RoadVitals

1997 Chevrolet Astro Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
62
Latest Mar 29, 2005
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
17%
of 360 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. 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. 62 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.

Owner reports naming visibility

The 25 most recent of 62, in the owner's own words

Visibility
Filed Mar 29, 2005

CONCERNS REGARDING SAFETY RECALL NOTICES INVOLVING 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN.*MR THE CONSUMER RECEIVED THE FIRST RECALL NOTICE ON MARCH 1,2003, THEN CONSUMER HAD THE RECALL WORK PERFORMED ON APRIL 15,2003 AND THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN RECEIVING RECALL NOTICES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM EVER SINCE AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RESOLVED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10117427
Incident
Mar 1, 2005
Body & structureEngineInterior & seats+2 more
Filed Mar 29, 2005

THE CONSUMER'S 1987 AND 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO VANS HAD FAULTY ENGINE'S.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED, THE DRIVER'S SEAT CAME LOOSE, THE REAR DOOR HATCH BROKE AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER SLIPPING AND VALVE BODY WEAR (90000 MILES). *NM

NHTSA ID
10117266
Incident
Jan 1, 1901
Mileage
30,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 25, 2005

BOTH FRONT POWER WINDOWS MOTORS HAVE FAILED TO FUNCTION.*AK

NHTSA ID
10114738
Incident
Dec 6, 2004
Mileage
150,000 mi
BrakesHeating & air conditioningPowertrain (other)+1 more
Filed Sep 13, 2004

BRAKE PROBLEMS ON 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. *MR THE CONSUMER STATED THAT MORE BRAKE WORK WAS NEEDED. THE BRAKES HAD RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE TURNED, THE A/C WAS NOT BLOWING COLD AND THERE WAS A HEATING CONCERN. *SC THE REAR AXLE SEALS AND DIFFERENTIAL GASKETS WERE LEAKING.. *JB

NHTSA ID
10092588
Incident
Jul 2, 2003
Mileage
18,796 mi
Visibility
Filed Apr 20, 2004

WHILE DRIVING IN A RAINSTORM THE VEHICLE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAUSE WAS UNKNOWN. *NM

NHTSA ID
10064896
Incident
Mar 11, 2004
Mileage
79,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 25, 2004

WHILE DRIVING IN A RAINSTORM THE VEHICLE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

NHTSA ID
10064894
Incident
Mar 11, 2004
Mileage
79,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 24, 2003

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FOUND DEFECTIVE.*MR THE WIPER MOTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THERE IS A DEFINITE PROBLEM WITH THE WIPER MOTORS. *PH *NM

NHTSA ID
10053301
Incident
Jan 18, 2003
Mileage
144,332 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 15, 2003

WINDOW MOTORS STOPPED WORKING ON BOTH SIDES.*AK

NHTSA ID
10049750
Incident
Sep 4, 2003
Mileage
92,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 30, 2003

POWER WINDOW MOTOR (PASSENGER SIDE) IS INOPERABLE. REPLACED POWER WINDOW MOTOR ON DRIVER SIDE 12/02. SECOND MOTOR TO FAIL IN SIX MONTH PERIOD. *AK

NHTSA ID
10025179
Incident
Jun 28, 2003
Mileage
94,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 18, 2003

ELECTRIC WINDOW CONTROLS ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN HAVE STARTED WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. STARTED HAPPENING RIGHT AFTER I HAD A DEALERSHIP REPAIR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROLS PURSUANT TO GM RECALL. MOSTLY OCCURS AFTER WINDOW IS DOWN, AND SWITCH WILL NOT OPERATE TO ROLL WINDOW UP. IF I WAIT A MINUTE, THE SWITCH WILL WORK, BUT WILL ONLY ROLL WINDOW UP AN INCH OR TWO AT A TIME BEFORE IT STOPS WORKING AGAIN. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10023297
Incident
May 20, 2003
Mileage
80,520 mi
Other / unspecifiedVisibility
Filed Jun 16, 2003

MY WIPERS ON MY 1997 ASTRO VAN STOP WORKING DURING USE WHICH IS OF COURSE IS VERY DANGEROUS. AFTER READING SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLES PROBLEMS IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE.. WHY WONT GM DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT? DOES SOMEONE NEED TO DIE? *NLM

