1998 CHEVROLET ASTRO Complaints

GAS PEDAL STICKS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS.AT APPROXIMATELY 29,000 MILES THE GAS PEDAL WOULD STICK WHEN MOVING FROM A STOPPED POSITION AND WHEN REMOVING YOUR FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN, WHEN YOU PRESS DOWN TO REACCELERATE THE GAS PEDAL WOULD STICK. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO CAPITOL CHEVROLET ON NOVEMBER 18,1999 WITH 29,000 MILES. THE CORRECTION AT THAT TIME WAS TO REPAIR THE AIR VALVE THROTTLE AND RESET TO SPECS.AGAIN AT APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MILES THE GAS PEDAL STARTED STICKING AGAIN - IT WAS RETURNED TO CAPITOL CHEVROLET - THIS TIME THE CORRECTION WAS TO REMOVE THE THROTTLE BODY AND CLEAN CARBON. THE DEALER ALLEDGED THE AIR THROTTLE VALVE IS GUMMING UP AND SHOULD BE CLEANED OUT PERIODICALLY TO PREVENT THE GAS PEDAL FROM STICKING.I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER SERVICE (CLAIM #C010486637) THEY CONCURRED WITH THE DIAGNOSIS OF CAPITOL CHEVROLET. HOWEVER, NEITHER GENERAL MORORS CUSTOMER SERVICE OR CAPITOL CHEVROLET COULD SPECIFY AT WHAT INTERVALS THIS SERVICE SHOULD BE PERFORMED.MY OWNERS MANUAL HAS NO REFERENCE TO ANY MAINTENANCE SUCH AS REMOVE THROTTLE BODY AND CLEAN CARBON AT ANY SPECIFIC INTERVAL.I CONSIDER THIS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM AND SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE THE VALVE IS DEFECTIVE.I WAS FURTHER TOLD BY THE DEALERS SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE VALVE WOULD STICK AGAIN CAUSING THE GAS PEDAL TO STICK BUT ONCE AGAIN WAS NOT TOLD AT WHAT INTERVALS THE VALVE SHOULD BE CLEANED TO PREVENT THE PROBLEM. SIMPLY STATED I WAS TOLD TO WAIT AND SEE WHEN THE GAS PEDAL STUCK AGAIN.I WAS FURTHER INFORMED THAT AT THIS ONE DEALERSHIP ALONE THEY ARE CLEANING 4-10 VEHICLES A DAY WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS.*AK

WHEN THE CONSUMER CHANGES THE GEAR INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE JUMPS INTO GEAR HARDER THAN IT SHOULD. *SLC

REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO FIX TRANSMISSION BEGINNING WITH A COMPLETE REBUILD AT A CERTIFIED FACILITY; TRANSMISSION MAY FUNCTION PROPERLY FOR AS LONG AS 2 MONTHS. REPEATED VISITS TO THE TRANSMISSION SHOP ARE MET WITH APOLOGIES, AND STORIES OF THE SAME DESIGN TRANSMISSION WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS FROM OTHER INDIVIDUALS. I AT FIRST SUSPECTED THE MECHANICS, BUT RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THERE ARE MANY OTHER ASTRO VAN OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM; BELIEVE IT TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *AK

