Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Chevrolet Venture owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Driver was turning at traffic light at low speed, 200 ft from her home. When turn was complete, driver was unable to return steering wheel to forward position, nor was she able to stop the vehicle using brake pedal, until the vehicle crashed into another one parked along the street. Driver was unable to explain how it could happen, and the accident was considered her fault. However, the latest GM recall regarding weakness of ignition key mechanism provides logical explanation of this accident. If the ignition key flipped to "off" position during the turn, power steering and power braking would be gone, and what driver described would make total sense. Especially taking into account that at that time the driver had several additional keys on the keychain. Is it possible that 2003 Chevrolet Venture ignition mechanism May suffer from the same problem as ones recalled by GM?
Due to rusted rear right brake line, vehicle lost all brake fluid without warning and prevented vehicle from stopping in a timely manner. The lack of brake control caused right rear side of the van's body (just in front of the rear right wheel) to hit the protective barrier at the gas station. Upon inspection rust is now observed at several places on the brake lines as well.
The metal underside support bracket that holds up both the engine coolant radiator and A/C radiator had rusted completely to the extent that the left (driver) side of the bracket completely failed and allowed the radiators to tilt down and drop approx. 4" on the left side. The primary support is now only the coolant hoses. Had I not noticed, while viewing the car from the front that there was a problem; both the radiators could have fallen off while driving, they certainly could have wedged to impede the steering control and /or run over by the tires to most certainly be a safety issue to us or others on the road. My call to a dealership stated they are well aware of this particular rust issue and they have no knowledge of recall by GM. There should be a recall to repair a corrosion issue of this support component that is a safety integrity issue. [redacted]
Consumer complained of rear end problem. Consumer maintained that manufacturer never sealed the back end of the vehicle. As a result, water leaked into the vehicle. The manufacturer refused to repair the defect. However, the manufacturer was willing to dry out the vehicle. Also, a moldy mildew smell lingered within the vehicle. Mold was all through the ceiling as well as blowing through the rear vents, the back end leaked, the roof rail seams and pitch rail were not sealed, water leaked into the rear dome light and leaked onto the floor in the rear, the tires were replaced at 18K miles, the #2 and #3 fan relay shorted, the front end had excessive play, and the front windshield seal had come loose from the glass.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Venture. The contact stated that the passenger side sliding door failed to remain closed. The failure has occurred several times since the vehicle was purchased. The powertrain was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 33,000. The consumer stated the door has been malfunctioning since a couple of months after he purchased the vehicle. The consumer stated back in the spring of 2006 the door malfunctioned and the vehicle was taken to the dealer who in turn adjusted the rod and thought the problem was fixed but the defect still persists sometimes. Updated 08/20/07
We have 28 braun enter van that have experienced failures of the engine cradle mounts. One was a complete failure during operation that caused the van to accelerate fully when the forward cradle mounts failed completely while driving the van. Upon a complete inspection of the all 28 vans we reviled several with forward mount problems and almost all with rear mount cracks. To date braun has made repairs to some of these units and was fully aware of the problems but to date no public notification of this potentially dangerous situation has been published.
Dt: while getting out of the van on passenger side back sliding door a three year old child got her leg caught in the v-bar. The door would not stop opening, the door dragged her while it was opening. Caller was trying to brace the door so it would not open any further, and someone else was trying to get the child out. The van had no shut off readily accessible to stop the door while it was opening or closing. Girl got cut on head and bruised ankle and thigh. Had 5 stitches.
Dt*: the contact stated the right power sliding door of the vehicle latched close trapping a child's hand. The keys were locked inside the vehicle and an ambulance was called to assist. A paramedic had to break a window to release the child. The vehicle has not been to a dealer or independent auto repair shop to determine whether this incident was caused by a manufacturer defect.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Venture. The roof of the vehicle is corroding and rusting. The dealer stated that the vehicle was out of warranty and was not their responsibility. The purchase date was unknown. The current mileage was 123,000 and failure mileage was 89,000.
2003 ventura gas tank suffered damage due to there being no road hazard protection for the tank. The vehicle has a 25 gallon fuel tank. This tank has a metal shield from the rear to within 24 inches from the front. The front area is unprotected.
NHTSA investigations
Power-sliding door
Subject vehicles are available with an optional power sliding door.the interior handle is oriented in the vertical position in the door panel and lines up at the elbow level when the occupant is seated in the 2nd-row outboard position.if the occupant holds the interior handle in the thumb up position during power-assisted opening, the arm/wrist can be push back with force against the 2nd-row bucket seat or captain's…
Body complaints in other Venture years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2003 Chevrolet Venture?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the body & structure of the 2003 Chevrolet Venture, 15% of the model year's 185 complaints. The component named most often is body › door (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Chevrolet Venture body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2003 Chevrolet Venture, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Chevrolet Venture body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 65,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 9 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.