1997 Chevrolet Astro

I OWN A 1997 CHEVY ASTRO VAN CUSTOM. THE REAR SEATBELTS DO NOT WORK IN THE BACK BENCHSEAT. THEY HAVEN'T WORKED SINCE WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE WE HAVE FOUGHT AND FOUGHT TO GET THIS ISSUE FIXED. THE GO IN WITH A SCREWDRIVER AND POP IT AND SAY IT'S OK. IT"S NOT OK> KIDS SIT BACK THERE. OR AT LEAST THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO. I CAN'T ALLOW ANYONE TO USE THOSE SEATS. I AM AFRAID TO GET SOME FROM THE JUNKYARD AND FOR 30,000. I SHOULD HAVE WORKING SEATBELTS. *TR

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

VEHICLE INVOLVED 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO 1. SEAT RECLINER WAS BEING USED WHEN THE HANDLE BROKE OFF. THE SEAT REMAINED IN THE POSITION ESTABLISHED WHEN THE HANDLE BROKE. STARTED DRIVING THE VAN AND SUDDENLY THE SEAT BACK WENT COMPLETELY FLAT. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO HANG ON TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE DID WANDER INTO THE LEFT LANE DURING THE INCIDENT. 2. I INVESTIGATED THE FAILURE AND FOUND THE PLASTIC HANDLE WAS INTACT, HOWEVER THE METAL PIVOT PIECE THAT ENGAGES THE SERRATED LOCKING PLATE FAILED. THIS PIVOT PIECE ALSO CONTAINS THE TORSION SPRING THAT LOCKS THE PLATE WHEN THE HANDLE IS NOT BEING ACTUATED. THE DESIGN IS NOT INTRINSICLY SAFE IN THAT THE LOCKING PLATE IS PUSHED UPWARD BY THE SPRING TO SECURE THE SEAT. AS LONG AS THERE IS PRESSURE ON THE SEAT THE MECHANISM WILL STAY ENGAGED. WITHOUT A LOAD ON THE SEAT, THE LOCKING PLATE CAN DROP FREE DUE TO GRAVITY AND THE SEAT WILL RECLINE BACKWARD TO THE FULL FLAT POSITION. EXAMINATION OF THE PIVOT PIECE APPEARS TO SHOW A CRACK STARTED WHERE THE SPRING IS SECURED AND THE CRACK PROPOGATED THROUGH THE PIECE DUE TO FATIQUE AND VIBRATION UNTIL FAILURE OCCURRED. 3. THE SEAT WAS LOCKED INTO A PERMANENT POSITION USING HIGH STRENGTH FASTENERS AND EXISTING HOLES IN THE SEAT FRAME. ADDITIONALLY, THE LOCKING PLATE WAS ENGAGED AND ALSO PINNED INTO PLACE TO FURTHER SECURE THE SEAT. THE RECLINING FEATURE OF THE SEAT IS NO LONGER FUNCTIONAL. I RETAINED THE BROKEN ADJUSTMENT HANDLE WITH PIVOT PIECE.

DT: OWNER TOOK THE DEALER, ANN DAVIDS WAS THE MANAGER, THE DEALER DENIES ANY PROBLEM. THE FIRST DAY, OWNER NOTICES A DUST UNDER HOOD, THEN NOTICED THE WIRES WERE BURNT UNDERHOOD AND UNDER CAR.TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALER, AND EVERYTHING WAS APPARENTLY OKAY. OWNER TRIED CRUISE CONTROL TO CHECK THE VEHICLE, WHEN CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON, VEHILCE ACCELERATED UNINTENTIONALLY, THEN OWNER PULLED OFF AND PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. WHEN IN NEUTRAL, THE VEHILCE STARTED TO REV. THEN A BIG BANG, AND SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE EXAUSHT. AFTER VEHICLE COOLED, HE SHUT OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL, AND CHECKED THE ACCELERATOR, THEN STARTED THE CAR AGAIN. THE ACCELERATOR STUCK AGAIN, WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE DRIVER WOULD PUT IT NEUTRAL. CAR WAS TAKEN BY TOW TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE MANAGER REPORTS ALL IF FIXED, BUT NO CRUISE CONTROL. 450 DOLLARS FOR NEW CRUISE CONTROL.

DT: WHILE TURNING A CORNER AND PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR IT BECAME STUCK CAUSING THE VEHICLE ACCELERATE FASTER. THE CONSUMER PUMPED THE GAS PEDAL WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE GO FASTER. THE CONSUMER THEN PLACED HER OTHER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH MADE THE REAR TIRES SPIN. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED. TRIPLE A WAS AFRAID TO TOW THE VEHICLE DUE TO ACCELERATION ISSUE BUT FINALLY DECIDED TO TOW IT TO DEALER. DEALER WAS WILLING TO REPAIR UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. GMC WOULD OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. *NM