1997 Chevrolet Astro

POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH AND THEN THE POWER BRAKES DID NOT WORK. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER REPORTED POWER STEERING PUMP WENT AND OFFERED 50% ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. DEALER ALSO ADVISED THAT THE ALIGNMENT WAS SEVERELY OUT AND WOULD ALSO NEED TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES. WHEN DEALER WENT TO DO ALIGNMENT, HE NOW INFORMS US THAT THE STEERING COMPONENTS ARE BAD: PITMAN ARM, 2 INNER TIE RODS, AND 2 IDLER ARMS. DEALER CLAIMS THIS IS DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE, I.E. GREASING. THIS IS THE SECOND ALIGNMENT WE HAVE HAD TO HAVE DONE ON THIS VAN (4/98 FIRST ALIGNMENT AND REPLACED FOUR TIRES AT THAT TIME ALSO. HAD THE VAN FOR 11 MONTHS??) WE FEEL THAT STEERING COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE FROM THE BEGINNING THUS REQUIRING TWO ALIGNMENTS AND TWO NEW SETS OF TIRES IN 40 MONTHS. I CALLED GM CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-222-1020 AND THEY REPORT NO RECURRING PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP. I WILL CALL ABOUT STEERING COMPONENTS. *AK

VEHICLE HAS A "STOP BUMP" OR "DRIVE LINE CLUNK" WHICH IS "CORRECTED" BY LUBRICATING DRIVELINE SLIP YOK AND DRIVESHAFT EVERY 2000 MILES. THIS OCCURS WHEN STOPPING AND FEELS AS IF THE CAR HAS BEEN BUMPED FROM BEHIND, CAUSING IT TO LURCH SLIGHTLY FORWARD. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS NOT NORMAL OPERATION BUT CAN NOT BE FIXED. ALSO THE ALIGNMENT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED EVERY TWO MONTHS AS IT CONTINUALLY PULLS TO THE RIGHT (AN INDEPENDENT SHOP SAID THE IDLER ARMS ARE BAD). THERE ARE MANY SQUEAKS, BUMPS AND CLUNKS COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE DEVELOPED A RANDOM PULL WHILE BRAKING, PARTICULARLY IN RAIN OR SNOW & SLUSH. IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS ONLY THE FIRST TIME YOU APPLIED THE BRAKES AFTER YOU DROVE 2 OR 3 MILES THEN IT HAPPENED ON DRY PAVEMENT. IT HAPPENS ONLY OCCASIONALLY, BUT CAN BE VERY SEVERE, IT NEARLY PULLED ME INTO THE GUIDE RAIL ON ONE OCCASION. THIS STARTED AROUND 12000 MILES AND IT NOW HAS 46000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED PADS, TURNED ROTORS, ALIGNED THE FRONT END TWICE, AND GROUND THE CLEARANCE ON THE CALIPERS TWICE. AT GM DENIED HAVING MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS BUT I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER PAOPLE WITH THE PROBLEM. I WAS CALLED BY THE DEALER THE OTHER DAY TO BRING IT IN AGAIN TO LOWER THE FRONT END AND ANOTHER ALIGNMENT. I RECENTLY TOOK IT ON A TRIP IN WHICH MY BROTHER INLAW DROVE IT AND ASKED ME "HAVE YOU NOTICED THIS THING PULLING?" MY WIFE ALSO DRIVES IT AND HAS COMPLAINED TO ME. THIS VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM , AND I SUSPECT THERE ARE OTHERS! I HAD A 1992 ASTRO AWD BUT NEVER HAD THE PROBLEM. A FRIEND OF MINE TRADED HER ASTRO AWD OFF BECAUSE IT HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM, BUT PULLED TO THE LEFT, INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I 'VE BEEN LUCKY SO FAR, BUT IT COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE ON SOME OF THE SEVERE INCIDENTS IT HAS PULLED ME OFF THE EDGE OF THE ROAD. *AK