2000 Chevrolet Astro

HI, I WAS DRIVING THIS VAN WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STOPS. I HAD A VERY HARD PROBLEM OF TRYING TO GET OFF THE ROAD WITH NO BRAKES OR STEERING. I HAD IT TOWED INTO SERVICE. THEY REPLACED EVERYTHING FUEL PUMP, SENDING UNIT, FUEL FILTER, PLUGS, PLUG WIRES, DISTRIBUTOR AND RESET THE TIMING. IT NEVER DID SHOW UP A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR SHOWED A CODE THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I DROVE IT TWO DAYS LATER AND IT DID THE SAME THING. THEY CHECKED IT OUT AND DROVE IT AGAIN FOR A WEEK AND IT HAPPEN AGAIN. I SPENT $1200 TRYING TO GET THIS SAFE TO DRIVE. IT IS AS IF THE KEY WAS SHUT OFF. FINALLY WITH SOME OF MY KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT CAN CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN I CHECKED THE BATTERY. IT WAS ONLY ONE YEAR OLD. IT SHOWED UP AS BAD UNDER A LOAD. WHEN I TOOK THE VAN BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP THEY SAID BATTERY SHOWED GOOD. FINALLY I TOOK THE BATTERY BACK TO AUTO ZONE THEY SHOWED IT AS BAD ALSO AND REPLACED IT. NEVER HAD A PROBLEM AFTER THAT. SO THE PROBLEM YOU ARE HAVING WITH THE KEY SWITCH IN ALL THOSE CARS YOU MAY HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THE BATTERY'S. VOLTAGE TO THE MICROPROCESSOR SHOULD STAY WITHIN LIMITS OF APX 8 VOLTS. THIS MIGHT BE MORE OF A PROBLEM THAN THE KEY SWITCH. THANKS FOR READING THIS LETTER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE WHILE COMPLETING A RIGHT TURN AT 5 MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER, LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, AND DISCOVERED THE IDLER ARM WAS DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE'S FRAME. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED , AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 63000.*AK

EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE OF MY INCIDENTS WERE JUST NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND AT A VERY MINIMAL LOW SPEED, IN WHICH I WAS JUST DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HAD NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. I WAS SCARED TO DEATH TO NO I HAD KNOW CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE ALL OF A SUDDEN. MY CONSEQUENCES WERE NONE OTHER THAN THE SCARE OF MY LIFE AND THE REALIZATION THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL HAD I BEEN GOING FASTER OR ON A HIGHWAY OR ANY OTHER ROAD THAN A SUBDIVISION ROAD. THIS SITUATION OCCURRED DUE TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP,WHICH HAS A HYDRAULIC VACUUM BOOSTER FOR THE BRAKES AND ALL WORKS TOGETHER . AFTER SPEAKING TO A SERVICE CLERK AT THE CAR DEALER AND STATING THIS WAS SOMETHING I THOUGHT WAS A SAFETY CONCERN TO BE JUST DRIVING ALONG AND LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR STEERING AND BRAKES, HE AGREED. THE PROBLEMS WAS FIXED BY INSTALLING A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP AND FLUID AND CLEANING CHEMISTRY ETC. TOTALING A TOTAL OF $636.32. *NM

DT: 2000 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS LEAVING THE DRIVEWAY THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN AND THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED GMC. THEY DID NOT HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE DEALERSHIP PUT ON A NEW PUMP. THE NEW PUMP FAILED ALSO. THE NEW PUMP WAS PUT ON AS A NEW VEHICLE GUARANTEE. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES. *SC . *AK UPDATED 11/16/05. *JB