Description : I bought a used 1997 Chevrolet Venture from the norwood group in warwick, ri back in Sept 2002. Approximately 5 weeks ago I began experiencing overheating problems. I took the vehicle to pep boys in warick, ri for a diagnostic thinking that it was the thermostat. They ran the test and came back with an engine problem, and advised me to take the vehicle back to the dealership. I did this and the service dept at norwood informed me that there was a problem with the intake manifold gasket. After having my vehicle for two weeks they repaired that and when taking it for a test drive before returning it to me, they decided that I now had a throttle body problem. Fixed that and two weeks later the vehicle started to smell strongly of gas. Again I took it to pep boys where another diagnostic was run and it was determined that the fuel injector, intake manifold and the fuel injector kit had to be replaced. Back to norwood I go....norwood assumed a portion of this repair but it still cost me a lot more money than it should have considering they had just done this work.less than 48 hours after getting my vehicle back, while on the road and 120 miles away from home the vehicle caught fire from underneath. Oil is sprayed all over the vehicle's exterior, the engine and undercarriage. I had to pay to have the vehicle towed back to norwood. The engine appears to be seized up and will not turn over. I am extremely disappointed over the performance of this vehicle, the dealership and the cash outlay I am having forced upon me. I want to know what can be done in the way of recourse.

- Coventry, RI, USA

No summary.

- Poway, CA, USA

The accelerator cable is frayed preventing the throttle from returning to idle. It appears that the throttle cable housing has a severe bend causing a kink right at the throttle mounting.

- Niles, IL, USA

During moments of high excelleration, entering freeway, van loses power - gains power - loses power causing lurching and places me in peril from traffic.....driver's door locks sporatically (at an ever increasing rate) and system had an episode of lock/unlock/lock in fast succession over a period of 20 minutes. The doors left my mother (72) and me (disabled) in a locked van and the lock/unlock buttons on both sides were disabled and did not work.

- Rigby, ID, USA

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.

- Casa Grande, AZ, USA

Sudden acceleration.

- Saint Paul, MN, USA

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.

- St Paul, MN, USA

When driving and reaching a speed of 50mph or more the steering column shakes violently like it's going to separate from the steering box. Took in to dealer and they can not find anything wrong. Also the cruise control was inoperative, the A/C was not blowing cool air due to a leak from the compressor, there was a smell of raw eggs due to fuel injectors leaking, and the dome lights were inoperative, the left coat hoof fell out of roof.

- Clearmont, FL, USA