1997 Chevrolet Astro

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 97 CHEVY ASTRO VAN ABOUT 40MPH WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO STOP. THE VAN WAS NOT STOPPING SO SHE PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS SHE COULD. JUST AS IT WAS ABOUT TO STOP AT THE STOP SIGN IT LURCHED FORWARD INTO THE INTERSECTION. THE VAN CONTINUED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED (LUCKILY THERE WAS NO OTHER CARS COMING). SHE TRIED TO STOP AGAIN NOW NOTICING THAT THE ENGINE WAS RACING. SHE TURNED OFF THE CAR AND PUT IT INTO PARK. WE THEN HAD THE VAN TOWED TO THE DEALER WE BOUGHT IT AT. THEY LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WENT OUT AND WAS POURING RAW FUEL INTO THE MOTOR. IT WAS OCCURING AT SUCH A HIGH RATE THAT IT SUCKED A PART OF THE THROTTLE BODY INTO THE MOTOR. WE STILL DON'T HAVE OUR VAN BACK OR DO WE KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGES (THEY HAVE TO PULL THE HEADS OFF TO FIND THE PART THAT GOT SUCKED IN). I AM GLAD I AM WRITING THIS JUST WORRYING ABOUT A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS I AM OUT AND NOT TELLING YOU HOW MY WIFE AND TWO KIDS WERE KILLED. I CALLD GENERAL MOTORS TO COMPLAIN AND THEY MADE A CASE (#1-73278300) AND SAID THAT IF THEY GOT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS THIS COULD TURN INTO A RECALL AT WHICH TIME THEY WOULD REIMBURSE US. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER SAID HE HAS SEEN CASES IN WHICH PARTS WERE SUCKE INTO THE ENGINE 3 OR 4 TIMES. MY QUESTION IS HOW MANY PEOPLE NEED TO GET HURT OR KILLED FOR GM TO THINK THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM? MY FAMILY GOT LUCKY IN THAT THEY WERE JUST ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. ALSO I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO BE LIABLE FOR MY WHOLE ENGINE BEING IN JEOPARDY FROM ONE RELATIVELY CHEAP PART GOING BAD. I AM COMPAINING ABOUT A POTENTIAL DEADLY PROBLEM THAT I FEEL IS A DESIGN FLAW. HOW MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME AS MY FAMILY OR WORSE? HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE FOR GM TO RECOGNISE THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM?

SIDEWALL FAILURE. TWO TIRES WITHIN 2 MONTHS. TREAD DEPTH WORN TO (3 READINGS TAKEN ACROSS WIDTH OF TREAD) .220, .240, .240 TIRE DESCRIPTION FIRESTONE FR440 P225/70R15 100S M + 5 DOT HYUU 4FA S/N (??) 140 (THIS NUMBER IS MOLDED INTO ALL THREE REMAINING TIRES) MOUNTED ON 1997 CHEVROLET ASTROVAN 96,000 MILES THE FIRST TIRE THAT FAILED WAS LEFT IN PIECES ALL OVER FREEWAY. THE SECOND TIRE FAILED WHILE SITTING IN GARAGE. I ATTEMPTED REPAIR OF 2ND TIRE AND WAS TOLD SIDEWALL HAD DELAMINATED AND COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. I HAVE KEPT THIS TIRE FOR ANYONE TO LOOK AT WHO WISHES TO. I CAN GET POLICE REPORT CONFIRMING THAT I HAD TIRE FAILURE ON INTERSTATE BECAUSE I REQUIRED POLICE ASSISTANCE TO KEEP FROM BEING "RUN OVER" WHILE PUTTING ON SPARE TIRE. WILLIS CLARK E-MAIL WGCLARK39@YAHOO.COM

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

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS FAILING. MODULE IS BURNING OUT, AND CAUSING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO STOP FUNCTIONING. THIS AUTO HAS BEEN IN REPAIR SHOP SEVERAL TIMES, AND EACH TIME NO ONE COULD FIGURE OUT WHERE THE SHORTHAPPENED SO IT COULD BE REPAIRED. CONSUMER IS AFRAID VEHICLE WILL CATCH ON FIRE AND BURN, JUST LIKE A VEHICLE OWNED BY A FRIEND. *AK