2001 CHEVROLET VENTURE Electrical System Problems

I WAS TOLD IT HAD INTERMITTENT REAR LIGHTING PROBLEM (DRIVER SIDE REAR LIGHTS WOULD GO IN AND OUT) WHEN PURCHASING VEHICLE USED IN 2012 WITH160,000 MILES, 90% HIGHWAY. HAD REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY FOR SAFETY, LEGAL AND STATE REQUIRED ANNUAL INSPECTIONS (OR SO I THOUGHT). WITHIN 3 MONTHS/75 MILES LATER, IT STARTED AGAIN. ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS AND LIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, TO NO AVAIL. BEFORE I COULD TAKE IT IN AGAIN, BOTH REAR LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY STOPPED WORKING. PASSENGER SIDE WIRING HARNESS AND LIGHT ASSEMBLY REPLACED. IT WASN'T FIXED.AND BEFORE I COULD GET IT BACK IN THE SHOP, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LIGHTS STARTED THE SAME THING. NEW MECHANIC ASSURES ME, " DON'T WORRY, THERE ARE MANY THINGS I CAN TRY!" LITTLE CONSOLATION FOR THE DRIVERS BEHIND ME OR FOR ME FROM BEING PULLED OVER BY & TICKETED OR WHEN I NEED THE VA STATE MANDATORY "ANNUAL INSPECTION" STICKER. THEY ARE ABLE TO GET THEM TO WORK LONG ENOUGH BUT AGAIN, AT WHAT COST? MEANWHILE, THE INTERMITTENT PROBLEM MOVED TO THE PASSENGER FRONT LIGHTS, WHEN HITTING BRAKES I SEE THAT FLASHERS START TO WORK. ALL OF THE MECHANICS ARE "PUTTING A BAND-AID ON A BROKEN ARM". & II'M PAYING DEARLY EACH AND EVERY TIME. THEY NOW WANT TO REPLACE THINGS IN THE STEERING WHEEL BUT I WANT CHEVROLET TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM THIS TIME OR TELL THE MECHANICS WHAT TO DO. THIS IS A MINI-VAN THAT I DRIVE BACK AND FORTH TO THE GROCERY AND SCHOOL, .5 MILES - 5 MILES A WAY 3-4 TIMES A WEEK.

Mileage: 160,000

MY MOTHER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN 2001, IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE SHE BROUGHT IT HOME. TURN SIGNALS HAVE NEVER WORKED PROPERLY, HEADLIGHTS FILL UP WITH WATER CAUSING THEM TO BURN OUT, INTERIOR LIGHTS DON'T WORK PROPERLY. I ACQUIRED THE VEHICLE AFTER HER PASSING IN 2012 . THE VAN ONLY HAS 66000 MILES ON IT AND I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE LIGHTS 6 TIMES SINCE I'VE HAD IT. WHEN SHE HAD IT SHE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES ONLY TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS HAPPEN AGAIN. I RECENTLY RAN INTO SOMEONE THAT WAS IN THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YR VEHICLE AT A GAS STATION, HE ASKED ME IF I HAD ANY ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND OF COURSE I SAID YES..THIS VAN IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN.. WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL ON THIS LEMON? *TR

Mileage: 5,000

2001 CHEVROLET VENTURE MINI-VAN. CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE HORN *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE HORN WAS DIFFICULT TO LOCATE, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO USE IT. THE CONSUMER STATED IT TOOK SEVERAL PUSHES/PRESSES TO EVENTUALLY SOUND THE HORN. *JB

NO BRAKE LIGHTS ON MY VAN ALL FUSES ARE GOOD AND SO ARE THE BULBS. *TR

TAIL LAMP FAILURE DUE TO WATER EGRESS. ITEM IS A 2001 CHEVY VENTURE TAIL LAMP CIRCUIT BOARD SOCKET. NATURE OF DESIGN IS A 4 BULB IN-LINE CIRCUIT BOARD SOCKET HOLDER, ITS MOUNTED WITH ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AT THE TOP, THUS ALLOWING WATER TO ENTER THE SOCKET HOLDER VIA WIRES AND CONNECTOR. WATER FLOODS TAIL LAMP AND SHORTS OUT THE TAIL LAMP. OVER TIME THE STEEL CIRCUIT PLATE WIRES BECOME CORRODED AND CAN NO LONGER MAKE A COMPLETE CIRCUIT, THUS VERY DIM OR NO TAIL LAMP LIGHTS. *TR

Mileage: 48,746

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET VENTURE. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, ALL OF THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS DIM. THE VEHICLE OPERATES NORMALLY, DESPITE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED FOUR TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS REPLACED, WHICH CORRECTED THE FAILURE TEMPORARILY. AS OF JULY 30, 2007, THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,913.

