2003 CHEVROLET VENTURE Structure Problems

DRIVER WAS TURNING AT TRAFFIC LIGHT AT LOW SPEED, 200 FT FROM HER HOME. WHEN TURN WAS COMPLETE, DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO RETURN STEERING WHEEL TO FORWARD POSITION, NOR WAS SHE ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE USING BRAKE PEDAL, UNTIL THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER ONE PARKED ALONG THE STREET. DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO EXPLAIN HOW IT COULD HAPPEN, AND THE ACCIDENT WAS CONSIDERED HER FAULT. HOWEVER, THE LATEST GM RECALL REGARDING WEAKNESS OF IGNITION KEY MECHANISM PROVIDES LOGICAL EXPLANATION OF THIS ACCIDENT. IF THE IGNITION KEY FLIPPED TO "OFF" POSITION DURING THE TURN, POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKING WOULD BE GONE, AND WHAT DRIVER DESCRIBED WOULD MAKE TOTAL SENSE. ESPECIALLY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THAT AT THAT TIME THE DRIVER HAD SEVERAL ADDITIONAL KEYS ON THE KEYCHAIN. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT 2003 CHEVROLET VENTURE IGNITION MECHANISM MAY SUFFER FROM THE SAME PROBLEM AS ONES RECALLED BY GM? *TR

Mileage: 100,000

THE DRIVER SIDE PASSENGER DOOR SILL IS RUSTING EVEN IF THE CAR IS WASHED ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE FRAME HOLDING THE RADIATOR IS ALSO RUSTING,AND A RUST SPOT IS APPEARING ON THE PASSENGER DOOR SILL. *TR

Mileage: 85,000

THE METAL UNDERSIDE SUPPORT BRACKET THAT HOLDS UP BOTH THE ENGINE COOLANT RADIATOR AND A/C RADIATOR HAD RUSTED COMPLETELY TO THE EXTENT THAT THE LEFT (DRIVER) SIDE OF THE BRACKET COMPLETELY FAILED AND ALLOWED THE RADIATORS TO TILT DOWN AND DROP APPROX. 4" ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE PRIMARY SUPPORT IS NOW ONLY THE COOLANT HOSES. HAD I NOT NOTICED, WHILE VIEWING THE CAR FROM THE FRONT THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM; BOTH THE RADIATORS COULD HAVE FALLEN OFF WHILE DRIVING, THEY CERTAINLY COULD HAVE WEDGED TO IMPEDE THE STEERING CONTROL AND /OR RUN OVER BY THE TIRES TO MOST CERTAINLY BE A SAFETY ISSUE TO US OR OTHERS ON THE ROAD. MY CALL TO A DEALERSHIP STATED THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THIS PARTICULAR RUST ISSUE AND THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF RECALL BY GM. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO REPAIR A CORROSION ISSUE OF THIS SUPPORT COMPONENT THAT IS A SAFETY INTEGRITY ISSUE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 133,280

DUE TO RUSTED REAR RIGHT BRAKE LINE, VEHICLE LOST ALL BRAKE FLUID WITHOUT WARNING AND PREVENTED VEHICLE FROM STOPPING IN A TIMELY MANNER. THE LACK OF BRAKE CONTROL CAUSED RIGHT REAR SIDE OF THE VAN'S BODY (JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL) TO HIT THE PROTECTIVE BARRIER AT THE GAS STATION. UPON INSPECTION RUST IS NOW OBSERVED AT SEVERAL PLACES ON THE BRAKE LINES AS WELL. *TR

