1999 Chevrolet Astro

BENT AND TWISTED FINGERS. THE TEXTURE (FINISH) WORE OFF THE STEERING. THE STEERING SYSTEM ON THIS ASTRO IS STIFF "HIGH EFFORT" REQUIRED BY THE DRIVER TO HOLD THE WHEEL AND ALSO TURN. WHEN MAKING A TURN THE WHEEL BECOMES HARDER TO HOLD. TOO MUCH CASTER? THE FINISH WORE OFF THE WHEEL AND THUS A REPLACEMENT WAS PROVIDED BY THE DEALER AT GETTLES AUTO MALL IN SEBEWAING. I LEARNED AT THAT TIME THAT MANY DRIVERS WERE COMPLAINING THAT THE STEERING WHEELS WERE BECOMING SLIPPERLY, DIFFICULT TO HOLD. AT THE TIME MY RIGHT TENNIS ELBOW SYMPTON WAS VERY PAINFUL, AND LATER MY RIGHT SHOULDER BECAME PAINFUL. THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE TIGHT STEERING SYSTEM ON THIS VAN. THIS STIFF STEERING DESIGN DEFECT IS NOT CONSIDERATE OF THE HUMAN TOLERANCE FOR THIS TIGHT STEERING AND AS A RESULT THE JOINTS, MUSCLES, TENDONS BECOME CRIPPLING PAINFUL. FINGERS BECOME TWISTED AND BENT. A FRIEND OF MINE HAS A 1988 ASTRO AND HIS FINGERS ARE BENT AND TWISTED, AND HE HAS CRONIC LEFT SHOULDER PAIN. MR. GILBERT MATTSON. PLEASE CONTACT ME. 989-665-2311 DT

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE AND JERK THEN CLUNK, THE DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIME BUT THE PROBLEM RESURFACES, OTHER FAILURES INCLUDE PCM FAILED CAUSING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, THE GAS GAUGE JUMPS FROM FULL TANK TO EMPTY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RUN OUT OF GAS, REAR DOOR HANDLE BROKE TWICE, DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW MOTOR WAS REPLACED AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD FLICKER ON AND OFF. *TS *NLM

THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT FAILURE WHICH WAS REPAIRED ONCE AT MANUFACTURER'S EXPENSE AND IS NOW OCCURRING INTERMITTENTLY AGAIN BUT WITH MORE FREQUENCY. I AM BEING TOLD BY CHEVROLET THAT IT IS MY PROBLEM NOW AND I MAINTAIN THAT THIS IS AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE AND THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HELPING ME REPAIR THIS MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE SUSPENSION OF THIS AWD VEHICLE.*AK

AT 29,000 MILES THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, BEARINGS AND PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. WHEN I COMPLAINED THAT THIS WAS LOW MILES FOR BRAKES TO FAIL, THE MANAGER SAID THE BRAKES GO OUT EARLY ON THIS MODEL BECAUSE THE BACK BRAKES WERE NOT SO GOOD SINCE THE SELF ADJUSTING WAS NOT RELIABLE. I WROTE TWICE TO GM ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION. I SPOKE TO THE MANAGER;S BOSS WHO SAID I WOULD REPLACE BRAKES EVERY 30,000 MILES BECAUSE THE BRAKES WERE LIGHT FOR THE VAN WEIGHT. NOW AT ABOUT 43,000 I AM AGAIN HAVING BRAKE PROBLEMS. SEEMS WRONG TO ME. ITEM 2 -AT 35,425 MILES I REPORTED WHEN THE VAN WAS IN FOR SERVICE THAT I PUSH THE GAS PEDAL DOWN AND THE VAN JUST DID NOT WANT TO GO. THEN IF YOU HELD THE PEDAL DOWN AFTER A BIT, THE VAN WOULD JUMP FORWARD BECAUSE IT SUDDENLY GOT GAS. THIS WAS BAD WHEN ANYTHING WAS AROUND CLOSE BECAUSE OF THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE SHOP SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE A PART UNDER WARRANTY. I THINK IT WAS CALLED A THROTTLE BODY, BUT I AM NOT SURE. THEY REPALCED NOTHING. THEY CLEANED THE THROTTLEBODY PLATE. THE PROBLEM IS NOW MORE NOTICABLE. FROM DISCUSSION WITH OTHER PEOPLE, IT SEEMS THIS LACK OF GOING AS YOU PUT THE PEDAL DOWN, AND THEN THE SURGING AHEAD IS HAPPENING TO MANY PEOPLE. THIS COMES FROM AN INTERNET CAR PROBLEM CHAT SITE. *AK

WITH NO ONE IN THE CAR, LEFTSIDE DOOR, THE SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE OUTSIDE MIRRORS STARTED ON FIRE. LUCKLY I WAS NEAR THE CAR WITH A FRIEND AND SAW THE RUNNING LIGHTS ON THE CAR FLASHING AND THE DOOR SWITCH ON FIRE. BY PULLING THE BATTERY CABLE OFF WE STOPPED THE FIRE. THE DRIVERS DOOR AND SWITCH WHERE BURNED. THE CAR DROVE HOME. ON THE WAY TO WORK THE NEXT DAY THE CAR HEADLIGHTS CAME ON AND WOULDN'T GO OFF, THEN THE HEAT MOTOR STARTED GOING ON AND OFF. I LEFT THE CAR WITH NORWOOD MOTORS TO CHECK OUT UNDER WARRANTY. MY DAYS MAY BE OFF A DAY OR TWO, BUT AFTER A FEW WEEKS THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM AND JUST REPLACED THE MAIN WIRE HARNESS. BECAUSE IT WAS A FIRE THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AND I HAD TO USE MY CAR FIRE INSURANCE. I AM STILL BLOWING FUSES 20 AMP FUSES TO THIS DAY, I AM VERY EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD WE ARE TALKING, I PERSONALLY I BELEIVE THE DOOR LOCKS WHICH ARE THE 20 AMP FUSE, IS BACK FEEDING TO THE LOW AMPERAGE SWITCH AND FEEDING BACK AND BURNING WIRES IN THE HARNESS. I'VE SAVED THE ORGINAL HARNESS. THIS PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED WITH DIODES THAT ONLY ALLOW THE CURRENT TO FLOW ONE WAY. CHILDREN IN A CAR WITH NO KEYS CAN CAUSE THIS A CONDITION. THIS IS NOT A FIRE ACCIDENT, IT'S A WIRING DESIGN THAT NEEDS UPDATING. I COULDN'T GET ANYWHERE WITH CHEVROLET, OR THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP, BECAUSE IT'S A CAR INSURANCE PROBLEM KNOW. SO I AM WORKING MY WAY INSURANCE DEPARTMENTS, AND NOT THE CHEVROLET, WHICH PUTS ME IN THE MIDDLE WITH NO SUPPORT. I HOPE YOU CAN HELP. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME JAMES REYOLDS. *AK

ON THE WAY HOME FROM A CONFERENCE I NOTICED MY LEFT TIRE MAKING NOISE, I INSPECTED IT VISUALLY AND FOUND NO OBVIOUS PROBLEMS, I PROCEEDED HOME AND HAD A BLOW OUT OF THE TIRE WHICH I FOUND OUT LATER TO BE RELATED TO A DEFECTIVE IDLER ARM. THIS IN TURN CAUSED ME TO HAVEA ACCIDENT WITH DAMAGE TO MY VAN AND ANOTHER CAR. AT 57000 (APPROXIAMATE) MILES THE IDLER ARM SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN WORN THAT SEVERELY TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMEONE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM AND SEE IF OTHER ASTRO VANS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. THANK YOU. *AK