2000 Chevrolet Astro

DT: ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2005, AT SLOW SPEED THE BRAKES FAILED AND VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A POLE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS AS STATED IN THE THE RECALL BUT AT THIS TIME THEY AWERE NOT SURE IF THIS VEHICLE WA SINCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THEY SAID TO CONTACTED NHTSA TOO. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAD HAPPENED THEN THE DAY I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IT DID IT AGAIN. THE DEALER REMOVED THE WHEEL SENSORS AND CLEANED THEM. THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATED AND THERE VIBRATION IN THE PEDAL ALSO. NO BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON. *AK

DT: WHILE DRIVING AT REAL LOW SPEEDS THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES KICKED INTO GEAR AND IT WAS HARD TO GETTHE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED GM BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. THE CONSUMER THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND THE MECHANIC DISCONNECTED THE ABS SYSTEM. THIS PROBLEM STARTED ON AUGUST 1, 2005. THE CONSUMER COULD HEAR THE BRAKES PULSATING. *AK *MR

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED HIS WIFE PUT HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND IT DID NOT STOP; IT ACCELERATED WHEN SHE HIT THE BRAKE AND SHE HIT TWO PARKED CARS ON 7-23-05. SHE WAS GOING APPROX. 3-5 MPH. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. PREVIOUSLY, THEY HAD FELT SOME PULSATING IN THE PEDAL, BUT IT BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE FELT IT ACCELERATE. NO LIGHTS CAME ON PRIOR TO THIS OR PREVIOUSLY. THIS OCCURRED DURING NORMAL BRAKING, ON A DRY ROAD. *JB

DT: CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THERE WERE NO BRAKES. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS BEFORE THE STALLING, IT HAPPENED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MINUTES. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE SERVICE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY DID INFORM THE CONTACT THAT THIS SPECIFIC MODEL YEAR HAD INTERMITTENT STALLING PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE BRAKING CAPABILITY. THERE WAS FILE NUMBER 1-34-55-39614 WITH THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER. *AK UPDATED 02/07/06. *JB

IN FALL OF 2004 I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. WHEN COMING TO A STOP THEY WOULD KICK IN WHILE I WAS GRADUALLY STOPPING, THEN DISENGAGE AT THE LAST MINUTE, CAUSING ME TO NEARLY COLLIDE WITH WHATEVER WAS IN FRONT OF ME! I DROVE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS FOR A SHORT TIME, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. SUBSEQUENTLY, MY HUSBAND REMOVED THE FUSE TO DISARM THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF INVESTIGATING WHAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEM AND HOW MUCH IT SHOULD COST, SINCE I DO NOT ENTIRELY TRUST THE DEALERSHIP (CLASSIC CHEVROLET) TO BE HONEST WITH ME, BASED ON PAST EXPERIENCES. PLEASE REFER TO THE INVESTIGATION ANNOUNCED ON MAY 2, 2005 WHICH DOES NOT MENTION THE CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN (2000).

I READ IN THE LOCAL PAPER THAT THE NHTSA HAS OPENED AN INVESTIGATION OF GENERAL MOTORS ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEMS. MY CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM - ANTILOCK BRAKING ENGAGING AT LOW SPEEDS DUE TO CORROSION IN AND AROUND 1 OR MORE OF THE AXLE SPEED SENSORS. I REMOVED THE ANTILOCK MAIN FUSE TO DE-ENERGIZE THE SYSTEM. THIS IS NOT A PERMANENT FIX BUT DOES REMOVE THE IMMEDIATE DANGER. I KNOW OF ANOTHER ASTRO, OWNED BY SOME CLOSE FRIENDS, WITH THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM.