1999 Chevrolet Astro

HAD CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED PRIOR TO ENTERING A REDUCED SPEED AREA AND IT FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. AFTER DEPARTING THE REDUCED SPEED AREA, I ENGAGED THE RESUME FUNCTION AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED PAST THE SET SPEED AND KEPT SPEEDING UP. I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WITH BRAKES ALTHOUGH THEY GOT VERY HOT AND SMOKED SEVERELY. ATTEMPTS TO TURN OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED, AS WELL AS TURNING OFF AND REMOVING THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION. AFTER SUCCESSFULLY STOPPING THE VEHICLE, I CONTINUED ATTEMPTS TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT ANY ATTEMPT TO START THE ENGINE RESULTED IN IMMEDIATE RACING OF THE ENGINE. I EXAMINED THE OWNER'S MANUAL AND DISCOVERED THAT FUSE NUMBER 6 WAS LABELED "CRUISE MODULE, CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH, ELECTROMECHANICAL MIRROR". THE FUSE WAS REMOVED BUT THE ENGINE RACED UPON ATTEMPTING TO START IT. I THEN DISCOVERED THAT FUSE NUMBER 18 WAS LABELED "VCM-IGN 3, VCM-BRAKE, 4WAL, CRUISE STEPPER MOTOR SIGNAL". UPON REMOVING THIS FUSE, I WAS ABLE TO START THE ENGINE, AND IT REMAINED IN NORMAL PARAMETERS. I DID NOTICE THAT THE ANTILOCK LIGHT WAS ON, BUT BELIEVE THIS IS RELATED TO THE VCM-BRAKE LABEL ON THE CIRCUIT BREAKER. I WAS THEN ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HOME, AND WILL BE CONTACTING THE REPAIR SHOP TO DISABLE/REMOVE THE CRUISE STEPPER MOTOR, AS I REFUSE TO CHANCE ANOTHER UNINTENDED ACCELERATION EVENT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. THEN, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THEY WERE INOPERATIVE. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A TREE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER AND TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES, AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE. *AK

FAMILY AND I WERE ON HWY 441 TRAVELING AT 60 MPH. I BRAKED AND WENT DOWN TO 50 MPH AS I BEGAN TO MAKE AN EXIT OFF OF THIS HWY. I LET OFF BRAKE AND CAR SPED UP TO 60 MPH AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NEVER ON. I WAS ON EXIT RAMP GOING 60. I WAS FORCED TO PUT TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL. I COASTED TO A PLACE OFF THE ROADWHILE ENGINE WAS "REVING AT HIGH RPM'S". I SNAPPED THE GAS PEDAL AND ENGINE WENT FASTER. I REACHED DOWN TO PULL ON GAS PEDAL AND THROTTLE CABLE BROKE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GM DEALER THE NEXT MORNING. THEIR DIAGNOSIS WAS A DIRTY THROTTLE BODY AND STUCK THROTTLE CABLE. NEVER HEARD OF AN EXCESSIVELY DIRTY THROTTLE BODY CAUSING THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY TO A 3 YR. OLD VEHICLE WITH 50,000 MILES.

ACCELERATOR STICKS ON STARTING OUT, DEALER ADVISED THAT PROBLEM WAS DUE TO CARBON BUILD UP IN THROTTLE BODY AND IS NORMAL. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL PROBLEM AND I SUSPECT A DESIGN PROBLEM, AS NO OTHER MANUFACTURE I HAVE HEARD OF HAS THIS PROBLEM, DEALER DID ADVISE THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH CHEVROLET PICKUPS. I CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS FOR ASSISTANCE IN A REFUND AND TO NOTIFY THEM OF THE DEFECT ON 8/2/2001 VERBALLY AND PUT IN A WRITTEN CLAIM ON 8/14/2001 IN A LETTER. I WAS ADVISED VIA TELEPHONE 11/19/2001 THAT NO ASSISTANCE WOULD BE PROVIDED AND THAT CARBON BUILD-UP CAUSING A STICKING ACCEL. WAS A NORMAL MAINTAINCE ITEM. IT MAY BE NORMAL ON AN ASTRO, BUT IT SURE IS NOT ON ANY CAR THAT I AM AWARE OF OR HAVE DRIVEN IN THE LAST 38 YEARS. *AK

ENGINE LUNGES/SURGES/ACCELERATES TO HIGH IDLE RANDOMLY WHILE BRAKE PEDAL IS PRESSED DOWN. DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM SINCE BY VIRTUE OF ITS RANDOM NATURE, IT HAS NOT OCCURED WHEN THEY DRIVE IT. ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER SAID ON 5/4/01 THAT HE WOULD BE DEFRAUDING CHEVROLET IF HE PUT IN A PART THAT IN FACT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH IT IS STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN PURSUED BY OWNER SINCE LAST FALL.*AK

ENGINE REVVS WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS PRESSED DOWN AND LAUNCHES FORWARD. DEALER HAS REPLACED ROTORS/ ROTATED TIRES, AND HAD CONSUMER TO TEST DRIVE VEHICLE TO MAKE SURE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN WITH TWO FEET. DEALER COULDN'T GET VEHICLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. DEALER HAS ASKED TO USE ONLY 2 BRANDS OF GAS. VEHICLE WAS LAST IN, IN MARCH. THE PROBLEM STILL EXSISTS. *AK

02/01- DIFFERENTIAL FAILED, DEALER ESTIMATE TO REPAIR $3000;02/01 - O2 SENSOR AND SEALS FAILED; 08/00 - TRANSMISSION FAILED;03/00 WINDSHIELD LEAKS, WAS REPLACES; 03/00 REAR DOORS LEAK, WEATHERSTRIPPING REPLACED;03/00 COMPLAINED NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT FRONT DRIVER SEAT MOVING WHEN BRAKES REPLACED;VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED; WHEN PRESSING ON BRAKE , YOU ALSO PRESS ON GAS PEDAL. *AK