THE CAPTIONED VEHICLE ON 7/27/99 WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AS A RESULT OF A DANGEROUS SAFETY HAZZARD. THE ACID FROM THE BATTERY LEAKED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME AND CORRODED THE THE BATTERY TRAY, THE CABLE AND ALL ASSOCIATED PARTS. THE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY. AT A COST OF $230.00. ON 9/27/00, THE BATTERY LEAKED AGAIN CREATING EXTENSIVE POISONOUS FUMES AND DANGER WHEN THE HOOD WAS OPENED TO CHECK WHY THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO OPERATE. ONCE AGAIN THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BUT THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO HONOR THE WARRNANTY EVEN THOUGH THIS SECOND INCIDENT WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE HAZZARD OF 7/99. THE BATTERY AND ITS COMPONENTS POSED A DANGEROUS HAZZARD TO THE OCCUPANTS EMITING POISONOUS GASSES AND SHOULD BE REVIEWED OR RECALL . I INJESTED FUMES FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN THE HOOD WAS RELEASED TO CHECK THE ENGINE. ON 8/30/99 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE SECOND TIME BECAUSE OF WATER LEAKS. DEALER ATTEMPTED TO FIXED VEHICLE BUT THE LEAKS CONTINUES TO SATUATE THE VEHICLE WHENEVER IT RAINS. ON 9/30/00 THE ALTERNATOR HAD TO BE REPLACE BECAUSE THEBATTERY AND ITS COMPONENTS SHORT CIRCUIT THE ALTERNATOR AND BURNED IT OUT . I BELIEVE THAT THIS VEHICLE FAILED TO MEET THE SAFETY STANDARDS, REQUIRES AND SHOULD BE RECALL.

WE NOTICED A SMELL OF BURNING WIRES. WE WERE PARKED, SO I PULLED THE REAR A/C SWITCH OUT OF THE DASH. I FOUND THAT THIS SWITCH, WHICH IS ALL PLASTIC, HAD BEEN SHORTED AND PARTIALLY MELTED. I DISCONNECTED THE SWITCH. THE SCARY PART FOR ME IS THAT THE FUSE NEVER BLEW. I AM AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC AND FEEL THAT I WAS ABLE TO AVOID AN ELECTRICAL FIRE BY HAVING SOME MECHANICAL ABILITY. IF MY WIFE HAD BEEN IN THE VAN ALONE WITH OUR CHILDREN THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS AND POSSIBLY DEVASTATING PROBLEM. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND LODGED A COMPLAINT WITH CHEVROLET CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE ( FILE # C01463026 ). CHEVROLET TOLD ME THAT NO RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED ON THIS SWITCH AND THAT ALL I COULD DO IS TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER WANTS TO PUT IN A REPLACEMENT SWITCH, SAME TYPE. THIS TYPE OF SWITCH, IN MY OPINION, IS UNSAFE AND A HAZARD, AND I REFUSE TO PUT THIS TYPE OF SWITCH BACK INTO MY VEHICLE.

COOLANT LEAKING FROM RADIATOR AND VEHICLE OVERHEATS. ALSO, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL GETS HARD, AND GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK THE HOLD DOWN SPRING FOR REAR BRAKE RUSTED DUE TO WET WEATHER. *YH

HAVE A FRIEND WHO EXPERIENCES EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS ON 97 GMC SAFARI AND 97 ASTRO VAN. TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT ABOUT 60,000 MILES, WHEN ACCELERATING IN 1ST GEAR AFTER DRIVING IN OVERDRIVE.

I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE STAYING IN ALIGNMENT. I HAVE TAKEN BACK, THEY SAY IT IS MANY THINGS. BUT I HAVE HAD AFRONT PUT ON ROTORS,BRAKES,CALIBURS,SHIMS,ALIGNMENTS,TIREBALANCE,I STILL HAVE PULLING. AND A MECHANIC SAID IT IS THE CALIBUR BOLT AND WASHER. BUT THEY SAID NO. HE IS CERTIFIED AND HE HAS FOUND THE PROBLEM

VEHICLE WAS PARKED INFRONT OF GARAGE, AND CONSUMER LEFT VEHICLE WITH DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW LEFT DOWN. NEXT DAY, FOUND INSTRUMENT PANEL/PLASTIC WERE MELTED, AND THERE WAS A FIRE RESIDUE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THROTTLE STUCK WIDE OPEN, CAUSING VAN TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF A 94 AMIGO. AMIGO CRASHED INTO A JEEP CHEROKEE. EVEN THOUGH DRIVER STOOD ON THE BRAKE, VAN DID NOT SLOW DOWN. DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF. VAN WILL PROBABLY BE TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK