These are some pictures of my 2001 Chevy Venture
and some of the maintenance I have done on it (or had done).
Click on the individual pictures to see them full size.

Defroster Not Working - October 15, 2004

I have noticed defroster was not working very well (first time used in cool weather).  When I put
my hand over the vent by the windshield, I found that no air was coming out.  I also noticed a
"hissing" sound when the defrost settings were selected OR the air conditioning was turned on. 

When I removed some paneling to see if the defrost controls were working, I found that one of
the control arms was not moving as much as it should.  I gave it a little help (push) and got some
air to come out of the defroster.

I have NOT fixed this yet, but discovered that the same condition occurs when the air controls
are moved to the dash vents only and then back to defrost.  I suspect that one or more of the
air control baffles is getting stuck.

Oh yeah, the air conditioner seems to have stopped working.  The compressor used to come on,
but now even that does not happen.

Flickering Lights - December 20, 2004

I have noticed over the last few months that the headlights sometimes appear to "Flicker" while
driving around at night.  What I mean is that the lights appear to get dim for a second and then
come back to their normal brightness.  It does NOT appear to be related to any vibration or when
I hit a bump in the road. It DOES appear to be related to times when extra current is drawn from
the electrical system (i.e. MAF sensor kicks in).

While researching this issue, I found that there is a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) on several
GM vehicles for this issue (TSB 01-06-03-005). It involves replacing a screw and washer on the
alternator that is used to ground the Voltage Regulator.

I got the "kit" (replacement screw & washer) and installed them today. This took a total of about
10-15 minutes, once I located the screw.
I will keep an eye on the lights to see if this issue continues.

Note: The washer in the kit was "warped" a little.  I am assuming that this helps to keep the
screw from turning (like a "keep-washer"). 

Maintenance to do:
- From August 2004:Find "Plastic Rattle" sound when hitting lane bumps, and random
 "squeaks" coming from the back interior (suspect seats).
- A/C not working & air flow controls not working properly (they get stuck).

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