Key information on why our rocker panels rot out
 

I need to hear from people who have had problems with rocker panel rot where it rots out just in front of the rear wheels below the rear doors.

I have found the cause of this rotting which occurs from the inside not from the outside. It is not a lack of maintenance problem as GM would like to tell us. It is a design flaw in SOME of the vans and has to do with quality control and I would love to approach GM on the issue. Whether you have a Silhouette, Transport or Venture, the design effects them all.

This isn't a joke I need to get the word out and possibly get a hold of a good attorney on the subject so please respond if you're willing to have the issue corrected.

So is it drainage holes being blocked by seam sealer? I have an '04 Silo which so far is not rusting, but I get all the nooks and crannies oil sprayed annually. I see a lot vans with this issue up here in Canada. I also find that the paint tends to flake off metal edges at the rad support and behind the head lamps, likely due to poor application.

I strongly believe the problem with the rear lower rocker panels rotting through has nothing to do with maintenance or drainage or paint chipping what so ever. I've found evidence on one vehicle of a defect in the way the body's are seamed together that causes dirt,salt,water to actually fill up the area inside the rockers where cleaning is impossible without cutting through the metal.

Not all vans have this deffect as mine doesn't. If yours isn't soft in this area it probably doesn't have it either. check the under side of the rocker just under the rear edge of the side doors. Theres a seam there running up and down and where that seam meets the pinch plate which is the crimped body seam running the length of the rocker is where it gets soft first. If it's soft I'll tell you where to look for the defect.

Hi,

I just purchased a 2002 Venture. There is none of the typical rust since this vehicle was Rustchecked every year and I just had a Krown application done. Almost every Venture, Montana, or Silo we see though has mild to extreme rocker rust. What a shame! These vehicles were expensive to purchase new and aren't worth anything now. The only good thing is that there are lots of parts available at the wreckers or privately. This van did not have mudguards, which doesn't help, but the problem is mostly due to design and construction I believe. I purchased molded mudguards at the dealer for $50.00 for all four. A fellow at work had a 2002 Montana he purchased new but was shot from rust 2 years ago. I can live with vehicle issues if there is a body to work with.

Wil

This rust isn't preventable except if you put mud flaps in front of the rear tires which just so happen to cover a design flaw in the form of a small square hole in front of the rear tires. If you want to look for it you almost need to remove the tire as it's on the inside of the seam running along the wheel well. It's about the size of an M&M and like I said in the shape of a square. it's the result of 3 different body panels coming together and not quite contacting each other allowing for this gap or hole. this connects directly to the cavity which the rocker panel covers and so dirt, water, salt, or anything else the tire picks up from the road is sent through this small hole and over time (years) it builds up in there and does it's damage. GM could have easily correct this with a few drops of caulking but didn't

pictures
 

these are pictures taken of the wheel well in front of the right rear tire while the van was up on a lift and I was under the back of the van directly under the spare tire. the pictures show the 2 seams that run paralell to each other and intersect the main pinch welded seam that runs the length of the wheel well and the gap they make due to poor design and quality control. This hole in the picture connects to just above the cavity that the rocker panel covers allowing dirt, water, salt, whatever else is small enough to go through the hole to settle inside the rockers rotting them out from the inside<br>
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Yes, I have had such a rust out condition on my 2000 chevy venture.
I have had the passenger side repaired already now the driver side is
rusting out as well.

Chuck

does any body has a solution or where can i get it fix. or a website that has replacables

There is a place in Canada called Cross Canada. They have replacement panels available. They are not by any means a exact perfect replacement. I imagine they were made for more than one aplication. I had to cut a little off the end, and use a small amount of filler to finish them off. You can drill and pop rivet them on, looks better than the rust holes. They come bare metal and have to be painted. Most automotive stores, UAP Car Quest etc. etc. deal with cross Canada, and can get them for you or you can order online.... I haven't called GM about replacements............

rust in venture vans
 

hi i have done 3 2002 chev venture vans that the rear wheel weels were completely rusted out you could see right inside to the rear seats i talked to gm about 1 of them 3 yrs ago they would not do anything about it so i fixed it myself