2000 Chevrolet Astro

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET ASTRO. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN BRAKING ON ANY UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WOULD ACTIVATE INDEPENDENTLY WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ABS WARNING LIGHT MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN THREE SEPARATE CRASHES AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. ON ONE OCCASION WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED ABRUPTLY BUT DID NOT RESPOND AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WAS ONE REPORTED INJURY AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WAS ACTIVATED AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 151,000.

MY 2000 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN WITH ALL WHEEL DRIVE INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO STOP AT LOW SPEEDS DUE TO INAPPROPRIATE ACTIVATION OF THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. THIS CONDITION HAS NEARLY RESULTED IN SEVERAL ACCIDENTS THAT JEOPARDIZED THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE AND PROPERTY, SUCH AS WHEN TRAVELING IN PARKING LOTS AND CROWDED CITY STREETS. THE ABS SYSTEM FAILURE DOES NOT REGISTER A SERVICE CODE, AND THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RECOGNIZED BY SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP, WHO REPLACED TRANSFER CASE FLUID IN THE ABSENCE OF HAVING A CLUE. THROUGH SELF DIAGNOSIS, THE PROBLEM WAS CONFIRMED TO BE THE ABS SYTEM BECAUSE THE BRAKES OPERATE NORMALLY WHEN THE FUSE IS REMOVED FROM THE WIRING BLOCK SLOT LABELED ABS. DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF ANY PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, AND THE FAILURE OF THE VEHICLES DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM TO DETECT THIS PROBLE, IT IS CLEARLY A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE OR COMPONENTS DESIGN OR CONSTRUCTION. OWNERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PULL FUSES ON SAFETY SYSTEM IN ORDER FOR THE BRAKES TO WORK WHEN NECESSARY. NHTSA SHOULD EVALUATE THE AGGREGATE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ALREADY ISSUED WITH THIS PROBLEM, AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE GM TRAINED SERVICE TECHNICIANS ARE NOT HELPING OWNERS REMEDY OR UNDERSTAND THIS DEFECT EXISTS. A RECALL NOTICE SHOULD BE ISSUED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET ASTRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS THE VEHICLE COMES TO A ROLLING STOP, THE ANTILOCK BRAKES ACTIVATE AND HE LOSES CONTROL OF THE BRAKES. THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURS WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS SUCH AS 5 MPH AND APPROACHING A STOP. HE STATED THAT THE FAILURE BEGAN A FEW DAYS AGO AND HAS GRADUALLY INCREASED IN SEVERITY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,225 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,175.

I HAVE A 2000 CHEVROLET ASTRO MINI VAN. AT APPROXIMATELY 65000 MILES, JUST AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED I STARTED HAVING TWO LIGHTS ILLUMINATE ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. ONE IS A RED BRAKE LIGHT , AND THE OTHER IS AN AMBER ABS LIGHT. I TOOK VEHICLE TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE BRAKE CONTROL MODULE WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1000.00. ONCE THE UNIT HEATS UP AND THE LIGHTS COME ON THE ABS NO LONGER WORKS, AND THE BRAKES BECOME JERKY. ALSO THE TWO LIGHTS BLIND YOU AT NIGHT WHEN YOU DRIVE. THE UNIT IS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT NEXT TO THE EXHAUST PIPE. I TOLD THEM THEY NEEDED TO FIX IT, AND THEY REFUSED, SAYING IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW BECAUSE IT WAS PLACED NEXT TO THE EXHAUST. THE INDIVIDUAL AT THE DEALER TOLD ME THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM TRUCKS AND VANS. IT WAS SAFETY ISSUE AND GM REFUSED TO FIX IT. *AK

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT 2000 CHEVROLET ASTRO LS' LOCKS FAILED, NOT ALLOWING HER TO GAIN ENTRANCE TO THE VEHICLE ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR MELTING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO EAGLE AUTOMOTIVE. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ACTUATOR, BUT REMOVED THE RELAY BECAUSE THE CIRCUIT WAS CONTINUOUSLY CLOSED. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT IF THEY DIDN'T REMOVE THE RELAY IT WOULD MELT THE ACTUATOR AGAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE BELIEVED THE FAILURE WILL REOCCUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WENT TO MONUMENT CHEVROLET AND ASKED FOR A PRINT OUT OF THE MAINTENANCE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT FOUND THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED ON APRIL 3, 2001 FOR BACK DOOR LOCKS AND AGAIN ON FEBRUARY 14, 2002 FOR THE SLIDING DOOR. THE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY ON THE RIGHT WAS ALSO REPLACED ON THE DRIVER DOOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER DOOR AND THE SLIDING DOOR WERE THE ONLY DOORS ON THE VEHICLE THAT HAD FUNCTIONING LOCKS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE OTHER DOOR LOCK HANDLES WERESTUCK AND COULDN'T BE PULLED TO LOCK OR UNLOCK THE DOORS. SHE HAS TRIED TO GET RESOLUTION FROM THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY SAID THAT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE HER FOR ANY REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURE WAS GIVEN A FILE #1-438966317. THE CONTACT ALSO SENT PICTURES TO THE MANUFACTURER OF THE BURNT OUT ACTUATORS AND WITH A CERTIFIED LETTER.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES FAILED, HOWEVER SHE WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE BRAKES WERE DESIGNED TO FAIL ON UNEVEN PAVEMENT UNDER 25 MPH. THE TROQUED CONVERTER BURNED OUT. THE LOCKS HAD AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. UPDATED 03/19/07. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS ACTIVATED AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 5MPH. WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT THE ABS ACTIVATED AND CAUSED A TOTAL LOSS OF THE BRAKES. THERE WAS NO WARNING BEFORE THE ACTIVATIONS OCCURRED. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN, NHTSA ITEM # 10000062 FOR THE ABS ACTIVATION. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED.

1) SEVERAL TIMES (~10) IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS WHEN WE'RE ALMOST TO A STOP (~ 5MPH) THE ABS KICKS IN AND IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE LOSING BRAKING POWER 2) WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP, BUT IT FEELS LIKE A CRASH IS BOUND TO HAPPEN 3) INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INDICATES COMPUTER CODE TELLING LOSS OF WHEEL SPEED GM HAS A RECALL OF THE FRONT WHEEL HUB/BEARING ASSEMBLY FOR EXACTLY THIS REASON - BUT IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE ASTRO - ONLY "TRUCKS" - WHY NOT THE ASTRO??? IT'S BASICALLY THE SAME VEHICLE. *NM