2001 Venture Help (long)

Hello. I could use some advice. I purchased a used 2001 Chevy Venture from a local Toyota dealership. It had 40,000 miles on it. It has 85,000 miles now. The extended warranty or pre-paid service contract that I bought from Toyota is due to expire next month. Before it does, I'd like to take it in to my local Chevy dealer and have the van worked over. I'm on a limited income, so the more the Toyota warranty will cover, the better. Previously, I've never had trouble getting warranty coverage on this vehicle (even when my son put a penny in the CD player!). I need some help with my priorities. I'm relatively handy and have a mechanic in the family, so I need to know what's easy to do myself and what I need to have the dealer do. Seems like everything (like changing the battery) is a pain in the neck with this van!

Please let me know what you think the warranty will cover. It is supposedly "bumper to bumper". Here's what I've noticed:

1. When parked on an incline, it's very difficult to shift the selecter lever from P to R. On level surfaces, it's no big deal.
2. The front end "groans" when sharly turning the steering wheel.
3. Rear suspension is starting to feel "spongy". I could probably change the shocks myself.

Is there anything else that anyone would recommend that I have fixed/checked out before the warranty expires?

Many, many thanks.

One of the biggest jobs and most expensive would be the intake manifold gaskets. At the beginning of this forum you can see that it is so common on pre 2003 3.4 and 3.1 litre engines that they gave it its own section. Signs that intake gaskets need replacing are evidence of oil leaking from the intake manifold or coolant, traces of coolant found in the oil and or traces of oil found in the coolant.

As with any vehical the proper procedure when parking on a incline..

Is to stop and place selector to park with your foot still on the brake apply the parking brake.

Now release the brake... Vola !

You can now move the selector easily through the gear range.

Also front wheels should turned in towards the curb as to configure the vehical so if the brakes and park pin where ever to fail while the vehical was parked on a incline the vehical would only roll a few inches and hit the curb.

More on REEFIN' the selector out of park when it's stuck or hard.

If you were to see the little pin and how hard it is to get to this little pin that holds the vehical in park (locks the transmission) you might just CRinge a little more the next time you BUST it out of park. ;)

Mind you they rarely break.. but they do sometimes.

Cheer's