CarComplaints.com Notes: The Chevy Astro is mechanically identical to the GMC Safari.
5.9
fairly significant
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
13,903 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.
We have a 1999 Chevy Astro van. We had a factory re-manufactured transmission which was supplied by guaranty Chevrolet on 8-30-02, installed. The van had 67,532 miles. We are original owners and never towed anything. We also paid to have a separate new cooling system installed for the transmission and also had the driveshaft rebuilt and balanced. Now, our 2nd transmission has failed at 44,547 more miles since installed in 2002. We have spent $5,700. Our transmission place wrote GM. Mark dowler of Chevy called me and said sorry, we won't help you. We are going to small claims court if need be. Thank you.
1999 Chevrolet Astro with 65000 miles. Towed a light trailer (1500 lbs) from Colorado to Kansas, about 500 miles. A couple of weeks later the transmission occasionally started shifting very hard from 1st to 2nd; once it started, it would continue to do so until the ignition was turned off. Odbii code P1870 set. Apparently the computer monitors slippage in the trans and if it thinks it's slipping too much it applies full line pressure to the shift. Hard on entire driveline and devastating to the trans - we're having to have it completely rebuilt although if we would have replaced the valve body when it first started it might have been okay.
Purchased used Astro van and noted on 2nd day when putting in reverse then to drive a loud clunk and hard jump forward unless you delay taking foot off brake or applying gas until you can feel the gear engage (approx. 5-10 seconds). This is dangerous when backing up, as I have almost been hit twice now. It needs to be fixed correctly or replaced.
While driving the vehicle would surge and jerk then clunk, the dealer has attempted to repair the vehicle several time but the problem resurfaces, other failures include PCM failed causing the check engine light to illuminate, the gas gauge jumps from full tank to empty causing the vehicle to run out of gas, rear door handle broke twice, drivers side window motor was replaced and the air bag light would flicker on and off.
Brakes have been severly worn out consumer stated the seatbelts, arm rests, console the trim on the seat cushion has torn, there is wind noise from high top roof, window is loose, radio is inoperative, power steering fluid leaking, steering coolumn is making a noise, weatherstrip coming off of back door, tires shake, there is a hard thump whe going over bumps, cigarette lighter is inoperative, transmission shifts hard, pressure guage gets stuck, window gets stuck, there are no low beam lights, windshield wipers are inoperative, door lock do not come all the way up, the front end of vehicle dips, and the shocks feel weak, the lifgate does not stay open, interior lights stay on to long, vehicle remote is inoperative, sliding door is hard to open at times, oil pressure guage reads high, refrigerator not operating from rear socket, heating system is inoperative, battery goes dead.
- Newark, NJ, USA
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No reverse ! while driving, slowed down to make a rt. Turn heard a loud noise. The van then started to shift differently, like there wasn't a first gear. Drove van home parked it. Next day started van up went to shift in reverse van would not move. Shifted to drive and went forward. Park van in garage and looked at linkage under van saw no problems. Must be internal.
I have complained about the transmission banging when going from 1st to 2nd gear. I was told that this was normal everytine I brought it in for a check up. This has been going on since the time I bought it. The transmission finally failed at the date mentioned. I lost reverse but I had drive. As I drove it home the RPM's were high and it barely shifted. I barely got it home since the transmission was slipping between gears all the way home. I limped it home then had it towed in the next morning. I got the van back 6 days later. Now it slips before going to into 1st gear. It never did that before with the 1st transmission. It also slips between first and second again. I was told that was normal. I have driven 4 other Astro vans the same year and make and they do not slip between gears. I know that the new transmission is going again and I only have 1000 miles on it.everytime I complain about it they always say that is not normal. When I first bought the van it vibrated very bad. I was told that was normal too. I had only 75 miles on it. They took it for a test drive and they told be that the drive shaft was bent and had to be replaced. They replaced the drive shaft 5 days after I bought it. I am fed up with this. I told them I am taking them to court if the transmission fails again. They said the reason the transmission failed was from normal wear and tear. Please help me with this problem. Thanks.
02/01- differential failed, dealer estimate to repair $3000;02/01 - O2 sensor and seals failed; 08/00 - transmission failed;03/00 windshield leaks, was replaces; 03/00 rear doors leak, weatherstripping replaced;03/00 complained numerous times about front driver seat moving when brakes replaced;vehicle hesitates when gas pedal is pressed; when pressing on brake, you also press on gas pedal.
Vehicle shifts hard between first and second gear. Dealer says 'transmission is slipping', don't really know without tearing down transmission what the exact problem is. Recommends replacing transmission, dealer is contacting GM to see if they will cover this under warranty.
The transmission has a dangerous problem - when shifting from park to reverse it works normal - when shifting from neutral or drive to reverse it takes 3-5 seconds to engage - this is not evident in the other two cvevrolets that I own (one has the same transmission) - this is dangerous since if you are parking on a grade you release the brakes to back up it starts to roll foreward before the reverse engages - it is also kind of dangerous while making a U-turn since while waiting for reverse to engage another car can come flying toward you - then if you "give it gas" too soon it spins and grabs suddenly making the car "jerk".
Has failed to start on several occasions, noticed strong burning odor from under hood this most recent time electrical components under hood were vibrating and smoking. Proceding that all electrciall components of vehicle have failed including interior lights, horn hazard lights, alarm system. Transmission slips and slams into gear violently at higher speeds usually on freeway. Dealership says no problem picked up by on board computers.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Dove Canyon, CA, USA