NHTSA ID
10023134
Incident
Jun 15, 2003
Visibility
Filed Apr 2, 2003

THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED TO ROLL UP OR DOWN, THE PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED 3 TIMES. *JB THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND REMAINED EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM(S) EVENTHOUGH FIXED BY DEALER. SCC

NHTSA ID
10015052
Visibility
Filed Mar 12, 2003

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY CHEVY ASTRO VAN DOES NOT WORK EVERY SO OFTEN. I WILL BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WANT TO USE THEM, AND THEY JUST DON'T WORK. TO GET THEM TO WORK, I HAVE TO PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SHUT OFF MY VEHICLE AND TURN IT BACK ON. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND THEY TOLD ME THAT UNLESS IT STOPS ALTOGETHER, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. WELL, NOW I HAVE 90,000 MILES ON THIS VAN AND IT'S A 5 1/2 YEAR OLD VEHICLE (1997). LAST WEEK 3/7/03, I RECEIVED A NOTICE OF THIS PROBLEM FROM CHEVY. CHEVY WILL FIX THIS PROBLEM IF THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 70,000 MILES ON IT. THAT LEAVE ME OUT OF THE PICTURE. I DON'T THINK THAT IS RIGHT, CONSIDERING THAT I TRIED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT YEARS AGO.*JB

NHTSA ID
10010338
Incident
Jun 1, 2000
Visibility
Filed Mar 5, 2003

WINDSHIELD WIPER STOPS IN VERTICAL POSITION WHEN IT WANTS TO, OCCASIONALLY DOES NOT STOP WHEN SWITCHED OFF, OPERATES AT REGULAR SPEED WHEN IN THE INTERMITTENT POSITIONS.*JB

NHTSA ID
10008445
Incident
Dec 30, 2001
Mileage
80,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 1, 2003

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN WORK INTERMITTENTLY. SOMETIMES THEY QUIT WORKING, SOMETIMES THEY WORK CONSTANTLY WHILE ON THE INTERMITTENT SETTING. THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS IF THEY QUIT WORKING WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER.*JB

NHTSA ID
10008289
Incident
Feb 27, 2003
Visibility
Filed Sep 29, 2002

POWER WINDOWS HAVE FAILED 3 TIMES. MR

NHTSA ID
767878
Visibility
Filed Aug 8, 2002

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR STOP DURING OPERATION. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER WAS AFRAID OF RUNNING INTO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE OR CRASHING INTO THE GAURD RAIL. IT WAS RAINING HEAVILY WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS JUST STOPPED. CONSUMER COULD ONLY SEE THE TAIL LIGHTS OF THE OTHER VEHICLE. *JG

NHTSA ID
8015889
Incident
Jul 7, 2002
BrakesElectricalEngine+3 more
Filed Jun 19, 2002

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

NHTSA ID
763263
Incident
Jun 16, 2002
Visibility
Filed May 7, 2002

WITHOUT WARNING WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING.*AK DEALER STATES ALTHOUGH HE HAS SEEN A NUMBER OF SIMILAR CASES, THERE IS NO RECALL OR FACTORY / DEALER ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE. *TT

NHTSA ID
8009392
Incident
Feb 5, 2002
BrakesVisibility
Filed Feb 22, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
758469
Visibility
Filed Jan 24, 2002

WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY BECOME INOPERABLE DUE A MALFUNCTION WITHIN WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
8002789
Incident
Jan 1, 2001
Visibility
Filed Dec 5, 2001

POWER WINDOWS IN DRIVER'S AND FRONT PASSENGER'S DOORS HAVE FAILED ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. DEALERSHIP HAS MADE REPAIRS FOR BOTH INCIDENTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
899864
Incident
Aug 1, 1997
Visibility
Filed Dec 5, 2001

BOTH WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY, RESULTING IN REDUCED VISIBILITY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. DEALERSHIP HAS YET TO EXAMINE VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
899863
Incident
Apr 1, 2001
Visibility
Filed Nov 28, 2001

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK *YH

NHTSA ID
899619
Incident
Jan 1, 1999
Visibility
Filed Oct 1, 2001

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTIONED.

NHTSA ID
563500

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .