1996 Chevrolet Astro Problems

REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS MADE TO WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD. *MR FAULTY WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD CRACKED AND CAUSED THEM TO FAIL. RECALL#03V159000 *SCC *JB

I HAVE A 1996 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. I'VE REPLACED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW MOTOR'S FOUR TIMES, EACH. OUR COMPANY HAS 26 VEHICLES, ALL ASTRO VAN'S AND ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I JUST RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT THE WIPER MOTOR ON THIS VEHICLE. THE POWER WINDOW MOTOR DEFINITELY IS MORE OF A PROBLEM. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL. IN THE WINTER, YOU'LL BEING DRIVING, LOWER THE WINDOW AND ALL OF A SUDDEN CAN'T GET IT UP. IT'S EVEN MORE OF A PROBLEM WHEN IT RAINS. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS. I FIRST REPLACED THE MOTOR ON BOTH SIDES @ 19,000 MILE, THAN 39,000 MILES AND SO ON. WHEN I CALLED GM TO COMPLAIN THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP WAS STONE COLD; COULDN'T CARE LESS! IF YOU CHECK INTO THIS YOU'LL SEE IT'S A MAJPOR PROBLEM.*AK

1996 CHEVY ASTRO LF TORSION BAR BROKE. LUCKILY IT HAPPENED AFTER MY WIFE WENT ON AN 800 MILE TRIP. DEALER REPLACED WITH NEWLY DESIGNED SHORTER BAR. FRONT NOW A LOT LOWER THAN ORIGINAL. DEALER DID NOT REQUIRE OR INSIST THE OTHER ONE BE FIXED AT THIS TIME. THEY ADJUSTED THE CAMBER OF THE WHEEL TO OFFSET THE LOWER LF OF THE CAR. AFTER READING OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS BOARD IT WAS CLEARLY A DESIGN FLAW AND SHOULD BE REMEDIED BY GM. THEY KNEW--OR AT LEAST FOUND OUT ABOUT IT--OTHERWISE THEY WOULD NOT HAVE REDESIGNED THE PART. THEY SHOULD PAY FOR REPLACEMENTS ON BOTH SIDES. WHAT DOES IT TAKE? *TR

THE TORSION BAR SNAPPED IN HALF. THIS BAR WAS INADEQUATE TO THE VEHICLE, AND GM HAS A MODIFIED VERSION FOR THIS. THE BAR BROKE WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS GOING 10 MPH, WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND THIS CAUSED THE LEFT FRONT TO DROP DOWN ABOUT 8 TO 10 INCHES AND WAS A VIOLENT DROP. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS BEFORE THIS. THERE WERE NO WRECKS INVOLVED. THE CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE IN TO THE MIDAS DEALER AND HAVE THE TORSION BARS ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT REPLACED WITH THE NEW MODIFIED VERSION. THE FRONT SHOCK ALSO BROKE, AS A RESULT OF THE BAR BREAKING. THE TOTAL OF FIXING THIS WAS $1,000.00 AT THE CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *TT *SC *JB

PIN HOLES IN STEEL BRAKE LINES CAUSING COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. FORTUNATELY VEHICLE WAS SITTING WHEN BRAKE PETAL WAS APPLIED FOR STARTING. WHEN PRESSING BRAKE TO START VEHICLE, PETAL WENT COMPLETELY TO FLOOR. WHEN CHECKING UNDER VEHICLE TO ANALYZE PROBLEM, PIN HOLES LEAKS WERE OBSERVED IN VARIOUS PLACES FROM FRONT TO REAR IN STEEL LINES. I FEAR WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN IN MOTION, AROUND PEDESTRIANS, AND/OR, ON THE ROAD.

I JUST GOT HOME & WAS BACKING AROUND TO WHERE I PARK WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL STARTED VIBRATING. I DID MANAGE TO PARK. THE NEXT DAY THE VIBRATING STOPPED WHEN A GRATING NOISE WAS MADE. SUDDENLY THE BRAKE PEDAL CAME WAY UP. IT DOES HAVE SOME BRAKES BUT THEY ARE HARD TO DEPRESS. SUDDENLY MY POWER STEERING IS GONE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF PROBLEMS WITH EITHER BEFOREHAND. THIS VAN JUST PASSED INSPECTION IN MID-AUGUST, AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. *JS

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE DID NOT WORK. FUEL GAUGE SHOWED FULL, HALF FULL OR EMPTY. CONSUMER'S SISTER RECEIVED A RECALL CONCERNING FUEL GAUGE FAILURE, BUT HE HAD NOT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. ALSO, CONSUMER'S WIFE RAN OUT OF FUEL BECAUSE OF FUEL GAUGE INACCURATE READING OF THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE GAS TANK. IT WOULD COST OVER $500.00 TO HAVE REPAIRS DONE IF IT WAS NOT ON RECALL.*AK

1)AC COMPRESSOR STOPPED WORKING 2)COMPRESSOR SEIZED UP, ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING, AND VEHICLE STOPPED ON HIGH TRAFFIC HIGHWAY 3)SORT BELTED SERPENTINE BELT . *AK

1996 CHEVROLET ASTRO WITH TRANSMISSION FAILURE. CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE PART THAT FAILED WAS THE SUNSHELL. HE HEARD THAT IF THIS PART FAILS, THE REVERSE AND SOME FORWARD GEARS WILL BE LOST. *KB

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MILES PER HR. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK OF MY VAN, IT LOOKED LIKE THE VAN WAS ON FIRE, I LOST ALL POWER TO THE VAN, AND HAD NO PICK-UP OR SPEED. I HAD TO DIVERT THE VAN TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. WHEN I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD I FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION CABLE HAD COME UNATTACHED, AND I HAD TRANSMISSION FLUID ALL OVER THE GROUND. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS WHATSOEVER. TRANSMISSION FLUID SPRAYED ALL THE WAY TO MY BACK WINDSHIELD OF THE VAN. *JB

I JUST GOT HOME & WAS BACKING AROUND TO WHERE I PARK WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL STARTED VIBRATING. I DID MANAGE TO PARK. THE NEXT DAY THE VIBRATING STOPPED WHEN A GRATING NOISE WAS MADE. SUDDENLY THE BRAKE PEDAL CAME WAY UP. IT DOES HAVE SOME BRAKES BUT THEY ARE HARD TO DEPRESS. SUDDENLY MY POWER STEERING IS GONE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF PROBLEMS WITH EITHER BEFOREHAND. THIS VAN JUST PASSED INSPECTION IN MID-AUGUST, AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. *JS

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE DROPPED, CAUSING DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE BOUNCED ACROSS 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC, CHILD HIT HIS HEAD ON SIDE OF VEHICLE. DEALER DETERMINED THE TIE ROD BROKE ON PASSENGER SIDE.*JB

WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AT 50 MPH . UPON IMPACT, VEHICLE WAS PUSHED FORWARD, AND REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND DRIVER SUSTAINED BACK AND NECK INJURIES.*AK

CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN MARK III CONVERSION - ACCIDENT, ABS FAILED TO CORRECT FISH TAILING, FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT OPEN ON FRONTAL IMPACT. *JB

WHILE DRIVING PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR CAME OFF DUE TO DEFECTIVE PLASTIC. *AK

SLIDING DOOR HAS BEEN SCRAPING SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED, AND CAME COMPLETELY OFF THE TRACK TODAY. MECHANIC SAYS IT IS MISSING A STOP TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING, AND THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN A SLIDING DOOR COME OFF COMPLETELY BEFORE. *NLM

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET ASTRO. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT FOUND A RECALL NOTICE INSIDE THE VEHICLE FROM WHEN IT WAS PURCHASED. THE RECALL LETTER PERTAINS TO THE IGNITION COIL WIRE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 180,000.

ELECTRICAL FAILURE. REPEATED IN A 1996 CHEVY ASTRO. LEADING TO STARTER ENGAGE WHILE ENGINE RUNNING. *NM

DT: 1996 CHEVROLET ASTRO. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE ON AUGUST 11, 2005. THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SWITCH OR THE PLUG FOR THE REAR AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER MELTED. ALSO, MELTED THE FIRST SIX INCHES OF THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VEHICLE IS STILL DRIVABLE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER AND TURN IT OFF. HE CHECKED TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE NO FLAMES. THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. *AK

DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE, IT SOUNDS AS IF AN EXPLOSION OCCURS IN THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE. THIS HAS OCCURRED FOUR TIMES, AND DEALERSHIP REPLACED BOTH FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS TWICE. ALSO, FOUND A SHORT IN THE FUEL PUMP. HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE FOR THE LAST INCIDENT. *AK CONSUMER STATES BRAKE PEDAL IS VERY SOFT AND SOMETIMES GOES TO THE FLOOR, THE CALIPERS BREAK AND CAUSE A LOUD NOISE, CONSUMER STATES BRAKING POWER HAS BEEN LOST ON THREE OCCASIONS. VEHICLE STALLED ON ONE OCCASION. CONSUMER NO LONGER DRIVES THIS VEHICLE. LEFT SIDE DOOR LOCK INOPERATIVE, DEALER REPLACED THE ACTUATOR. RIGHT SIDE UPPER CONTROL ARM BOLTS LOOSE CAUSING NOISE, LEFT REAR LEAF SPRING U BOLT MISPOSITIONED HITTING AXLE TUBE, CAUSING KNOCKING NOISE. *SLC

