1998 Chevrolet Astro

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET ASTRO. THE DRIVER STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CIRCUIT BOARD CAUSES THE WIPERS NOT TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. IF VISIBILITY IS REDUCED WHILE DRIVING THE RISK FOR VEHICLE CRASH AND SERIOUS INJURY ARE INCREASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS REPAIRED. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURE AND WAS INFORMED BY A REPRESENTATIVE THAT THERE WERE NO EXISTING RECALLS FOR HIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL.. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,877. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET ASTRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ELECTRIC SWITCH FOR THE OUTSIDE SIDE VIEW MIRROR. THE FAILURE CAUSED HEAT DAMAGE THAT IGNITED A FIRE IN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE ENTIRE VAN WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE OCCURRED IN THE DRIVEWAY OF THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 130,000.

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 1998 CHEVY ASTRO VAN IN A HEAVY RAIN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC NEAR WASHINGTON D.C. LAST WEEK. SHE TURNED THE WIPERS ON. THE WIPERS RANDOMLY WORKED AND DIDN'T WORKED AND IT ALMOST CAUSED A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS RANDOM "WORK/DOESN'T WORK" EVEN HAS STARTED HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY SINCE ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO. IN DOING RESEARCH ON THE WEB, APPARENTLY GM KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CIRCUIT BOARD PROBLEM.

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HER WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. THEY CAME ON WHEN THE CONSUMER DIDN'T NEED THEM, BUT WHEN SHE NEEDED THEM THEY WOULDN'T COME ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN TWO ASTROS THAT THE CONSUMER HAS OWNED. THE FIRST ONE WAS A 1995 CHEVY ASTRO VAN AND THE SECOND ONE IS A 1998 ASTRO VAN. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND MOTOR TO THE WIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE OWNER WAS TOLD BY A SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT GM REPLACED THE MOTOR ON THE WIPERS ON THE MODELS BEFORE THE OWNERS VAN. THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE 1998 VANS. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE 2003. THE OWNER HAS NOT HAD THIS LOOKED AT BY A TECHNICIAN. THE OWNER STATED THAT SHE USUALLY SHE PULLS OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, POPS THE HOOD AND TAPS ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR TO GET THE WIPER TO WORK, AND MOST TIMES THIS WORKS. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT TALKED TO THE DEALER BUT HAS TALKED WITH GM. THE PERSON AT GM SAID THAT SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO. THE OWNER JUST KEEPS TAPPING ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THE OWNER IS TAKING HER VAN IN FOR RECALL WORK ON THE SIDE MIRROR TOMORROW. SHE IS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND SHOW THEM THE COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FROM THE NHTSA. *NM

WHILE BRAKING AT LOW SPEED THE ABS WOULD CAUSE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR REPLACED. LEFT FRONT WINDOW HANGS WHEN GOING UP. WINDOW TRACKE LUBED. PADS AND ROTORS REPLACED. RER BRAKE ADJUSTED. BRAKE PEDAL KICKED UP WHEN ALMOST TO A STOP. REPLACED BRAKE CALIPERS/ROTORS/ BACKING PLATES AND REMOVED SENSORS AND CLEANED RUST BUILD UP ON SENSOR AND HUB ASSEMBLIES. BOTH IDLER AMRS AND FRONT AND REAR SHOCKS WERE REPLACED DUE TO FRONT END PLAY. *TT

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE AT TIMES WHEN SWITCHED ON. WHEN THEY DID OPERATE, THE WIPER HIGH SPEED FUNCTION WOULD NOT WORK. THIS IS THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM THAT EXISTED WITH MY 1996 CHEVROLET BLAZER. THE BLAZER WAS SUBJECT TO A RECALL FOR A FAULTY WIPER CONTROL MODULE, WHICH FIXED THE PROBLEM. BOTH VEHICLES USE THE SAME TYPE OF WIPER CONTROL MODULE, WHICH APPEARS TO LOSE A CONNECTION ON THE MODULE.*AK

FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK....WIPERS FAILED TO WORK BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE WIPER MOTOR PULSE BOARD. VISIBILITY IS IMPAIRED DURING A RAIN STORM. THIS PART WAS RECALLED ON PREVIOUS ASTRO VAN MODELS, BUT DID NOT INCLUDE 1998 MODELWITH SAME PART. *AK