IllustrationABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WHEN BRAKING SOMETIMES BRAKE PEDAL GETS REALLY HARD. CONSUMER HAS TO PUMP ON BRAKE TO STOP. THIS HAPPENS MAYBE ONCE A DAY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*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 reportsWHILE DRIVING 25-30 MPH DRIVER'S FRONT SIDE OF VEHICLE DROPPED ONTO WHEEL WELL VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER, FRONT TORSION BAR HAD BROKEN.*AK
THE GAS PEDAL STICKS WHEN BEGINNING TO ACCELERATE. COULD CAUSE TO HIT SOMEONE IN BACKEND BECAUSE TO GET IT UNSTUCK YOU HAVE TO TAP OF PUSH HARD TO START. HAS NOT STARTED STICKING AS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD BUT DOES STICK AT TAKE OFF 3 OUT OF FIVE TIME A DAY.*AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY SINCE 85,000 MILES, UNTIL NOT OPERATING AT THIS PRESENT TIME. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
CONSUMER STATES AFTER THE TORSON BAR FAILED, THE FRONT TIRE RUBBED AGAINST FRAME OF VEHICLE.*AK *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT 65MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND GOING OVER AN OVERPASS 2 TORISON BARS BROKE CAUSING THE FRONT END TO FALL WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK *SCC
WIPERS QUIT WORKING DURING HEAVY RAIN STORM, SWITCH POSITION MADE NO DIFFERENCE. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES THEY STARTED WORKING AGAIN, ONLY TO FAIL WORKING AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THIS HAPPENED (4) MORE TIMES DURING OUR DRIVING TIME OF 6 HOURS RETURNING HOME FROM VACATION. *AK
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE TORSION BARS BROKE WITHIN THE RETAINER AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DROP. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK *YH
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 …
Read full complaint
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
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND HAD GOTTEN OUT OF THE FRONT END AND FELL TO THE GROUND DUE TO THE TORSION BAR BREAKING. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK *SCC
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.