Mileage: 64,688

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE BUTTON WAS PUSHED TO OPEN THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR, AND MY 3-YEAR OLD SON WAS STANDING STILL IN THE THIRD ROW, WAITING FOR THE DOOR TO OPEN COMPLETELY. (I WAS STANDING OUTSIDE, DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DOOR AS IT OPENED.) MY SON'S FOOT SLIPPED AND HIS LEG FELL OUT OF THE VAN, AND BECAUSE THE DOOR WAS OPENING IT PINNED HIS LEG BETWEEN THE BOTTOM BAR SUPPORTING THE DOOR, AND THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. MY SON WAS INJURED. THE DOOR WOULD NOT STOP OPENING DESPITE USING MANUAL FORCE TO STOP THE DOOR FROM OPENING. THE BUTTON WAS PUSHED TO CLOSE THE DOOR, THUS PROVIDING RELEASE OF MY SON'S LEG, HOWEVER IN ORDER TO PULL HIM OUT THE DOOR CLOSED ON US AND WE HAD TO AGAIN PUSH THE BUTTON TO OPEN THE DOOR. THIS VEHICLE HAS NO SENSOR FOR THE SIDE SLIDING DOORS OPENING. THE SPACE BETWEEN THE BAR ON THE DOOR AND THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE IS APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES ONCE THE DOOR IS FULLY OPENED. THERE IS ADEQUATE SPACE FOR A SMALL CHILD TO COMPLETELY FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND POTENTIALLY BE CRUSHED. *TR

CHEVY VENTURE VAN. UNSURE OF EXACT YEAR. DRIVING ALONG THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE HOOD AND GRILL FLEW UP RESULTING IN A COMPLETELY SMASHED WINDSHIELD. EST. DAMAGES AT $1800.00. CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE HOOD LATCH, ETC. *TR DON'T HAVE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO VIN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET VENTURE. THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE IS CORRODING AND RUSTING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WAS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 123,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

Mileage: 89,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET VENTURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR FAILED TO REMAIN CLOSED. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 33,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DOOR HAS BEEN MALFUNCTIONING SINCE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED BACK IN THE SPRING OF 2006 THE DOOR MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO IN TURN ADJUSTED THE ROD AND THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED BUT THE DEFECT STILL PERSISTS SOMETIMES. UPDATED 08/20/07 *TR

Mileage: 33,000

2003 VENTURA GAS TANK SUFFERED DAMAGE DUE TO THERE BEING NO ROAD HAZARD PROTECTION FOR THE TANK. *TS THE VEHICLE HAS A 25 GALLON FUEL TANK. THIS TANK HAS A METAL SHIELD FROM THE REAR TO WITHIN 24 INCHES FROM THE FRONT. THE FRONT AREA IS UNPROTECTED. *NM

Mileage: 110,800

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE RIGHT POWER SLIDING DOOR OF THE VEHICLE LATCHED CLOSE TRAPPING A CHILD'S HAND. THE KEYS WERE LOCKED INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND AN AMBULANCE WAS CALLED TO ASSIST. A PARAMEDIC HAD TO BREAK A WINDOW TO RELEASE THE CHILD. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT AUTO REPAIR SHOP TO DETERMINE WHETHER THIS INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT.

Mileage: 45,000

THE FRONT WINDSHIELD IS LEAKING. IT IS CAUSED BY NOT HAVING STOPS IN PLACE THAT KEEPS THE WINDSHIELD FROM SLIDING OUT OF PLACE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. WE FOUND THAT WE HAD LEAK DURING A RAIN STORM. I HAD ANOTHER CARS WINDSHIELD REPLACED AND ASKED THE REPLACEMENT COMPANY TO RESEAL THE WINDSHIELD ON MY CHEVY VENTURE. THEY STATED TO ME THAT IT WAS A KNOWN DEFECT BY CHEVY AND THEY WOULD NOT RESEAL IT BECAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WILL SLIDE OUT OF PLACE AGAIN CAUSING A LEAK OR WORSE DURING AN ACCIDENT. MY WORK AS PARAMEDIC I HAVE SEEN WINDSHIELD DISPLACE , INWARD AND OUTWARD. DOES SOMEBODY HAVE TO BE HURT OR DEATH CAUSED BEFORE A RECALL TAKES PLACE ? IF CHEVY KNOWS THAT THIS IA A PROBLEM WHY NOT FIX IT ? *JB

