IllustrationWINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER DOESN'T COME ON ALL THE TIME UNTIL YOU HIT A BUMP.CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK
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
Visibility complaints
60 reportsWINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY DO NOT WORK. HAS HAPPENED DURING ALL SORTS OF CONDITIONS. WHEN STOPPED, MOVING, ETC.. LAST TIME FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN VEHICLE WAS ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN A DRIVING RAINSTORM. WHEN CHEVROLET WAS CONTACTED ON JUNE 30, 1999, THEY STATED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. IT IS FOR THE PULSE PRI…
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WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY DO NOT WORK. HAS HAPPENED DURING ALL SORTS OF CONDITIONS. WHEN STOPPED, MOVING, ETC.. LAST TIME FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN VEHICLE WAS ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN A DRIVING RAINSTORM. WHEN CHEVROLET WAS CONTACTED ON JUNE 30, 1999, THEY STATED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. IT IS FOR THE PULSE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD AND THE NUMBER IS 97V043. WHEN THEY CHECKED OUR VIN, I WAS INFORMED IT DID NOT APPLY TO OUR VEHICLE. THIS CONDITION IS POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. SEVERAL OTHER CHEVY ASTRO OWNERS HAVE STATED THEY ALSO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS SIMILIAR TO THIS. *AK
SOMETIMES WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. ALSO, OCCASIONALLY WIPERS QUIT WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF OPERATION. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS WINDSHIELD WIPER RECALL INDICATED, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN #. CONSUMER HAD TO PAY TO HAVE WINDSHIELD WIPERS REPAIRED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL STOP . DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
THIS VEHICLE HAS A BAD WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR THAT CAUSES THE WIPER TO WORK INPROPERLY. WHEN THE WIPERS ARE ACTIVATED THEY SOMETIMES WILL NOT MOVE/THEY WILL GO VERY FAST, OR STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
WHENEVER WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE IN USE, THEY CAN BE USED ONLY IN HIGH POSITION. AFTER VEHICLE HAS WARMED UP, WIPERS WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY IN THE RAIN. THE MORE MOISTURE IN THE ATMOSPHERE, THE WORSE THE WIPERS WORK OR STOP COMPLETELY. WHEN PARKED IN GARAGE & HEATER DRYS OUT WIPERS,THEY WORK FINE ON HIGH, BUT NOT ON LOW. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO BECOME INOPERABLE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK 80% OF THE TIME. THE WIPERS COME ON AND THEN STOP. SOMETIMES THEY GO FASTER THAN THEY SHOULD. SOMETIMES THE WATER DOES NOT COME OUT. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
HEATER AND A/C CONTROL SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED THE WIRING HARNESS, CAUSING INJURIES. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *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.