IllustrationTHE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO WORK INTERMITTANTLY, AND CREATE AN OVIOUS DANGEROUS RISK OF LIFE, LIMB, AND/OR PROPERTY!! FROM THE "LITTLE" AMOUNT OF RESEARCH I'VE DONE, (20 MIN.), THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND IT'S A SHAME IT MIGHT TAKE A DEATH OR A LAWSUIT TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT!!!!!!!!!! WHO KNOWS?, MAYBE IT ALREADY HAS! *AK
1998 Chevrolet Astro
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Astro years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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: 55 of 241 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.
- Visibility. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
20 crash reports7 fire reports14 injury reports
What owners actually said
241 reportsI OWN A 1998 ASTRO VAN. I WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION . MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, NOR DID MY SEAT BELTS RESTRAIN ME FROM HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL. MY SON WAS NOT RESTRAINED EITHER. WE BOTH HAD INJURIES. ESTIMATE COST OF REPAIRS 7-8,000.00 WORTH THE DAMAGE. THERE IS SEVERE FRAME DAMAGE THAT REQUIRES A SUB FRAME TO BE…
Read full complaint
I OWN A 1998 ASTRO VAN. I WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION . MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, NOR DID MY SEAT BELTS RESTRAIN ME FROM HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL. MY SON WAS NOT RESTRAINED EITHER. WE BOTH HAD INJURIES. ESTIMATE COST OF REPAIRS 7-8,000.00 WORTH THE DAMAGE. THERE IS SEVERE FRAME DAMAGE THAT REQUIRES A SUB FRAME TO BE REPLACED. I NEED TO KNOW IF THIS IS A ONGOING PROBLEM WITH FRONT END COLLISONS THAT THE AIR BAGS DO NOT DEPLOY, OR DOES THE SEAT BELT NOT RESTRAIN YOU?*AK
WIPER CONTROL INTERMITTENT DURING WET WEATHER, WIPERS ON AND STAY ON WHEN SWITCH PLACED TO OFF. WASHER MOTOR INOPERABLE. COMBINATION SWITCH REPLACED WITH NO HELP. REFERENCE RECALL FOR 1997 MODELS. *LA
WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THIS SOMETIMES FORCED THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. *AK
THE VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD WIPERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL 03 V 159 000. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER AND MODEL YEAR WERE OUTSIDE THE REMEDY SCOPE. *NLM *TS *JB
MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR HAS A SHORT SERVICE LIGHT. THIS SENSOR BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION AROUND 52000 MILES, SENDING A CODE TO THE OBD LL SYSTEM RESULTING IN A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THIS IS WAY TOO SOON FOR THIS TYPE OF COMPONENT TO FAIL, AND THE COMPONENT IS ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH GENERAL MOTORS DEALERS AT A LOFTY PRICE. *LA
FIRST, THE DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW WORKS ONLY SOMETIMES. SECOND, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK ONLY PART OF THE TIME. IT MAY TAKE 5-10 MINUTES TO COME ON AND THEN MIGHT ONLY SWIPE 2-3 TIMES. LASTLY, ROUGH SHIFTING IN TRANSMISSION. *LA
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM, BUT WILL NOT HELP THE CONSUMER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *SCC *JB
INTERMITTENTLY, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE INOPERABLE, OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VIEWS. A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED ON SIMILAR MAKES AND MODELS, HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN. *AK *SCC *JB
Official recalls
303V093000 · Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices:exterior
Mar 7, 2003
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS, AND PICKUP TRUCKS MAY DEVELOP A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN, IT COULD RESULT IN AN INOPERATIVE SWITCH, HEAT DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER'S DOOR, AND/OR IGNITION OF COMPONENTS IN THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND A SUBSEQUENT VEHICLE FIRE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED JUMPER HARNESS TO THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 24, 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 OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.
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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.