FaultScore

1997 Chevrolet Venture airbag problems

16 of the 612 complaints about the 1997 Chevrolet Venture are about the airbag system — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 96,000 miles.

F

16

Complaints

4

Crashes

0

Fires

4

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Frontal 8 50.0%
AIR Bags 6 37.5%
Sensor/Control Module 1 6.3%
Side/Window 1 6.3%

Airbags across every Chevrolet Venture year

1997 16 9.4%
1998 29 17.0%
1999 42 24.6%
2000 32 18.7%
2001 15 8.8%
2002 20 11.7%
2003 17 9.9%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

White Lake, MI

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE SRS LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. THIS CAUSED THE HORN TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK. VEHICLE WA SRECALLED FOR STEERING RACK AND PINION REPLACEMENT. AFTER IT WAS REPLACED THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND COULDN'T BE RESET, THE SENSOR UNIT SHORTED OUT AND BURNE DALL TAIL LIGHTS. CONSUMER TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. CONSUMER CLAIMED HE WAS 68 YEARS OF AGE AND WAS TOLD THAT VEHICLE COULDN'T BE DRIVEN WITHOUT AIR BAGS BEING USED IN WHICH CASE THEY WERE WRONG.CONSUMER DRIVES ABOUT 3000 MILES PER WEEK AS A DELIVERY PERSON FOR A FURNACE COMPANY AND ALWAY USED SEAT BELTS.

NHTSA complaint #10103634 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 96,000 miles Woonsocket, RI

AIR BAGS

MY 1997 CHEVROLET VENTURE WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY NO ONE IN IT AND NOT RUNNING WHEN THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A WIRING DEFECT AND WOULD COST MORE THAN THE CAR WAS WORTH TO FIX IT!! APPARENTLY WATER GOT INTO THE WIRE HARNESS. HOW IS THIS MY FAULT? THANK GOD MY KIDS WERE NOT IN THE CAR!!!

NHTSA complaint #10031143 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kansas City, KS

AIR BAGS

WHEN DRIVING AND MAKING LEFT TURNS, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AND OWNER COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE. *AK RACK AND PINION FAILED. AFTER REPLACEMENT, AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ON.

NHTSA complaint #8014370 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kansas City, KS

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE

WHEN DRIVING AND MAKING LEFT TURNS, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AND OWNER COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE. *AK RACK AND PINION FAILED. AFTER REPLACEMENT, AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ON.

NHTSA complaint #8014370 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Phoenix, AZ Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

FRONT COLLISION AT 45-50 MPH, PASSENGER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY; HOWEVER, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND IMMEDIATLY EXPLODED. NECK/JAW/BACK INJURIES TO PASSENGER. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO CHEST AND NECK AREAS. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK

NHTSA complaint #8006642 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cleveland, OH

AIR BAGS

DASH WARNING LIGHT FOR THE AIRBAG CAME ON A STARTED UP AND STAYED ON, CONTROL MODULATOR FOR THE AIRBAG WAS BAD CAUSING SYSTEM FAILURE. THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #9005874 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Algonac, MI

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. REPAIRS MADE AT CONSUMER'S COST. *AK CONSUMER STATED AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING, DEALER STATED BOTH AIR BAG MODULES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, DEALER ONLY GAVE CONSUMER A 10 PERCENT DISCOUNT. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #898360 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

St.. Albans, WV

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

MY 19 YR OLD SON LOST ABLITY TO STEER THE VAN AFTER LEAVING THE PARKING LOT, AFTER A SOCCER GAME. THE CAR WOULD NOT STEER LEFT AND WAS HARD TO MAINTAIN DRIVING STRAIGHT WITH ANY TYPE OF CONTROL. THE VAN WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERS THE NEXT DAY. THE DEALER TEST DROVE THE VAN AND CONFIMN THE LOST OF STEERING. I AM UNDER THE IMPRESSION FROM THE DEALER THAT ALL THE STEERING UNIT NEED TO BE REPLACED . ALSO THE DEALER REPORTED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG COIL BROKE WHEN THE STEERING WENT OUT AND COULD HAVE CAUSED UNEXPECTED DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG. STEERING WAS REPAIRED UNDER EXTENTED WARRENTY. REPAIR TO DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG COIL WAS NOT UNDER WARRENTY AND PAID FOR BY CUSTOMER. ALL REPAIR HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.

NHTSA complaint #745241 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Macon, GA

AIR BAGS

THE FRONT END LOCKED UP CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING ABILITY DUE TO RACK AND PINION AND AIR BAG COIL FAILURE. *MJS

NHTSA complaint #550576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Park Ridge, IL

AIR BAGS

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING, INDICTATING A DEFECT . DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX VEHICLE ON 4 OCCASIONS, BUT DEFECT KEEPS OCCURRING.

NHTSA complaint #850832 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fontana, CA

AIR BAGS

AIR BAG FAILED DURING COLLISION (UNSPECIFIED REASONS). YH

NHTSA complaint #609897 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Casa Grande, AZ Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHEN CONSUMER'S SON WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH, HE WAS TRYING TO STEP ON BRAKE PEDAL TO REDUCE SPEED, BUT VEHICLE DID NOT REDUCE SPEED, IT ACCELERATED. FRONT OF VEHICLE STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE, AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.

NHTSA complaint #835401 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Whitesburg, KY 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

ABS BRAKES FAILED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL/COLLISION. NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS UPON IMPACT. ALSO, DRIVER'S SEAT BELT CAME UNFASTENED.

NHTSA complaint #535021 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUN, CA

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT NOTIFICATION. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #822538 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ST Paul, MN Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

HAD BACKED VEHICLE UP & HIT TELPHONE POLE. VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF DRIVEWAY. PUT FOOT ON BRAKES TO STOP & HELD STEERING WHEEL. VEHICLE DID 21 FT SLIDE BEFORE HITTING BUILDING. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ABS WORKED. TOOK TO DEALER & TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG.

NHTSA complaint #821086 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Streamwood, IL Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK *SLC

NHTSA complaint #814590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1997 Chevrolet Venture problems

← Full 1997 Chevrolet Venture report