIN FILTERS WERE BLOCKED. THEY TOOK THE CABIN FILTERS OUT AND TOLD US TO TRY THE VAN FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. THIS DID NOT WORK AND VAN STILL DID NOT HAVE HEAT OR A/C. THE VAN WAS RETURNED TO THE...

THE FOLLOWING IS A LETTER SENT TO GMC ON 1/18/03. GMC DID NOT DO A THING TO HELP OUT WITH THE DEFECT. NOTE THAT [XXX] IS THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. MY NAME IS [XXX] - HIS SON - I AM FILING THE COMPLAINT ON HIS BEHALF. ----- SIR / MADAM: DUE TO A SIGNIFICANT MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT IN MY GMC VENTURE, I WAS FORCED INTO A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. AT AN INTERSECTION ON HASTINGS STREET - ONE OF THE BUSIER STREETS IN VANCOUVER - MY VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY STALLED LEAVING ME HELPLESS, WITHOUT POWER. SEVERAL MECHANICS ASSESSED MY MINIVAN CONCLUDING THAT, FOR NO NORMALLY EXPECTED REASON, THE CAMSHAFT SNAPPED IN HALF, RENDERING THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE AND CAUSING SIGNIFICANT, IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE BLOCK. ATTACHED TO THIS LETTER IS AN ANALYSIS OF THE ENGINE FAILURE CONDUCTED BY A MECHANIC WITH 23 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. HAVING...

INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED ON VAN. VEHICLE BECAME HOT QUICKLY AND STOPPED RUNNING. HAD CHEVY DEALER REPLACE INTAKE. VEHICLE STILL OVERHEATS. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED AFTER SPENDING OVER $1100.00. I APPEARS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 3.1, 3.4 AND 3.8 GM MOTORS. VERY DISSAPPOINTED IN THIS PRODUCT.

THIS IS A FOLLOW UP OF ACOMPLAINT FILED ON 3/10/1997. AFTER SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH CHEVY CORP. THEY HAVE ADVISED ME THAT THEY WILL OFFER NO ASSISTANCE IN REPAIRING MY VENTURE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ADVISED ME THAT REPAIRS WILL COST A MINIMUM OF $2000. ADD THIS TO THE $7500 THAT I STILL OWE AND I WILL OWE $9500 ON THIS VAN. I AM AMAZED BY THE DENIAL OF CHEVY CORP. WITH ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS BY CONSUMERS WHO HAVE BLOWN HEAD GASKETS FROM DEX COOLANT. I AM ASKING THAT SOMEONE PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER!! THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITH ONLY 75,000 MILES ON THIS VAN. THAT'S AN AVERAGE OF 12,000 MILES PER YEAR, AND I HAVE DOCCUMENTED PROOF OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, SLIDING DOOR, SEAT LATCHES, AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH POWER WINDOWS. I WILL NEVER BY ANOTHER GM PRODUCT AGAIN!!*AK

ON 11/18/2003 I TOOK MY 1997 CHEVROLET VENTURE VAN, WITH 64,000 MILES, TO MY SERVICE SHOP TELLING THEM I WAS GETTING A FLUID LEAK ON MY DRIVEWAY LOOKING LIKE A MIXTURE OF OIL AND ANTI-FREEZE. I WAS TOLD IT WAS MY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS AND ALSO THAT I COULD HAVE ENGINE DAMAGE AS A RESULT. IT TURNS OUT I DID HAVE ENGINE DAMAGE AND NOW MAY NEED TO REPLACE MY ENGINE. THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN WITH SO FEW MILES. CHEVROLET SHOULD BACK THEIR PRODUCT.*AK

