Driving on a driveway (estimated speed 5-10 mph) when I noted that the driver side door didn't seem completely closed. I tugged on the door handle to shut it and instantaneously felt the driver-side side airbag deploy, scraping my left forearm, left ear, and rupturing the left eardrum. There had been no collision or accident involving the car or any other structure. The vehicle has not been in a prior accident, and has not had additional electric work performed to any of its systems since manufacturing. The vehicle is available for inspection, it has not been inspected yet by a manufacturer or dealer, and the airbag affected my safety by causing physical harm due to faulty deployment.
2003 Chevrolet Venture: doors won't lock, open or latch
6 of the 185 complaints about the 2003 Chevrolet Venture describe doors won't lock, open or latch.
- owner complaints
- 6
- of this car's complaints
- 3%
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 1 service bulletin for this area of the car. See below
Doors won't lock, open or latch by model year
What owners say
I have owned this van for 28 months with multiple mechanical failures. I have had the brakes replaced, the rack and pinion replaced twice, the tie rods on both sides, the power window motor on the passenger side, the glove box lock, the water pump, the thermostat twice, the engine "seals", the coolant hoses and the power door handles. The power sliding door gasket has also come off on multiple occasions. The airbag light has now been on for 4 weeks. I have been stranded many times and without a vehicle on several occasions. The latest problem required three visits to the dealer to fix. The car overheated and could not be driven all three times, in a two week period. This required a new water pump on the first visit, a new thermostat 8 days later and new hoses 1 day after that.
Dt: received a recall for 2003 chevrolet venture. Husband took vehicle to dealer to have the right hand sliding door handle replaced. When husband brought vehicle home consumer got inside and closed door with power button and then manually tried to open this new latch handle and it would not open. Consumer felt that the electrical power has been switched out from this unit, the only way one can now open door was through power-not manually. Feels this was more of safety hazard now. If the electrical system failed or in the event of a crash it could not opened manually. Very upset with the recall remedy that was provided. *ak
(1) passenger was trying to open rear sliding door by handle (2) passenger right arm got caught between the door handle and back of the seat. Passenger is currently in theraphy for the injury. (3) n/a
The right side door failed to open. The consumer tried to pull the door open manually, but was unable to do so. The consumer drove to the dealer for inspection. The mechanic informed the driver that the door latch needed to be replaced due to wear and tear. Please provide additional information.
(1) on 9/7/04 I purchased a 2003 chevrolet venture van. It is a wb edition with two sliding side doors. On 9/19/04 three of my four children and myself were picking my finace' up from work on old rt. 66 in oatman az. I climbed into the driver's seat, my 8 year old daughter got into the passenger side, first row of back seats, closed the door, and buckled her seat-belt. My 5 year old daughter began getting into the driver's side first row of seats, and my fiance into the passenger side front seat. My 8 year old daughter had her right hand rresting on the door handle of the passenger side power sliding door. (2)my son, opened the passenger side power sliding door, engaging the power door response, and before my 8 year old daughter ([xxx]) could remover her hand from the door handle, her elbow was pinned to the back of her seat, and the door continued to open. There was a "pop" and her arm was broken. Both bones in her right fore-arm were left with green stick fractures. (3) I phoned the dealership the following day, and requested a return of my vehicle as I no longer felt safe in it. They denied my request, and when I asked about the 30 day return law, the sales manager said there was no such law. I phoned gm then, and filed a compaint. I was given a file number of [xxx], and told that legal *may* contact me in 48-72 hours if they didn't deny my claim. Legal called the next morning. I spoke with [xxx], and she told me that claims would call in 7-10 days. Claims called the next morning, and I was given another file number of [xxx]. The woman in claims told me how to disable the power doors in my van, and I have done so. Opening them now without the power takes a pretty strong arm, but this is how we're going to do it. No repairs have been done as of yet. *ak pe04064.pco information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
- What is wrong
- On certain minivans equipped with second-row bucket seats or captain's chairs and a power sliding door on the passenger side of the vehicle, a passenger using the interior handle to open the power sliding door could be injured.
- Risk
- If a passenger uses the interior handle to open the power sliding door and holds onto the handle while it is being opened by the motor, the passenger's arm may be pushed into the seat back or armrest and a wrist or lower arm injury may result.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the power sliding door interior handle on the passenger-side. If the vehicle is equipped with a power or manual sliding door on the driver-side, the interior handle will also be replaced for appearance reasons. Note: before the vehicle is serviced, gm advises owners to not use the interior door handle to open the door. The driver can open and close the door from switches at the driver's position or by using the remote key fob. The driver should tell passengers to use the switch located in front of the door to open or close it. The driver should use the override switch to prevent operation of the power door by children or by others who are not familiar with its use. The owner notification letter mailing will be conducted in phases with the first phase beginning on may 31, 2005. The second phase mailing began on july 18, 2005. The recall began on may 31, 2005. Phase 2 began on july 18, 2005. Phase 3 (final phase) began on august 24, 2005, to all remaining customers. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438; pontiac at 1‑800‑620‑7668; or oldsmobile at 1‑800‑630‑6537.
Recall number 04V597000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2003 Chevrolet Venture door locks
Is doors won't lock, open or latch a common problem on the 2003 Chevrolet Venture?
6 of 185 owner complaints about the 2003 Chevrolet Venture (3%) mention doors won't lock, open or latch. The model year with the most reports is 1997.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2003 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 2003 Chevrolet Venture
Fuel leak 8Headlights 8No deployment 7Overheating 6Fuel gauge 5Stalling 5
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2003 Chevrolet Venture?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history