Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-48
My 2002 Chevy Venture is pretty much junk too. We have had problems with it from the second day we got it when the cam sensor had a problem and the car wouldn't start. A couple of weeks after that they determined all 4 tires to be defective and they were replaced. we have had a new dvd player and radio, a new gas cap, something with the versatrack replaced twice, the locks will lock and unlock on their own and lots of problems with the rotors. my fuel gauge stopped working today and it will go from full to empty in seconds! I have been wanting to get rid of it for years and I think I am going to asap! I know that lots of people have zero problems with their gm vans, but when there are problems there are common ones. gm needs to step in and fix these problems that occur on a regular basis even when the vans are out of warranty.
We purchased a 2002 WB edition with 82K on the clock,6 months later with 90k on the clock we have replaced the transmission, Ac unit, intake valve, rear heat and one rear power door is now not working. I won't be buying another chevy vehicle, no wonder the imports are taking over.
I just brought a 2000 chevy venture van with 86000 mile on it. The van looked and ran like new for 2 days. On the 3rd day I took it on the turnpike and the transmission died. Looks can be deceiving. This van really is a piece of garbage.
I bought a 2000 Venture new and it was fine until 50,000 miles. The low oil light came on. I checked the oil level and it was fine, but I got it to the dealer that night and they found a leak in the oil cooler (inside the main radiator). They replaced the rad and oil cooler, drained and pressure flushed the system and then they noticed a leak in the head gasket. They pulled the head and, fortunately, checked it and found a crack. They were going to replace the head, but then inspected the cylinders and found a crack there too.
They would up replacing the entire engine. According to the dealership, the oil cooler leak caused contamination with coolant getting into the oil which them ate away at the head gasket, which may have led to the crack in the head. They weren't sure whether the cracked cylinder was related.
Whew!
Now, 50,000 miles later, I have begun to hear the transmission whine mentioned by a couple of folks earlier and feel the hard shifting. I took it to the dealer and they said they couldn't feel it (it does come and go). They hooked it up to their analysis equipment, but it revealed nothing.
Has anyone had this problem and actually gotten some sort of diagnosis or resolution> The vehicle is otherwise in terrific shape and with a son starting college, I'd sure like to avoid adding a car payment to my budget during the next four years.
My 2000 Venture is also a piece of junk. Just after the five year warranty expired the transmission went out at 53,000 miles. The mechanics broke a tire sensor as they replaced the tran and charged me for it. They also found a "genetic" coolant leak on the manifold and replaced a faulty coolant sensor. Then the side power door went out and the rear circulation fan broke. For six months I had trouble with the van not starting, despite there being power for lights, etc. I replaced the starter, which solved the problem, but only for three months. It happened again yesterday, so I may have to try another starter.
Don't buy GM products!
Unfortunately I have nothing good to add.
Chevy Venture Ex 2000.
1st year: about 23k miles.
Replaced transmission sensor harness after it shook loose on freeway and locked the transmission
replaced sliding door mechanism
replaced all 4 tires, alignment blamed by dealer
replaced radiator
replaced battery, twice
replaced on board computer
replaced rotors.
Dealer states that this is all normal for this vehicle.
2nd year: about 48k miles.
Replaced all 4 tires again, alignment again
replaced sliding door mechanism, again - recall this time
replaced battery, again
replaced on board air pump and right rear air leveler
replaced right front strut.
Dealer states again that this is normal for this vehicle.
3rd year: about 52k miles.
Replaced battery, again
on board computer no longer providing mileage, range etc. dealer diagnosis shows no problem
engine constantly overheating, cooling system flush, fan motor replacement, temperature sensor replacement
replaced all bushings in front suspension and steering, alignment again
passenger window no longer functions.
Dealer states that this is normal for this vehicle with high mileage.
4th year: about 70k miles.
Sliding door no longer functions
on board "trip" computer no longer functions
indoor lights work intermittently
ac no longer works
replaced intake manifold and gaskets due to coolant leak
replaced head and gaskets due to cracks caused by coolant leaks
replaced torque converter
replaced right front suspension arm, strut, sway bar, and steering rod, alignment blamed by dealer again.
Dealer states again that this is normal for this vehicle with high mileage.
5th year : about 8k miles.
Engine stops while driving on freeway, after towing vehicle to the dealer and waiting 2 days for a diagnosis, this is what we were told VERBATIM by the service manager:
"Your coolant leaked through cracks in the intake, head, and block, causing corrosion that has eaten away the inside of the engine. This is usually caused by a lack of maintenance. You really should have brought it in for service before this happened."
For all those who question the national loyalty of those buying foreign made items:
Do you really need to ask why?
I bought our 2000 venture with 37,000 in 2002. At first I thought it was a pretty good vehicle. I always told the wife it seem like something was going on with the tranny. But she said the dealer checked it out, it is okay and she loved the van. So far we had the tranny rebuilt, the a head replaced (was told possible problem with anti freeze in the oil) GM aware of the problem with bad gaskets. Now seems to be a problem with the front end just replaced two new set of tires. Can anyone suggest what this might be. By the way the check traction systemlight stays on. HAROLD
HAROLDLHILL@HOTMAIL.COM.