VAN TAKEN FOR SERVICE FOR COMPLAINTS OF ENGINE OVERHEATING AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE GOING UP AND CAUSING TEMPERATURE (HOT) AND SERVICE ENGINE SOON INDICATOR LAMPS TO COME ON. THE VAN NEVER WARMS UP EITHER. THE VAN WAS DIAGNOSED BY GM TECHNICIAN INDICATING REPAIRS OF LEAKING LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, REPLACEMENT OF LOWER INTAKE GASKET THERMOSTAT AND OIL PUMP DRIVE SEAL. CYLINDER #2 MISFIRE WITH INSTALLATION OF NEW SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES, PCV VALVE, AIR FILTER, FUEL FILTER AND CLEANING OF FUEL INJECTORS. THE VAN DIDNT GET 1.5 MILES FROM THE SERVICE FACILITY AFTER MY ALMOST $1600 PAYMENT BEFORE THE SAME PROBLEMS RESURFACED. THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK AND AFTER BEING SERVICED AGAIN WITH NO NEW DIAGNOSIS, I DROVE THE VAN ALL OF 20 MILES BEFORE THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AGAIN. THE VAN WAS TAKEN BACK FOR THE SECOND TIME AFTER INITIAL SERVICE, ALL WITHIN A ONE-WEEK TIMEFRAME. NOW, THE VAN HAS BEEN...

MY CHEVY VENTURE WITH 95,000 MILES, WITH NO PRIOR WARNING, RATHER SUDDENLY OVERHEATED AND STALLED AS I WAS PULLING IT OVER ON THE INTERSTATE. THANKFULLY THERE WAS A LEVEL, GRASSY SHOULDER SO I COULD PULL ALL THE WAY OFF THE ROAD, AS THE HEAVY TRUCK TRAFFIC WAS QUITE INTIMIDATING. THIS WAS IN MAINE, ON A VERY COLD DAY, AND I WAS ALONE WITH MY 4 SMALL CHILDREN, ABOUT 45 MINUTES FROM HOME. TOW TRUCK DRIVER COULDN' T TAKE ALL OF US, AND THERE WERE NO TAXI CABS. THANK GOD ONE OF MY FRIENDS WITH A VAN (FORD!) WAS ABLE TO COME GET US. WE HAD TO WAIT IN THE CAB OF THE TOW TRUCK FOR 45 MINUTES FOR MY FRIEND TO COME FROM HOME TO WHERE WE WERE STRANDED. GOT THE VAN BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP WITH A $2800 REPAIR BILL (APPARENTLY WE GOT OFF EASY, USUALLY MORE ENGINE DAMAGE...

I OWN A REPAIR SHOP, MY WIFES VAN JUST STARTED TO OVER HEAT. OPON ME TESTING THE ENGINE I COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM- BECAUSE OF YEARS OF WORKING ON ENGINES I DECIDED TO CHANGE THE HEAD GASKETS ONLY TO FIND CRACKS IN BOTH HEADS FROM THE PLUG HOLE TO THE VALVE -THIS IS DEFINITLY A DESIGN FLAW HEAD DO NOT JUST CRACK NOR DO THEY DO IT IN THE SAME PLACE, I BELEIVE ALOT OF COOLANT PROBLEMS WITH THESE ENGINE 3.4 V6 WILL BE TRACED TO THE HEADS ,I COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM BY DOING A PRESURE TEST BUT ONCE THE HEADS WERE OUT THERE IT WAS..1997 CHEVY VENTURE

WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER NOTICE THAT THE LOW COOLANT INDICATOR LIGHT AND THE CHECK OIL LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. THE CONSUMER CHECKED THE OIL AND NOTICED WATER IN THE OIL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AND THE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED AND INTAKE GASKET. *NM

COOLANT TEMP. GAUGE WILL GO UP AND FAN WILL NOT COME ON UNLESS I TURN HEATER KNOB TO DEFROST. CHANGED THERMOSTATE AND HAD FLUSH AND FILL, NO CHANGE. WHEN GAUGE IS ALL THE WAY ON HOT , TEMPERATURE OF MOTOR IS NORMAL, BY WAY OF COMPUTER CHECK BY LISENCED MECH.

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND HEAD GASKET FAILED, AND THE HEAD LIGHT LENS FELL OUT OF PLACE. PH

ON MY 1997 CHEVY VENTURE THE MANIFOLD GASKET IS LEAKING! AND I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY TO FIX THAT IT, BECAUSE OF GM POOR ENGINEERING. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS DEFECT AND NO ONE SEEMS TO BE DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. TS