Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Chevrolet Astro submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 43 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 43, in the owner's own words
1997 ASTRO VAN. FUEL TANK ALWAYS READS FULL. RUNNING OUT OF GAS IN TRAFFIC CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS. I KNOW OF OTHERS WITH SAME VEHICLE WHO HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. CALLED GM AND OPENED TROUBLE TICKET. THEY SAID NO RECALLS OR BULLITENS ARE OPEN FOR THIS PROBLEM. FUEL LEVEL SENSOR ON FUEL PUMP IS BAD.
FUEL GAUGE READS FULL ALL THE TIME. I REALIZE THAT IT IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS OTHER THINGS. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 3 MONTHS AFTER THE WARRENTY RAN OUT. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM VECHICALS AND NOT WITH JUST THE ASTRO VANS. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER THEY SAID THAT PEOPLE NORMALY JUST USE THERE TRIP ODOMETER. THE REASON I WAS GIVEN WAS THAT IT WAS A $500 FIX. I KNOW 5 OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE OR HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. MOST JUST GET BY UNTIL THEY GET RID OF THE VECHICAL.*AK
CAR BEGAN TO IDLE VERY HIGH THEN BEGAN TO DRIVE ITSELF. BRAKES HAD TO BE USED AT ALL TIMES DURING OPERATION OF VEHICLE UNTIL VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO MECHANIC.*AK
MY VAN IS A 1997 ASTRO AND IT HAS SOME SERIOUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AFTER GOING 30-40 MILES AND STOPING AT A LIGHT IT JERKS REAL HARD AND FEELS LIKE I WAS HIT IN THE BACK I HAVE TOOK IT 3 TIMES TO GET FIXED AND IT STILL DOES IT THE SERVICE INGINE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN IT STARTS DOING IT NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHEAT WRONG THEY JUST KEEP TAKEING MY MONEY AND TELLING ME ITS FIXED WHEN ITS NO IF SOME ONE COULD TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM IS I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY THE FUEL PUMP WENT OUT 900.00$ THE DRIVER WINDOW MOTOR WENT OUT THE IDLER ARMS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED BRAKES KEEP WEARING DOWN ...PLEASE SOME ONE CONTACT ME.*AK
THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE FUEL INDICATOR READ FULL WHEN THE FUEL TANK LEVEL WAS LOW. *AK
THE ENGINE RACED AT FULL THROTTLE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE NOT TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE DEALER STATED THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR HAD MALFUNCTIONED. *JB
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 97 CHEVY ASTRO VAN ABOUT 40MPH WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO STOP. THE VAN WAS NOT STOPPING SO SHE PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS SHE COULD. JUST AS IT WAS ABOUT TO STOP AT THE STOP SIGN IT LURCHED FORWARD INTO THE INTERSECTION. THE VAN CONTINUED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED (LUCKILY THERE WAS NO OTHER CARS COMING). SHE TRIED TO STOP AGAIN NOW NOTICING THAT THE ENGINE WAS RACING. SHE TURNED OFF THE CAR AND PUT IT INTO PARK. WE THEN HAD THE VAN TOWED TO THE DEALER WE BOUGHT IT AT. THEY LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WENT OUT AND WAS POURING RAW FUEL INTO THE MOTOR. IT WAS OCCURING AT SUCH A HIGH RATE THAT IT SUCKED A PART OF THE THROTTLE BODY INTO THE MOTOR. WE STILL DON'T HAVE OUR VAN BACK OR DO WE KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGES (THEY HAVE TO PULL THE HEADS OFF TO FIND THE PART THAT GOT SUCKED IN). I AM GLAD I AM WRITING THIS JUST WORRYING ABOUT A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS I AM OUT AND NOT TELLING YOU HOW MY WIFE AND TWO KIDS WERE KILLED. I CALLD GENERAL MOTORS TO COMPLAIN AND THEY MADE A CASE (#1-73278300) AND SAID THAT IF THEY GOT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS THIS COULD TURN INTO A RECALL AT WHICH TIME THEY WOULD REIMBURSE US. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER SAID HE HAS SEEN CASES IN WHICH PARTS WERE SUCKE INTO THE ENGINE 3 OR 4 TIMES. MY QUESTION IS HOW MANY PEOPLE NEED TO GET HURT OR KILLED FOR GM TO THINK THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM? MY FAMILY GOT LUCKY IN THAT THEY WERE JUST ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. ALSO I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO BE LIABLE FOR MY WHOLE ENGINE BEING IN JEOPARDY FROM ONE RELATIVELY CHEAP PART GOING BAD. I AM COMPAINING ABOUT A POTENTIAL DEADLY PROBLEM THAT I FEEL IS A DESIGN FLAW. HOW MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME AS MY FAMILY OR WORSE? HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE FOR GM TO RECOGNISE THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM?
