AIR BAG TEAR DURING DEPLOYMENT: Air Bags
CLOSEDno recall issued
1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE -- Allege that the right front passenger's side air bag tore during deployment. This can result in loss of air bag inflation pressure and air bag protection for the right front seat occupant. Investigation was initiated on November 03 2000. Closed on January 11 2001. For detailed information & supporting documents, see the official NHTSA page concerning investigation #PE00045 »

NHTSA Defect Investigation #EA02032
SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLY FAILURE: Seat Belts
CLOSEDno recall issued
1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE -- ODI identified 59 reports with the alleged defect. ODI was able to contact 44 of the 59 consumers in order to determine the specific cause of the latch problems. Of the 44 owners contacted, ODI determined that four failures were due to an out-of-tolerance latch plate, and that 23 failures were due to a displaced buckle housing cover. The remaining 17 failures had indeterminable causes. Of the 59 reports, there were three alleged minor injuries. No legal claims or lawsuits have been filed with regard to this alleged defect. Based on the limited number of reports, and a declining report trend, this investigation is closed. A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of Agency resources does not appeared to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances. See additional summary report. Investigation was initiated on November 18 2002. Closed on November 21 2003. For detailed information & supporting documents, see the official NHTSA page concerning investigation #EA02032 »

NHTSA Defect Investigation #PE02017
SHOULDER HARNESS CLIP: Seat Belts
CLOSEDno recall issued
1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE -- Allege shoulder harness clip easily comes apart Investigation was initiated on February 11 2002. Closed on August 02 2002. For detailed information & supporting documents, see the official NHTSA page concerning investigation #PE02017 »

NHTSA Defect Investigation #SQ00014
UNEXPECTED OPENING OF SLIDING DOOR: Structure
RECALL »Recall #01V067000
1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE -- There is no summary currently available Investigation was initiated on July 25 2000. Closed on October 22 2001. For detailed information & supporting documents, see the official NHTSA page concerning investigation #SQ00014 »

NHTSA Defect Investigation #PE04064
POWER-SLIDING DOOR: Structure:Body:Door
RECALL »Recall #04V597000
1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE -- Subject vehicles are available with an optional power sliding door. The interior handle is oriented in the vertical position in the door panel and lines up at the elbow level when the occupant is seated in the 2nd-row outboard position. If the occupant holds the interior handle in the thumb up position during power-assisted opening, the arm/wrist can be push back with force against the 2nd-row bucket seat or captain's chair seat back creating a risk of injury (other seating configurations have ample seat to door clearance to avoid entrapment of the lower arm). Among the 103 total reports, there were 102 alleged injuries including arm/wrist, thumb and shoulder injuries. A count of injuries reveals that 76 injuries were a fractured or a broken arm/wrist requiring an immobilizing cast for four-to-six weeks. All injuries involve the right side power sliding door. The left side power sliding door is on far fewer vehicles, but more importantly, it produces less force. GM notified the Agency by letter dated December 21, 2004, that it will recall model year 1997 though early 2005 GM U-van vehicles equipped with a right side power sliding door and with 2nd-row bucket seats or captain chairs (NHTSA recall #04V597). As part of the recall remedy, GM will replace the door handle with a "flush mounted handle" that will prevent an occupant from grasping the handle with the palm between the handle and door panel (thumb up orientation) and thus eliminate the potential for arm/wrist entrapment. This investigation is closed. Investigation was initiated on September 17 2004. Closed on December 22 2004. For detailed information & supporting documents, see the official NHTSA page concerning investigation #PE04064 »

NHTSA Defect Investigation #EA03005
REAR AXLE TRAILING ARM FAILURE: Suspension:Rear**
CLOSEDno recall issued
** This defect investigation is filed under 2 related vehicle components.
1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE -- On November 18, 2002, ODI opened a preliminary evaluation (PE02-086) to evaluate allegations of rear axle trailing arm failures in the subject vehicles (U-van) which included two reporting crashes. On April 9, 2003, ODI upgraded PE02-086 to an engineering analysis (EA03-005) to continue its examination of the issue. The trailing arm design in these vehicles has been used in the U-van from MY 1997 through the present. The GM analysis concluded that the subject trailing arms could crack or buckle if they were damaged during assembly, pre-delivery handling, or subjected to certain service related abuse conditions such as improper towing or jacking. Analysis of ODI and GM data has identified 19 incidents of rear axle trailing arm failures in the subject vehicles. There have been no new reports to ODI or GM in the last 12 months and only one new complaint in the last 21 months. Due to the low complaint rate and the absence of a continuing trend in reported failures, a safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of Agency resources does not appear to be warranted. Accordingly, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances. For additional information, see the attached closing report. Investigation was initiated on April 23 2003. Closed on January 12 2004. For detailed information & supporting documents, see the official NHTSA page concerning investigation #EA03005 »

NHTSA Defect Investigation #PE02086
REAR AXLE TRAILING ARM FAILURE: Suspension:Rear**
CLOSEDno recall issued
** This defect investigation is filed under 2 related vehicle components.
1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE -- Analysis of ODI and GM data has identified 14 incidents of rear trailing arm failures in model year (MY) 1997 through 1999 GM U-vans, including two that allegedly resulted in crashes. The trailing arm design in these vehicles is used in the U-vans from MY 1997 through 2003. According to GM, the subject trailing arms can crack or buckle if they have been damaged during assembly, pre-delivery handling, or certain service related abuse conditions (E. G., improper towing or jacking). GM identified a parts handling concern that was causing some trailing arms to be damaged prior to installation. To address this concern, GM implemented changes to the shipping containers from January 1999 through September 1999. Eight ( of the reported incidents in MY 1997-99 U-vans, including the two crashes, occurred in the last 2 years. This investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis to assess the trend and safety risk associated with the alleged defect. Investigation was initiated on November 18 2002. Closed on April 09 2003. For detailed information & supporting documents, see the official NHTSA page concerning investigation #PE02086 »