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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
What owners actually said
263 reportsTRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED DRIVING DOWN ROAD. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED. *AK
LOWER BALL JOINTS ARE PREMATURELY WEARING OUT. REPLACED AT 33,000 MILES. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPER WASHER INTERMITTENTLY WOULD STOP WORKING DURING OPERATION OR NOT OPERATE AT ALL. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD STOP WORKING DURING OPERATION. DEALER NOTIFIED. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
FOR A CAR THAT IS ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD, THIS ONE HAS FAR TOO MANY EQUIPMENT FAILURES. I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THIS CAR WOULD BE CONSIDERED A LEMON BY MOST PEOPLE. WHEN WE FIRST GOT IT THE BRAKES WOULD SLOW YOU DOWN AND AT 10 MPH AS YOU WERE APPROACHING THE STOP OR THE REAR END OF ANOTHER CAR, THEY WOULD FAIL TO STOP YOU COMPLETELY…
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FOR A CAR THAT IS ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD, THIS ONE HAS FAR TOO MANY EQUIPMENT FAILURES. I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THIS CAR WOULD BE CONSIDERED A LEMON BY MOST PEOPLE. WHEN WE FIRST GOT IT THE BRAKES WOULD SLOW YOU DOWN AND AT 10 MPH AS YOU WERE APPROACHING THE STOP OR THE REAR END OF ANOTHER CAR, THEY WOULD FAIL TO STOP YOU COMPLETELY. THE DEALER WHO SOLD US THE CAR AGREED TO FIX THAT. NEXT THE FRONT END STARTED SHAKING SO VIOLENTLY IT WOULD THROW THE CUPS OUT OF THE HOLDERS IN THE FRONT OF THE VAN. WE TOOK THE CAR TO OUR LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY FIXED THEM. ONLY 10,000 MILES LATER WE HAD TO TAKE IT BACK IN TO HAVE THE ROTORS TURNED AGAIN AS THEY WERE WARPED AGAIN. THEY UNJUSTLY ACCUSED ME OF RIDING THE BRAKES, WHICH I DO NOT DO. THIS TIME THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS ON THE FRONT DISC BRAKES. I REQUESTED THAT THEY DO THAT THE FIRST TIME AND THE REFUSED TO DO SO. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE, NOR HAVE THEY MADE MUCH EFFORT TO FIND THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OTHER THAN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER RELAY. I AM WORRIED ABOUT MY CHILDRENS SAFETY IN THIS VEHICLE GIVEN THE NUMBER OF NUMEROUS FAILURES OF VARIOUS EQUIPMENT ON THIS ONE VEHICLE. *AK
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES ON DRY PAVEMENT PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND RESULTING IN A COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK UP. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
DRIVER REAREND VEHICLE IN FRONT WITH A 35MPH - 40 MPH IMPACT DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND DRIVER'S SEATBELT DID NOT LOCK UP, CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION AND INJURIES. *AK
PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT DISENGAGE FROM THE HOUSING MECHANISM, THUS PREVENTING ANY USAGE OF THE SEAT BELT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, PARTS HAS YET TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THIS IS THE SECOND GMC VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED THAT HAS HAS INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE. I UNDERSTAND THIS HAPPENING WHEN A VEHICLE HAS BEEN MISTREATED, OR IS HIGH MILEAGE. BUT, AT 55,000 MILES, THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING. FORD HAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM IN THEIR 3.8 L, AND THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF IT. I WOULD HOPE THE NHTSA WOUL…
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THIS IS THE SECOND GMC VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED THAT HAS HAS INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE. I UNDERSTAND THIS HAPPENING WHEN A VEHICLE HAS BEEN MISTREATED, OR IS HIGH MILEAGE. BUT, AT 55,000 MILES, THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING. FORD HAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM IN THEIR 3.8 L, AND THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF IT. I WOULD HOPE THE NHTSA WOULD CHECK TO SEE HOW MANY OTHERS HAVE THIS INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET PROBLEM. THE COST IS ABOUT $ 900 FOR BOTH GASKETS. *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.