1996 Chevrolet Astro

THE LEFT TORSION BAR ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION FAILED WHILE THE VAN WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY. CHAMPION CHEVROLET IN HOWELL, MI SAID THIS IS COMMON. THEY ALSO INTSRUCTED ME TO REPLACE THE RIGHT TORSION BAR BECAUSE IT COULD FAIL AT ANY TIME. MY COMPLAINT IS CHEVROLET IS SUGGESTING (WHICH I DID) REPLACE AN ORIGINAL PART THAT IS NOT BROKEN. GM HAD AN UPDATED PART# BECAUSE THEY NEW THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE. I THINK IF A DEALER IS SUGGESTING YOU REPLACE A PART THAT IS NOT BROKEN AND SAYS IT IS FOR YOUR SAFETY, THEN THAT SHOULD BE A WARRANTY ITEM REPLACEMENT.*AK

LEFT FRONT TORSION BAR FAILED AND VEHICLE'S FRONT END DROPPED APPROXIMATELY 6 INCHES. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A DESIGN CHANGE THAT REQUIRED BOTH LEFT AND FRONT TORSION BARS TO BE REPLACED. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN THE VAN COLLAPSED, AN ENGINE OIL LINE WAS DAMAGED. TOTAL COST: $891.47. DESIGN CHANGE INDICATES THAT ENGINEERING WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND DESIGNED A MORE ROBUST TORSION BAR. THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE, AND YET I WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. IT IS NOT REASONABLE TO EXPECT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE, NO MATTER HOW OLD THE VEHICLE. ONE WOULD NOT REASONABLY EXPECT THE FRAME OF A 10 YEAR OLD VEHICLE TO COLLAPSE. LIKEWISE, ONE WOULD NOT EXPECT FAILURE OF TORSION BARS THAT SUPPORT THE VEHICLE. I WAS LUCKY THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENED. IF MOVING, TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL WOULD HAVE BEEN THE RESULT.*AK

WHEN I BACKED MY VAN UP TO LEAVE FOR WORK , THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WAS SITTING ON THE TIRE & IT WAS MAKING A RUBBING SOUND. WE HAD TO GET IT TOWED & EVEN THOUGH ONLY ONE TORSION BAR WAS BROKE THE REPLACE BOTH. THE TOTAL BILL WAS $560. I AM JUST THANKFUL IT DIDN'T HAPPEN 2 WEEKS SOONER WHEN I WAS ON A TRIP ON THE INTERSTATE GOING 70 MPH, WITH MY SISTER & OUR CHILDREN WITH US. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO MORE COMPLAINTS AFTER THE 1996"S. I WILL ASSUME THAT CHEVY REPLACED THE PART FINALLY. I COUNT 80 COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEBSITE, INVOLVING 92'S THROUGH 96'S. HOW MANY MORE ARE OUT THERE THAT HAVE NOT BEEN REPORTED? I THINK CHEVY KNEW IT HAD A BAD PART, & THEY SHOULD PAY FOR REPAIRS.*AK

DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE, IT SOUNDS AS IF AN EXPLOSION OCCURS IN THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE. THIS HAS OCCURRED FOUR TIMES, AND DEALERSHIP REPLACED BOTH FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS TWICE. ALSO, FOUND A SHORT IN THE FUEL PUMP. HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE FOR THE LAST INCIDENT. *AK CONSUMER STATES BRAKE PEDAL IS VERY SOFT AND SOMETIMES GOES TO THE FLOOR, THE CALIPERS BREAK AND CAUSE A LOUD NOISE, CONSUMER STATES BRAKING POWER HAS BEEN LOST ON THREE OCCASIONS. VEHICLE STALLED ON ONE OCCASION. CONSUMER NO LONGER DRIVES THIS VEHICLE. LEFT SIDE DOOR LOCK INOPERATIVE, DEALER REPLACED THE ACTUATOR. RIGHT SIDE UPPER CONTROL ARM BOLTS LOOSE CAUSING NOISE, LEFT REAR LEAF SPRING U BOLT MISPOSITIONED HITTING AXLE TUBE, CAUSING KNOCKING NOISE. *SLC

AFTER DRIVING ON HIGHWAY PARKED VEHICLE IN DRIVEWAY, AND FOUND OUT THAT FRONT OF VEHICLE WAS LOWER, AND TIRES DOWN ON WHEELS. NEXT DAY, TOWED VEHICLE TO DEALER, WHO REPLACED TORSION BAR SPRING. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK ABOUT A HALF HOUR AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN, THE CONSUMER WAS STARTLED BY A LOUD BANG, AFTER VEIWING THE VAN THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE FRONT END WAS ABOUT 9 INCHES LOWER AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVEABLE. NLM