MY MINI VAN ALWAYS STARTS SHAKING WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED I WENT THROUGH SIX TIME FIXING PROBLEM , I PUT NEW DISCS DRUMS SHOE PADS SHOCKS ALIGNMENT REBALANCE EVERYTHING WE COULD DO I'AM VERY DISAAPOINTED AT CHEVROLET FOR THEIR VEHICLE PERFORMANCE I EVEN PUT A NEW GEAR BOX, THE FUEL GAGE DOES'NT WORK THEY TOLD AT CROPPERS CHEVROLET IN NOGALES AZ.I NEED TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP THEY COULD NOT FIX THE GAGE I AM SO DISSAPOINTED I BOUGHT A TOYOTA AND AS SOON AS I CAN I'LL TRADE THIS VEHICLE . ONE THING I LEARNED IS GO WITH AN IMPORT VEHICLE.*AK
VEHICLE CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH. VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. INFORMED CONSUMER OF A FUEL PUMP FAILURE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE: BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT POWER WINDOR MOTORS; REPLACE THE KEY REMOTE, BOTH IDLER ARMS,FRONT BRAKE PAD AT 37,000 MILES, SERPENTIME BELT, POWER STEERING PUMP - REPLACED TWICE, HAD TO FIX OIL COOLER LINES TWICE, REPLACED DISTRIBUTOR/ROTOR; REPLACED LOWER GASKET DUE TO INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK, AND FUEL PUMP MODUAL. ALL OF THIS WAS DONE BEFORE MY CAR HAD 57,000 MILES. THE DEALER HAS BEEN VERY FAIR AND REPAIRED AT LOW OR NOW COST. I HAVE HAD TWO TRIPS SHORTENED DUE TO BREAKDOWNS AND HAVE SPENT OVER $1,500 ON REPAIRS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRENTY OR BY THE DEALER. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO NORMAL MAINTENANCE (OIL AND FILTER,FOUR NEW TIRES,AND TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER). I AM CONCERNED AS TO "WHAT IS NEXT" AND WHEN THE DEALER WHEN NO LONGER BE ABLE TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS AT LOW COST TO ME.*AK
VEHICLE IS NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS WHILE DRIVING. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
UPON REMOVAL OF DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP ASSY CONTAINED WITHIN THE GAS TANK THE FUEL PUMP GROUND WIRE HAD MELTED AND SHORTED TO THE POSITIVE LEAD TO THE FUEL GAUGE SENDER. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF THE WIRING INSIDE THE GAS TANK IS NOT HOUSED IN SOMETYPE OF PROTECTIVE ASSY TO PREVENT SUCH FAILURES IT WOULD NOT ONLY BE A FAULTY DESIGN BUT POSE A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. FORTUNATELY EXCESSIVE HEAT OR SPARKS DID NOT OCCUR DUE TO THIS FAILURE. HAD THERE BEEN ENOUGH HEAT OR SPARKING FROM THE SHORTED WIRING, MOST LIKELY THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A RESULTING FIRE AND/OR EXPLOSION. I AM ALSO CONCERNED ON HOW SUCH FAILURES RESULTING IN A FIRE AND/OR EXPLOSION COULD EVER BE DETERMINED SINCE THE EVIDENCE OF POOR DESIGN WOULD MOST LIKELY BE DESTROYED BY FIRE AND/OR EXPLOSION. HAVE THERE BEEN MANY UNEXPLAINED FIRES OR EXPLOSIONS ON THIS MODEL VEHICLE? I DO HOPE SOMEONE WILL CONTACT ME ON THIS ISSUE!*AK
TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR WHEN I GET OFF OF THE HIGHWAY,FEELS LIKE SOMEONE REARENDED ME. GAS GUAGE ALWAYS REGISTERS FULL.GRINDING NOISE FROM RIGHT REAR TIRE,SOUNDS LIKE THE REAR AXLE,HAD BRAKES CHECKED BY DEALER THEY ARE FINE.MAYBE I SHOULD OF BOUGHT A FORD. *AK
FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. AIR CONDITIONER AND TRANSMISSION BROKE.
