Problems · NHTSA complaints
1999 Chevrolet Venture problems
Owners filed 356 complaints about the 1999 Chevrolet Venture with NHTSA between Jan 1999 and May 2018. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (115).
Complaints
356
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
22
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
34
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling115
- Air bags40
- Structure35
- Power train31
- Visibility31
- Service brakes, hydraulic29
- Electrical system21
- Suspension15
- Exterior lighting15
- Latches/locks/linkages13
- Tires13
- Steering11
- Fuel system, gasoline11
- Equipment10
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
34
42
36
44
67
68
30
10
7
6
2
3
1
1
0
3
0
0
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 34 |
| 2000 | 42 |
| 2001 | 36 |
| 2002 | 44 |
| 2003 | 67 |
| 2004 | 68 |
| 2005 | 30 |
| 2006 | 10 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 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
115 reports2 crashes1 fire
“PURCHASED VEHICLE BRAND NEW. MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK AT 35,000 MILES REPAIRED BY GM. FAILED AGAIN AT 70,000 MILES BUT GM WOULDN'T COVER THE COST, PAID $900 OUT OF POCKET. NOW AT 112,000 MILES AND SUSPECT THAT IT IS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT AGAIN. THE LIFTERS ARE ALSO MAKING NOISE. THE MECHANICS ARE TELLING ME THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. GM NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DESIGN FLAW IN THEIR ENGINE. THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO STEP IN AND ORDER A RECALL. *LN”
Air bags
40 reports12 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET VENTURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD FLASH 7 TIMES THEN REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED, WHICH LOCATED A FAILURE CODE FOR THE AIR BAGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,500.”
Structure
35 reports
“TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING OUT THE DRIVEWAY, THE SLIDING DOOR OPENED ON HER 1999 CHEVROLET VENTURE. WHEN THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE TO CLOSE THE SLIDING DOOR, THE DOOR FELL OFF THE TRACK. TWO OF THE DOOR HINGES HAD FALLEN OFF. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000 MILES.”
Power train
31 reports2 crashes
“TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET VENTURA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR. SHE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, BUT THE FAILURE WAS STILL PRESENT.ALSO THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF WATER ON THE FRONTAL FLOOR BOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY AND A MECHANIC REPLACED THE HEATER CORE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE REPAIR THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS RE-INSPECTED IN WHICH THE MECHANIC CONCLUDED THAT THE HEAD GASKETS FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 162,000.”
Visibility
31 reports
“THIS WILL BE A LIST OF MOST OF THE PROBLEMS. I HAVE COMPLAINED OF SMELLING ANTI-FREEZE SINCE I PURCHASED THE VAN NEW. IT CURRENTLY HAS 94K ON IT AND I HAVE DONE ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ON IT. I THINK THE CLOCK WORK OIL CHANGES IS THE ONLY REASON IT STILL RUNS. MANIFOLD GASKETS, INTAKE, HEAD...HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND NEED IT AGAIN, REALLY BAD. BUT I JUST DO NOT HAVE 5-800 BUCKS LAYING AROUND TO DO A GASKET JOB AGAIN SINCE I JUST DID IT A YEAR AGO. THE ANTI-FREEZE DILUTING THE OIL HAS MESSED UP A COUPLE PISTONS. THEY SLAP VERY BAD OK HERE IS MY LIST (I HAVE DEALER INVOICES FOR EVERYTHING FIXED THE FIRST TIME AND RECEIPTS FOR PARTS AND LABOR THE SECOND TIME, OR MY HUSBAND GOT SICK OF PAYING FOR THE SAME CRAP SO HE WOULD FIX THINGS) (HE IS IN THE AUTOMOTIVE TESTING AND DESIGN FIELD) *JB”
Service brakes, hydraulic
29 reports
“WHEN ENTERING AN INTERSECTION AFTER LEAVING A STOP SIGN THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT ON THE DASH CAME ON AND THE VAN BEGAN JERKING AND LURCHING IN INTERSECTION UNABLE TO MOVE THROUGH INTERSECTION FOR ATLEAST 10 SECONDS BEFORE THE LURCHING STOPPED. ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN COMING FROM A STOP SUCH AS A RED LIGHT, WHEN ENTERING STREET FROM SIDE ROAD. HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY, MORE OFTEN WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. HAVE COME CLOSE TO BEING HIT MANY TIMES, OTHER DRIVERS HAVE HAD TO SLAM THEIR BRAKES TO STOP FROM HITTING ME BECAUSE IT CAN LURCH AND JERK NOT GOING ANYWHERE FOR UP TO 30 SECONDS AT TIMES WHILE VAN IS IN INTERSECTION OR ENTERING A ROAD. ABS MOTOR WAS FOUND TO BE WEAK, BUT MECHANIC CANNOT FIND PROBLEM WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM IN ORDER TO FIX IT. *TR”
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.