CONSUMER HAD RECALL 01V123000 "AUDIBLE WARNING" REMEDIED ON 6/13/03. A FEW DAYS LATER HE BEGAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WHEN THE INTERIOR CABIN LIGHT WAS TURNED ON THE RADIO WOULD COME ON INSTEAD. ALSO, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ADJUST POWER WINDOWS, THE VEHICLE'S ALARM WOULD ENGAGE. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING CHECKED BY DEALER.*AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES ON DRY PAVEMENT PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND RESULTING IN A COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK UP. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

1)AC COMPRESSOR STOPPED WORKING 2)COMPRESSOR SEIZED UP, ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING, AND VEHICLE STOPPED ON HIGH TRAFFIC HIGHWAY 3)SORT BELTED SERPENTINE BELT . *AK

SOMETIMES WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK FINE/SOME TIMES WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL GO FAST, EVEN ON INTERMITTENT BASIS, AND SOME TIMES THEY DON'T WORK AT ALL.*AK THERE WAS A RECALL ON WIPERS MULFUNCTIONS DURING THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THIS PROBLEM IS THE SAME AS THE 95 MODELS. THE A/C HOSE ASSEMBLY FAILED TWICE AND WAS REPAIRED, BUT IT FAILED AGAIN. *YH

THE GAS PEDAL BECAME STUCK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS REVERSE OR DRIVE. THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD AND THEN ACCELERATED. THE PEDAL STICKING WAS CONSISTENT AND RELEASED AFTER PRESSING HARDER ON PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES FOR STICKING. THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT IT WAS REPAIRED. VEHICLE NOT ON RECALL. IT WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW. CURRENTLY, DEALERSHIP INDICATED WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND WOULD NOT DO REPAIRS. *AK *SCC *JB

SPEED SENSOR WIRES ARE TOO CLOSE TO THE BRAKE PADS. BRAKE PADS RUB ON THEM, CAUSING THEM TO WEAR OUT. *AK

ABS LIGHT IS ON, AND WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED STOPPING DISTANCE IS NOT NORMAL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK CONSUMER HAS HAD NUMEROUS REPAIRS ON VEHICLE, DIFFERENTIAL WAS OVERHAULED, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENLY, FULE INJECTION SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED, IGNITION SWITCH CYLINDER WAS REPLACED, AS WELL AS ALTERNATOR, THE ENTIRE ABS SYSTEM HAS BEEN REBUILT, CONSUMER STATES RATTLE SOUND FROM FRONT OF ENGINE DRIVEBELT WAS REPLACED AS WELL AS TENSIONER, ALSO FULE/AIR FILTER WAS REPLACED. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. FRONT AND REAR SHOCKS WERE REPLACED. *JB

IT ALL STARTED WITH THE REAR AXLE. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET DEALER TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. DEALER STATED WAIT UNTIL IT GETS WORSE SO WE CAN SEE THE PROBLEM.PROBLEM DISCOVERED BY DEALER. DRIVE AWAY WITH CAR AND THE REAR AXLE FELL OUT. NOW DEALER AGREES TO REPLACE REAR END GEAR BOX. NOW TRANSMISSION IS STARTING TO FAIL. TOO FAR AWAY FROM DEALER TO GET TOW. LEFT IT IN A TRANSMISSION DIAGNOSTIC CENTER. MY QUESTION IS TO YOU IS CAN THE PROBLEMS THAT I WAS HAVING WITH THE REAR END & THE WHEEL FALLING OFF CAUSE DAMAGE NOW TO THE TRANSMISION

WHILE DRIVING 55-60 MPH CENTER OF RIGHT REAR TIRE SEPARATED. THIS WAS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1996, CHEVROLET, ASTRO.*AK GENERAL AMERI TECH ST,P215/75R15, DOT NUMBER A3HFC01176. *SLC

FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THERE WAS A LONG BUBBLE CLOSE TO THE SIDEWALL, INDICATING TREAD SEPARATION. TIRE ON A 1996, CHEVROLET, ASTRO. NOT ORIGINAL TIRE EQUIPMENT. FIRESTONE REPLACED THE TIRE AT A PRORATION FEE. FR360, TIRE SIZE P21575R15.*AK THE FIRESTONE'S TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALL. *SLC

I AM ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY WIPER MOTOR IT DOES NOT WORK ALL THE TIME. SIGNAL LIGHT SWITCH ALSO WORKS SOMETIMES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65MPH AT NIGHT LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS GO OFF UNEXPECTEDLY, LEAVING CONSUMER VEHICLE WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS APPROXIMATELY FOR 45 MINUTES. HE HAS TO STOP VEHICLE AND WAITED FOR THE HEADLIGHTS TO COME BACK ON. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK