IllustrationFRACTURE OF RIGHT SIDE TORSION BAR CAUSED BODY TO DROP ONTO WHEEL, IMMOBILIZING VEHICLE. REPAIRS COST $797.12 PLUS $40 TOWING AND LOSS OF USE FOR THREE DAYS.*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
What owners actually said
263 reportsI HAVE A 1996 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. I'VE REPLACED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW MOTOR'S FOUR TIMES, EACH. OUR COMPANY HAS 26 VEHICLES, ALL ASTRO VAN'S AND ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I JUST RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT THE WIPER MOTOR ON THIS VEHICLE. THE POWER WINDOW MOTOR DEFINITELY IS MORE OF A PROBLEM. I CA…
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I HAVE A 1996 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. I'VE REPLACED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW MOTOR'S FOUR TIMES, EACH. OUR COMPANY HAS 26 VEHICLES, ALL ASTRO VAN'S AND ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I JUST RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT THE WIPER MOTOR ON THIS VEHICLE. THE POWER WINDOW MOTOR DEFINITELY IS MORE OF A PROBLEM. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL. IN THE WINTER, YOU'LL BEING DRIVING, LOWER THE WINDOW AND ALL OF A SUDDEN CAN'T GET IT UP. IT'S EVEN MORE OF A PROBLEM WHEN IT RAINS. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS. I FIRST REPLACED THE MOTOR ON BOTH SIDES @ 19,000 MILE, THAN 39,000 MILES AND SO ON. WHEN I CALLED GM TO COMPLAIN THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP WAS STONE COLD; COULDN'T CARE LESS! IF YOU CHECK INTO THIS YOU'LL SEE IT'S A MAJPOR PROBLEM.*AK
DRIVER'S SIDE TORSION BAR BROKE. I'VE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME FAILURE ON VARIOUS WEB SITES. FORTUNATELY, MY TORSION BAR BROKE WHILE BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE HAD IT OCCURED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY.
CONSUMER HAD RECALL 01V123000 "AUDIBLE WARNING" REMEDIED ON 6/13/03. A FEW DAYS LATER HE BEGAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WHEN THE INTERIOR CABIN LIGHT WAS TURNED ON THE RADIO WOULD COME ON INSTEAD. ALSO, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ADJUST POWER WINDOWS, THE VEHICLE'S ALARM WOULD ENGAGE. VEHICLE IS CURREN…
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CONSUMER HAD RECALL 01V123000 "AUDIBLE WARNING" REMEDIED ON 6/13/03. A FEW DAYS LATER HE BEGAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WHEN THE INTERIOR CABIN LIGHT WAS TURNED ON THE RADIO WOULD COME ON INSTEAD. ALSO, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ADJUST POWER WINDOWS, THE VEHICLE'S ALARM WOULD ENGAGE. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING CHECKED BY DEALER.*AK
SLIDING DOOR HAS BEEN SCRAPING SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED, AND CAME COMPLETELY OFF THE TRACK TODAY. MECHANIC SAYS IT IS MISSING A STOP TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING, AND THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN A SLIDING DOOR COME OFF COMPLETELY BEFORE. *NLM
CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN 1996. THE DRIVERS WINDOW MOTOR STOPPED WORKING ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, WAS REPAIRED, THEN IT STOPPED WORKING AGAIN ABOUT A 6 MONTHS LATER. THE CHEVROLET DEALER WILL NOT FIX IT BECAUSE THEY SAY IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. STILL UNUSABLE. *JB
WHILE DRIVING, THE TORSION BAR BROKE (WHICH WAS THE SECOND TIME THE INCIDENT HAPPENED) DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *JB
THE TORSION BAR SNAPPED WITHOUT WARNING. JB
THE CONSUMER SAT IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE LEFT SIDE TORSION BAR SNAPPED. THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. THE PART WAS ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DEALER. BY COINCIDENCE THE RIGHT SIDE WAS SENT AS WELL AND WAS SOLD BY THE PAIR. THE PARTS WERE REDESIGNED AND A NEW BUT DIFFERENT BRACKET WAS INC…
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THE CONSUMER SAT IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE LEFT SIDE TORSION BAR SNAPPED. THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. THE PART WAS ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DEALER. BY COINCIDENCE THE RIGHT SIDE WAS SENT AS WELL AND WAS SOLD BY THE PAIR. THE PARTS WERE REDESIGNED AND A NEW BUT DIFFERENT BRACKET WAS INCLUDED. GM FORCED THE REPAIR OF BOTH SIDES AT THE EXPENSE OF THE CONSUMER. *JB *SCC
CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN MARK III CONVERSION - ACCIDENT, ABS FAILED TO CORRECT FISH TAILING, FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT OPEN ON FRONTAL IMPACT. *JB
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.