1997 Chevrolet Astro

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO MINIVAN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT VERY LOW SPEEDS WHEN THE ANTI BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED, CAUSING INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING LOW-SPEED BRAKE APPLICATIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER ID: 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: ANTILOCK) BUT THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT HIS VEHICLE AS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 346,000.

HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SUDDENLY SLOWED DUE TO AN ACCIDENT AHEAD. THE STEEL BRAKE LINE TO THE REAR BRAKES FAILED DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST DURING AN EMERGENCY STOP ON HIGHWAY. THE FRONT BRAKES WERE ABLE TO SAFELY STOP THE VEHICLE WITH NO CONTACT WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLES. STEERING WAS ALSO VERY DIFFICULT DURING THE STOP POSSIBLY DUE TO ABS ACTION, BUT NO WHEEL LOCK EVER OCCURRED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WORKS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. WHEN APPROACHING A STOP, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT APPLY AND SHE ALMOST REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN A PERSISTENT FAILURE EVER SINCE SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE BRAKES AT THE COST OF $125, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO BRAKE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN ORDER FOR THE BRAKES TO WORK, SHE HAS TO SLAM HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THIS SOLUTION IS NOT ALWAYS GUARANTEED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,800 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 01-10-08. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED GROSSMAN CHEVROLET REPAIRED THE CHEVY VAN AGAIN ON NOV. 30, 2007 AT THE COST OF $979. THE CONSUMER FURTHER STATED IN 2005 SHE REAR ENDED A VEHICLE AT 5MPH BECAUSE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE DEALER STATED RIGHT FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, REPAIRED FRONT COVER GASKET, REPLACED FRONT PINION, AND REPLACED SERPENTINE BELT. UPDATED 12/31/07 *TR

THE PEDAL POSITIONS AND DRIVERS FOOT ROOM ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO CONTRIBUTED TO AN ACCIDENT. I WAS TURNING LEFT INTO A DRIVEWAY WHICH I COULD SEE WAS ICED OVER. I WAS DRIVING LESS THAN 5 MPH AND BRAKING WHEN I ENTERED THE DRIVEWAY AND FELT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES BEGIN TO FUNCTION. THE BRAKE PEDAL IMMEDIATELY DROPPED DOWN AND THE VAN NO LONGER DECELERATED. IN FACT THE VAN ACCELERATED THE HARDER I STOOD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AT WHICH POINT I REALIZED MY RIGHT FOOT WAS PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR AS WELL AS THE BRAKE. AS I TRIED TO MOVE MY RIGHT FOOT FURTHER LEFT MY SIZE 12 RIGHT SHOE GOT TANGLED WITH MY SIZE 12 LEFT SHOE IN THE DRIVERS FOOT WELL. BY THE TIME I CORRECTLY POSITIONED MY FEET AND WAS ABLE TO PRESS EXCLUSIVELY ON THE VERY SMALL BRAKE PEDAL THE VAN CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE, PENETRATING THE DOOR AND COMING TO A STOP AS IT MET THE RESISTANCE OF THE VEHICLE PARKED IN THE GARAGE. IT HAPPENED SO FAST AT FIRST I FELT LIKE AN IDIOT FOR HAVING AN ACCIDENT UNTIL I ANALYZED THE CHAIN OF EVENTS. I DISCOVERED THE WAY I NORMALLY POSITION MY FEET, OUT STRETCHED IN THE FOOT WELL IS UNSAFE. I NOTICED WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKE WITH THE BALL OF MY RIGHT FOOT DURING NORMAL STOPS THE OVERALL WIDTH OF MY SHOE HOVERS OVER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS IS NORMALLY OF NO CONSEQUENCE BECAUSE THE BRAKE PEDAL HITS BOTTOM ABOVE THE HEIGHT OF WHERE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL RESTS DURING NON-ABS STOPS. HOWEVER WHEN THE PEDAL DROPS DOWN DURING ABS ASSIST THE FOOT ROOM IS TOO TIGHT. THIS REQUIRES ME TO REST MY LEFT FOOT LEG BENT ON THE LEFT WHEEL WELL. ALTHOUGH THIS IS UNCOMFORTABLE FOR ME I BELIEVE I WILL NEED TO DRIVE THIS WAY FOR SAFETY PURPOSES. SHORT OF GM REENGINEERING THIS POOR DESIGN, ADULT MEN NEED TO BE MADE AWARE OF THIS POTENTIAL WHILE DRIVING THESE VANS. THERE ARE A LOT OF ASTROS AND GMC SAFARIS ON THE ROAD. I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. *JB

THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM, PULSTATING BRAKES, FRONT ROTOR/GROOVED, SQUEAKING/SCREAMING NOISE, ALL HAVING BEEN DIAGNOSED AND BEING TOLD ON SOME OCCASIONS THAT THEY ARE FINE. AFTER THE CONSUMER HAD SEEN THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT ROTOR, THE MECHANIC HAD SHOWN THE COMPARISON WITH THE AFTERMARKET ROTOR, THE DIFFERENCE IN QUALITY WAS IMMEDIATELY APPARENT THAT THE BACKGROUND IS AEROSPACE MACHINING/MANUFACTURING. AFTER A REPLACEMENT OF THE ROTORS, FRONT BRAKE PADS, SKIM MACHINE THE REAR BRAKE DRUMS/ADJUST THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, IT WAS TOLD TO THE CONSUMER BY THE OWNER OF THE SERVICE STATION THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THIS ROTOR DESIGN, SO THE CONSUMER DECIDED TO GO AHEAD W/THE WORK. THE PERFORMANCE OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM HAS RETURNED TO THE EXPERIENCE OF WHEN HE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE DEALER. *SCC *DT

MY MINI VAN ALWAYS STARTS SHAKING WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED I WENT THROUGH SIX TIME FIXING PROBLEM , I PUT NEW DISCS DRUMS SHOE PADS SHOCKS ALIGNMENT REBALANCE EVERYTHING WE COULD DO I'AM VERY DISAAPOINTED AT CHEVROLET FOR THEIR VEHICLE PERFORMANCE I EVEN PUT A NEW GEAR BOX, THE FUEL GAGE DOES'NT WORK THEY TOLD AT CROPPERS CHEVROLET IN NOGALES AZ.I NEED TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP THEY COULD NOT FIX THE GAGE I AM SO DISSAPOINTED I BOUGHT A TOYOTA AND AS SOON AS I CAN I'LL TRADE THIS VEHICLE . ONE THING I LEARNED IS GO WITH AN IMPORT VEHICLE.*AK

I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE: BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT POWER WINDOR MOTORS; REPLACE THE KEY REMOTE, BOTH IDLER ARMS,FRONT BRAKE PAD AT 37,000 MILES, SERPENTIME BELT, POWER STEERING PUMP - REPLACED TWICE, HAD TO FIX OIL COOLER LINES TWICE, REPLACED DISTRIBUTOR/ROTOR; REPLACED LOWER GASKET DUE TO INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK, AND FUEL PUMP MODUAL. ALL OF THIS WAS DONE BEFORE MY CAR HAD 57,000 MILES. THE DEALER HAS BEEN VERY FAIR AND REPAIRED AT LOW OR NOW COST. I HAVE HAD TWO TRIPS SHORTENED DUE TO BREAKDOWNS AND HAVE SPENT OVER $1,500 ON REPAIRS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRENTY OR BY THE DEALER. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO NORMAL MAINTENANCE (OIL AND FILTER,FOUR NEW TIRES,AND TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER). I AM CONCERNED AS TO "WHAT IS NEXT" AND WHEN THE DEALER WHEN NO LONGER BE ABLE TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS AT LOW COST TO ME.*AK