1991 Chevrolet Astro Brakes Problems

BEGINNING ABOUT A YEAR AGO, HAVE HAD INTERMITTENT HARD PEDAL WHEN BRAKING. OCCURS RARELY, WITHOUT WARNING. NO ABS LIGHT SEEN BUT SUSPECT POSSIBLE ABS MALFUNCTION. PEDAL DOES NOT PULSATE BUT A FAINT GROWLING, GRINDING, OR BUZZING NOISE IS HEARD. MAY BE ABS MOTOR CYCLING. DURING FAILURE BRAKES ARE BARELY OPERATIVE. USUALLY RETURNS TO NORMAL OPERATION AFTER 2-3 PEDAL PRESSES. SOMETIMES PULLS SHARPLY LEFT, OCCASIONALLY RIGHT, ON BRAKE APPLICATION. THERE IS NO LOSS OF POWER STEERING. OCCURS MOST OFTEN AT FREEWAY SPEED BUT HAS ALSO OCCURRED AT SLOWER SPEEDS. HAS OCCURRED BOTH IN SUDDEN, HARD BRAKING AND IN VERY LIGHT USE. HAVE HAD ALL POWER COMPONENTS, ALL RUBBER HOSES, POWER STEERING PUMP, AND BOTH FRONT WHEEL BRAKE COMPONENTS PROFESSIONALLY REPLACED. VEHICLE HAS FRONT DISC/REAR DRUM AND HYDROBOOST. MECHANIC USUALLY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT HAS DONE SO ONCE AND HAS NO EXPLANATION FOR IT. SEEKING TO LEARN POSSIBLE REASONS AND CURE.

NHTSA ID

11286510

Incident

Nov 21, 2019

Mileage

258,900 mi

REPEATED TOTAL FAILURE OF BRAKE SYSTEM RESULTING IN THREE SEPARATE REAR END ACCIDENTS OVER 13 YEAR PERIOD. ORIGINAL OWNER. WHEN BRAKING FOR SUDDEN EMAERGENCY STOP,AFTER INITIAL BRAKING BEGINS, BRAKE PETAL GOES DOWN TO FLOOR AND BRAKES COMPLETELY RELEASE, RESULTING IN NO BRAKE STOPPAGE OF VECHICLE AND SUSEQUENT REAR ENDING OF VEHICLE IN FRONT. DEALER DENIES SYTEM RECORD OF BRAKE FAILURE AFTER SECOND OCCURRANCE. WHEN HEARD ABOUT RECALL, DEALER SAYS DOES NOT APPLY IN CANADA, AND NOT APPLICABLE TO THE 1991 MODEL YEAR.

NHTSA ID

10071394

Incident

Oct 15, 2003

ABS BRAKES IN FRONT LOCK UP WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP. HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR NUMEROUS MILES AND NOW HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO THE CONTROL MODULE FOR THE KELSEY HAYES ABS SYSTEM. ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE DUE TO SAFETY HAZARD. THIS APPARENTLY IS A RECALL FOR SEVERAL YEARS, HOWEVER, NOT 1991. I CAN NOT TAKE MY CHILDREN IN A VEHICLE THAT MAY LOSE ITS BRAKES BECAUSE OF AN ABS CONTROL PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

736494

Incident

Nov 17, 2000

THIS ASTROVAN SHOWS SEVERE RUSTOUT OF ALL UNDERBODY COMPONENTS, PARTICULARLY STEEL BRAKE LINES, CALIPERS, DRUMS, ROTORS, ETC. SUSPENSION COMPONENTS ALSO HAVE RUSTED TO THE POINT WHERE THEY INFLUENCE VEHICLE SAFETY. DEALER ASSERTS THAT THIS IS DUE TO IMPROPER STORAGE OR SUBMERSION IN SALT WATER BUT VAN KEPT ON ASPHALT PAVEMENT AND NEVER USED IN WATER. CONDITION EXISTED FROM FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. INDEPENDENT MECHANICS ASSEERTED RUSTOUT IS CHARACTERISTIC OF ALL ASTROVANS THEY HAVE SEEN. TO DATE HAVE REPLACES OVER $2000 OF BRAKE, RUNNING GEAR AND EXHAUST COMPONENTS IN 45000 MILES. THIS IS CLEARLY NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.*AK

NHTSA ID

731278

Incident

Oct 5, 1997

WHILE MAKING A SUDDEN STOP VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN, BUT THEN IT RELEASED AND KEPT GOING, CONSUMER RAN INTO ANOTHER CAR. TOOK TO DEALER , AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

870110

Incident

May 31, 2000

ALTHOUGH BOTH THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT ARE ON THE BRAKES APPEAR TO FUNCTION PROPERLY . THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS CHECKED AND IS WORKING PROPERLY . THE CODE SCANNER READS A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED ME I WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL FOR FAILED BRAKE SYSTEMS. *AK

