2003 Chevrolet Venture

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

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

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

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

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

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.