CarComplaints.com Notes: The Chevy Astro is mechanically identical to the GMC Safari.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
0 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Consumer states transmission is slipping and there is harsh shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. Dealer found torque converter and valve body need to be replaced.
The Chevrolet Astro shifts gears violently. The problem was first noticed as I left an intersection and the van violently shifted gears throwing my family's and my head back with extreme force. Thinking that I had been rear-ended and knowing that other cars were in front and alongside my vehicle, I quickly stepped on the brake, almost causing a true rear-end collision. The vehicle was not in warranty so I took it in for inspection by my local mechanic, who had previously worked as a service tech for a Chevy dealership. He was unable to find the problem. He contacted one of his friends who still worked at the Chevy dealership where he was formerly employed. My mechanic told me that his friend stated that the defect was known by Chevrolet but there wasn't any recall and there was nothing they would do about it. I paid a hefty price for what was supposed to be a great van only to find out that Chevrolet has manufactured a vehicle knowing that it has severe defects in the transmission that could cause costly repairs, injury, or possible crash-related deaths and refuse to remedy the situation. How many more people must continue to drive an unsafe vehicle beforecorrective action is taken?
Transmission has to be rebuilt due to bad shifting. Also, engine rod bearing was making a kocking sound that forced replacement. Crack in cooling system had to replace seal.
Repeated attempts to fix transmission beginning with a complete rebuild at a certified facility; transmission may function properly for as long as 2 months. Repeated visits to the transmission shop are met with apologies, and stories of the same design transmission with the same problems from other individuals. I at first suspected the mechanics, but research has shown there are many other Astro van owners experiencing the same problem; believe it to be a manufacturing defect.
Have a friend who experiences exact same symptoms on 97 GMC safari and 97 Astro van. Transmission failure at about 60,000 miles, when accelerating in 1st gear after driving in overdrive.
Tensioner arm housing broke off of engine block rendering vehicle undriveable. Transmission slipped between 2 & 3 & 4 gears. Replaced transmission with new GM trans. No monetary relief from GM was received.
Pawl within the transmission malfunctioned after 300 mile trips in hot weather causing the gears to change very hardly. Fuel would leak and the transmission would lock, which could have resulted in a fire.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Phoenix, AZ, USA