1996 Chevrolet Astro Steering Problems

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

NHTSA ID

10538376

Incident

Aug 31, 2013

Mileage

235,059 mi

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

NHTSA ID

8017977

Incident

Sep 2, 2002

A METALLIC NOISE WAS HEARD FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE. STEERING WOULD NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. CONSUMER FOUND THE STEERING MECHANISM HAD COME UNDONE, THAT THE BOLT AND NUT HAD COME UNSCREWED AND THE STEERING ARM UNCONNECTED FROM THE STEERING MECHANISM. DEALER HOWEVER, FOUND BROKEN IDLER STEERING ARM AND LOOSE UPPER BALL JOINTS, DEALER ALSO STATED THAT A FRONT END ALIGNMENT WAS NEEDED. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *TT

NHTSA ID

565153

Incident

Dec 15, 2001

POWER ASSIST:HYDROBOOST UNIT WILL CONTINUE TO GO OUT. WHEN THIS HAPPPENS VEHICLE WILL LOSE STEERING AND BRAKES. CONTACTED DEALER AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK. *JB

NHTSA ID

8004859

Incident

Jan 1, 1998

ON TWO OCCASIONS, VEHICLE ALMOST LOST STEERING, DUE TO EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE IDLE ARM, CONSUMER STATES IDLE ARM FAILS EVERY 20000 MILES. *SLC

NHTSA ID

895920

Incident

Sep 1, 2001

THE OIL COOLER LINES LEAKED OIL ONTO THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED IT TO SMOKE. THE OIL COOLER LINES HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES WITHIN THE LAST 30,000 MILES. *NM THERE WAS NOISE IN THE FRONT END DUE TO A WORN RIGHT FRONT OUTER TIE ROD AND WHEN DAMP OR COLD OUT, A HARD SHIFT WOULD BE PRESENT WHEN MAKING TURNS. *SCC

NHTSA ID

10055242

Mileage

30,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING STEERING AND BRAKES GO OUT AT SAME TIME. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

876699

ELECTRONIC FUEL PUMP MAKES HIGH PITCH NOISE. YH

NHTSA ID

552703

CONTROL ARM BROKE, CAUSING THE FRONT END TO DROP WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. ALSO, IDLER ARM BROKE 5 TIMES. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

857640

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE TIE ROD BOLT THAT CONNECTS TO THE U-JOINT SLIPPED OUT, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING, WHEEL WAS JUST SPINNING FREELY. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

843163

WE WERE DRIVING WEST ON I-80 NEAR GARY, IN AFTER MIDNIGHT. 2 OF OUR 4 CHILDREN ARE BELTED IN THE BACK, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE HAVE NO STEERING - THE WHEEL IS SPINNED FREELY. WE DRIFTED AT 65 MPH AND CRASHED INTO THE GUARDRAIL. THANKFULLY THERE WAS A GUARDRAIL, AS ABOUT 100 YARDS FURTHER WEST, 2 LANES OF TRAFFIC ARE MERGING FROM THE RIGHT, THERE WAS NO GUARDRAIL, AND A VERY STEEP DITCH (AS THE TOW TRUCK OPERATOR LATER POINTED OUT TO US.) 100 YARDS PREVIOUS, WE HAD GONE OVER AN OVERPASS WITH LITTLE SHOULDER - WE SURELY WOULD HAVE BEEN REAR-ENDED, HAD WE CRASHED THERE. THE NEXT DAY, THE MECHANIC SAYS THE BOLT HOLDING THE STEERING COLUMN INTO THE KNUCKLE WAS GONE - IT MUST HAVE WORKED ITSELF LOOSE. HE REPLACESDTHE BOLT, SHOWED US HOW TO CHECK TO SEE IF IT'S TIGHT, AND WE DRIVE HOME TO DAVENPORT, IA. (THERE IS BODY DAMAGE.) I MAY HAVE SOME OF THE DETAILS WRONG; FOR EXAMPLE, MY MILEAGE FIGURES ARE APPROXIMATE. I'M ENTERING THIS FROM WORK, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS REPORT GETS INVESTIGATED. IT SEEMS TO ME THIS SORT OF THING SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN - THERE SHOULD BE SOME WARNING, OR THERE SHOULD BE MORE THAN JUST ONE BOLT, OR SOMETHING. I BELIEVE IT'S ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT WE ARE STILL ALIVE, BUT BECAUSE NO ONE WAS KILLED, OR EVEN INJURED, CHEVROLET WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO CHANGE THEIR DESIGN. WE TOOK IT TO A CHEVY DEALER FOR THE REPAIR ESTIMATES, AND THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID, JOKINGLY, "CHEVY'S PAYING FOR THIS, RIGHT?" PERHAPS THEY WILL - I SUPPOSE THAT'S BETWEEN OUR CAR INSURANCE ADJUSTER AND THEM. BUT I FEEL IT'S YOUR JOB TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM THIS HAPPENING AGAIN, TO US, OR TO ANYONE. *AK

NHTSA ID

708583

Incident

Jul 5, 1999

IDLER ARMS FAILED CAUSING VIBRATION AND PREMATURE WEAR OF THE TIRES.

NHTSA ID

543518

Incident

Sep 15, 1997

KNOCK TRANSMITTED TO STEERING WHEEL FROM EXCESSIVE PLAY IN STEERING COLUMN. DEALER WILL NOT ADDRESS PROBLEM, BUT VERFIES IT.

NHTSA ID

780692

WHILE BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE HEARD A LOUD NOISE, SUDDENLY NO STEERING, THE STEERING WHEEL WENT DEAD, NO CONTROL, NO BRAKES ON VEHICLE, HAVING VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. *AK CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO RESIDENCE AND IT WAS THE SERPETINE/TENSIONER THAT FAILED.*JB

NHTSA ID

828426

Incident

Aug 11, 1998

FUEL PUMP FAILED.

NHTSA ID

604978

Incident

Dec 1, 1996

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED.

NHTSA ID

606084

Incident

Jan 1, 1997