1998 Chevrolet Chevy Van

BOUGHT 1998 CHEVY ASTRO VAN ON MARCH 8, 2007. WE TOOK A FAMILY VACATION TO IOWA OCTOBER 1-5, 2007. ON THE WAY BACK TO TENNESSEE, ON I-64, LOCATED NEAR NASHVILLE, ILLINOIS, THE VAN BEGAN TO SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD. THINKING IT WAS JUST OVERHEATING, WE PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. SMOKE BEGAN TO COME THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. AS WE WERE EXITING, WE NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND WE RAN. A LARGE GUSH OF WIND CAUSED THE ENTIRE VAN TO BE ENGULFED IN FLAMES. WE LOST ALL OUR BELONGINGS AS WELL AS THE VEHICLE ITSELF. WE ARE NOT EXACTLY HIGH ON THE FINANCIAL END AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY AND ALL HELP YOU CAN GIVE US. *TR

DT: 1998 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. FAULTY ABS SYSTEM. WHEN DRIVING THE SPEED DROPPED TO 10 MPH AND THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING. CURRENTLY, THERE IS A RECALL ON GM CHEVROLET FOR YEAR 1999 TO 2003. THE CONTACT'S CAR IS A 1998 AND IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS LISTED IN RECALL. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED THE CONTACT BUMPED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT. *AK

DT: THE SEAT BELT IN THE FIRST ROW MIDDLE SEAT WILL NOT STAY LATCHED, AND THE REAR SEAT BELT WILL NOT PULL OUT AT ALL. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE MAY 2004. ALSO, THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE HATCHBACK DOOR. THE DOOR ISSUE HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN A RECALL, AND THE WORK HAD BEEN DONE BY THE PREVIOUS OWNERS. THE RECALL WORK FOR THE DOOR WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING DONE. THE SEAT BELT ISSUE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE IS A 1998, CHEVORLET, ADVENTURE. *AK

HEADLIGHT COVER FALLS OFF HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. BULB IS EXPOSED TO ELEMENTS, WHICH DESTROYS THE BULB. REPLACEMENT PART, WHICH IS AN HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, INCLUDES A HEADLIGHT BULB, COST $125-$145. THIS IS A REDICULOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO PAY WHEN JUST A PLASTIC COVER FALLS OFF. MAKE THE PLASTIC COVER AVAILABLE WITH A GLUE KIT FOR THE CUSTOMER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEN GET YOUR ENGINEERS TO FIX THE PROBLEM.*AK

THE PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR (AUTOMATIC) DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY IN WEATHER CONDITIONS UNDER 50/60 DEGREES. THE DOOR DOES NOT LATCH (WHICH I'VE PAID TO HAVE FIXED IN 2002), AND NOW BECAUSE IT DOES NOT LATCH, IT IS POPPING BACK OPEN. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES. I'VE ALSO FOUND OUT, BY MY OWN RESEARCH, THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE SLIDING DOOR ACTUATORS, AND ANOTHER COMING ON THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. I HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF ANY RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN UNACCEPTABLE, AND IS DETERRING ME FROM PURCHASING ANOTHER GM VEHICLE. I'VE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE MY WATER PUMP, WHICH IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE VENTURE. THE VAN ONLY HAS 89,000 MILES ON IT, AND SHOULD NOT HAVE AS MANY DEFECTS AS IT DOES.*AK

I WAS DRIVING SOUTH IN A FOUR LANE ROAD. A CAR WAS COMING NORTH AND TURNED INTO ME TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. MY DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WAS HIT, THE WHEEL WENT FLAT. UPON SEEING HIM COME INTO ME, I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND SOMETHING SNAPPED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT UP INTO THE STEERING COLUMN . I COULD NOT KEEP THE CAR STRAIGHT. I WENT INTO TWO LANES OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC BEFORE HITTING A FENCE WHICH STOPPED THE CAR. I HAD NO BRAKES. MY ANKLE IS BROKE AND I'M IN A CAST BECAUSE OF THE PEDAL SNAPPING UPWARD. UPON INPACT, THE THIRD BENCH IN THE VAN UNBOLTED AND WENT FORWARD. I WAS ALONE IN THE VAN THAT DAY, THANK GOD. I AM LUCKY THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC COMING. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR KILLED SOMEONE BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR. I FEEL THE BRAKES COULD HAVE BEEN MADE SAFER. PLEASE HELP OTHER FAMILIES WHO COULD BE INJURED WORSE IN WHAT I CONSIDERED A "FAMILY VAN". THANK YOU. IF YOU CAN TELL ME WHO I CAN TALK TO OR WRITE TO, PLEASE LSET ME KNOW. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )