2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V328000 (SUSPENSION) WHILE PERFORMING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FAULTY STEERING KNUCKLE AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. MYRTLE BEACH CHEVROLET (1785 US-501, MYRTLE BEACH, SC 29577) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUES. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NO LONGER MADE AND THERE WERE NO AFTER MARKET PARTS AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 392,000.

FRONT SUSPENSION ISSUES, ELECTRICAL GAUGES, REPLACEMENT OF FUEL TANK PUMP, DOOR LATCHES FAILING TO OPEN ON SLIDING SIDE DOOR MAKING EXITING OF VEHICLE IMPOSSIBLE, RECALL OF 02V328000 UNABLE TO BE CONFIRMED AS HANDLED BY ANY DEALERS.

2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO CARGO VAN AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AT TIME OF COLLISION. ASTRO VAN WAS HIT ON PASSENGER SIDE, FRONT WHEEL WELL & BUMPER. DRIVER WHO HIT VAN WAS EXCEEDING SPEED LIMIT, APPROXIMATELY DOING CLOSER TO 40 MPH IN A 25 MPH ZONE WHEN THEY HIT OUR VAN. WE WERE JUST STARTING TO PROCEED AFTER A STOP SIGN, BARELY DOING 10 - 15 MPH. THE ASTRO VAN WAS DRAGGED APPROXIMATELY 6-7 FEET INTO THE INTERSECTION. THE AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED, DRIVER WAS INJURED RIGHT SIDE BACK & RIBS BRUISED AND POSSIBLE CONCUSSION HEAD INJURY TO LEFT SIDE OF HEAD DUE TO FORCE OF IMPACT.

I WAS DRIVING PULLING A TRAILER ON THE FREEWAY WHEN SUDDENLY THE TRAFFIC STOP. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AT A SAFE DISTANCE WHEN SUDDENLY MY BRAKES WHEN ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR I APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKES AND STOP. I HAD TO GO THRU THE EMERGENCY LANE. I TOLD MY SON TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE I WAS UNDERNEATH AND THE BRAKE LINES BROKE. THEY WHERE ALL RUSTED OUT. I HAD TO GET A WRECKER TO TAKE IT HOME.IF YOU NEED TO SEE MY VAN CALL ME SO YOU CAN SEE THE BRAKE LINES. *TR

MY SPOUSE WAS DRIVING AND WE WERE STOPPED AT A YARD SALE. WE RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE AND STARTED TO BACK OUT WHEN SHE NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN. THEN WHEN SHE WANTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE THE BRAKES WERE EXTREME HARD TO OPERATE. AFTER SOME RESEARCH WE LEARNED OF HUNDREDS OF BRAKE MALFUNCTIONS ON SIMILAR VEHICLES AND OTHER CARS THAT USE SIMILAR BRAKE BOOSTER TECHNOLOGY. *TR

I AM COMPLAINING OF THE SAFETY ISSUES REGARDING THE ABS COMPUTER SYSTEM. I HAVE PUT MY VEHICLE IN THE SHOP TO BE CHECKED OUT BY A FEW CAR REPAIR FACILITIES AND ALL HAVE SAID THE SAME THING MY ABS CPU. MY VAN IS HESITATING TERRIBLY AND CAUSING THE VAN TO NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY. I HAVE NEARLY BEEN IN THREE ACCIDENTS SINCE THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING. I HAVE ALSO DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE VIA INTERNET AND FOUND THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM ACROSS THE USA. AND GM IS BLAMING IT ON THE WEATHER CONDITIONS IN THE NORTH BUT THE PROBLEMS ARE HAPPENING TO ASTRO VANS(2003) ACROSS THE ENTIRE US. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE AT 20MPH OR LESS, THE ABS ACTIVATED WITH AN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED WHICH INDICATED A FAILURE IN THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR OF THE ANTILOCK BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V379000, REGARDING THE ANTILOCK BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THIS VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS THIS ISSUE, AND WAS CHECKED BY A REPAIR SHOP. THEY DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM UNDETECTABLE; THE RECALL WAS ON MODELS UP TO 2002. IT SEEMS THAT IT CARRIED OVER TO THIS MODEL, CAN THE DEALER ASSIST IN REPLACING THE PARTS. I WOULD PAY THE LABOR BUT THE PARTS INVOLVED ARE ABOUT $1500.00 FROM THE DEALER ALONE. CAN I GET HELP FROM THE NHTSA TO GET THIS CRITICAL ISSUE RESOLVED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE WHEELS WERE TURNED TO THE LEFT. A MECHANIC LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE WIRING HARNESS THAT WAS LOCATED NEAR THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HAD BURNED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE OF WHAT WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000. *TR

COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO RUSTING BRAKE LINES. THE PREVIOUS DAY THIS VEHICLE WAS PULLING A SMALL TRAILER ON A MICHIGAN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE FOLLOWING DAY IT WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND A WET AREA WAS VISIBLE ON THE CONCRETE. IT WAS BRAKE FLUID ON THE GROUND THAT HAD DRIPPED FROM THE RUSTED BRAKE LINE AND DRAINED THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR. I DISCOVERED THIS WHEN MOVING THE VEHICLE TO TRY AND DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FLUID LEAK. THE BRAKE LINE HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH! FORTUNATELY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN THE PREVIOUS DAY AS IT COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN FATAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE GM DEALERSHIP. THERE ARE NO REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR THE BRAKE LINES AND NONE ARE AVAILABLE IN THE AFTERMARKET. THE DEALER WANTED OVER $1700 TO REPLACE THE LINES AND SAID THERE MAY BE MORE ITEMS TO REPLACE - POSSIBLY ANOTHER $700 OR MORE. PLUS, FUEL LINES WERE ALSO RUSTING AND THEY SHOULD BE REPLACED TOO. THIS COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN A FATAL INCIDENT OR EXTREME DAMAGE AS THE BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY USELESS IN MY DRIVEWAY AND I HAD TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE TO STOP IT, EVEN AT A VERY SLOW SPEED. I HAVE HAD OTHER VEHICLES FOR A MUCH LONGER TIME - INCLUDING GM - AND NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. *TR

2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. CONSUMER STATES THE STEERING KNUCKLE/ARM IS DESIGNED IN A WAY THAT CAUSES IT TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH A WIRING HARNESS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED TO THE LEFT *TGW OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, THE CONSTANT CONTACT DAMAGED THE WIRING HARNESS AND ALLOWED THE STEERING KNUCKLE/ARM TO TOUCH THE WIRES INSIDE THE WIRING HARNESS. THE END RESULT CAUSED DAMAGE TO OTHER WIRES. THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM STARTED IN FEBRUARY 2011 WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN WOULD SOMETIMES CAUSE THE RADIO AND THE AC TO DIE. THE ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT WOULD ALSO COME ON AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD SINK TO THE FLOOR. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. TWO WEEKS AGO, WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, EVERYTHING DIED. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART AND NOTHING ELECTRICAL WORKED. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS A SMELL OF BURNING WIRES. THE CONSUMER WAS FINALLY ABLE TO MANUALLY PUSH UP THE DOOR LOCKS TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED HE DISCOVERED A TSB AND FOUND THE STEERING KNUCKLE WAS NOT THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THE BATTERY CABLE RETAINING CLIPS WERE NOT PROPERLY SECURED IN THEIR RETAINING HOLES IN THE ENGINE CRADLE FRAME BELOW THE ENGINE OIL PAN. AS A RESULT, THE BATTERY CABLE MADE CONTACT WITH THE STEERING LINKAGE COMPONENTS AND RUBBED THROUGH THE INSULATION ON THE CABLE. UPDATED 06/01/11

POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DEFECT IN THE 2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. THE STEERING KNUCKLE/ARM IS DESIGNED IN A WAY THAT CAUSES IT TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH A WIRING HARNESS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT. OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, THIS CONSTANT CONTACT DAMAGES THE WIRING HARNESS AND ALLOWS THE STEERING KNUCKLE/ARM TO TOUCH THE WIRES INSIDE THE WIRING HARNESS. THE WIRING HARNESS IS CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO THE BATTERY SO THE END RESULT IS DAMAGE TO OTHER WIRES ALSO SHEATHED IN THAT WIRING HARNESS. TWO WEEKS AGO, WHILE PULLING OUT OF A GROCERY STORE PARKING SPACE, EVERYTHING DIED. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RE-START AND NOTHING ELECTRICAL WORKED, FROM THE DOOR LOCKS TO THE RADIO. EVERYTHING WAS DEAD. WE COULD SMELL BURNING WIRES AND TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. BECAUSE THE DOORS WERE LOCKED WE COULD NOT GET THEM OPEN. WE HAD TO MANUALLY PUSH UP OUR DOOR LOCKS; EACH OF US PUSHING UP THE LOCK OF OUR OWN DOOR, SO THAT WE COULD GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. SINCE THEN WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED, ADDITIONAL ISSUE WAS THAT THE ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD SINK TO THE FLOOR. WE CAME CLOSE TO REAR-ENDING SOMEONE SEVERAL TIMES. ON APRIL 23, 2011, WE SHOWED THE DAMAGED WIRING HARNESS TO THE MECHANIC AT THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. WITHIN TWO HOURS, WE RECEIVED A CALL TO LET US KNOW THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE (ABS) MODULE HAD BEEN DAMAGED. BOTH HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $2,100. WE CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER SERVICE THIS MORNING. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY CONSIDERED THIS ISSUE TO BE CAUSED BY ?NORMAL WEAR, BASED UPON THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE.? WE DISAGREE WITH THEIR FINDINGS. CONCERN IS THAT THIS DEFECT CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO IMPORTANT SAFETY ITEMS, SUCH AS THE BRAKES AND DOOR LOCKS. THE AREA OF THE WIRING HARNESS THAT IS COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE STEERING KNUCKLE/ARM SHOULD EITHER BE MOVED OR BETTER PROTECTED. WE DON'T WANT OTHER DRIVERS INJURED. *TR