white89euro
07-25-2009, 03:34 AM
My 2002 Venture left me stranded in the Black Hills of South Dakota last week. Turns out the AC compressor on my 133,000 mile Venture had SIEZED UP, and would barely move at all, then froze completely. There was some clattering noise and a burning belt prior to the AC compressor siezing, however a mechanic told us that the clatter was probably nothing to worry about... WRONG. If there is any clattering noise coming from your AC compressor get it replaced immediately.
Also, when pricing an AC compressor find out if you need the "rear air" or "no rear air" unit. We found out the hard way (after a 7 hour round trip to Scott's Bluff, NB for a used part, that if your rear seat passengers have rear ac/heat controls of any kind, then yes, you have rear air. The compressors for rear air / non-rear-air cars are NOT interchangeble. Sears auto, who fixed our car, and the Chevy dealer BOTH wanted about $600 for a rebuilt AC compressor. Instead I found a 78K used one at a local salvage yard (after getting the wrong part - due to wrong info from Sears) for just $105 (works great now). eBay pricing ran $50 for used to about $300 for rebuilt or new. Local parts stores wanted $315 to $479 for rebuilt units.
I'll probably have the used one replaced with a rebuilt off of eBay so this problem won't occur again for a long time. Overall I like my Venture van, but I've only owned it 1 1/2 years and about 19,000 miles of driving. We've had the head gasket replaced, but no other expensive repairs until this AC Compressor replacement (about $430 with the parts I bought, plus freon and labor at Sears). After my AC trouble and the problems I've read on this thread I will certainly be doing preventative maintenance and pre-emptive replacement of parts to avoid being stranded again.
I've owned many GM, Ford and Chrysler cars and I do NOT agree that any of those manufacturers make "Junk". I've owned US-made cars manufactured back to 1966 and as new as my 2002 Venture. Note a one has been "junk", but I don't doubt that some of the foreign makes are more reliable than my Venture. The problem with most foreign makes is that the cost-to-buy one used, and the cost of parts, make those cars a lot more expensive to own than a US made car bought used - at least as the perception still exists that it used foreign cars are worth so much more money, and the parts for those cars remain so expensive.
George - PS: Thanks very much to everyone here at a-body.net for helping me!:)
Also see these links for user trouble-shooting / recall information on the Venture / Montana / Silhouette minivans (thanks to geodian - a-body.net forums)
Common Problems: http://www.topix.com/forum/autos/chevrolet-venture/T7EJP728J0R9C8UQ7
Recalls: http://www.internetautoguide.com/auto-recalls/09-int/2002/chevrolet/venture/index.html
Recalls: http://www.automallusa.net/2002/chevrolet/venture/recalls.html
Consumer Guide Trouble Spots review for Chevy Venture 1997 to 2005: (see full report at end of this document)
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/1997-to-2005-chevrolet-venture-2.htm
Also, when pricing an AC compressor find out if you need the "rear air" or "no rear air" unit. We found out the hard way (after a 7 hour round trip to Scott's Bluff, NB for a used part, that if your rear seat passengers have rear ac/heat controls of any kind, then yes, you have rear air. The compressors for rear air / non-rear-air cars are NOT interchangeble. Sears auto, who fixed our car, and the Chevy dealer BOTH wanted about $600 for a rebuilt AC compressor. Instead I found a 78K used one at a local salvage yard (after getting the wrong part - due to wrong info from Sears) for just $105 (works great now). eBay pricing ran $50 for used to about $300 for rebuilt or new. Local parts stores wanted $315 to $479 for rebuilt units.
I'll probably have the used one replaced with a rebuilt off of eBay so this problem won't occur again for a long time. Overall I like my Venture van, but I've only owned it 1 1/2 years and about 19,000 miles of driving. We've had the head gasket replaced, but no other expensive repairs until this AC Compressor replacement (about $430 with the parts I bought, plus freon and labor at Sears). After my AC trouble and the problems I've read on this thread I will certainly be doing preventative maintenance and pre-emptive replacement of parts to avoid being stranded again.
I've owned many GM, Ford and Chrysler cars and I do NOT agree that any of those manufacturers make "Junk". I've owned US-made cars manufactured back to 1966 and as new as my 2002 Venture. Note a one has been "junk", but I don't doubt that some of the foreign makes are more reliable than my Venture. The problem with most foreign makes is that the cost-to-buy one used, and the cost of parts, make those cars a lot more expensive to own than a US made car bought used - at least as the perception still exists that it used foreign cars are worth so much more money, and the parts for those cars remain so expensive.
George - PS: Thanks very much to everyone here at a-body.net for helping me!:)
Also see these links for user trouble-shooting / recall information on the Venture / Montana / Silhouette minivans (thanks to geodian - a-body.net forums)
Common Problems: http://www.topix.com/forum/autos/chevrolet-venture/T7EJP728J0R9C8UQ7
Recalls: http://www.internetautoguide.com/auto-recalls/09-int/2002/chevrolet/venture/index.html
Recalls: http://www.automallusa.net/2002/chevrolet/venture/recalls.html
Consumer Guide Trouble Spots review for Chevy Venture 1997 to 2005: (see full report at end of this document)
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/1997-to-2005-chevrolet-venture-2.htm