IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
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
What owners actually said
360 reportsENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMING ON COINCIDENTLY WITH VERY ROUGH SHIFTING. DEALER STATES TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACEMENT, EVEN THOUGH AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP COULD FIND NO PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC MAINTAINS THE PROBLEM IS IN THE COMPUTER, WHICH IS SHUTTING DOWN AND CAUSING A FULL LINE PRESSURE …
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ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMING ON COINCIDENTLY WITH VERY ROUGH SHIFTING. DEALER STATES TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACEMENT, EVEN THOUGH AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP COULD FIND NO PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC MAINTAINS THE PROBLEM IS IN THE COMPUTER, WHICH IS SHUTTING DOWN AND CAUSING A FULL LINE PRESSURE IN THE TRANSMISSION, CAUSING THE ROUGH SHIFT. THE INDEPENDENT SHOP DROPPED THE TRANSMISSION PAN, INSPECTED THE FLUID AND VISUALLY INSPECTED THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO KEPT AND DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR 2 DAYS. DEALERSHIP INSISTS THE COMPUTER CODE THEY ARE RECEIVING (P1870) INDICATES A TRANSMISSION SLIP, TO BE REMEDIED BY A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT OR AT LEAST AN OVERHAUL. NO VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS CONDUCTED BY THE DEALER -- ONLY RELYING ON A COMPUTER CODE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. DEALER ALSO STATED THEY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MANY TRANSMISSIONS ON THIS MODEL VEHICLE --- "MORE THAN WE CARE TO ADMIT." STILL, AN INDEPENDENT SHOP CAN FIND NO INTERNAL PROBLEM AND MAINTAINS IT IS A PROBLEM IN THE PCM. DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO CHANGE PCM AND WILL DIAGNOSE ONLY AS FAR AS "PULLING CODES" FROM THE PCM. THEY CANNOT ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN WHY THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND ONLY PRESENTS INTELF UNDER CERTAIN WEATHER CONDITIONS. WHEN ROUGH SHIFTING OCCURS, THE PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY GOES AWAY WHEN THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF AND RE-STARTED.*AK
THE MODULE AND HARNESS MELTED. PROBABLY WOULD HAVE STARTED A FIRE HAD NOT WE BEEN THERE AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. THE VEHICLE WAS OFF AND HAD BEEN FOR AT LEAST 20 MINUTES. JUST THOUGHT SOMEONE SHOULD CHECK TO BE SURE THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.
GAS GUAGE DOES NOT FUNCTION AT ALL. OWNER CAN'T TELL IF THERE IS ANY GAS IN THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
REAR SEAT BELT ON THE PASSENGER'S MIDDLE SIDE SEAT ISN'T WORKING. *AK
THE ROLLERS ON THE SLIDING DOOR IS MAKING THE DOOR TO DROP, NOT ALLOWING THE DOOR TO CLOSE PROPERLY, AND IT WILL NOT LOCK. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLSION AT 55 MPH. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER WAS E-MAILED. *AK. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP THAT UNLESS THE VEHICLE IS HIT JUST RIGHT THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY.*JB
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *YC
FUEL INJECTOR FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS BEGINNING AT 4,000 / 15,000 / 17,500. MILES. TOTAL OF 4 FUEL INJECTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. NO WARNNG OF PENDING FAILURE. VAN JUST FAILS TO START OR MISFIRES. DEALER SAYS THAT GM IS STUDING THE PROBLEM. FEELS IT IS A WEST COAST PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH GASOLINE.…
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FUEL INJECTOR FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS BEGINNING AT 4,000 / 15,000 / 17,500. MILES. TOTAL OF 4 FUEL INJECTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. NO WARNNG OF PENDING FAILURE. VAN JUST FAILS TO START OR MISFIRES. DEALER SAYS THAT GM IS STUDING THE PROBLEM. FEELS IT IS A WEST COAST PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH GASOLINE. *AK
TRIM ON TWO REAR BENCH SEATS FELL OFF WHICH WAS REPLACED. *YC
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.