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 2004 Chevrolet Venture owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Stared hearing a noise back in December of 2005. Didn't know where the noise or what it was until last week. Looked in the rear view mirror and noticed the window vibrating. On further investigation saw that the window molding was not attached and called the dealer and was told that car was out of warranty and they would charge me to replace molding. Today I noticed the drivers side window starting to make a noise. Haven't had this car two years yet and only 40,000 miles just think that it is wrong for them to not fix this problem. I am afraid to drive this car over fifty miles per hour in fear that the window will fly out and cause an accident. Have there been other complaints of this problem?
Automatic sliding door on 2004 Venture van...door is dangerous. I sometimes transport older people. I have had 2 near tragedies in the first 2 months I have owned vehicle. The last was when I went to the hospital to pick up a severely handicapped widow woman. When she started to make her exit she somehow must have had her right hand on door the handle and elbow part of arm on seat while door was opening. I could not hold the door back but was able to pull her arm free before it was broken. I reported this to general motors and to the dealer where I bought this vehicle on August 2004. They both told me that this is characteristic of this vehicle. Pe04064.
The electric passenger door on my 2004 Chevrolet Venture has repeatedly closed with various children's body parts in its path. This closing has occurred when one child is getting into or out of the van and that child or another child has accidentally pushed the button to close the door, or when I have remotely pushed the button to close the door and one of the children has reached back in for something. The door does not stop, and crushes whatever is in it's path. Fortunately I have been quick enough to avoid any serious injuries, but my children have been pretty bruised up and my seven-year-old daughter was cut by the door.
Tl contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Venture. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the passenger side door slid open without warning. The contact's child was seated next to the door at the time of the failure. She pulled over to the side of the road to shut the door, but it would not close. An hour later, the door was able to close. The dealer was notified and stated that the sensor board needed to be cleaned. The repairs were not performed on the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified and stated that there were no recalls relating to her vehicle. The current mileage was 160,000 and failure mileage was 155,000.
2004 Chevrolet Venture van. While stopped in a parking lot, my fourteen year old son opened the passenger side automatic side door using the interior handle. He kept his hand on the handle while it was opening. His arm (elbow) became stuck in the seat and he could not remove his hand from the door handle while the door was opening. The door continued to open and hyper-extended his right wrist. He heard a couple snaps and found a way to move away from the door. He s now wearing a cast. We took him to a local hospital and x-rays indicated that he fractured his right wrist. Pe04064.pco
Dt:the contacts states the gas tank scrapes the ground when two or more people sit in the rear seat of the vehicle. The dealership stated the vehicle had been damaged, causing this problem. The dealership repaired the heat shield that covers the gas tank. This did not correct the problem. The manufacturer was contacted, and they stated the rear springs were causing the scrapping. This would be repaired under warranty. The door doesn't close properly. Updated 01/19/06.
Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle had brake problems for all four wheels. The vehicle was taken to the service dealer on 13 occasions. On the 9th visit, the manufacturer authorized a 72,000-mile warranty. On 8/14/2006, while driving 15 MPH, the left rear sliding door fell off the roller track. The vehicle was being repaired at an authorized body shop. The manufacturer was notified.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Venture. The contact stated that the rocker panels were rusted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the integral body structure was weakened by rust and formed holes. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 94,000.
The sliding door doesn't stay locked in the open position, even if the vehicle is on a flat surface. This almost resulted in a toddler being crushed between the doors. The dealership was contacted and indicated that a sliding door attachment needed to be tightened. The passengers left sliding door would not lock in place.
([redacted]) craigslist lemon law parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 U.S.c. 552(b)(6)
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 2004 Chevrolet Venture?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the body & structure of the 2004 Chevrolet Venture, 17% of the model year's 124 complaints. The component named most often is body › door (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Chevrolet Venture body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2004 Chevrolet Venture, though it has 3 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 2004 Chevrolet Venture body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 43,000 miles, and 40% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 12 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.