Mileage: 78,913

TAIL LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE DIMLY ON THE DASH AND THEN FAIL TO OPERATE. THIS CREATED A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN TURNING. REPLACED BOTH TAIL LIGHT CIRCUIT BOARDS AND PIGTAILS. *NM

Mileage: 19,500

DT: THE HORN BLEW ABOUT ONCE A MONTH WITHOUT WARNING FOR ONLY A SECONDS AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 30 MILES DOWN THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENED ON ITS OWN. HAS NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO A DEALER OR CONTACTED MANUAFACTURER. NO CLUE AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.*AK

Mileage: 30,000

2001 CHEVROLET VENTURE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE. ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE STARTER RELAY SECURED NEXT TO THE RADIATOR CAP IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO RAIN WATER AND AS A RESULT THE STARTER WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. *TT *NM

MY 2001 CHEVROLET VENTURE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE IN MY GARAGE. IT BURNED TO A TOTAL LOSS. IT ALSO CAUSED A MEASURE OF SMOKE DAMAGE TO MY GARAGE. THE VEHICLE HAD 54,000 MILES ON IT. THE SITUATION WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AS IT COULD HAVE CAUGHT MY GARAGE OR EVEN MY HOME ON FIRE. THERE WERE ABSOLUTELY NO WARNINGS OR INDICATIONS THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. IT SEEMS TO BE QUITE A DEFECT. *AK

Mileage: 54,000

VAN WAS MAKING SCRATCHING NOISE UPON CRANKING. TOOK VAN IN FOR SERVICE AND WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE BATTERY WAS LEAKING ACID AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VAN HAD 48,000 MILES AT THE TIME. BATTERY WAS REPLACED. SAME THING HAPPENED 2 WEEKS AGO, TOOK VAN IN, NEW BATTERY WAS LEAKING ACID. THE SECOND BATTERY ONLY HAD 42,000 MILES ON IT AT THIS TIME. BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED ONCE AGAIN.*AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN ABS BRAKE SYSTEM PROBLEM. THE REAR BRAKE CYLINDER BROKE, AND VEHICLE LEAKED BRAKE FLUID. ALSO, INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, DELCO BATTERY BROKE, AND LEAKED ACID. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED TWICE, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK MARCH 2002 COMPUTER MALFUNCTIONED. JULY 2002 VCR FAILED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. DEC 2, 2002 DEFECTIVE BATTERY, DEC 10, 2003 ELECTRICAL CONTROLS FOR OUTSIDE MIRRORS. JAN 10, 2003 TRUE;">AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION</A> REPLACED. JULY 7, 2003BOTH REAR BRAKE CYLINDERS FAILED. AUG 12, 2004 GASKET LEAKS ON <A ONMOUSEOVER="WINDOW.STATUS='WATER PUMP'; RETURN TRUE;" ONMOUSEOUT="WINDOW.STATUS=''; RETURN TRUE;">WATER PUMP</A>'; RETURN TRUE;" ONMOUSEOUT="WINDOW.STATUS=''; RETURN TRUE;">WATER PUMP</A>'; RETURN TRUE;" ONMOUSEOUT="WINDOW.STATUS=''; RETURN TRUE;">WATER PUMP</A>'; RETURN TRUE;" ONMOUSEOUT="WINDOW.STATUS=''; RETURN TRUE;">WATER PUMP</A>/INTAKE MANIFOLD. AUG BATTERY REPLACED DUE TO BEING CRACKED. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS WILL BE BATTERY NUMBER THREE FOR THIS VEHICLE. *TC

Mileage: 22,531

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN ABS BRAKE SYSTEM PROBLEM. THE REAR BRAKE CYLINDER BROKE, AND VEHICLE LEAKED BRAKE FLUID. ALSO, INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, DELCO BATTERY BROKE, AND LEAKED ACID. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED TWICE, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK MARCH 2002 COMPUTER MALFUNCTIONED. JULY 2002 VCR FAILED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. DEC 2, 2002 DEFECTIVE BATTERY, DEC 10, 2003 ELECTRICAL CONTROLS FOR OUTSIDE MIRRORS. JAN 10, 2003 TRUE;">AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION</A> REPLACED. JULY 7, 2003BOTH REAR BRAKE CYLINDERS FAILED. AUG 12, 2004 GASKET LEAKS ON <A ONMOUSEOVER="WINDOW.STATUS='WATER PUMP'; RETURN TRUE;" ONMOUSEOUT="WINDOW.STATUS=''; RETURN TRUE;">WATER PUMP</A>'; RETURN TRUE;" ONMOUSEOUT="WINDOW.STATUS=''; RETURN TRUE;">WATER PUMP</A>'; RETURN TRUE;" ONMOUSEOUT="WINDOW.STATUS=''; RETURN TRUE;">WATER PUMP</A>'; RETURN TRUE;" ONMOUSEOUT="WINDOW.STATUS=''; RETURN TRUE;">WATER PUMP</A>/INTAKE MANIFOLD. AUG BATTERY REPLACED DUE TO BEING CRACKED. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS WILL BE BATTERY NUMBER THREE FOR THIS VEHICLE. *TC

Mileage: 22,531

A/C QUIT WORKING. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE CONDENCER. ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE HORN HAS HONKED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. WHEN THE VAN IS IN DRIVE YOU LET OFF THE BRAKE AND IT ROLLS FORWARD AND THE SAME IN REVERSE, IT ROLLS. AK

VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUNDED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAKS INSIDE THE ENGINE. ALSO HAS PROBLEM WHIT THE ALTERNATOR. *AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPS AFTER SITTING WHEN FIRST STARTING OUT;HORN HONKS OCCASIONALLY WHILE DRIVING; POWER SLIDING DOOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE WON'T OPEN/CLOSE WHEN ACTIVATED BY BUTTON OR REMOTE SWITCHES; HARD STARTS AFTER DRIVING AND SITTING BRIEFLY (ESPECIALLY AFTER HIGHWAY DRIVING--TRIED DIFFERENT GAS STATIONS GASSES). TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS MOSTLY ABOUT TRANSMISSION AND THEY CLAIM UNLESS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. GOING TO TAKE BACK AND HAVE IT STAY THERE UNTIL THEY REPRODUCE THIS WEEK. *AK

Mileage: 30,000

CONSUMER HAS BEEN HAVING DASH PANEL LIGHT PROBLEMS. SHE STATED THAT VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN REPAIR SHOP 5 TIMES. ONCE THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE SWITCH THAT TURNED ON THE LIGHTS BECAUSE THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE SWITCH. THEN, SHE WAS TOLD THAT A LOT OF PROBLEMS OCCURRED BECAUSE LEFT TURN SIGNAL WAS LOCKING UP. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DASH BOARD LIGHTS WOULD START FLASHING OFF AND ON. CONSUMER WOULD HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAST SHE WAS GOING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND CONTROL PANEL CLUSTER WAS REPLACED. LESS THAN SIX MONTHS LATER, PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. CURRENTLY, VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP AGAIN FOR THE SAME THING. *AK

Mileage: 36,000

PURCHASED VAN JULY 2001. I HAVE DISCONTINUED PUTTING MY SON IN INSTALLED CHILD SEAT BECAUSE HE COMPLAINS IT HURTS HIS LEGS; WHEN HE GOES TO GET OUT HE CAN'T HARDLY WALK;I THINK THE POSITION OF THE SEAT CAUSES HIS LEGS TO GO TO SLEEP. SINCE PURCHASE OF VAN I HAVE HAD IT IN FOR SERVICE SEVERAL TIMES. (1) I COMPLAINED OF VIBRATION IN THE FRONT WHEN I GOT UP TO A SPEED OVER 50 MPH; THE SERVICE TECHS COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. (2) I COMPLAINED OF (WHILE TRAVELING) HEARING AIR VENTILATION (LIKE A WINDOW WAS DOWN) ON THE PASSENGER SIDE; NOTHING WAS FOUND. (3) WHEN PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WE STATED OUR CONCERN THAT DOOR DID NOT RETRACT IMMEDIATELY. I PUT MY ARM IN TO DEMONSTRATE; IT PINCHED MY ARM AND BRUISED IT BEFORE IT FINALLY RETRACTED (4) I HAVE ALSO HAD MY VAN IN COMPLAINING THAT THE CD PLAYER DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. THEY SAID IT WAS DEFECTIVE AND REPLACED MY ENTIRE RADIO/CD. (5) COMPLAINED THAT WHILE DRIVING (NOTICING AT NIGHT) MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD DIM AND COME BACK ON. AFTER NOT FINDING ANYTHING THEY REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. IT IS AGAIN HAPPENING. (6) RECENT CONCERN IS WHILE ON AN UPWARD HILL AT A RED LIGHT WATER STARTED COMING IN THROUGH THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT BETWEEN THE VISORS. NOW THEY ARE DECLARING THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS NOT PROPERLY SEALED WHEN IT WAS INSTALLED. I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE NOW FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS. MY THOUGHT IS THAT IT MAY HAVE BEEN LEAKING BUT NOW JUST TO THE POINT THAT I AM NOTICING IT. HOW MUCH DAMAGE HAS IT CAUSED IN MY HEAD LINER, ETC. THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DETECT WITH THE NAKED EYE AND IS THE AIR VENTILATION THAT I WAS HEARING A RESULT OF THE WINDSHIELD NOT BEING SEALED; AND IS THE WATER LEAKAGE CAUSING MY SHORTAGE IN THE WIRING OF THE LIGHTS AND RADIO, ETC. MY CONCERN IS LATER DOWN THE ROAD WILL I HAVE MORE DETERIORATING PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF WATER DAMAGE THAT COULD NOT BE SEEN AT THIS POINT. *NLM

VEHICLE HAS STALLED 3 TIMES AT 60 MPH. DEALER HAS REPLACED COMPUTER TWICE.BUT IT DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THE BRAKE LIGHT FUSES BEGAN TO BURN OUT. *JG WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BRAKE LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TOT HE CONSUMER THE FUSE BLEW AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER SEVERAL MORE TIMES BUT SEARCH TIME THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE CONSUMER DECIDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER. WHILE DRIVING TO THE LOCAL DEALER SMOKE BECAME TO COME FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASH. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT BOTH BRAE LAMP SWITCHES HAD BURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THEY WERE UNABLE TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. *NM

SMOKE WAS EMITTING FROM THE DASH, ONCE CONSUMER ARRIVED HOME, HE FOUND BOTH WIRES ON THE BRAKE LAMP WERE BURNED OFF. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP. *JG