IllustrationCONCERNS REGARDING SAFETY RECALL NOTICES INVOLVING 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN.*MR THE CONSUMER RECEIVED THE FIRST RECALL NOTICE ON MARCH 1,2003, THEN CONSUMER HAD THE RECALL WORK PERFORMED ON APRIL 15,2003 AND THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN RECEIVING RECALL NOTICES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM EVER SINCE AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RESOLVED. *JB
1997 Chevrolet Astro
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Astro years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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: 46 of 360 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 64 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 62 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
23 crash reports7 fire reports16 injury reports
Visibility complaints
62 reportsTHE CONSUMER'S 1987 AND 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO VANS HAD FAULTY ENGINE'S.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED, THE DRIVER'S SEAT CAME LOOSE, THE REAR DOOR HATCH BROKE AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER SLIPPING AND VALVE BODY WEAR (90000 MILES). *NM
BOTH FRONT POWER WINDOWS MOTORS HAVE FAILED TO FUNCTION.*AK
BRAKE PROBLEMS ON 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. *MR THE CONSUMER STATED THAT MORE BRAKE WORK WAS NEEDED. THE BRAKES HAD RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE TURNED, THE A/C WAS NOT BLOWING COLD AND THERE WAS A HEATING CONCERN. *SC THE REAR AXLE SEALS AND DIFFERENTIAL GASKETS WERE LEAKING.. *JB
WHILE DRIVING IN A RAINSTORM THE VEHICLE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAUSE WAS UNKNOWN. *NM
WHILE DRIVING IN A RAINSTORM THE VEHICLE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FOUND DEFECTIVE.*MR THE WIPER MOTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THERE IS A DEFINITE PROBLEM WITH THE WIPER MOTORS. *PH *NM
WINDOW MOTORS STOPPED WORKING ON BOTH SIDES.*AK
POWER WINDOW MOTOR (PASSENGER SIDE) IS INOPERABLE. REPLACED POWER WINDOW MOTOR ON DRIVER SIDE 12/02. SECOND MOTOR TO FAIL IN SIX MONTH PERIOD. *AK
ELECTRIC WINDOW CONTROLS ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN HAVE STARTED WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. STARTED HAPPENING RIGHT AFTER I HAD A DEALERSHIP REPAIR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROLS PURSUANT TO GM RECALL. MOSTLY OCCURS AFTER WINDOW IS DOWN, AND SWITCH WILL NOT OPERATE TO ROLL WINDOW UP. IF I WAIT A MINUTE, THE SWITCH WILL WORK, …
Read full complaint
ELECTRIC WINDOW CONTROLS ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN HAVE STARTED WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. STARTED HAPPENING RIGHT AFTER I HAD A DEALERSHIP REPAIR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROLS PURSUANT TO GM RECALL. MOSTLY OCCURS AFTER WINDOW IS DOWN, AND SWITCH WILL NOT OPERATE TO ROLL WINDOW UP. IF I WAIT A MINUTE, THE SWITCH WILL WORK, BUT WILL ONLY ROLL WINDOW UP AN INCH OR TWO AT A TIME BEFORE IT STOPS WORKING AGAIN. *NLM
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.