Tl* the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet venture. The contact stated that while making a left turn at approximately 5 MPH, the steering wheel seized without warning. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 09e005000 (steering). The failure mileage was 122,000.
1998 Chevrolet Venture: steering wheel locks up
5 of the 409 complaints about the 1998 Chevrolet Venture describe steering wheel locks up.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 1 service bulletin for this area of the car. See below
Steering wheel locks up by model year
- 20041
- 19985
- 199717
What owners say
While driving at 70 MPH the vehicles steering wheel locked up. Consumer states' after breaking steering out of the lock mode, consumer drove to a near dealer. Please provide any further information.
Lose ability to steer the van when it rains or passing through small water deposits on the road. The steering wheel locks.
While driving in a mall parking lot, went to make a left hand turn into a parking spot, and steering wheel locked up. Vehicle hit a pole. Contacted dealer and the manufacturer.
When I drive over water after a rain, my van steering locks up, and the belt makes a noise. I think also the AC stops working. This is a serious situation as you can not steer.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Steering: rack and pinion
- What is wrong
- Certain passenger vehicles and mini vans have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These and some other retainers used in vehicles assembled between january 1, 1996 and october 31, 1997, could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
- Risk
- If this occurs, the pinion shaft can be forced upward during left turns and back down as the steering wheel is moved back and to the right. If the pinion shaft moves further, the driver will need to exert more effort to turn the steering wheel, similar to a vehicle without power assisted steering. If the pinion shaft moves even further, the driver will require much higher effort to turn left and may not be able to turn the wheel as much as intended. With the maximum pinion shaft movement, which requires internal gear component damage, the driver can encounter high resistance to turning left, followed by unintended power assist to the right. In any of these conditions, a crash could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began january 24, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020, pontiac at 1‑800‑762‑2737, or oldsmobile at 1‑800‑442‑6537.
Recall number 02V286000 · Recall details
Questions about the 1998 Chevrolet Venture steering lock-up
Is steering wheel locks up a common problem on the 1998 Chevrolet Venture?
5 of 409 owner complaints about the 1998 Chevrolet Venture (1%) mention steering wheel locks up. The model year with the most reports is 1997.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1998 Chevrolet Venture?
There is 1 recall and 1 service bulletin for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 1998 Chevrolet Venture
Headlights 56Engine failure 24Overheating 14Door locks 11Check engine light 9Knocking 9Stalling 9Airbag light 8No deployment 7Tire blowout 7ABS 6Seat belt 6Wipers 6Brake failure 5Power steering loss 5
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