2000 Chevrolet Astro

VEHICLE, HESITATES AND SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING...LOSS OF POWER STEERING / BRAKES....AND WON'T "RE-START" 1 ] 05.08.01 8:00PM - 10692 MILES . VEHICLE DIED WHILE PULLING OUT OF GAS STATION DRIVE WAY.( YES, CAUSED TRAFFIC!) 2] 05.15.01 7:00PM - 10855 MILES . ONLY 163 MILES FROM PRIOR SERVICE...WAITING FOR TRAFFIC LIGHT...VEHICLE SHUTS OFF! 3] 10.17.01 11:00PM - 15080 MILES . VEHICLE CRANKS BUT WON'T START! 4] 07.15.02 11:58PM - 22363 MILES . VEHICLE, HESITAES AND SHUTS-OFF, WHLE DRVIING! LOSS OF POWER STEERING / BRAKES! 5 ] 01.17.02 8:30PM - 28181 MILES. PULLING OUT OF "HOME" DRIVEWAY, VEHICLE SHUTS-OFF! ( TWO TOW TRUCKS HAD TO COME OUT AND PULL ME OUT!)

WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT THE VAN STALLED AND WOULDNT RESTART. IT SEEMED THE BATTERY WAS TOTALLY DRAINED SO I WENT TO REPLACE IT AND FOUND THAT THE BATTERY CABLES WERE SCORCHING HOT. WHEN I INSTALLED THE REPLACEMENT BATTERY IT WAS AT NIGHTR SO I SAW SPARKS DOWN ON THE LOWER PORTION TO THE BATTERY HARNESS. I THEN HAD THE VAN TOWED INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY INTIALLY FOUND NO DEFECTS, TOLD ME THE BATTERY WASNT INSTALLED PROPERLY. I EXPLAINED AGAIN THE ISSUE AND THEY RECHECKED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND FOUND NO DEFECTS. I HAD REPEATED ISSUES OF THE SAME TYPE OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS SO I TOOK IT BACK AND THEY FOUND SHORTED BATTERY CABLES HTIS TIME. I WANTED OTHER ASTRO OWNERS TO KNOW OF THE ISSUE TO SEE IF THEY HAD RUN INTO THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM. I AM CURRENTLY WORKING TO GET MY TOWING FEE REIMBURSED BY GM BUT THEY ARE BEING A LITTLE DIFFICULT AT THIS POINT.*AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IT CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE ELECTICAL WIRING HARNESS. ALSO, FIREMEN STATED THAT FIRE CAME FROM WIRES WHERE FUSES WERE LOCATED. CONTACTED DEALER. VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP.*AK CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN STATED THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM A LOOSE OR IMPROPER CONNECTION AT THE FIREWALL BULKHEAD WIRING CONNECTOR, THE EXCESSIVE RESISTANCE CREATED BY THE LOOSE CONNECTION CAUSED THE WIRING INSULATION OR ITS ASSOCIATED CONNECTOR TO OVERHEAT AND MELT. *SLC

HAVE TAKEN BACK TO DEALER TWICE, THEY DONT'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON, SUPPOSE TO LOOK INTO IT AND GET BACK WTIH ME, THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE, HAVE EVEN TOLD AT ONE POINT I WAS CRAZY, DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT UNTIL THIS LAST VISIT 7/2000 SLIDER RATTLE WAS FIXED HOWEVER, FRONT PASSENGER DOOR STILL RATTLES AND THE DASHBOARD IS SPLITTING IN FRONT OF MY EYES, DEALER HAS NO ANSWERS WILL LOOK INTO IT. PLEASE HELP I HAVE SMALL GRANDCHILDREN THAT RELY ON MY VEHICLE. I CAN'T BE WORRIED ABOUT ITS SAFTEY AND WATCHING THIS VEHICLE DETERIORATE BEFORE MY EYES.*AK

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE BATTERY HAS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRST TIME (4/2/01) THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND WE WERE TOLD THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. THE NEW BATTERY FAILED APPROX. SIX WEEKS LATER (5/27/01) AGAIN WITHOUT WARNING. I AM FILING THIS REPORT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS. 1) THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, THIS IS THE CAR MY WIFE USES TO TRANSPORT MY CHILDREN, WITH THE BATTERY FAILURE WITH NO WARNING THIS COULD LEAVE MY WIFE AND CHILDREN STRANDED ANYWHERE. 2) WHEN MY CAR WAS BEING TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS THE TOW DRIVER STATED THAT THIS CAR IS NOTORIOUS FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM - I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT IS REPORTED FOR ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. *AK

ANT-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM HAD TO REPLACED. ALSO, SINCE PURCHASE IN MAY 2000, FOLLOWING COMPONENTS HAD TO BE REPLACED OR REPAIRED: LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD COMING OFF AND ON/PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT TIGHTENED AND WON'T RELEASE/DRIVER'S SEAT HAD LOOSE BOLTS AND MOVED/DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS RATTLED/ MOULDINGS INSIDE FELL OFF/PASSENGER'S WINDOW STUCK/TV CAME ON AND OFF ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING, REPLACED TWICE/INTERIOR LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING WHEN IN PARK/ ENGINE IDLED/ LIGHTS INSIDE FLICKERED/ FUEL SENDER INOPERATIVE/ WIRES IN CEILING RATTLING,AIR CONDITIONER IN REAR NOT WORKING/ REPLACED HEATER THAT DID NOT WORK IN REAR, AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAG COVER NOT FLUSHING, AND CONSUMER WORRIED IT MAY DEPLOY AT ANY TIME. *AK