IllustrationSEAT BELT RETRACTORS ON THE REAR BENCH SEATS ON THE DRIVER SIDE DO NOT RETRACT. DEALER HAS REPLACED , AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. ALSO, DEALER PUT IN WRONG SEATBELTS.
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 reportsWHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE ACTIVATED DURING A RAIN STORM THEY WORK SOMETIMES. BUT WHEN IT IS NOT RAINING THEY WORK FINE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. CURRENTLY HAVE NOT BEEN WORKING FOR WEEKS. DEALER SAYS THEY ARE NOT ON RECALL. *AK
WE BOUGHT THIS VAN AS A CONVERSION VAN. WE HAVE BEEN VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE PEROFRMANCE OF THE VAN. WE HAVE HAD THE AIRCONDITING REPAIRED TWICE. THE BATTERY FAILED MANY TIMES. ONE TIME THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CLONKING NOISE WHEN BRAKING THAT THE DEALER CAN IDENTIFY. THE TIRES WORE OUT JUST AFTER THEY …
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WE BOUGHT THIS VAN AS A CONVERSION VAN. WE HAVE BEEN VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE PEROFRMANCE OF THE VAN. WE HAVE HAD THE AIRCONDITING REPAIRED TWICE. THE BATTERY FAILED MANY TIMES. ONE TIME THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CLONKING NOISE WHEN BRAKING THAT THE DEALER CAN IDENTIFY. THE TIRES WORE OUT JUST AFTER THEY WERE A YEAR OLD. THE VAN HAS ALSO BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR NUMEROUS OTHER REPAIRS.( DOT NUMBER: )
WIPERS HAVE QUIT OPERATING APPROX SIX TIMES OVER PAST 2 MONTHS--NO CAUSE FOUND. PC BOARD REMOVED AND REINSTALLED, WIPERS THEN OPERATE NORMALLY FOR A FEW DAYS.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT DRIVER PUSHING ON THE GAS.DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND FIXED THE VEHICLE ,BUT THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED.*AK
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF PERFORMANCE. THIS WOULD HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER REPLACED MODULE. *AK
ON AUGUST 19,1999, I WAS BACKING MY 1996 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN OUT OF MY PARENTS' GARAGE WHEN I NOTICED THAT SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT WITH THE VAN. I THEN DROVE IT DOWN THE ROAD A FEW BLOCKS. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE THE VAN WAS NOT DRIVING AS IT NORMALLY DOES. THE VAN WAS ROCKING AND SITTING LOWER TO THE GRO…
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ON AUGUST 19,1999, I WAS BACKING MY 1996 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN OUT OF MY PARENTS' GARAGE WHEN I NOTICED THAT SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT WITH THE VAN. I THEN DROVE IT DOWN THE ROAD A FEW BLOCKS. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE THE VAN WAS NOT DRIVING AS IT NORMALLY DOES. THE VAN WAS ROCKING AND SITTING LOWER TO THE GROUND. AFTER I PULLED OVER, I LOOKED TO SEE IF ONE OF THE TIRES WERE FLAT. IT WAS THEN THAT I NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VAN WAS HANGING VERY LOW. I THEN CALLED LEON'S AUTO LAB, GAVE THEM A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM AND ASKED IF THEY THOUGHT IF IT WAS SAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE IT TO THEIR SHOP WHICH HAPPENED TO BE A FEW MORE BLOCKS DOWN THE ROAD. THEY TOLD ME TO DRIVE IT VERY SLOWLY TO THEIR SHOP. WHEN I GOT THERE, THEY PUT THE VAN ON A HOIST AND FOUND THAT THE TORISION BAR WAS BROKEN. THEY COULDN'T FIX IT SO I HAD TO TAKE TO SPEEDY'S TMA. THEY ARE LOCATED IN ABERDEEN, SD 57401 (1-605-229-1025). THEY WERE ABLE TO GET REPLACEMENT PARTS AND FIX IT THERE. I KEPT THE BROKEN TORISION BAR. THE MECHANICS TOLD MY FATHER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A FAULTY DESIGN. I AM FRIGHTENED TO THINK WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65MPH AND THE TORISION BAR WOULD'VE BROKEN. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER. SINCERELY, TAMARA L. WASSER
A VEHICLE WITH 45,000 MILES SHOULD NOT HAVE A WIPER MOTOR FAILURE.
FRONT TORSION BAR CRACKED AND BROKE, COULD HAVE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL. *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.