1997 Chevrolet Astro Suspension Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WORKS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. WHEN APPROACHING A STOP, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT APPLY AND SHE ALMOST REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN A PERSISTENT FAILURE EVER SINCE SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE BRAKES AT THE COST OF $125, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO BRAKE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN ORDER FOR THE BRAKES TO WORK, SHE HAS TO SLAM HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THIS SOLUTION IS NOT ALWAYS GUARANTEED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,800 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 01-10-08. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED GROSSMAN CHEVROLET REPAIRED THE CHEVY VAN AGAIN ON NOV. 30, 2007 AT THE COST OF $979. THE CONSUMER FURTHER STATED IN 2005 SHE REAR ENDED A VEHICLE AT 5MPH BECAUSE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE DEALER STATED RIGHT FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, REPAIRED FRONT COVER GASKET, REPLACED FRONT PINION, AND REPLACED SERPENTINE BELT. UPDATED 12/31/07 *TR

NHTSA ID

10210170

Incident

Jul 29, 1997

Mileage

50,888 mi

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH REAR END FAILED, AND THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME WITH NO PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10050429

Incident

Dec 9, 2003

Mileage

108,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

767364

Incident

Nov 11, 2001

WHILE DRIVING AT 68MPH AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE, CAUSING IT TO ROLLOVER. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK *DT

NHTSA ID

8016744

Incident

Aug 5, 2002

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD POP FROM FRONT END, THEN, DRIVER'S SIDE DROPPED ONTO FRONT WHEEL. DEALER DETERMINED TORSION BAR HAD BROKEN.*AK

NHTSA ID

8013061

Incident

May 18, 2002

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY PULLED TO THE LEFT, CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8008846

Incident

Apr 29, 2002

THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED DUE TO IT MISSING 1ST AND GOING RIGHT INTO 2ND GEAR.FRONT END OF VEHICLE SHAKES AT 40 MPH. HAD TIRES REPLACED AND ALIGNMENT DONE. INTERIOR LIGHT STAY S ON UNLESS MANUAL OVERRIDE IS TURNED OFF.BRAKES MAKE NOISES WHEN YOU COME TO A STOP OR YOU ARE STOPPING SLOWLY. ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON ALL THE TIME BROUGHT TO MECHANIC EVERY TIME TO GET ANALYZED.

NHTSA ID

759704

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH FRONT END LOCKED UP WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. NO ACCIDENT.*AK

NHTSA ID

894120

Incident

Aug 12, 2001

VEHICLE WOULD WANDER ACROSS ROAD WHILE DRIVING AT 45 OR MORE MPH. LEFT SIDE SUSPENSION WAS REPLACED WITH LOWER CONTROL ARM BY DEALER, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING.*AK SIDE SLIDING DOOR RATTLES, CONSUMER STATES THIS IS ANNOYING. *SLC

NHTSA ID

892010

Incident

Apr 15, 1998

THE REAR HATCH DOOR WILL NOT STAY UP THE CONSUMER HAS TO HOLD THE HATCH OPEN. NLM

NHTSA ID

561316

Incident

Nov 10, 2000

BATTERY WAS REPLACED WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH. *SLC

NHTSA ID

555327

Incident

Oct 1, 1998

POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH AND THEN THE POWER BRAKES DID NOT WORK. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER REPORTED POWER STEERING PUMP WENT AND OFFERED 50% ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. DEALER ALSO ADVISED THAT THE ALIGNMENT WAS SEVERELY OUT AND WOULD ALSO NEED TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES. WHEN DEALER WENT TO DO ALIGNMENT, HE NOW INFORMS US THAT THE STEERING COMPONENTS ARE BAD: PITMAN ARM, 2 INNER TIE RODS, AND 2 IDLER ARMS. DEALER CLAIMS THIS IS DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE, I.E. GREASING. THIS IS THE SECOND ALIGNMENT WE HAVE HAD TO HAVE DONE ON THIS VAN (4/98 FIRST ALIGNMENT AND REPLACED FOUR TIRES AT THAT TIME ALSO. HAD THE VAN FOR 11 MONTHS??) WE FEEL THAT STEERING COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE FROM THE BEGINNING THUS REQUIRING TWO ALIGNMENTS AND TWO NEW SETS OF TIRES IN 40 MONTHS. I CALLED GM CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-222-1020 AND THEY REPORT NO RECURRING PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP. I WILL CALL ABOUT STEERING COMPONENTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

732647

Incident

Sep 20, 2000

WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP RIGHT FRONT WHEELS MAKE A VERY LOUD NOISE. ALSO, VEHICLE SEVERELY PULLS TO THE RIGHT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

NHTSA ID

865845

VEHICLE HAS A "STOP BUMP" OR "DRIVE LINE CLUNK" WHICH IS "CORRECTED" BY LUBRICATING DRIVELINE SLIP YOK AND DRIVESHAFT EVERY 2000 MILES. THIS OCCURS WHEN STOPPING AND FEELS AS IF THE CAR HAS BEEN BUMPED FROM BEHIND, CAUSING IT TO LURCH SLIGHTLY FORWARD. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS NOT NORMAL OPERATION BUT CAN NOT BE FIXED. ALSO THE ALIGNMENT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED EVERY TWO MONTHS AS IT CONTINUALLY PULLS TO THE RIGHT (AN INDEPENDENT SHOP SAID THE IDLER ARMS ARE BAD). THERE ARE MANY SQUEAKS, BUMPS AND CLUNKS COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

722552

Incident

Nov 1, 1997

VAN PULLS TO THE RIGHT, EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR, DEALER UNABLE TO CORRECT

NHTSA ID

711952

GAS PEDAL STICKS TO THE FLOOR. * ET

NHTSA ID

782879

TRIM ON TWO REAR BENCH SEATS FELL OFF WHICH WAS REPLACED. *YC

NHTSA ID

545963

VEHICLE DEVELOPED A RANDOM PULL WHILE BRAKING, PARTICULARLY IN RAIN OR SNOW & SLUSH. IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS ONLY THE FIRST TIME YOU APPLIED THE BRAKES AFTER YOU DROVE 2 OR 3 MILES THEN IT HAPPENED ON DRY PAVEMENT. IT HAPPENS ONLY OCCASIONALLY, BUT CAN BE VERY SEVERE, IT NEARLY PULLED ME INTO THE GUIDE RAIL ON ONE OCCASION. THIS STARTED AROUND 12000 MILES AND IT NOW HAS 46000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED PADS, TURNED ROTORS, ALIGNED THE FRONT END TWICE, AND GROUND THE CLEARANCE ON THE CALIPERS TWICE. AT GM DENIED HAVING MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS BUT I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER PAOPLE WITH THE PROBLEM. I WAS CALLED BY THE DEALER THE OTHER DAY TO BRING IT IN AGAIN TO LOWER THE FRONT END AND ANOTHER ALIGNMENT. I RECENTLY TOOK IT ON A TRIP IN WHICH MY BROTHER INLAW DROVE IT AND ASKED ME "HAVE YOU NOTICED THIS THING PULLING?" MY WIFE ALSO DRIVES IT AND HAS COMPLAINED TO ME. THIS VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM , AND I SUSPECT THERE ARE OTHERS! I HAD A 1992 ASTRO AWD BUT NEVER HAD THE PROBLEM. A FRIEND OF MINE TRADED HER ASTRO AWD OFF BECAUSE IT HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM, BUT PULLED TO THE LEFT, INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I 'VE BEEN LUCKY SO FAR, BUT IT COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE ON SOME OF THE SEVERE INCIDENTS IT HAS PULLED ME OFF THE EDGE OF THE ROAD. *AK

NHTSA ID

705727

THE HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS ON THE BACK WINDOW ARE BROKEN, AND CAUSE THE WINDOW TO SLAM DOWN. DEALER SAYS THE VEHICLE NEEDS NEW SHOCK ABSORBERS TO REPAIR THIS. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

833656

WHEN DRIVING 50MPH OR ABOVE THE VEHICLE VIBRATES AS IF THE TIRES ARE NOT BALANCED,CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENITFY THE PROBLEM. *AK.ET.

NHTSA ID

832194

ON OCCASIONS WHILE TURNING LEFT THE VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD CRACK NOISE AND EXPERIENCES A SLIGHT CHANGE IN STABILITY, UNABLE TO DETERMINE FAILURE IN SUSPENSION.

NHTSA ID

542905

Incident

Mar 31, 1998

THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING THE TRUCK UNDER CONTROL. WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THE TRUCK TENDS TO SWERVE. ALSO IF TAKING HANDS OFF OF THE STEERING WHEEL FOR A SECOND THE TRUCK WILL SWERVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE. *AK

NHTSA ID

828036

Incident

Mar 15, 1997

FRONT END ALIGNMENT/TIRE WEAR FAILURE. EXTREME TIRE WEAR OCCURRED ON TWO FRONT TIRES.

NHTSA ID

538973

VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT. *AK

NHTSA ID

533353