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1997 Chevrolet Venture EXT

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1997 Venture EXT.

Body VANTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1997 Chevrolet Venture EXT is a minivan equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission and specified for 4.5 quarts of 5W-30 API engine oil, with EPA fuel economy ratings of 16 city, 23 highway, and 19 combined mpg. The model year carries a substantial reliability footprint, with 477 owner complaints logged against it, engine and engine cooling identified as the top problem area, and nine recalls attached to the vehicle. For a researcher, that concentration of issues against a single year establishes the 1997 EXT as a defining data point in the nameplate's reliability record, one in which engine and cooling-system concerns, rather than other systems, set the tone for the early ownership experience.

Model year200520042003200220012000199919981997

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/23/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 78 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory front wiper blades and cabin air filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 78 · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215-75R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-, 6.5-JJ; 6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731175
Engine air filter19166106
Fuel filter10290491
Spark plug19301813
Front wiper blades10329207 discontinued · alt 10329206
Serpentine belt19244954 alt 24504180
Thermostat24507563 alt 10226107
Cabin air filter19238408 discontinued · alt 52495815

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length201.2 in
Overall width72 in
Overall height68.1 in
Wheelbase120.1 in
Curb weight3858 lb
Track (front / rear)61.8 / 63 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 23 / 19 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)24X Sensor: 8 ft-lbs, 7X Sensor: 6 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)8 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)96 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts76 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)22 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)30 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)14 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub151 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5000-7000 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug TypeAC 41-940
Spark Plug Gap0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity8.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Injector Primary Resistance11.4-12.6 @ 50-95 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression100 Minimum psi
Engine Compression215 Nominal psi
Engine Compression100 Minimum psi
Engine Oil Pressure60 psi

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH DISC
Torque Caliper to Bracket32 ft-lbs / 63 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle85 ft-lbs / 133 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Brake ApplicationWITH DISC
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in / 0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.003 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.43 in / 1.27 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 7,500 mi. The big-interval services (every 7,500 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate)
Every 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1997 Chevrolet Venture EXT top in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 66 of 477 reports (14%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 9 recall campaigns target the engine & engine cooling, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 8 of the reports describe a crash and 10 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine & engine cooling pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

9
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
130
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
8
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
477
Owner complaints
8 involved a crash · 10 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 477 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling66
Steering63
Exterior Lighting56
Electrical System40
Structure33
Service Brakes, Hydraulic25
Visibility20
Seat Belts15

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 9 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

09E005000SteeringReported 17/02/2009

DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE… Remedy: DORMAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE STEERING KNUCKLES FREE OF CHARGE AND REIMBURSE THE REPAIR FACILITY OR OWNER FOR LABOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 23, 2009…

08E050000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 11/08/2008

K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF… Remedy: K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 130 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
17-NA-0732023-02-21EquipmentThis warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…
PIP4723F2022-01-14Service Brakes, HydraulicThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIP4723D2020-01-31Electrical SystemThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIC4696E2019-11-22EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
17NA0732019-09-18EquipmentThis warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Venture EXT. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 78 batteryVehicles taking 4.5 qtEngine oil filter 12731175Engine air filter 19166106Fuel filter 10290491Spark plug 19301813

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1997 Venture EXT take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1997 Venture EXT have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Venture EXT get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 23 highway / 19 combined mpg.