1996 Chevrolet Van

I AM DISAPOINTED THAT ALL NEWER CARS ON THE ROAD TODAY ONLY COME WITH PAINTED BUMPERS.BUMPERS THAT ARE PAINTED ARE LIKE HAVING NO BUMPER AT ALL WHEN IT COMES TO MINOR COLLISIONS. BUMPERS, I BELIEVE, SHOULD BE PROTECTION FOR THE PAINTED AREAS AS WELL AS THE LIGHTS, GRILL ETC. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MANDATE THAT BUMPERS NOT BE PAINTED. SEEMS LIKE COMMON SENSE TO NOT DRIVE AROUND WITH THE MOST LIKELY AREAS TO BE DAMAGED AS PAINTED OR OTHERWISE DELICATE.PLEASE CONSIDER THIS IN YOUR EVALUATIONS AS IT WILL GREATLY REDUCE CONSUMER EXPENCES INVOLVING ACCIDENTS THAT ARE NOT COVERED BY AUTO INSURANCE ( ACCIDENTS UNDER 500.00). THANK YOU.*AK

THIS VAN HAS TWO BRAKING PROBLEMS . IT APPEARS TO HAVE TOO MUCH FRONT BRAKES COMBINED WITH AN OVER SENSITIVE ABS . IT HAS WORN OUT 4 SETS OF FRONT DISC PADS AND YET THE REAR SHOES SHOW LITTLE WEAR . WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES EVEN ON DRY PAVEMENT THE ABS ACTIVATES TUNING OFF THE FRONT DISC BRAKES AND LEAVES YOU WITH NO BRAKES BECAUSE THE REAR BRAKES DO NOT WORK AND THE ABS CONTINUES TO TURN OFF THE FRONT BRAKES . IN A SUDDEN STOP THE VAN WILL LEAP FOWARD WITH NO BRAKES LIKE ALL FOUR WHEELS ARE ON ICE BEFORE THE ABS SHUTS OFF. THIS BRAKING PROBLEM HAS BEEN LIKE THIS SINCE THE VAN WAS NEW . IT IS A DEADLY BRAKING PROBLEM. I HAVE DRIVEN OVER 1,000,000 MILES IN CHEVYVANS AND PICKUP TRUCKS . I AM FAMILIAR WITH ABS MY LAST TWO NEW TRUCKS HAD IT WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS.*AK

FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR HINGE. WHEN THE DOOR WAS OPENED THE HINGE BROKE, CAUSING THE DOOR TO DROP DOWN. THIS FAILURE COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN WHEN A PASSENGER WAS LEANING AGAINST THAT DOOR, EITHER FALLING OUT OR INTO THE OPENING RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY. THE GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED THAT THE HINGE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE HIGH MILEAGE AND AGE OF THE VEHICLE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW MILEAGE CAN EFFECT THE LIFE OF A HINGE WHICH SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. THE OTHER HINGE ON THE SAME DOOR WAS VERY STIFF AND NEEDED PIN REPLACEMENT. IT MAY HAVE METAL FATIGUE AND BREAK LATER. THE MATING DOOR IS ALSO VERY STIFF AND COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE METAL FATIGUE AND FAIL LATER. THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BROKEN HINGE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR CONSIDERED TO BE AN ABNORMAL FAILURE BY THE DEALER. *AK

THE BEARING INSIDE THE REACTION CARRIER WAS DAMAGED CAUSING DAMAGE TO CARRIER, REACTION GEAR, SUN GEAR, THRUST WASHERS. ALL TRANSMISSION PARTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE SAVED THE DAMAGED PARTS. I CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND THEY TOLD ME THAT SINCE I HAD OVER 36,000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE, IS WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, AND I WOULD RECEIVE NO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIR WORK. I FEEL THAT A TRANSMISSION SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 65,000 MILES. I NEVER EVEN TOWED ANYTHING WITH THIS VAN. REGARDING THE REAR AIR CONDITIONING IN MY VAN, IT WAS THE ALUMINUM PIPE UNDERNEATH THE VAN THAT RUSTED AND ALL THE REFRIGERANT EVAPORATED. THUS, I HAD TO REPLACE A 6" PIECE OF PIPE AT A COST OF OVER $250! I WAS TOLD BY THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPANY FROM INDIANA THAT THEY NO LONGER USE ALUMINUM PIPE SINCE IT RUSTS BEING UNDERNEATH THE VAN, AND THEY USE ANOTHER PRODUCT. THEY HAVE HAD MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THAT. THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY SINCE MY MILEAGE WAS ALSO OVER 36,000 MILES. I HAVE HAD MANY OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS VAN, SOME WERE FIXED FOR THE TIME BEING, BUT NOW I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. SOME WERE NEVER FIXED PROPERLY, OR THE DEARLER SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. I HAVE MANY REPAIR INVOICES FOR THIS VEHICLE. I WOULD NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER CHEVROLET VAN. *AK

ABS BRAKE PROBLEMS; WHEN PUSHING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WOULD BE NO BRAKING ABILITY. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THIS HAPPENED ON DRY ROAD CONDITIONS. THIS INCIDENT CAUSED A CRASH ON 4/17/97. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY A FORD DEALERSHIP BECAUSE CHEVROLET WANTED CONSUMER TO SIGN A LETTER THAT HE WOULD NOT SUE ANYONE OVER THIS WRECK. *AK