1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE. WHILE IDLING IN TRAFFIC OR ON AN INCLINE, THE HEAT TEMPERATURE GAUGE FLUCTUATES. THE VEHICLE IS ALSO LOSING ANTIFREEZE. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN ADDING ONE HALF GALLON OF ANTIFREEZE PER MONTH AND DOES NOT KNOW WHY. WHEN THE WEATHER BECOMES WARMER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES SPORADICALLY. THE LIGHT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE IN THE WINTER. THE PURCHASE DATE AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

I NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLES COOLANT LEVEL HAD BEEN DROPPING OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERLA WEEKS. AFTER HAVING IT TESTED IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE LOWER INTAKE MANILFOLD HAD A SLOW LEAK AND NEEDED REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 70,000 MILES ON IT AND IT SEEMS VERY UNUSUAL FOR THIS TO HAPPEN SO SOON.

THE 1997-2000 VENUTURES HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINES, THE INTAKE GASKET BREAKS DOWN CAUSING ANTI FREEZE TO MIX WITH THE ENGINES OIL CAUSING THE CAM SHAFT TO CRACK, IN OUR CASE THERE WAS NO LEAKS UNDER THE VAN AND THERE WAS NO WARNING EITHER THE VAN WAS RUNNING WELL THAT MORNING AND WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET THERE WAS 2 SHORT BUKLES FROM THE VAN AND EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN INCLUDING STEERING WHICH WAS DIFFICULT TO DO, IS IT GOING TO TAKE SOMEONES FAMILY TO DIE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BEFORE GM WILL DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS IF MY WIFE HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY THEN THERE WOULD BE NO WAY THAT SHE WOULD HAVE MADE IT WITHOUT BEING HIT, EVEN THEN SHE HAD 3 YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE VAN AGES 3-8 AND WAS ALMOST HIT FROM BEHIND, BECAUSE IT WAS AN INDUSTRIAL HIGHWAY SPEED LIMIT...

WATER BUILD UP INTO THE FRONT HEAD LIGHTS AND WATER BUILD UP IN THE ENGINE. HAD TO REPLACE LIGHTS AND ENGINE AFTER LIGHTS WERE REPLACED WE HAD TO DRILL A HOLD BELOW THE LIGHT COVERS SO THAT WATER BUILD UP CAN DRAIN FROM HOLE. HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE.

I HAVE A 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE WITH 82,651 MILES. THE VEHICLE WOULD SLOWLY DISSIPATE COOLANT, WHICH I REPLENISHED AS NEEDED. THEN A MAJOR COOLANT LEAK OCCURRED AT THE ENGINE BLOCK. BARNARD CHEVROLET OF CHURCHVILLE, NY 14428 REPAIRED THE LOWER AND UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS, AND THE REAR HEAD GASKET. EACH HAD DETIORATED FROM THE DEX COOL, CAUSING THE LEAKAGE. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED ANY CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE, DESPITE MY PROVIDING THEM WITH TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #03-06-01-010. ALTHOUGH THE DEALER PROVIDED A COMPLETE AND PROFESSIONAL REPAIR, I BELIEVE THAT EVIDENCE IS QUITE CLEAR THAT THE DEX COOL COOLANT AND THE GASKET MATERIALS USED BY GM RESULTS IN A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT, AND THAT GM MUST PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THAT NHTSA HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE AMERICAN CONSUMER TO HOLD GM ACCOUNTABLE. THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION SEEMS TO HAVE COMPLETELY SUPPRESSED THIS ISSUE IN TERMS OF GOVERNMENT FOLLOWUP. WHAT A SHAME,...

HEATER NOT WORKING DUE TO A FAULTY MANIFOLD GASKET THAT ALLOWED THE COOLANT TO LEAK OUT OF THE ENGINE OF OUR 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE TECH THAT GM IS NOW PRODUCING A BETTER GASKET TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THAT'S GREAT!! I WOULD LIKE GM TO PAY THE $798.67 BILL FOR HAVING TO REPLACE THE FIRST GASKET THAT WAS NOT PROPERLY TESTED BY ENGINEERING. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON, AND SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. *JB