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED AND VEHICLE CEASED AS BATTERY RAN DOWN, REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND IGNITION COIL AND WIRE. *JB
FUEL PUMP IS CREATING A HUMMING NOISE. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND HAD FUEL PUMP REPLACED. REPLACED FUEL PUMP IS MAKING SAME NOISE. *AK THE ORIGINAL FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE GAS GUAGE STOPED WORKING. *YH
FUEL GUAGE DID NOT REGISTER CORRECT LEVELS OF FUEL WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO UNEXPECTEDLY RUN OUT OF FUEL. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW WILL NOT STAY OPEN, CLIPS THAT SHOULD HOLD IT UP ARE BLOCKED BY MATERIAL, WINDOW SLAMS SHUT WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP. TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 45000 MILES. *AK OIL LEAK, DEALER ORDERED AXLE OUTPUT SHAFT SEAL AND CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP REPLACED DUE TO VEHICLE CUTTING AND WOULD CRANK, BUT WOULD NOT STAR. OIL PRESSURE GAUGE ERRATIC, DEALER REPLACED OIL PRESSURE SENDER. FRONT BRAKES AND PADS WERE REPLACED, ROTORS WERE RESURFACED. CONSUMER STATES THERE IS PLAY IN THE STEERING, DEALER REPLACED BOTH IDLER ARMS AND RESET TOE IN. POWER DOOR LOCKS INOPERABLE, DEALER REPLACED POWER DOOR LOCK SWITCH. POWER WINDOW INOPERABLE, DEALER REPLACED POWER WINDOW SWITCH. SHIFTER WAS HARD TO MOVE, DEALER REPLACED SHIFT CABLE. GAS PEDAL BINDS AT TIMES, DEALER ORDERED THROTTLE CABLE AND REPLACED ACCELERATOR CABLE. DRIVER SETA SEEMS LOOSE WHEN BRAKING, DEALER ORDERED DRIVER SEAT TRACK ASSEMBLY AND REPLACED DRIVER SEAT ADJUSTER. PCM FUSE KEPT BLOWING OUT, DEALER REMOVED ENGINE COVER AND TRACED WIRE HARNESS, REPAIRED SHORTED HARNESS AT THE REAR OF THE TRANSMISSION. *SLC
WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN FUEL PUMP MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
ADDITONAL FAILURE DATES / MI: 8-11-99 @20544 MI., 12-2-99 @ 21932 MI., 6-30-00 @24992MI, 10-13-00 @26737 MI., AS YOU CAN SEE THE PROBLEM REPETES AT ABOUT EVERY 2000 - 2500 MILES. CHEVY SAYS ITS A PROBLEM WITH THE GAS BLENDS IN CA & NY ONLY? IF THIS IS TRUE THEN WHY ARE THEY NOT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ALL OF THERE ENGINES? THE INJECTION PORTS ARE DEFECTIVE AND THEY REFUSE TO FIX REPALCE THEM. INSTEAD THEY BRING THE VAN IN FOR A "INJECTOR CLEANING" PER CHEVY BULLETIN. THE ENGINE RUNS SO ROUGH IT SHAKES THE WHOLE VAN! THE FUEL INJECTOR DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED/RECALLED!
NO SUMMARY LISTED FRO ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CHEVROLET DOESN'T CARE ABOUT USING CHEAP PARTS- AFTER WARRANTY THEY SAY TRADE IT IN .NUMEROUS THINGS WRONG WITH VAN AND HAVE TALKED TO CHEVROLET MANY TIMES. CAN'T USE BACK DOOR OF VAN, RUN OUT OF GAS, KNOBS FALL OF INTERIOR DEVICES, ASKED CHEVY TO HELP SINCE 37,000 AND PROBLEMS STILL HAPPENING AS I GO, CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX AND CAN'T AFFORD TO TRADE. ANOTHER NICE SHOVE IT JOB BY CHEVROLET THEY DON'T STAND BY THEIR PRDUCT AND THEIR PRODUCT IS NOT SAFE PLEASE RESPOND. *AK
OCCURANCE 1) ENGINE STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE APPROCAHING AN INTERSECTION. THE RESULTING LOSS OF POWER CAUSED A SEVERE CONTROL PROBLEM WITH THE VAN. THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE WAS THE FUEL GUAGE READ 3/4 AND THE VAN RAN OUT OF FUEL. OCCURANCE 2) THE FUEL GUAGE HAS TOTALLY STOPPED FUNCTIONING, AFTER TOPPING OFF AND PROCEEDING ONTO HIGHWAY I DROVE FOR 1/2 HOUR AT 65, A SUDDEN SLAM OCCURED 2 OR THREE TIMES, APPEARED TO BE THE ENGINE CUTTING IN AND OUT, SLOWED TO 55 AND CONTINUED FOR 150 MILES WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. OCCURANCE 3) VEHICLE HAS NO FUEL GUAGE, I AM TOLD IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY, EVEN IF FULL THE VEHICLE SEEM TO LOOSE CONTROL MOMENTARALLY, AS IF TO LOOSE POWER.
WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 60 MPH OR MORE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD TWICE. ALSO, FUEL GAUGE MOVED FROM FULL TO EMTPY AND CONTINUED TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE FUEL TANK SENDER UNIT HAS MELTED DOWN, AND COULD HAVE STARTED A FIRE IN THE TANK. *AK
RADIO BROKE DOWN. YH
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