I have a 2000 Venture WBE, today I put $1200 dollars into it (brakes, allignment and tires), not too bad for driving it for almost eight years. Then I got to thinking, the AC hasn't worked for three years, the wipers are stuck in the open position, the back wiper no longer works, the rubber seal on the slidder fell off, I already replace the power window motors on both doors, air shocks leak and the drop down TV/VCR hasn't worked since year two. But the engine has been awsome after 130,000 miles. My dad wouldn't let me come to Thanks Giving if I bought a foreign made car, but hopefully he won't have to pick me up... I live in Michigan, who needs AC.
I purchased a 2000 venture LS used almost a year ago. I love the van. But, something I noticed just a couple of days after signing the papers to own it that something seemed to be happening with the transmission. I'd be accelerating, and its like the engine would be revving, but no power, and then it would just catch, and usually unpleasantly. It used to even make the tires chirp, until I got used to it, now when I feel it happen I just ease off the gas. This also happens when I stop for a light. Its like the transmission doesn't gear down in time and I get a jut again.
I brought it to a garage, and they claim that nothing showed on the computer, and they didn't experience anything when they took it for a test run.
Other than that just some routine things need to be done, and the roads here in St. John's, NL are less than desirable. Anyone know of any recalls with this vehicle?
I bought a 2000 WBE about 5 years ago. The rubber seal on the drivers side door has fallen off. The drivers side door window motor had to be replaced because it quit working. The passengers side window is running slow. The passengers power sliding door will not unlock unless you keep hitting the unlock button. Which in my opinion, is very dangerous if you should happen to get into an accident. The handles have been replaced on sliding doors per recall. The gas gauge goes from full to empty no matter how much gas I have. The power window in the back, sometimes will not shut. The airbag light will come on for no reason. The inside and exterior lights will flicker sometimes. No body can find anything wrong with the van. I am regretting the purchase.
We bought a 2000 Venture WB edition brand new. It has had about all the other problems above, except for the transmission. I changed the trans fluid and filter after the first 10,000 miles and then every 60k after that. I think that is why we have 142,000 and the engine and trans runs great. I think the van is falling apart around the engine, but it still gets us where we want to go. It has been expensive keeping it up, but compared to $30,000 for a new rig it has been worth it. I have never had a problem out of my Nissan. And just bought a 2007 Toyota Tundra. I am glad that Toyota beat out GM this year.
We've had our 2000 Venture for 4 years, and have had the following problems: both front windows stopped working; idiot lights take turns staying on; transmission is shot. At 100k, almost to the mile, the tranny finally gave up. It had been hard shifting, inconsistently, much like other entries have mentioned. I changed fluid and filter, kept checking it, but it kept doing it just once in a while. I thought it was an electrical issue, but my mechanic tells me the transmission is "done."
I bought a 2001 Venture brand new and never had an issue with it until recently. It has started to hesitate under slight acceleration. At first I thought it was the fuel system so I had the fuel injectors cleaned and replaced the fuel filter. It still hesitates on occasion. It has 60k on it and never had a problem up this point. Now that I am reading the issues with the tranny's I am starting to worry the tranny will go soon. Now that I am thinking about it, I hauled a very very heavy trailer for 500 miles last year and within a couple of months I started to feel the hesitation. The load I towed was heavier than recommended by Chevy so I guess this is my fault.
I am reading a lot of bad accounts here on this page. If it makes you guys feel any better I used to hate Chevy, but bought one since it was 2/3 the cost of the competing Honda and Toyota. It has been a good vehicle. In fact it has been great up to now. My family has purchased all sorts of vehicles foreign and domestic and I have to say the biggest piles of crap are built by Nissan hands down.
Good luck.
I bought my 2000 Venture LS back in 2002 with 35000 miles on it. After about a week, the tranny started shifting hard; I took it back to dealer. They said it was a short in the wiring harness to tranny, and they fixed that. Since then, I noticed it would never warm up and would use about a gallon of antifreeze a month.
I took it to my cousin who is a GM mechanic, and he said GM knew about this problem coming off the assembly line where the heads were undertorqued. He repaired that, but also had to replace a camshaft-position sensor because it would shut off at idle. Now the tranny problem has ocurred again. It's going in the shop Wednesday morning.
I drove it a few miles and it started whining and shifting hard. The motors are great; its just that the trannys aren't that reliable... GM should have done things differently with these issues; they have lost a lot of customers over them!!!
Wow, I have a 1998 Venture, with 178,000 miles on it. I have had no problems, but those regular annoying minor things.. power window, locks and door all work when they want to and don't when you want them to... other than that I am still happy as a clam with my van!
I have replaced the brake maybe every 3 years, tires every 2, not sure the last time I had to replace the battery. Just regular maintenance things.