I HAD THE COOLANT FLUSHED ONE MONTH AGO AT THE LOCAL DEALER. DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY NEAR HOME, THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. NO INDICATION ON TEMPERATURE GAUGE THAT COOLANT TEMP EVER EXCEEDED EVEN HALFWAY THROUGH THE NORMAL RANGE. THE NEXT MORNING, THE VAN RUNS ROUGH AND HAS A LIGHT COOLANT SMELL FROM THE EXHAUST. TOOK IT TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. DEALER SAID THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS FAILED ALLOWING THE VAN TO OVERHEAT AND BLOW THE HEAD GASKETS. REPAIR ESTIMATE IS $2500 AND WITH ONLY 88K MILES ON THE VAN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS HAVE FAILED. FIRST TIME THE INTAKE GASKETS FAILED WAS AT 45K MILES RIGHT AFTER I BOUGHT IT. THERE WAS NO OVERHEAT OR HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON THE FIRST INCIDENCE. *JB

CAM SHAFT JUST BROKE. *JB

SINCE PURCHASING THIS VAN I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS, WITH THE MOST RECENT BEING AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. THIS PROBLEM STEMS FROM THE BAD DESIGN OF GM'S INTAKE GASKET WHICH BREAKS DOWN AND CAUSES ANTI-FREEZE TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR AND/OR REPLACEMENT.

ENGINE COOLANT IS LEAKING INTO ENGINE. SUSPECT BAD INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, AFTER EXHAUSTIVE RESEARCH ON WEB.

DEVELOPED ENGINE COOLANT (DEX-COOL) LEAK AT INTAKE MANIFOLD. DEALER MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REPAIR WILL COST $500.00 TO REPLACE THE $3.00 GASKET. ALSO STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM.

CURRENT PROBLEM IS LEAKING COOLANT WITH TICKING SOUND IN ENGINE AT STARTUP UNTIL ENGINE IS WARM. DIAGNOSED BY DEALER AS BLOWN HEAD AND INTAKE GASKETS. ESTIMATED COST IS $1300 FOR GASKET REPLACEMENT AND ANOTHER $660 IF HEAD IS CRACKED. MILEAGE IS 83350. MANY OTHER REPORTS EXIST OF THIS PROBLEM IN CHEVROLET VENTURES WITH SOME LEADING TO ENGINE FAILURE. 3.4L V6.

AT 60,000 MILES MY CHEVROLET VENTURE STARTED TO LEAK COOLANT AND I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE INTAKE MANIFIOLD GASKET NEEDED REPLACEMENT. COST APPROX. $800.00 INCLUDING COOLING SYSTEM FLUSH AND TAX. DEALER SAID THAT GM WAS NOT PAYING FOR ALL OR PART OF THE REPAIR AND IN FACT THEY HAVE NOT COMMENTED TO IT'S DEALERS ABOUT THE FAILURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS AT ALL. OBVIOUSLY GM DOES NOT WANT TO ADMIT A PROBLEM WITH THE 3.4L ENGINE. MY RESEARCH FINDS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON AND COSTLY PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES.

KEPT LOOSING COOLANT - INITIAL PRESSURE TEST DID NOT DETECT LEAK. ASKED THEM TO CHECK INTAKE MANIFOLD & GASKETS. THEY DETECTED LEAK. COST TO REPAIR - 673.00. DO NOT KNOW YET IF ANY DAMAGE WAS DONE TO ENGINE.

1998 CHEVY VENTURE, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, PULLED OVER ENGINE TAPPING & SMOKING. NO OIL LIGHT OR CHANGE IN TEMP, GAUGE OBSERVED. HAD TO WALK ON INTERSTATE 1.2 MILES TOOK RIDE FROM UNKNOWN COUPLE, HAD VAN TOWED. DIAGNOSES WAS: INTAKE GASKET COLLAPSED, CAUSING CONNECTING ROD TO GO THROUGH ENGINE. DEALERSHIP & GM CUSTOMER CARE REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE. OVERWELMED BY SEVERITY OF THIS GASKET PROBLEM READILY AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET. WE REPLACED OUR ENGINE WITH A USED ONE, THAT IS ALL WE COULD AFFORD. IT DEFINITELY WAS THE FAULTY GASKET THAT CAUSED OUR ENGINE TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THIS FIRST HAPPENED, NO DUMMY LIGHT CAME ON, NOTHING TO EVEN TELL ME THERE WAS A PROBLEM, SUCH AS LOW OIL OR SERVICE ENGINE. THE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED OUR ENGINE TOLD US HE HAS SEEN SEVERAL CHEVY VENTURE VANS WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WE HAD. WE HAD THE SERVIVE DONE AT D&N...

LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK. LEAKING COOLANT. REPAIR ESTIMATED TO BE $800 BY ELCO CHEVROLET IN BALLWIN, MISSOURI. WE DISCOVERED THROUGH RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND TALKING TO MECHANICS AT A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR FRANCHISE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE CHEVY VENTURE VANS. WE ARE LOOKING FOR RELIEF FROM GM-THIS IS NOT THE FIRST PROBLEM WE HAVE HAD WITH COOLANT LEAKS IN THE VAN AND ARE NOW WONDERING IF THIS PROBLEM WAS UNDETECTED AND WE HAVE BEEN REPAIRING OTHER ITEMS NEEDLESSLY (WATER PUMP, ETC.) WHEN THIS WAS THE TRUE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE ENGINE ON THIS VEHICLE WITH THIS PROBLEM.

CAR BEGAN LOSING COOLANT AT ABOUT 20000 MILES. HAD TO KEEP TOPPING COOLANT TANK. PRESENTED TO LOCAL DEALER AT 35,500 MILES TO BE REPAIRED. COOLANT SENSOR REPLACED, PROBLEM PERSISTED. WIFE'S CAR (1999 VENTURE) BEGAN HAVING SAME SYMPTOM, RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS (RECENTLY REDESIGNED BY GM). THIS PROBLEM CAN ALLOW COOLANT TO MIX WITH OIL, AND OIL WITH COOLANT. CAN RESULT IN SUDDEN CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE (CAMSHAFT BREAKS DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION). STRANDED VEHICLES WILL PRESENT MULTIPLE SAFETY HAZARDS.

LEAKING COOLANT LED TO ENGINE FAILURE. GM AND DEALERSHIP TRY TO SHIFT BLAME TO ME. THEY SAY THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I HAD TO PUSH IT TO THE SIDE OF A BUSY STREET WITH A SMALL CHILD INSIDE. THE ENGINE OIL FILLED WITH ANTI FREEZE AND CEASED UP WITHOUT WARNING. IT HAD BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT CHECKED AND THEY JUST ADDED STOP LEAK AND SAID IT WOULD BE FINE. THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING. THIS HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED FOR OVER A YEAR BUT GM IS STILL IN DENIAL. MY 1998 CHEVY VENTURE WAS PURCHASED USED IN SEPTEMBER 2001. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 40,000 MILES ON IT. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN SEPT. 2002 FOR 15 POINT INSPECTION AND OIL CHANGE AT ABOUT 45,000 MILES. THIS WAS LAST DAY UNDER...

MY 1998 CHEV VENTURE WAS GETTING COOLANT INTO THE MOTOR OIL WHICH CAUSED IT TO START TICKING.I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE INTAKE GASKET. THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM WHICH COST ME $1500.00. THREE MONTHS LATER THE ENGINE BLEW UP .I HAD TO GET A REMAN.ENGINE WHICH COST $4000.00.I FEEL BECAUSE OF THE FAULTY GASKET THIS LEAD TO MY ENGINE PROBLEM.

I BOUGHT MY 1998 VENTURE IN NOV. OF 2001. IT HAD 66000 ON IT. IT SEEMED TO HAVE THE SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE. IN DECEMBER OF 2002 SOMEONE TOLD US THAT THE GASKETS WERE NOTED FOR LEAKING. MY HUSBAND REPLACED IT, AND GAVE IT AN OIL CHANGE IN FEB. IT WAS THICK AND DARK ORANGE IN COLOR. IT STARTED KNOCKING WHEN YOU ACCELERATED. SO ONCE AGAIN MY HUSBAND HAS IT TORN APART AND FOUND THE CRANK SHAFT IS COMING APART DUE TO THE ANTIFREEZE LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE. NOW I AM PAYING ON A DEAD HORSE. WE CAN'T AFFORD TO GET IT REPAIRED. IT WOULD BE NICE IF GM WOULD RECALL THIS. *JB

1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WENT BAD AND GOT COOLANT IN MY ENGINE. HAD TO REPLACE WATER PUMP ALSO. COST 927.35 TO REPLACE. I FEEL GM SHOULD MAKE THIS ITEM A RECALL AS I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS WEB SITES WITH PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH ALL SORTS OF GM VEHICLES.*JB

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK AND ENGINE SEAL LEAK ON A VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN SERVICED EXACTLY AS RECOMMENDED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. SIMPLE INTERNET RESEARCH (INCLUDING THIS WEBISTE) HAS SHOWN A PATTERN OF FAILURE FOR THESE PARTS ON THIS VEHICLE. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE ACKNOWLDGED PROBLEM BUT WOULD NOT PAY ANY OF THE $1,200 REPAIR BILL SINCE THE VEHICLE HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS A HUGE OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE FOR A PART WITH A HISTORY OF PROBLEMS. I PERSONALLY KNOW TWO OTHER 1998 VENTURE OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME REPAIR.

98 CHEV VENTURE WITH 60K BLOWN ENG.DUE TO DEFECTIVE INTAKE GASKET WHICH GM WONT RECALL.100K ANTIFREEZE SLUDGED AT 30K.OVER 70,000 INTAKE GASKET BACKOREDERED AT ONE TIME.NOV OF2002 MODELS HAVE UPDATED IMPROVED GASKET WHY SHOULD PUBLIC THAT KEPT UP ON THIER MAINT HAVE TO PAY FOR DESIGN FLAW.100S OF WEB SITES ON THIS ISSUE EXSIST.

I OWN A 1998 CHEVY VENTURE WITH THE 3.4L ENGINE. I AM CONSTANTLY LOOSING ANTIFREEZE AND OIL DISAPPEARS WITH EXPLANATION. I AM STILL UNDER A WARRANTY BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT CANT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. I AM CONCERNED THAT MY ENGINE MIGHT SEIZE OR FAIL WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THE COOLANY THAT CHEVY USES DEXCOOL HAS BEEN KNOWN TO EAT AWAY THE GASKETS, SO LARGE A SCALE HAS THIS HAPPENED THAT GM HAS SWITCHED COOLANTS TO PRESTONE EXTENDED LIFE. I WANT A RECALL DONE FREE OF CHARGE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. IT IS DEFINITLY A SAFETY ISSUE AS MOST HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT CAMS BREAKING AND LOSS OF POWER. SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF THIS.

TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED BY FAULTY GASKETS ALLOWING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO ENGINE RESULTING IN CAMSHAFT BREAKING. THIS IS A CLASSIC PROBLEM ON 3.4L ENGINE, OCCURRING ON MOST AFFECTED VEHICLES BETWEEN 50K AND 60K MILES.

1998 CHEVY VENTURE, 77000 MILES, NO WARNING, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, PULLED OVER, ENGINE TAPPING & SMOKING. WALKED 1.2 MILES ON INTERSTATE, 8 MILES TO EXIT, TOOK RIDE FROM UNKNOWN COUPLE. HAD VAN TOWED, DIAGNOSED: COLLASPED INTAKE GASKET CAUSED ROD TO GO THROUGH ENGINE. DEALERSHIP & GM REFUSED TO HELP. REPEATABLE PROBLEM WITH GASKET EASILY LOCATED ON INTERNET, OVERWELMED BY SEVERITY.

COOLANT LEAK IN 1998 CHEVY VENTURE MINIVAN. FAULTY INTAKE GASKET.

CONSUMER COMPLAINING ABOUT THE ENGINE LIGHT WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE ON SEVERAL OCCASION. AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PH *TR

THE ENGINE AND SEVERAL COMPONENTS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SLUDGING OF THE ENGINE COOLANT, THE HEATER SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING, DUE TO COOLANT HAD SLUDGED UP CAUSING CLOGGED COMPONENTS IN THE HEATING/COOLING SYSTEM, ALSO THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED, THERE WAS CORRISON IN THE RADIATOR, THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED, THERE WAS A LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE COVERED THE ENTIRE BILL INSTEAD OF HALF.*JB

THE ENGINE AND SEVERAL COMPONENTS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SLUDGING OF THE ENGINE COOLANT, THE HEATER SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING, DUE TO COOLANT HAD SLUDGED UP CAUSING CLOGGED COMPONENTS IN THE HEATING/COOLING SYSTEM, ALSO THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED, THERE WAS CORRISON IN THE RADIATOR, THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED, THERE WAS A LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE COVERED THE ENTIRE BILL INSTEAD OF HALF.*JB

WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY GO OFF BY THEMSELVES WHEN HITTING A NORMAL BUMP IN THE ROAD, AND WHEN THE FRONT/REAR HEATER OR AIR CONDITIONER CONTROLS ARE USED. IN ADDITION, DRIVER'S INFORMATION MESSAGE CENTER IN THE EXTENDED OVERHEAD CONSOLE HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY. TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASES AT LEAST 1/8 TO 1/4 INCHES AND STAYES THERE. AIR BAG WIRES ARE STILL EXPOSED TO REA RPASSENGER'S SEAT. DROVER'S/PASSENGERS DOOR LOCKS FAILED. HEADLIGHTS GO OFF BY THEMSELVES EVERY 10 SECONDS. FINALLY, EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CANISTER FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL. 780180 DUP OF 533715; POSTED ON 09-07-1999. *AK