WE HAVE 28 BRAUN ENTER VAN THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED FAILURES OF THE ENGINE CRADLE MOUNTS. ONE WAS A COMPLETE FAILURE DURING OPERATION THAT CAUSED THE VAN TO ACCELERATE FULLY WHEN THE FORWARD CRADLE MOUNTS FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING THE VAN. UPON A COMPLETE INSPECTION OF THE ALL 28 VANS WE REVILED SEVERAL WITH FORWARD MOUNT PROBLEMS AND ALMOST ALL WITH REAR MOUNT CRACKS. TO DATE BRAUN HAS MADE REPAIRS TO SOME OF THESE UNITS AND WAS FULLY AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS BUT TO DATE NO PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION HAS BEEN PUBLISHED. *JB

Mileage: 100,000

DT: WHEN THE POWER SLIDING DOOR SHUT CONSUMER IS AFRAID HIS CHILDREN WILL GET THEIR FINDERS CAUGHT IN THERE. *AK

Mileage: 24,000

DT: WHILE GETTING OUT OF THE VAN ON PASSENGER SIDE BACK SLIDING DOOR A THREE YEAR OLD CHILD GOT HER LEG CAUGHT IN THE V-BAR. THE DOOR WOULD NOT STOP OPENING, THE DOOR DRAGGED HER WHILE IT WAS OPENING. CALLER WAS TRYING TO BRACE THE DOOR SO IT WOULD NOT OPEN ANY FURTHER, AND SOMEONE ELSE WAS TRYING TO GET THE CHILD OUT. THE VAN HAD NO SHUT OFF READILY ACCESSIBLE TO STOP THE DOOR WHILE IT WAS OPENING OR CLOSING. GIRL GOT CUT ON HEAD AND BRUISED ANKLE AND THIGH. HAD 5 STITCHES. *AK

Mileage: 26,674

FLASHING OF LIGHTS AND FUEL GAUGE FLOATS DRASTICALLY CONSTANTLY. *BF THE VEHICLE ALSO EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH LOW BRAKE FLUID, THE DOOR AJAR, THE REAR HATCH AJAR, AND THE BRAKE LIGHT REMAINED ON. *SC

DEFECTIVE AUTOMATIC DOORS ON THE 2003 VENTURE. THE THIRD TIME WITH AUTOMATIC DOOR NOT STOPPING WHEN IT HIT THE CONSUMER. *BF NO ANSWER REQUIRED - NO CONTACT INFORMATION PROVIDED. *MJJ *SC *JB

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS LOCKED, THE SLIDING DOOR OPENED. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN AN OBJECT WAS IN THE WAY OF THE SLIDING DOOR IT CONTINUED TO CLOSE INSTEAD OF DISENGAGING. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB THERE IS NO CYLINDER LOCK AND KEY. *TC

Mileage: 18,000

(1) ON 9/7/04 I PURCHASED A 2003 CHEVROLET VENTURE VAN. IT IS A WB EDITION WITH TWO SLIDING SIDE DOORS. ON 9/19/04 THREE OF MY FOUR CHILDREN AND MYSELF WERE PICKING MY FINACE' UP FROM WORK ON OLD RT. 66 IN OATMAN AZ. I CLIMBED INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT, MY 8 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER GOT INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE, FIRST ROW OF BACK SEATS, CLOSED THE DOOR, AND BUCKLED HER SEAT-BELT. MY 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER BEGAN GETTING INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE FIRST ROW OF SEATS, AND MY FIANCE INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT. MY 8 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER HAD HER RIGHT HAND RRESTING ON THE DOOR HANDLE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR. (2)MY SON, OPENED THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR, ENGAGING THE POWER DOOR RESPONSE, AND BEFORE MY 8 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ([XXX]) COULD REMOVER HER HAND FROM THE DOOR HANDLE, HER ELBOW WAS PINNED TO THE BACK OF HER SEAT, AND THE DOOR CONTINUED TO OPEN. THERE WAS A "POP" AND HER ARM WAS BROKEN. BOTH BONES IN HER RIGHT FORE-ARM WERE LEFT WITH GREEN STICK FRACTURES. (3) I PHONED THE DEALERSHIP THE FOLLOWING DAY, AND REQUESTED A RETURN OF MY VEHICLE AS I NO LONGER FELT SAFE IN IT. THEY DENIED MY REQUEST, AND WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THE 30 DAY RETURN LAW, THE SALES MANAGER SAID THERE WAS NO SUCH LAW. I PHONED GM THEN, AND FILED A COMPAINT. I WAS GIVEN A FILE NUMBER OF [XXX], AND TOLD THAT LEGAL *MAY* CONTACT ME IN 48-72 HOURS IF THEY DIDN'T DENY MY CLAIM. LEGAL CALLED THE NEXT MORNING. I SPOKE WITH [XXX], AND SHE TOLD ME THAT CLAIMS WOULD CALL IN 7-10 DAYS. CLAIMS CALLED THE NEXT MORNING, AND I WAS GIVEN ANOTHER FILE NUMBER OF [XXX]. THE WOMAN IN CLAIMS TOLD ME HOW TO DISABLE THE POWER DOORS IN MY VAN, AND I HAVE DONE SO. OPENING THEM NOW WITHOUT THE POWER TAKES A PRETTY STRONG ARM, BUT THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE AS OF YET. *AK PE04064.PCO INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 30,080

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS AND TURNING TO THE LEFT VEHICLE STALLED. ALSO, PROBLEM WITH BOTH SLIDING DOORS OPENING AND CLOSING ON THEIR OWN. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD. *AK

THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. *AK AS THE PERSON OPENED THE DOOR, THEIR WRIST HUNG ON THE INSIDE HANDLE AND CONSEQUENTLY HE/SHE WRIST WAS BROKEN. *SC *JB PE04064.PCO

PROBLEMS WITH DRIVE TRAIN AND/OR TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONING ON 2003 CHEVROLET VENTURE. *MR ON TWO OCCASIONS, WHILE VEHICLE IS ON DRIVE, IT ROLLED BACKWARDS. REPAIRS WHERE ALSO MADE ON BRAKES, AND SLIDING DOOR. *LA

CONSUMER COMPLAINED OF REAR END PROBLEM. CONSUMER MAINTAINED THAT MANUFACTURER NEVER SEALED THE BACK END OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, WATER LEAKED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE DEFECT. HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER WAS WILLING TO DRY OUT THE VEHICLE. ALSO, A MOLDY MILDEW SMELL LINGERED WITHIN THE VEHICLE. *AK MOLD WAS ALL THROUGH THE CEILING AS WELL AS BLOWING THROUGH THE REAR VENTS, THE BACK END LEAKED, THE ROOF RAIL SEAMS AND PITCH RAIL WERE NOT SEALED, WATER LEAKED INTO THE REAR DOME LIGHT AND LEAKED ONTO THE FLOOR IN THE REAR, THE TIRES WERE REPLACED AT 18K MILES, THE #2 AND #3 FAN RELAY SHORTED, THE FRONT END HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY, AND THE FRONT WINDSHIELD SEAL HAD COME LOOSE FROM THE GLASS. *SC *JB

Mileage: 33,484

WHEN ENTERING OR EXITING THE VEHICLE THE SLIDING DOOR WOULD AUTOMATICALLY CLOSE, TRAPPING THE CONSUMER , AND CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *TS

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY PASSENGER'S SLIDING DOOR WILL COME OPEN AND CLOSE INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

NAR 05/21/2003 *MR 2003 CHEVROLET VENTURE AUTOMATIC DOORS ARE FAULTY, THE CONSUMER HANDS AND ARM WAS CAUGHT WHICH CAUSED BROKEN BONES, BRUISING AND SWELLING . *CB PE04064.PCO

WE RENTED A 2003 CHEVROLET VENTURE VAN IN KONA, HAWAII. AS A BACKSEAT PASSENGER ON THE SECOND DAY, I STARTED TO OPEN THE ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED DOOR BY THE HANDLE. IT PULLED MY ARM BACKWARDS TOO FAST FOR ME TO GET CLEAR. I SEVERELY SCRAPED AND BRUISED MY ARM AND TWISTED MY MIDDLE FINGER.*JB PE04064.PCO

CONSUMER STATED THE SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT STAY OPEN IN THE LOCKED POSITION.*JB SEAT BELT GUIDES HOLD SEAT BELT SO TIGHTLY IT DOES NOT RETRACT WHEN PULLED OUT. *TT