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2.4

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
61,897 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2001 Chevrolet Venture cooling system problems

cooling system problem

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2001 Chevrolet Venture Owner Comments

problem #9

Jun 112008

Venture

  • 111,571 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Our 2001 Chevrolet Venture's intake manifold gasket has failed, allowing coolant into the engine oil. We started having trouble with it in January 2007. The check engine light came on and we took it in to our mechanic. He checked the cooling system and found the thermostat was not working properly. It was replaced. In June 2008, we noticed a loss of coolant. We took it in to our mechanic again. He did a coolant system check and found nothing wrong, replaced possible leaking hose. Once again we were losing coolant. We took into our mechanic again (third times a charm). Could fine nothing wrong with cooling system, did diagnostic and found a leak in the intake manifold gasket. We had no warning, no check engine light, no over heating since earlier time. The main problem is the coolant was going inside the engine, no outside leaking to warn us. The car stalled and died on us, luckily it was at a stop light. It could have caused a major accident if I was driving on freeway going 65. It has been parked at my house, non-op with dmv. GM has admitted to me during more than one call that they have known about this problem for some time, but refuse to fix it. They say they are waiting for the NHTSA to put out a mandatory recall before they will fix any problems. There are thousands of people with this same problem. The 3.1ll and 3.4L V-6 engines were put in all body types and different GM makes and models. Now some V-8's and newer models are coming down with the same problem. According to internal memo's from GM, they have known about this problem since 2000. Dex-cool seems to be the culprit. It is a known plasticizer (softens plastic) and is corrosive to aluminum. The gasket on the intake manifold is made of plastic and the some of the manifolds and or parts are made of aluminum. Dex-cool degrades hoses, gaskets and also rusts aluminum, causing a sludge to build up into the engine. Why would any one put this corrosive material into an engine on purpose?

- Citrus Heights, CA, USA

problem #8

Jan 012005

Venture

  • 50,000 miles
Bad/leaking manifold gasket...... coolant leaks....causing water pump to burn out...replaced twice already....and coolant to get in with oil. Estimated repair cost > $700

- Rochester Hills, MI, USA

problem #7

Aug 102008

Venture

  • 63,000 miles
Our vehicle is a 2001. Has 62,000 miles. The condenser went on the vehicle. We were told that alot of the condenser are going in the 2001 Chevrolet Venture. Have you done any investigating or recalls, or reimbursement ? thank you

- Villa Park, IL, USA

problem #6

Mar 102008

Venture 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 130,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle cooling system is faulty. My research and experience proves this point and Chevy needs to be held accountable! at approx 120K, the engine overheats and the vehicle cannot be driven like that. Mechanical replaced intake gasket for $1100 and recomended changing the head gasket for an additional $1000 but could not afford that. 1 year later, same problem, overheating and cannot drive with that, mechanic tests and finds faulty head gasket, $2000+ estimate, will not pay that for a faulty cooling system. Legal resolve to be sought, please contact me if you can to assist or join a potential class-action suit!

- Mattoon, IL, USA

problem #5

Jun 302007

Venture 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 77,500 miles
Intake manifold leaks, causes engine to overheat which resulted heads were warping. My family and I were traveling eastbound on I-10 coming home from our family vacation from disneyland and heading back to phoenix AZ when the engine overheated on the 2001 Chevrolet Venture minivan. We waited on the side of the road in the desert for the engine to cool to add water into the radiator. 45 minutes later the engine cooled enough to add the water and for some reason it would not draw the water out of the reservoir. The engine would not start. We called the state police and a highway patrolman came out and could not do anything for us. He called a tow truck and we were charged $250 to be towed 25 miles from where we were to the truck stop at tonapah. He wanted $700 to tow us home to chandler, AZ. However, a friend came to our rescue by towing us home with a strap from his truck. By the time we got to the 101 freeway in the East valley the battery died, adding to the drama and stress of the evening. We finally got home after 1 am, we were expected at 5 pm. I was told by the mechanic at the Chevrolet dealer that the heads were on national back order because of faulty intake manifold, and it was a well known problem in engines over 75,000 miles, we have 77000 miles, causing the engine to over heat and damaging it.

- Chandler, AZ, USA

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problem #4

Mar 062005

Venture 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,000 miles
When our van (2001 Chevy Venture) reached about 75000 miles, we noticed the temperature on the gauge rising. I contacted our mechanic and he recommended flushing the cooling line and changing the thermostat. I took the van in and had the cooling system flushed and the thermostat changed. At that time he noticed a coolant leak below the intake. Now that the cooling system has been flushed and the thermostat changed I was hoping to not see a fluctuation in the temperature. I was wrong, the temperature is still fluctuating and now I notice when it gets hot the car shifts very rough. He recommended I contact a GM dealer and have them look at it, due to the Venture van being known for this issue and hopefully GM would cover the cost. I have contacted the local GM dealer and have an appointment this week. I searched the internet and found several others with this same issue and I hope that GM steps up to fix the problem.

- Vincent, OH, USA

problem #3

Aug 122004

Venture 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Sunbury, OH, USA

problem #2

May 212004

Venture

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
I have a 2001 Chevrolet Venture. The end of last summer the rear air conditioner needed to be fixed. Now the condenser needs to be replaced which is a $500 part a few months after the warranty expired. A co-worker owns a 2002 Venture. She had to replace the condenser last week and while she was there there were other Venture there with the same problem. I called my dealership and was informed that they have had several in with the same problem. When I contacted General Motors, I was notified that there is no recall. Abviously there's a problem. There's no reason why a three year old vehicle needs to have the air conditioning repaired.

- Durham, CT, USA

problem #1

Sep 302003

Venture 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 50,000 miles
I have been trying to get my A/C condenser fixed with GM. I have gone through many different representatives and all they say is that there is nothing wrong with the vehicle that are no recalls or nothing, but would like to give me a $2000 GM certificate to the next purchase of a GM vehicle. I have been researching my 2001 Chevrolet Venture van and have found that there are many others with the same problem as mine. The condenser is cracked on the right side. A faulty part. The service bulletin that I found on this part, that GM states that there is no such thing, states that there is an updated part for this condenser. Would you not think if there is an "updated" part there might be something wrong"?" also it states that it takes 2 hours to fix, the dealership states it takes 5 hours pretty big difference. I like my van and have no other problems with it. The A/C went out after only having the van 2 years, in which my warranty had already expired like most peoples do. I travel extensively, so warranties do not last long. I enjoy my van. The only thing I'm asking is for a replaced condenser. I think if GM knew there was a problem they should recall this part and be honest when you try to contact them.

- Bernie, MO, USA

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