1999 CHEVROLET ASTRO Complaints

DEFECTS LISTED AS AWD AND TRANSFER CASE MAY BE SAME PROBLEM AND WERE EXPERIENCED FROM THE FIRST 300 MILES AND ON (UPON SLOWING DOWN OR ACCELERATING A "CLUNK" WAS HEARD AND FELT FROM THE FRONT END ALSO WHEN CORNERING THE VEHICLE "LURCHED/WHEELS GRABBED" LIKE IT WAS STUCK IN 4WD. IN JULY IMMEDIATLY AFTER IT HAD BEEN INTO THE DEALER TO BE SERVICED AGAIN THE BRAKES CAUSED THE VAN TO PULL LEFT AT 35-50 MPH AND WHEN SLOWED FOR CORNERS WOULD SOUND LIKE "LOOSE PARTS RUBBING TOGETHER". IN AUGUST OF 1999 (JUST BEFORE THE REPLACEMENT TRANSFER CASE CAME IN) VAN HIT LOOSE GRAVEL TRAVELING AT 45-50 MPH, PULLED ONTO SOFT SHOULDER, FORWARD ABOUT 12 FT, CAUGHT TRACTION AND CAME UP ON ROAD, FRONT LEFT WHEEL WAS OFF GROUND WHEN IT CAME DOWN THE TIRE POPPED OFF THE BEAD, WHEEL GROUND INTO PAVEMENT, FLIPPING VAN ON FRONT, LEFT SIDE/CORNER, THEN ONTO HOOD AND WINDSHIELD, THEN ONTO FULL RIGHT SIDE THEN UPRIGHT CROSSWAYS IN LANE IT HAD BEEN TRAVELING IN. THE VAN WAS TOTALED.

FLOOR MAT ON DRIVER'S SIDE CONTINUOUSLY MOVES UNDER BOTH BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS, CAUSING ERRATIC OPERATION WHEN IT OCCURS. BELIEVED THIS IS A SAFETY FACTOR WHICH SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BY NHTSA. MANUFACTURER OF THE FLOOR MAT WAS NOTIFIED .*AK

THE L SHAPE METAL BRACKET THAT ATTACHES THE SLIDING DOOR TO THE VAN, IS AN INCH ABOVE THE PASSENGER'S HEAD. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT PROBLEM. THE VAN WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT CORRECT THIS PROBLEM.

ENGINE MISFIRES AND RUNS POORLY SETTING OFF THE "CHECK ENGINE SOON" LIGHT. THE FIRST TIME WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THIS IS VERY COMMON IN ASTRO VANS AND I SHOULD NOT USE CHEVRON GAS. I THOUGHT THIS WAS STRANGE ADVICE BECAUSE I NEVER USED THAN BRAND OF GAS. I HAD A RECORD OFF ALL THE BRANDS OF GAS I USED BUT THE DEALER WAS NOT INTERESTED AND I WAS ONLY TOLD TO SWITCH BRANDS. THE SECOND TIME I BROUGHT THE VAN IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM I WAS TOLD TO SWITCH BRANDS AGAIN. NOW THERE ARE NO BRANDS LEFT TO TRY. EACH TIME THE DEALER ADDED A CLEARNER TO THE GAS TANK AND IDLED THE CAR FOR 45 MINUTES TO "CLEAN" THE STICKING INJECTORS. THE VAN ALSO GETS VERY BAD GAS MILEAGE. I WROTE A LETTER TO GM AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A TECHNICAL PROBLEM THAT THE DEALER MUST SOLVE.

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END AT SPEEDS RANGING FROM 60 TO 75 MPH. HOWEVER, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER ON (3) DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. *YC

DURING A MODERATE BRAKING THE VEHICLE WILL PULL TO THE LEFT SIDE. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS DUE TO YOU HAVE TO HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE BRAKING TO KEEP FROM PULLING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC.

LEASED VEHICLE. REAR CARGO DOOR HINGE AND LATCH SLIPPED OFF AND OPENED TOTALLY TO 180 DEGREES. DEALER CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT IT WAS AN ERROR IN DESIGN. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

BRAKE PEDAL WAS SET TOO HIGH , AND WHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE WOULD PULL HARD TO THE RIGHT. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER'S SHOP AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. *AK

COMPACT DISC PLAYER CEASED TO WORK WITHIN 1 WEEK OF PURCHASE. DEALER REPLACED UNIT.

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT LOCKED UP. THIS OCCURRED WITHIN 1 MONTH OF PURCHASE. BROUGHT VEHICLE INTO DEALER AND DEALER SAID HE REPLACED UNIT. FIVE MONTHS LATER, SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT, AND I AM SCHEDULED TO BRING IN VEHICLE TO HAVE UNIT REPLACED. *AK