NHTSA ID

723314

ABS LIGHT APPEARED,DEALER SAID ABS NOT FUCTIONING. *AK

NHTSA ID

723210

Incident

Jan 10, 2000

THE ABS BRAKES WERE NOT OPERATIONAL AFTER BEING APPLIED. THIS HAPPENED AFTER THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. THE BRAKES WOULD LOCK UP & THEN SLIDE. THIS IS AN EVERYDAY PROBLEM. THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED THE FIRST TIME AT 87,000 MILES. NOW THEY HAVE FAILED AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

852614

Incident

Oct 15, 1999

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL REMAINS IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION, CAUSING TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

851368

91 MODEL VEHICLE WAS NOY INCLUDED IN RECALL FOR THE ALBS COMPUTER WHICH CAUSES THE ABS LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. *YC

NHTSA ID

548568

Incident

Jul 1, 1996

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL STIFFENS HALF WAY, AND VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP. ALSO THE VEHICLE MAKES A CLICKING NOISE. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE, BUT COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

847914

WHENEVER THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED VEHICLE STARTS TO SHIMMY. ALSO, RESULTS IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

NHTSA ID

846100

Incident

Jun 23, 1999

WHILE MAKING A SUDDEN STOP BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKES PEDAL BRAKES WOULD FADE AWAY,RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

843311

Incident

Apr 1, 1997

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE ABS SYSTEM LOCKED UP CAUSING TO VEHICLE SKID. ABS SYSTEM WENT OUT THREE TIMES; DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

NHTSA ID

843285

Incident

Jan 1, 1995

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED ,THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, DEALER HAS REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER . *AK

NHTSA ID

842978

WHEN MAKING PANIC STOPS ABS KICKS IN AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP. ALSO, ABS WARNING LIGHT COMES ON EVERYTIME THIS HAPPENS. VEHICLE HAS TO BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO RESET THE ABS COMPUTER. DEALER CLAIMS THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. *AK

NHTSA ID

838217

AFTER A STOP, VEHICLE OFF, I DROVE FOR 1/2 MILE TO A STOP SIGN, ROAD COMPLETELY DRY, NO SAND, DIRT, ETC, 55 DEGREES SUNNY, AND BRAKES WORKED NORNAL AS I SLOWED FROM ABOUT 20,,THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES,,AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR,,AND I PUSHED HARDER IN PANIC,,WENT THRU STOP SIGN,,AND TOOK FOOT OFF BRAKES, AND PUMPED PEDAL,,AND THEY NOW WORKED NORMAL. I MADE A LEFT TURN DOWNHILL TO ANOTHER STOP SIGN,,SAME EXACT THING, THIS TIME I WENT OUT INTO A 4 LANE HI WAY..WAS ABLE TO STEER BACK INTO RIGHT LANE,,,AND STOP VEHICLE LIKE BEFORE,,I TESTED BRAKES AGAIN,,AND THEY AGAIN WORKED NORMAL. I DROVE VERY SLOWLY 10 TO 15 MPH AND MADE A LEFT TURN INTO SHOPPING CENTER ,,UPHILL,,AND TRIED BRAKES..AGAIN FAILED. I STOPPED, CHECKED FLUID RESERVOIRS UNDER HOOD, BOTH FRONT AND REAR GOOD,,,,I WIGGLED WIRES ON BOTTOM FRONT OF UNIT,,,RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND THEY NOW WORKED,,BUT I AM AFRAID TO USE THEM OR IT.. NOW WHAT..PARK IT ?? HELP

NHTSA ID

700102

Incident

Oct 26, 1998

ABS SYSTEM FAILED. DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES AT THE STOP SIGN, LEAVING THE SUBDIVISION AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE DRIVER COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE, WENT INTO THE TRAFFIC WITHOUT STOPPING AT THE STOP SIGN. ALSO, REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS AND HYDRAULIC DISTRIBUTION VALVE FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ID

781337

Incident

Oct 1, 1998

ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED.

NHTSA ID

534854

Incident

Dec 10, 1997

WHEN ABS BRAKES WERE APPLIED VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. OWNER NOTES THERE WAS NO BRAKING POWER. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALERS,BUT DEALERS NOTED THAT ENTIRE ABS UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED.(KELSEY HASE).. *AK

NHTSA ID

820895

BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR.

NHTSA ID

525402

Incident

Jan 1, 1993

ANTI LOCK BRAKES REPLACED FOUR TIMES.

NHTSA ID

517126

Incident

Feb 1, 1997

ABS ENGAGED WHEN GOING DOWN HILL, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL REACHING LEVEL GROUND. THE BRAKE PUMP WENT 3 TIMES IN 36K MILES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SHOES EVERY 8K MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID

817851

ABS: SLAMMED ON BRAKES, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, BRAKES DID NOT STOP VEHICLE. VEHICLE REARENDED ANOTHER MOVING VEHICLE, NO WARNING, BRAKES HAVE NOT BEEN CHECKED, VEHICLE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *AK

NHTSA ID

817508

Incident

Sep 3, 1997

ABS BRAKES FAILED, VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, RESULTING IN A CRASH/INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID

520862

Incident

Jul 8, 1997