I wish to share our experience. I bought a 2004 Nissan Quest and can top anyone on this forum. The van I bought when I went to pick up was in pieces, something with the security system that was apart for 3 months, so I selected another van.
7 months old it would not start without a jump. We were in Alabama; I called roadside and they wanted to jump start us and drive back to Florida without shutting off the engine. I Walmart replaced the battery, fixed, but Nissan would not honor.
11 months old, the grey paint started to peel like the silver American cars used to do. No help again from Nissan.
All the interior lights have broken, the arm rests are not level, nor can be made to be, the air conditioning day 1 was only coolm never cold; they repaired 7-8 times.
Our theft system went out; a quote of $2000 out of warranty. I will trade for any American vehicle now.
I have a '97 Venture that I bought new. It now has 100K miles on it. I'm not sure how I've been lucky enough to get it up to that mileage given the problems I've had. I've owned many vehicles, but this is hands down the most problematic. Just like other owners, head gasket went out at 50K, temp gauge is messed up, and now the air conditioning is gone. Those are just the major problems. Fit and finish on this vehicle is appalling. This is the first and last GM vehicle I will ever buy. Back to Ford for me.
Well I don't know where you all bought your vans at, but I have not had any problems with the 2 I have. 1 is a 1997 and the other is a 2002, and they have been the best vans I have ever had, and I would buy them again.
I have a 2002 Chevy Venture we purchased new and currently has 135,000klm on it. We had it oiled every year as a rust preventative and both rocker panels are rusting through approximately 1 foot in front of the rear wheels. We are quite disappointed to say the least and don't know if we should have it repaired or get get rid of the vehicle.
I have a 1998 Venture, 97,000. got it from my father who passed away, he maintaned the vehicle by all recommended intervals, let's see, the driver's window comes off the track the trans sometimes slips when you go from a red light the camshaft sensor is bad causing the van to shake sometimes when going from a stop, the ABS light is on most of the time, rust holes in front of the rear wheels, back door handle doesn't work right, power sliding door sometimes don't work and worse yet does not allways lock! half of the heater and radio lights don't work, and my A/C and heat blow out of all the vents, cannot switch from defrost, vent and floor, Dex-cool problems, cruise has just cut out 2 or three times while driving, at least it's comfy and good on gas. I wish car makers would get a clue and build some cars we could be proud of, it's no wonder everyone is buying imports, when people are basically forced to buy a KIA over a domestic car; there's a problem!!!
I have a 1999 Venture and have had nothing, but problem after problem. The brake light rusting out and causing major electrical problems including knocking out the anti-lock brake system. Now the drivers side power window won't go up. It has been a grab and pull to straighten it out so you could get it top go up; now it won't go up at all. Oh yeah, and the back hatch strap broke too. What a piece of junk they put out with this van. I can't believe people still buy them. Or worse yet, I can't believe Chevy can't get a clue when nearly everyone who buys one has the same problems. I'm dumping mine before the tranny goes!
Bought 1999 Chevy Venture Van new. Same issues as most of you who posted. Head Gasget went - Covered under my Extended warranty, Window Motor _ Drivers side - Covered under warranty. I now have 109,000 Miles on the van Transmission shifts hard now and then. Just Repaired both Rocker panels that rusted out about a foot forward of the rear tire at the seam...
I bought my 99 venture van from my in laws.79,000 miles the intake gasket leaks,both wheel cylindes leak, trans shifts hard. the van is from arkso the body is great. but do I put the money in it. I was told in so cases you change the intake gaskets soon after the head gaskets go out. on the plus side it rides great. I drive 80 miles a day so its like my office on wheels.
I have a 97 chevy venture. I am a single mom with three kids so I love the mini van, but I am glad to know I am not the only one with these weird problems. I had a head gasket leak on a trip and it stalled as I got of the interstate 150 miles from home. when I took it to a local dealership they didn't align something properly and the the engine blew. Unfortunately I had to get a used engine to replace at 95K or so. My wipers stay up and then by magic go down replaced a switch for power windows, water pump, starter, have had a transmission problem before 100k where going from 1st to 2nd is will rev up and miss grabbing second if I don't baby it. I'm kind getting tired of babying it. My brother just replaced the iac valve and another valve the iac valve was gummed up and not working so my van was surging. My newest deal today is It won't go into park so I can start it. But my loving brother told me I can start it from neutral. I am appreciative of this tid bit of knowledge that a woman doesn't know, but I am learning. My van has 142K. maybe its the shift solenoid??? WEll I am the same way don't think I want the aggravation of a chevy again although I like the roominess. I too wish toyota made an afordable van. My bother just got a new jeep LIFETIME WARR ON TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE... Way to go JEEP!!!
We bought ours 3 years ago with 120,000K on it. Paid $8500+$800 for used car warranty. We've got 205K on it now. We should get another 50K out of it. Lots of hockey! We're in Ottawa Canada. It's been reasonably reliable for a used vehicle. These are some chronic issues with it:
Gas gauge is screwy. We fill it and use the odometer now (same thing on last two vehicles too!)
Will stall out, then won't start if you go near empty then fill the tank. You need to wait a few minutes after the fill and it will start.
When I bought it I was aware of the head gasket problems. I bought the warranty and negotiated the price of the vehicle down from $10,900. It was a cheap deal so I bought warranty and chalked up the deductable to the purchase price. Took it to my dealer 2 months after I bought it and put in a claim to fix it. They fixed many of them and switched me from dexcool (orange) to prestone (green) and new gaskets. Everything works fine for 70,000+KM.
Rocker panels. These are rusting out badly and fast - any damage to them causes a lot of rust to happen quickly - salt and water gets in there and flows around, rusting from the inside out. I stuffed the holes with oil-soaked socks. It didn't work.
Stuff like rear defrost, windshield wiper, power locks, passenger power window not working. Wiring. A very large wiring harness travels under the floor, underneath the passenger carpet near the door, and through a drain channel. Pull up the carpet on the passenger side, and strip off the tape. Look for green dust. That's rusted copper. Disconnect the battery, get some spare wire (match your colours or go insane!) and start re-soldering the splices. You may find that many of the parts now start working again. Do them one at a time and be careful! Not everything works, but the first spring day I have a chance I'll be finding the splices I forgot.
I re-taped the splices with shrink tube, then all of them together with fresh electrical tape. I wrapped all of that again with coax cable. Then if it sits in that drain channel the coax will keep it out of the saltwater flow.
I did shocks and struts and a bunch of other stuff all the way around for about $1800 and it rides nicely. Looking forward to keeping it around as a second vehicle for trucking kids around in when we get a car.
That's about it. It gets us where we wanna go, and didn't cost $30,000.
I have a 99 Venture. When I first bought it it was great. We have 3 boys and needed the extra room. My problems started when the front window stop working, then it was the drivers side locks, before I knew it both front windows would no longer work as the locks.
I kept hearing my lifters knocking, so I took it to the local car place here in town (small town) and they said I needed an oil change, which seemed weird to me seeing how I just had the engine flushed, radiator flushed, oil change and everything refilled. So I told him to go ahead and do another one. (Thinking what could it hurt) The very next day my van just died. I looked under the hood and there was nothing that I could see wrong. (not that you can see anything in the back of the engine). Had the van towed to the shop and he told me it was because the engine was not getting oil. (HMMM...)
Four thousand dollars later I now have a "New" (Used) engine in my van. Wipers want to stay in the up positions, windows and locks don't work again, water in the front of the van every summer.
Took it in for the oil change 3 days ago, had only driven it about 15 miles and now I have brand new oil coming from somewhere I cannot find the spot. Power steering went out on me at the same time. I cannot find this new oil leak or the reason my power steering went out.
This is the first time I am not a proud Chevy owner. I grew up in Chevy's and my first car was a Caviler Z-24 sports model. Like others on this page I am glad to know I am not the only one who has had some of the same problems I have had with my van.
I own a 2002 Chevy Venture and it started to leak coolant from the manifold intake gasket. The leak is next to the thermostat.
Power door lock button quit working.
I will never buy a Venture again. I don't recommend this GM Product.
I have a 2000 Chevy Venture with approx. 190k that I purchased used only 2 months ago. It too has most of the same flaws listed here.
I have been able to repair some of these problems such as the wipers getting stuck in the upright position, but it was a really aggravating experience.
The head gasket had already been replaced when I bought it, and I was told by this dealer that I should get at least another 100,000km out of it, (assuming the rest of the van holds together).
Also the power locks were repaired by cleaning the contacts on the door frame and door.
Some of the problems I haven't been able to fix are the blinking lights throughout the interior and exterior. I have found some references to this problem though, which suggest adding a secondary ground strap to the alternator.
My transmission and starter seem to act up occasionally, and I have seen some evidence of minor fluid leaks, including water entering through the windshield behind the roof console.
As for the rust problem on the rocker panels, well, I live in one of the worst areas in Canada for rust, and this seems minor to me.
I have owned many different makes and models of vehicles, and I have yet to find one that isn't riddled with problems, small or big.
The only solution for me was to read these forums, and hopefully find some inexpensive way of repairing the problems.
I hope this was helpful, and wish you all the best of luck with your current vehicles and future investments.
I also have a 1999 Chevey Venture van, after it warms up, it starts shifting hard, after the dealership stated that it had an internal transmission problem code 1811, and the transmission shop stated that it needed an overhaul (costly), we decided to replace the transmission with a used one, with less miles... funny it did the same thing, and then again, we replaced the transmission with another with low mileage, thinking paying more for a less mileage transmission would end all problems... here we are again, a week later and a 2nd transmission, and it's still shifting hard after warming up... I've read it's more than likely the solenoid... we will be having that checked next.
Hello, I have a 1999 chevy. Venture and this van sucks. Transmission shifting hard, my gas gauge goes up and down all day, after the winter my under body rusted out real bad, and now my temperature gauge goes up and down like a yo-yo. I'm a sucker for getting one of these.