IllustrationDIFFERENTIAL UNIT FAILED WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER INTERMITTENTLY WOULD HEAR A CLONKING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE; VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND WAS INFORMED THAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. DIFFERENTIAL IS INOPERATIVE, AND DEALER REPAIRED PROBLEM, PAID PART OF THE COST. *AK *ML
1996 Chevrolet Astro
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Astro years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Chevrolet Astro are substantially higher than the model-year median of 69.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Astro years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 22 of 263 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Suspension. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
17 crash reports1 fire reports7 injury reports
Power Train complaints
19 reportsWHEN STOPPING THE TRUCK IT TAKES ABOUT 1 MINUTE FOR THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GO DOWN, AND USUALLY IT GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD OF THE TRUCK AND LOSES ALL OF THE BRAKING POWER. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT EVER SINCE THE POWER ASSIST BRAKES WERE CHANGED FROM VACUUM TO A HYDRAULIC BOOSTER, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS DIFFICULT TO…
Read full complaint
WHEN STOPPING THE TRUCK IT TAKES ABOUT 1 MINUTE FOR THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GO DOWN, AND USUALLY IT GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD OF THE TRUCK AND LOSES ALL OF THE BRAKING POWER. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT EVER SINCE THE POWER ASSIST BRAKES WERE CHANGED FROM VACUUM TO A HYDRAULIC BOOSTER, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS DIFFICULT TO OPERATE AND WEAK, THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE SHIFTED TO PARK UNTIL THE ENGINE IS STARTED AND THE ROLLING SPEED IS SUFFICIENTLY SLOW, AND WHEN STOPPED ON A GREDE WITH THE MOTOR OFF, THE FOOT OPERATED BRAKES WILL FAIL. *SLC
TRANSMISSION SOLENOID FAILED.
FUEL PUMP FAILED.
SOLENOID PRESSURE CONTROL FAILED.
VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARD,WHILE IN SRIVE, AFTER HAVING STOPPED ON AN INCLINE. *AK
BELT TENSIONER FAILURE CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKING.
DIFFERENTIAL RING AND PINION GEAR FAILED 5 TIMES.
DURING VEHICLE OPERATION ON AN INCLINE OR HILL, THE VEHICLE TENDS TO DOWNSHIFT FROM (D) TO (3RD), CAUSING THE CAR TO ACCELERATE SUDDENLY.*AK
Official recalls
403V159000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
Apr 28, 2003
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN MODEL-ENGINE COMBINATIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY FAIL DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR DURING BAD WEATHER, DRIVER VISIBILITY WOULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 19, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
01V123000 · Seat Belts:front:warning Light/devices
Apr 10, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THE "FASTEN SAFETY-BELT" AUDIBLE WARNING OCCASIONALLY MAY NOT COME ON OR MAY TERMINATE IN LESS THAN FOUR SECONDS AS REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW ALARM MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 27, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020 OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.
99V009000 · Child Seat
Jan 20, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRATED DUAL CHILD SEATS. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY BE MISSING A SEAT BELT RETRACTOR CLUTCH SPRING AND/OR PAWL SPRING IN THE CHILD SEAT. IF THE CLUTCH SPRING WAS MISSING, THE SEAT BELT WOULD LOCK IN THE RETRACTED POSITION AND COULD NOT BE USED. IF THE PAWL SPRING WAS MISSING, THE SEAT BELT RESTRAINT WOULD CONTINUALLY PLAY OUT AND WOULD NOT LOCK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THESE CONDITIONS COULD INCREASE THE OCCUPANT'S RISK OF INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SEAT BELTS ON THE CHILD SEATS, AND IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE CHILD SEAT.
97V057000 · Seat Belts:rear/other
Apr 8, 1997
THE OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT WEBBING ON THE RIGHT-HAND REAR BUCKET SEAT CAN SEPARATE DURING A VEHICLE CRASH.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE VEHICLE OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED AND PERSONAL INJURY COULD RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTOR ON THE REAR SEAT CUSHION FRAME.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA02006 · Windshield Wiper Failure
Opened May 31, 2002 · Closed Jul 23, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.