1988 Chevrolet Astro Problems

FISSURE IN THE RADIATOR

WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH ON FLAT SURFACE AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF, BUT WILL BE EASY TO START IT BACK UP. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER STATES IDLER ARM TORE OFF THE FRAME, CAUSING STEERING TO THE FAIL. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

BOLTS THAT GO THROUGH THE POWER STEERING PUMP BRACKET INTO THE ENGINE HAVE BROKEN FOR THE SECOND TIME ON A 4.3L ENGINE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

FRONT SEAT BELTS ARE HARD TO UNLATCH WHILE EXITING VEHICLE. ALSO, CHILD RESTRAINTS IN REAR OF VEHICLE DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

THE FIRST BENCH SEAT RIGHT SEATBELT RELEASED AND CAUSED THE OCCUPANT TO FALL OUT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

SPOT WELDS ON FRONT DOORS BREAK LOOSE WHEN CLOSING, WINDOW TRACK FALLS DOWN AND IMPAIRS THE LOCK/WINDOW AND DOOR MECHANISM. *AK CONSUMER STATES HIS WIFE WAS TRAPPED INSIDE VEHICLE AND HAD TO EXIT THROUGH SLIDING DOOR, COULD NOT GET DOORS TO OPEN, DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS ADVISED THAT DOOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AS IT WAS AN INTEGRAL PART, CONSUMER WENT TO A MECHANIC AN SPOT WELDED BRACKET BACK AND SCREWED BACK DOOR HOUSING, MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A POOR DESIGN.*JB

INSIDE DOOR HANDLES BROKE. *SD

OVERHEATING OF DOME/INSTRUMENT LIGHT DIMMER SWITCH AND PLUG IN FRONT OF IT CAUGHT FIRE. BURNED PARTS REPLACED. HAPPENED TWICE MORE (WITHOUT FIRE). OVERHEATING IN THIS AREA PERSISTS WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. ONE HEADLIGHT GETS EXTREMELY HOT. BURNED OUT FRONT FAN MOTOR AND A MONTH LATER FUEL PUMP BURNED OUT.

I WAS GETTING READY TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE SEAT BACK IMMEDIATELY RECLINED. IT IS A GOOD THING THAT I WAS NOT DRIVING AT THE TIME AS I WOULD OF LOST TOTAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE VAN INTO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP (MEDVED CHEVROLET IN ARVADA, CO) AS THE ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP WAS OUT OF BUSINESS. THE SERVICE DEPT. TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS ONLY ONE RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE AND IT WAS IN 1993 FOR THE SEAT TRACK AND NOT THE BOLT. THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT UNDER A RECALL. I KNOW THAT WHEN MEDVED DID THE ORIGINAL RECALL REPAIR/REPLACEMENT, THAT THE RECALL CLAIMED THAT THE DRIVERS SEAT WOULD IMMEDIATELY FALL BACKWARDS AND COULD CREATE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME ON THIS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END, AS IF SOMETHING WAS FALLING OUT. DIFFERENTIAL HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.

ODOMETER FRAUD.

AFTER 1-2 HOURS OF TRAVELING TRANSMISSION SHIFTED VERY HARD. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND TECHNICIAN STATED THAT TORQUE CONVERTER AND VALVE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK CONSUMER STATES WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND THEN TAKING OFF, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK VERY HARD FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR, WHEN VEHICLE COOLS OFF THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN, TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST STATED THAT THE VALVE BODY AND TORQUE CONVERTER HAD BEEN REDESIGNED SINCE THIS VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED. *SLC

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END, AS IF SOMETHING WAS FALLING OUT. DIFFERENTIAL HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH THE RIGHT REAR LEAF SPRING BROKE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE. OWNER HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE DEALER. *AK CONSUMER STATES FIBERGLASS VEHICLE SPRING BROKE AND FELT LIKE A BLOWOUT, CONSUMER REPLACED SPRING AND VEHICLE HANDLES FINE. *SLC

AFTER 1-2 HOURS OF TRAVELING TRANSMISSION SHIFTED VERY HARD. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND TECHNICIAN STATED THAT TORQUE CONVERTER AND VALVE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK CONSUMER STATES WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND THEN TAKING OFF, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK VERY HARD FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR, WHEN VEHICLE COOLS OFF THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN, TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST STATED THAT THE VALVE BODY AND TORQUE CONVERTER HAD BEEN REDESIGNED SINCE THIS VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED. *SLC

THROTTLE BODY WORE OUT, CAUSING THE THROTTLE TO STICK. *AK *JB

OVERHEATING OF DOME/INSTRUMENT LIGHT DIMMER SWITCH AND PLUG IN FRONT OF IT CAUGHT FIRE. BURNED PARTS REPLACED. HAPPENED TWICE MORE (WITHOUT FIRE). OVERHEATING IN THIS AREA PERSISTS WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. ONE HEADLIGHT GETS EXTREMELY HOT. BURNED OUT FRONT FAN MOTOR AND A MONTH LATER FUEL PUMP BURNED OUT.

CONSUMER WIFE WAS DRIVING TRUCK STALLED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE . TT

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FATAL FOUR VEHICLE ACCIDENT DUE TO POSSIBLE FAILURE AND BLOWOUT OF THE FIRESTONE P 215/70R15 TIRE, PRIOR TO ACCIDENT THE CONSUMER PURCHASED ALL NEW TIRES (8-97), ONE WAS REPLACED ONE MONTH PRIOR TO ACCIDENT DUE TO WIRE THREADS STICKING OUT OF THE SIDEWALLS. THE FAMILY OF THE DRIVER OF THE ASTRO VAN IS SEEKING AN INVESTIGATE REGARDING THE POSSIBILITY OF THE TIRE BEING THE CAUSE INSTEAD OF THE CONSUMER, WHO IS NOW IN JAIL. *MJS

RIGHT REAR TIRE, BEARING AND AXEL SHOW EXTREME WEAR OVER A SHORT PERIOD IF TIME. HAVE HAD TWO BLOWOUTS OF THE TIRE AND FOUR OTHER TIRE FAILURES IN THE RIGHT REAR POSITION. HAD TO REPLACE THE AXEL AND WHEEL BEARING DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR. THIS IS THE RESULT OF A DESIGN PROBLEM. THE MUFFLER HAS BEEN PLACED IN TOO CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE RIGHT TIRE AND AXEL HOUSING. HEAT FROM THE MUFFLER CAUSE THE TIRE TO SMELL LIKE OVERHEATED RUBBER AFTER A HIGH SPEED RUN. ESPECIALLY IN HOT WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE IS NOT A DUAL REAR AXEL AND WHEN THE TIRE BLOWS LOSS OF CONTROL MAY WELL KILL PASSENGERS AND COLLIDE WITH OTHER VEHICLES. I HAVE CURED THIS PROBLEM IN MY VEHICLE BY WRAPPING THE MUFFLER WITH HEADER TAPE AND ENCLOSING IT ALL IN STOVE PIPE HELD IN PLACE WITH LARGE HOSE CLAMPS. THIS WORKS QUITE WELL. THERE ARE OTHERS ON THE ROAD AND THE OWNERS ARE NOT AWARE OF THE DANGER.

WHILE DRIVING WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIPER SWITCH, CAUSED SWITCH TO START SMOKING, RESULTING IN THE WIPERS STAYING UNTIL CONSUMER REMOVED FUSE. *AK

SPOT WELDS ON FRONT DOORS BREAK LOOSE WHEN CLOSING, WINDOW TRACK FALLS DOWN AND IMPAIRS THE LOCK/WINDOW AND DOOR MECHANISM. *AK CONSUMER STATES HIS WIFE WAS TRAPPED INSIDE VEHICLE AND HAD TO EXIT THROUGH SLIDING DOOR, COULD NOT GET DOORS TO OPEN, DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS ADVISED THAT DOOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AS IT WAS AN INTEGRAL PART, CONSUMER WENT TO A MECHANIC AN SPOT WELDED BRACKET BACK AND SCREWED BACK DOOR HOUSING, MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A POOR DESIGN.*JB

POOR BRAKING PERFORMANCE. STOPING DISTANCE OF VEHICLE IS LONGER THAN EXPECTED. WITH A FULL PASSENGER LOAD, VEHICLE DOE NOT WANT TO STOP WITHIN RESONABLE DISTANCE. HAS RETURNED VEHICLE TO DEALER 3 DIFFERENT TIMES, AND EVERY PART EXCEPT BRAKE LINES AND PROPORTIONING VALVE HAS BEEN REPLACED. VAN BRAKES CONTINUE TO UNDER PERFORM. DEALER SERVICE MANAGER OF 10 YEARS SAID THAT 1985 THROUGH 1988 ASTRO'S WERE WELL KNOWN FOR POOR BRAKING PERFORMANCE. I WILL NOT LET ANYONE OTHER THAN MYSELF DRIVE THIS VEHICLE.*AK

OVERHEATING OF DOME/INSTRUMENT LIGHT DIMMER SWITCH AND PLUG IN FRONT OF IT CAUGHT FIRE. BURNED PARTS REPLACED. HAPPENED TWICE MORE (WITHOUT FIRE). OVERHEATING IN THIS AREA PERSISTS WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. ONE HEADLIGHT GETS EXTREMELY HOT. BURNED OUT FRONT FAN MOTOR AND A MONTH LATER FUEL PUMP BURNED OUT.