Problems · NHTSA complaints
1997 Chevrolet Venture problems
Owners filed 438 complaints about the 1997 Chevrolet Venture with NHTSA between Dec 1996 and Aug 2017. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (82).
Complaints
438
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
10
Reported by owners
Injuries
13
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling82
- Steering74
- Exterior lighting61
- Electrical system52
- Structure43
- Service brakes, hydraulic41
- Visibility30
- Power train26
- Seat belts22
- Fuel system, gasoline20
- Air bags15
- Tires13
- Equipment13
- Latches/locks/linkages12
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
26
54
58
56
45
52
53
57
16
7
1
2
3
2
2
0
1
0
0
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 1 |
| 1997 | 26 |
| 1998 | 54 |
| 1999 | 58 |
| 2000 | 56 |
| 2001 | 45 |
| 2002 | 52 |
| 2003 | 53 |
| 2004 | 57 |
| 2005 | 16 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine and engine cooling
82 reports1 crash3 fires
“1997 CHEVROLET VENTURE, CAUGHT FIRE AND BECAME FULLY ENGULFED CAUSING TOTAL DAMAGE. *BF ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE VEHICLE HAD ENGINE TROUBLE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0318-89)*JB UPDATED 09/13/10*BF”
Steering
74 reports1 crash2 related recalls
“STEERING LOCKED UP ON '97 VENTURE VAN WHILE BEING OPERATED AT 70 MPH ON A STRAIGHT HIGHWAY. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED, RACK AND PINION AND STEERING PUMP REPLACED.”
Exterior lighting
61 reports1 fire1 related recall
“REAR BRAKE LAMPS KEEP FAILING, LIGHT BAR ON TOP WORKS FINE BUT BOTH SIDE REAR BRAKE LAMPS FAIL CONTINUOUSLY. UPON DISASSEMBLY OF BRAKE LIGHT ONE CAN SEE THE SOCKETS AND BULB CONTACTS ARE MELTING. THIS VAN HAS ALREADY HAD THE ENTIRE REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY ON EACH SIDE REPLACED BUT PROBLEM IS RECURRING. CLEANING/SANDING SOCKETS WORKS TEMPORARILY BUT PROBLEM RETURNS WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. BULB REPLACEMENT ALONE DOES NOT WORK. FILAMENTS IN BULBS ARE NOT BURNT OUT BUT CONTACTS ON BULBS AND SOCKETS ARE BURNT. THIS ONLY AFFECTS THE CIRCUIT THE BRAKE LIGHT FILAMENT IS ON, THE TAILLIGHTS (WHICH SHARE THE SAME MULTIFILAMENT BULB) ARE NOT AFFECTED. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH IT'S QUITE APPARENT THIS IS A PROBLEM VERY COMMON ACROSS MOST OR ALL MODEL YEARS OF THIS VAN. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE OCCUPANTS - THE LIGHTS CAN (AND WILL) FAIL WITHOUT NOTICE LEAVING DRIVER VULNERABLE TO COLLISIONS FROM BEHIND DUE TO INADEQUATE SIGNALING. *TR”
Electrical system
52 reports4 fires
“NEEDS REPLACED FRONTEND HUBS ,TIEROD,PINION REPAIRS/RECALL THIS VAN NEEDS A NEW OWNER!!! NOTHING BUT COSTLY REPAIRS CHEVY NEEDS TO RECALL ALL THEM VENTURES. *TR”
Structure
43 reports
“CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A MULTITUDE OF PROBLEMS: 1. HEADLIGHTS CAME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY; 2. WHEN HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD, HEADLIGHTS CAME ON; 3. ENGINE OVERHEATED DUE TO LEAKING RADIATOR , AND 4. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, SUCH AS IGNITION AND POWER DOOR LOCKS MALFUNCTIONED REGULARLY. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO START. THE DOOR PANELS WERE LOOSE. THE WINDSHIELD LEAKED. THE ANTI THEFT ALARM MALFUNCTIONED. REAR WINDOW WASHER MALFUNCTIONED. *NM”
Service brakes, hydraulic
41 reports1 crash
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING 15 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED 3 SEPARATE TIMES. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. UPDATED 12/05/06. *JB”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.