1989 Chevrolet Astro Problems

THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE PULLING INTO THE PARKING SPACE AT MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT. THE POWER STEERING BRACKET, OR BRACE, GM PART # 10045287 6.006 BROKE AND THE POWER STEERING UNIT, BELT, AND OTHER ITEMS BECAME INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY AND THE DEALER TOWED IT IN AND REPAIRED EVERYTHING AT NO CHARGE. SINCE THEN THE SAME BRACKET HAS CRACKED AND BROKEN FOUR OR FIVE TIMES, AND WAS REPLACED EACH TIME WITH A NEW ONE, MOST RECENTLY IN JULY OF 2004. THE PARTS DEPARTMENT ADMITS THEY SELL A LOT OF THESE. *JB

THIS IS THE FOURTH POWER STEERING PUMP WE HAVE PUT ON THE VEHICLE IN A YEAR.*AK

NONE OF THE SAT BELTS WORK. NLM

DRIVER/ PASSENGER/ REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES SEAT BELTS ARE INOPERABLE. SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT IN HOUSING MECHANISM. MOST OF THE SEAT BELTS ARE DEFECTIVE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

BOTH OUTSIDE AND INSIDE DOOR HANDLES BECAME INOPERATIVE. *AK

DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE IS BROKEN AND THE REAR DOOR HANDLE IS ALSO BROKEN. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK CONSUMER STATES DOOR HANDLES ARE BROKE IN THE INSIDE AS WELL, ALSO AIR CONDITION SWITCH SHORTED OUT.*JB

RUSTED METAL BRAKE LINE FROM THE OE BRAKE LINE SPLICE FORWARD OF THE FUEL TANK TO THE LINE SPLITTER AT THE REAR AXEL ALLOWED BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK. AS THE LINE WAS REMOVED TO REPLACE, SEEPAGE ON THE RUSTED LINE TO THE LEFT BRAKE FROM THE SPLITTER WAS OBSERVED. AS A PRECAUTION, THE RIGHT REAR LINE WAS REMOVED WHICH DISINTEGRATED. *TR

BRAKES WENT OUT AND STARTED ON FIRE. BAFFLES ON ENGINE EXHAUST RUSTED OUT AND LAYED ON FRAME TOUCHING STARTER MOTOR ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WHICH STARTED BRAKE FLUID ON FIRE FROM OTHER SIDE OF VEHICLE. BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED THROUGH APPROXIMATELY SAME TIME AS BAFFLE RUSTED OUT. MASTER CYLINDER WAS BUBBLING FROM THE HEAT AS BRAKE FLUID WAS ON FIRE. FIRE WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO PUT OUT. BUCKETS OF WATER WOULD NOT EXTINGUISH FLAMES. ONLY A HOSE COULD REACH THAT AREA OF THE FIRE.*AK*AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1989 CHEVROLET ASTRO. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. AS A RESULT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE IF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER DIED AT THE SCENE AND THE REAR DRIVER SIDE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY, MEMORY LOSS, BACK, LEFT ARM, AND LEFT LEG INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE PREVIOUSLY STALLED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE ABOUT WHAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. MA 10/25/15

BRAKES WENT OUT AND STARTED ON FIRE. BAFFLES ON ENGINE EXHAUST RUSTED OUT AND LAYED ON FRAME TOUCHING STARTER MOTOR ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WHICH STARTED BRAKE FLUID ON FIRE FROM OTHER SIDE OF VEHICLE. BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED THROUGH APPROXIMATELY SAME TIME AS BAFFLE RUSTED OUT. MASTER CYLINDER WAS BUBBLING FROM THE HEAT AS BRAKE FLUID WAS ON FIRE. FIRE WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO PUT OUT. BUCKETS OF WATER WOULD NOT EXTINGUISH FLAMES. ONLY A HOSE COULD REACH THAT AREA OF THE FIRE.*AK*AK

ENGINE BOLTS SHEERING AT POWER STEERING UNIT MOUNTING PLATE, THUS STEERING UNIT FLEXES FORWARD ,SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF, LOSS OF STEERING, ALTERNATOR, COOLING SYSTEM, AND A/C OCCOURS. THIS WAS MENTIONED TO LOCAL MECHANICS AT DEALERSHIP, THEY STATE THIS OCCOURS OFTEN WITH THIS VEHICLE TYPE.

THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE SAME BOLTS HAVE BROKEN CAUSING THE BELT TO COME OFF. EVERYTHING ON THE VEHICLE GOES OUT, INCLUDING THE POWER STEERING, MAKING IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. MY WIFE HAS HAD IT HAPPEN WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING TWO TIMES PRIOR TO THIS ONE, CARRYING OUR THREE SMALL CHILDREN WITH HER. SINCE WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED, FROM A COUPLE, WE NEED TO KNOW IF THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. DURING THE REPAIR OF THE SECOND INCIDENT, WE FOUND 2 BRAND NEW BELTS UNDER THE BACK SEAT OF THE VAN, ASSUMING THE COUPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WE'RE EXPERIENCING. PLEASE ADVICE. THIS IS GETTING COSTLY AND AT THIS POINT WE WILL NEVER BUY A CHEVY PRODUCT AGAIN. *AK

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT, RIGHT POWER SEAT MOUNT IS BROKEN. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH SEAT WILL NOT BE RETAINED. SEARCH FOR A REPLACEMENT INDICATED THAT OTHER LIKE VEHICLES ARE ALSO SUFFERING CRACKS IN THE SAME PART. THE FAILURE OF THE PART WILL CAUSE THE SEAT TO NO LONGER SUPPORT THE DRIVER IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH POSSIBLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY. MULTIPLE VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM INDICATE THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND THERE IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE PART.

FRONT SUSPENSION AREA ON THE FRAME WHERE THE IDLER ARM ATTACHES, RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH THE FRAME. RESULTED IN AN AREA APPROXIMATELY 2 X 3 INCHES BEING PULLED COMPLETELY OUT OF THE FRAME, LEAVING A HOLE IN THE CENTER OF THE FRAME. A COMPLETE LOSS OFF STEERING RESULTED AND A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WAS NARROWLY AVOIDED. REAR DOOR FAILS APPROXIMATELY EVERY 18 TO 24 MONTHS. THE REAR DOOR LATCH HAS BECOME COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE. DEALER HAD TO BREAK INTO THE REAR DOORS IN ORDER TO GET THEM OPEN.

FRONT SUSPENSION AREA ON THE FRAME WHERE THE IDLER ARM ATTACHES, RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH THE FRAME. RESULTED IN AN AREA APPROXIMATELY 2 X 3 INCHES BEING PULLED COMPLETELY OUT OF THE FRAME, LEAVING A HOLE IN THE CENTER OF THE FRAME. A COMPLETE LOSS OFF STEERING RESULTED AND A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WAS NARROWLY AVOIDED. REAR DOOR FAILS APPROXIMATELY EVERY 18 TO 24 MONTHS. THE REAR DOOR LATCH HAS BECOME COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE. DEALER HAD TO BREAK INTO THE REAR DOORS IN ORDER TO GET THEM OPEN.

FRONT END FAILURE. LOWER CONTROL ARM RUSTED TO THE POINT IT AND THE HEAVY DUTY SPRING BROKE. WHEN FRONT END DROPPED VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED ALLOWING DRIVER TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE.

TRANSMISSION FAILURE CAUSING VIBRATION. WHEN RELEASING FOOT OFF GAS VIBRATION STOPS. *AK

TRANSMISSION TUBE CAME LOOSE FROM HOUSING, LEAKED, CAUSING FIRE.

WHEN DRIVING AT 55 PMH ANOTHER CONSUMER NOTICE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHCILE, AND WHEN THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER THE SMOKE AND FLAMES STARTED TO GET INTO THE VEHICLE FROM THE VENTS AND THE RADIO. WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE FLAMES WERE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT TO PUT OUT THE FIRE, AND THEY THOUGHT THAT THE PROBLEM STARTED WHEN THE FUEL LINE CRACKED. *AK

FUEL INJECTOR LEAK CAUSED ENGINE FIRE.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IT ACCLERATES BY ITSELF TO ABOUT 70-80MPH. DRIVER ATTEMPTS TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE STILL WILL NOT STOP. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND THE THROTTLE STUCK. THIS VEHICLE IS VERY UNSAFE TO THE DRIVER. *AK

POWER STEERING PUMP BROKE OFF THE BASE. ALSO, STEERING BELT BROKE. IN ADDITION, AIR CONDITIONER BELT/ ALTERNATOR AND ABS BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK

DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE IS BROKEN AND THE REAR DOOR HANDLE IS ALSO BROKEN. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK CONSUMER STATES DOOR HANDLES ARE BROKE IN THE INSIDE AS WELL, ALSO AIR CONDITION SWITCH SHORTED OUT.*JB

RIGHT FRONT FIRESTONE FIREHAWK TIRE P235/60R15 EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, TIRE WAS ONLY 6 MONTHS OLD. *SLC

THESE TIRES WERE PURCHASED AS REPLACEMENTS TO THE ORIGINAL . I WAS TRAVLING SOUTHBOUND ON HWY 99 WHEN THE TREAD CAME OFF OF THE TIRE. I WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH. AND FORTUNATELY WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE SKID AND SLIDE ENOUGH TO GET STOPPED IN THE CENTER DIVIDER OF THE HWY. THE TIRE DID NOT DEFLATE, EVEN AFTER SLIDING FORWARD AND SIDEWAYS, HOWEVER IT DID THROW MOST FO THE TREAD OFF . THE CHP HAD TWO UNITS RESPOND FROM PASSERBY CALL IN. I HAVE REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO MY INSURANCE CARRIER, THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, FOR THEIR SCRUTINIZATION.( DOT NUMBER: HYUL R5A TIRE SIZE: P205/75R15 )

SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO OPERATE. BELIEVED THIS WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT FOR THIS VEHICLE WITH 71000 OF WEAR. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST IS TO CONSUMER. *AK