2001 Chevrolet Astro

2001 ASTRO VAN CHEVY PANIC STOP BRAKES NO RESPONSE TO FLOOR 1ST. TIME HAD LOOKED AT PASS. SIDE WEAR 1 SIDE BRAKE PAD WEAR REPAIR. 2ND TIME NEED TO STOP FAST HIT BRAKES TO FLOOR NO RESPONSE BOTH 35 MPH TO 45 MPH CALLED GM ACTED LIKE DON'T CARE . TURN SIGNAL SWITCH REPLACE 710.00 WILL NOT REIMBURSE ENGINE LIGHT ON AND OFF REPLACE SENSORS $275.00 CATALYTIC CONVERTER $1000.00 THEN MOTOR FAILURE DEALER COULD NOT PIN POINT PROBLEM NEW MOTOR 6538.00 BOUGHT VAN FROM DEALER SAID O.K. FOR 150000 TO 200000 HAD 47000 NOW 130000 WILL NOT BUY G.M. *NM

NO CRASH OR INJURIES, JUST A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND A BAD FINANCIAL SITUATION. MEALS ON WHEELS OPERATES FOUR ALL-WHEEL DRIVE CHEVROLET ASTRO VANS - YEARS 1999, 2000, 2001, AND 2002. IN EACH VEHICLE, AT LEAST ONE (AND SOMETIMES BOTH) ABS SPEED WHEEL SENSORS HAVE GONE BAD, CAUSING A VERY UNSAFE DRIVING SITUATION - AT SPEEDS OF 5-7 MPH. THIS IS THE SAME SAFETY HAZARD THAT CHEVROLET RECENTLY ISSUED A RECALL FOR ITS FULL-SIZE 4-WHEEL DRIVE PICKUP TRUCKS. WHY CAN'T THE OWNERS OF ASTRO VANS RECEIVE THE SAME COURTESY AS OWNERS OF THE TRUCKS? WE'VE SPENT MORE THAN $2,000 TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS - TRUCK OWNERS ARE GETTING THEIR MONEY BACK - WE WANT OUR MONEY AS WELL. THERE MUST BE OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD ACCIDENTS, OR HAVE SPENT AS MUCH AS $800 PER WHEEL TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES DESIGN CAUSED RUST TO BUILD UP ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ROTORS. HE FELT THAT THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE NOT WIDE ENOUGH TO COVER THE ROTORS. WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES THEY WERE SPONGY, AND THERE WAS A SLIGHT VIBRATION IN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE STEERING WHEEL. HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THEY DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. HE CONTACT HAD TO PANIC BRAKE BEFORE THE BRAKES ACTUALLY STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, BUT IT HAPPENED TOO MANY TIMES TO HAVE A RECORD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WAS NOT DRIVING THE VEHICLE ENOUGH, AND THAT HE WAS USING THE BRAKES TOO OFTEN. THE DEALER MAINTAINED THAT THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS UNWANTED ACTIVATION OF THE ABS SYSTEM. WHEN THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AT LOW SPEEDS THE ABS ACTIVATED AND DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS AT A DEALERSHIP, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP COULD FEEL THE PROBLEM, BUT DID NOT KNOW HOW TO REMEDY IT. THE DEALERSHIP ROAD TESTED THE VEHICLE AND DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM AND THE FAULT WOULD HAVE TO BE MORE CONSISTENT TO OFFER REPAIRS. THE CONSUMER SPOKE WITH A MECHANIC, AND HE STATED THAT RECALL 05V379000 WAS ISSUED FOR A 2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN REGARDING THE ABS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRM ED THAT THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *AK UPDATED 01/04/06. *JB

AT ABOUT 52,000 MILES MY 2001 CHEVROLET ASTRO BEGAN HAVING ABS PROBLEMS. ABS WOULD ACTIVATE AT VERY SLOW SPEEDS. ALMOST INVOLVED IN SEVERAL MINOR CRASHES DUE TO CAR NOT STOPPING WHILE ENTERING A PARKING SPACE OR IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ARE PULLING UP TO INTERSECTIONS. ABS KICKS IN AND INSTEAD OF VEHICLE STOPPING IT KEEPS PULSING THE BRAKES AS IF I WERE TRAVELING FASTER. HAVE NOT HAD PROBLEM EXAMINED BY CHEVROLET DEALER AT THIS POINT. I NOTICED THAT CHEVROLET IS PLANNING A RECALL FOR SOME OF ITS TRUCKS AND SUV'S FOR THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM I AM EXPERIENCING HOWEVER MY MODEL IS NOT CURRENTLY BEING CONSIDERED FOR THE RECALL. *JB

THE ABS ON MY 2001 CHEV ASTRO ARE FAULTY, SIMILAR TO THE INVESTIGATION ON THE PICKUPS AND SUVS. AT SLOW SPEEDS, LIKE IN PARKING LOTS OR AT STOP SIGNS, THE ABS ACTIVATES, THE PEDAL BECOMES TOO HARD TO PUSH, AND I CANNOT STOP AT ALL. THIS HAPPENS EVEN ON DRY ROADS. THE REPAIR IS OVER $1000 WITH AFTERMARKET PARTS AND OVER $2000 WITH GM ORIGINAL PARTS. I DISCONNECTED THE FRONT ABS SENSORS.

AFTER PICKING VEHICLE UP FROM DEALERSHIP CONSUMER NOTICED THAT ONCE THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED TO MAKE A STOP PEDAL TRAVELED TO FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDING STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER TURNED ENGINE OFF TO STOP VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP SERVICED VEHICLE, AND NOTICED THAT BRAKE LINE SPLIT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK