Problems · by component
1999 Chevrolet Venture engine and engine cooling problems
115 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Chevrolet Venture cite engine and engine cooling, 32% of all 356 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
115
32% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine and engine cooling
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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”
“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.”
“I OWN A 99 CHEVY VENTURE THE PROBLEM IS THE TEMP GAUGE GOES BACK AND FORTH FROM HOT TO COLD I WAS TOLD THE HEAD GASKETS WERE BAD. AFTER A LITTLE RESEARCH I FOUND OUT THAT THIS PROBLEM IS OCCURRING WITH A MAJORITY OF THESE VEHICLES WHY ISN'T GM DOING A RECALL. *TR”
“DEXCOOL ANTIFREEZE DETERIORATED MY INTAKE GASKETS OF MY 99 CHEVY VENTURE, SLUDGED UP MY ENGINE AND CAUSED MY CAR TO OVERHEAT AND LEAK DEXCOOL CONTINUOUSLY. THE DEALER JUST TOLD ME SORRY BUT IT WILL BE ABOUT 1500 TO 2000 TO REPAIR. THAT ANTIFREEZE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE NEVER CHANGED AND WORK UNTIL 150K MILES. MY VAN IS A LEAKING RELIABILITY PROBLEM THAT COULD STRAND US ON THE ROAD BECAUSE OF THE DEX COOL THEY PUT IN THE FACTORY. THERE WILL BE A RECALL IF YOU INVESTIGATE THIS. THE PROBLEM IS ALL OVER THE WEB AND THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT ABOUT IT IN CALIFORNIA. IT AFFECTS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. *TR”
“INTAKE GASKETS LEAKING, UPPER AND LOWER. CAUSED OIL TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH ANTI FREEZE AND ANTI FFREEZE TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH OIL. GM HAS SINCE CHANGED THE GASKETS TO A DIFFERENT TYPE OF MATERIAL. MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE.”
“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”
Showing 6 of 115 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.