1997 Chevrolet Astro electrical problems

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1997 CHEVROLET ASTROVAN WITH ELECTRICAL DOOR LOCKS. PULLED INTO SHEETZ GAS AND GO AND WENT TO OPEN THE DRIVERS DOOR AND IT DID NOT OPEN. TRIED TO PUSH THE MANUAL INSIDE DOOR LOCK BUT IT WAS TOTALLY FROZEN AND WOULD NOT ACTUATE. NEXT TRIED ELECTRICAL DOOR LOCK SWITCH. NO RESPONSE ON DRIVERS DOOR BUT THERE WAS WEAK SOUND FROM PASSENGER DOOR LOCK SOLENOID. IT WAS AS IF ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IT WAS SUFFERING FROM INSUFFICIENT VOLTAGE. CRAWLED OUT OF PASSENGER SEAT AND GOT OUT OF CAR. ' TOOK IGNITION KEY AND INSERTED IT INTO DRIVERS DOOR LOCK. KEY WOULD TURN TO LOCK (FELT THE DETENT OF THE ) AND BACK TO NEUTRAL... KEY WOULD NOT TURN TO UNLOCK POSITION ...WOULD MOVE A LITTLE AND THEN FREEZE. I DID NOT TRY HARDER TO TURN AS I FELT THERE WAS A VERY GOOD CHANCE THE KEY WOULD BREAK AND LEAVE ME STRANDED 40 MILES FROM HOME... NO BACKUP IGNITION KEY. IGNITION KEY WORKS THE DOOR LOCKS IN THIS MODEL. WENT TO NTSTB WEB SITE AND SEARCHED FOR OTHER PEOPLE WITH SAME TYPE PROBLEM. NO LUCK. WENT TO GOOGLE AND DID SAME SEARCH CHEVROLET ASTROVAN DOOR WON'T OPEN AND GOT A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT HAD NOT REACHED NTSTB.. CHEVROLET HAS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. IF THIS MODEL HAS FLIP UP STEERING WHEEL, THIS WOULD NOT BE THE PROBLEM IT IS. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR OLDER AND LARGER PROBLEM TO CLIMB OUT OF THE BUCKET SEAT AS THE STEERING WHEEL TRAPS YOUR LEGS WHEREAS A BENCH SEAT YOU SIMPLY SLIDE SIDEWAYS. THIS IS AN ENTRAPMENT ISSUE!!!!!! WILL SEE DEALER IN HOUR.

NHTSA complaint #10549828 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO. CONSUMER STATES SEVERAL ISSUES WITH VEHICLE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE ODOMETER LIGHT WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AND THE AIR CONDTIONER COMPRESSOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WOULD CUT OFF IN THE MIDST OF DRIVING, WHICH MADE CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT.

NHTSA complaint #10340111 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THE ODOMETER AND OTHER UNKNOWN LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THERE WAS A COMPUTER FAILURE IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY TWO ADDITIONAL MECHANICS WHICH ADVISED THE CONTACT OF THE SAME FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT INFORMED THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 07/26/10. *LJ UPDATED 08/06/10

NHTSA complaint #10335280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

AUXILIARY AIR CONDITIONR (A/C) REAR SWITCH FAILED/ MELTED/ SMOKED. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME IN 4 YEARS. WENT TO THE JUNK YARD, AND FOUND THET 5 OF 5 ASTRO VANS WITH THIS TYPE SWITCH ALSO WERE MELTED/BURNED. NO APPEARENT DEFECT WITH REAR BLOWER MOTOR THAT WOULD PULL EXCESSIVE AMPS.

NHTSA complaint #10190577 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WITHIN MONTHS OF PURCHASE, ON APRIL, 2003, THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED TO OPEN. THEN THE CD PLAYER WOULD NOT EJECT THE CD'S. THE INTERMEDIATE LEVELS OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS NO LONGER WORKED BY THAT WINTER. THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE DUE TO IT DISCHARGING, I HAVE JUMPED THE VAN AND PLACED THE BATTERIES ON CHARGERS, ONLY TO BE DEAD AGAIN AFTER A TEST DRIVE. I HAVE REPLACED THE CONNECTORS AS WELL IN HOPES THAT WAS THE PROBLEM BUT TO NO AVAIL. NOW THE REAR HEATER DOES NOT WORK.

NHTSA complaint #10106318 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

POWER WINDOW ON PASSENGER SIDE HAS FAILED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN THROUGH 2 NEW BATTERIES SINCE WE PURCHASED IT 6 MONTHS AGO. SEEMS TO BE DRAINING BATTERIES AND WE ARE NOT SURE WHY. WE PUT BATTERY ON RECHARGER OVERNIGHT, BUT WITHIN HOURS OF TAKING ITOFF THE CHARGER, THE BATTERY IS DRAINED WHILE THE CAR IS NOT RUNNING.

NHTSA complaint #10078400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I HAVE A 1997 ASTRO, IN THE PAST 8 MONTHS THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MOTOR, WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH 54,202 MILES ON IT, WHICH STARTED GIVING US PROBLEMS AT ABOUT 53,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED BOTH IDLER ARMS AT 25,680 MILES. HAD SEAT BELT CHIME FIXED (RECALL), DRIVER SEAT FEELS LOOSE WHEN STOPPING DEALERSHIP CLAIMS TO HAVE TIGHTENED IT, STILL FEELS LOOSE. THE VAN HAS ALWAYS IDLED ROUGH TOOK IT IN 3 TIMES FOR THAT AND CAN'T SEEM TO FIX THAT. SLIDING DOOR RATTLE THEY TRIED TO FIX THAT ALSO STILL RATTLES. THE GAS PEDAL STICKS WHEN I TAKE OFF OR WHEN I GO IN REVERSE WHICH MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TAKE OFF SMOOTHLY. I HAD AN ASTRO AND A SAFARI IN THE PAST AND NEVER HAD AS MANY PROBLEMS AS I HAD WITH THIS ONE.

NHTSA complaint #10010394 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS FAILING. MODULE IS BURNING OUT, AND CAUSING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO STOP FUNCTIONING. THIS AUTO HAS BEEN IN REPAIR SHOP SEVERAL TIMES, AND EACH TIME NO ONE COULD FIGURE OUT WHERE THE SHORTHAPPENED SO IT COULD BE REPAIRED. CONSUMER IS AFRAID VEHICLE WILL CATCH ON FIRE AND BURN, JUST LIKE A VEHICLE OWNED BY A FRIEND.

NHTSA complaint #8018437 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE: BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT POWER WINDOR MOTORS; REPLACE THE KEY REMOTE, BOTH IDLER ARMS,FRONT BRAKE PAD AT 37,000 MILES, SERPENTIME BELT, POWER STEERING PUMP - REPLACED TWICE, HAD TO FIX OIL COOLER LINES TWICE, REPLACED DISTRIBUTOR/ROTOR; REPLACED LOWER GASKET DUE TO INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK, AND FUEL PUMP MODUAL. ALL OF THIS WAS DONE BEFORE MY CAR HAD 57,000 MILES. THE DEALER HAS BEEN VERY FAIR AND REPAIRED AT LOW OR NOW COST. I HAVE HAD TWO TRIPS SHORTENED DUE TO BREAKDOWNS AND HAVE SPENT OVER $1,500 ON REPAIRS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRENTY OR BY THE DEALER. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO NORMAL MAINTENANCE (OIL AND FILTER,FOUR NEW TIRES,AND TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER). I AM CONCERNED AS TO "WHAT IS NEXT" AND WHEN THE DEALER WHEN NO LONGER BE ABLE TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS AT LOW COST TO ME.

NHTSA complaint #763263 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

THE BATTERY LEAKED ALL OVER THE MAIN COMPUTER SYSTEM AND THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, THE CONSUMER WANTS REIMBURSEMENT OF REPAIR COST BECAUSE IT WAS THE FAULT OF THE ENGINEERS TO HAVE PLACED THE COMPUTER DIRECTLY UNDER THE BATTERY.

NHTSA complaint #562626 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #754285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

THE BATTERY LEAKED ALL OVER THE MAIN COMPUTER SYSTEM AND THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, THE CONSUMER WANTS REIMBURSEMENT OF REPAIR COST BECAUSE IT WAS THE FAULT OF THE ENGINEERS TO HAVE PLACED THE COMPUTER DIRECTLY UNDER THE BATTERY.

NHTSA complaint #562626 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED AND VEHICLE CEASED AS BATTERY RAN DOWN, REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND IGNITION COIL AND WIRE.

NHTSA complaint #560939 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED AND VEHICLE CEASED AS BATTERY RAN DOWN, REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND IGNITION COIL AND WIRE.

NHTSA complaint #560939 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

WHILE DRIVING BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. PROBLEM WAS DUE TO 'BELT TENSIONER BREAKING. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 - 15 MPH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #881524 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW WILL NOT STAY OPEN, CLIPS THAT SHOULD HOLD IT UP ARE BLOCKED BY MATERIAL, WINDOW SLAMS SHUT WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP. TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 45000 MILES. *AK OIL LEAK, DEALER ORDERED AXLE OUTPUT SHAFT SEAL AND CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP REPLACED DUE TO VEHICLE CUTTING AND WOULD CRANK, BUT WOULD NOT STAR. OIL PRESSURE GAUGE ERRATIC, DEALER REPLACED OIL PRESSURE SENDER. FRONT BRAKES AND PADS WERE REPLACED, ROTORS WERE RESURFACED. CONSUMER STATES THERE IS PLAY IN THE STEERING, DEALER REPLACED BOTH IDLER ARMS AND RESET TOE IN. POWER DOOR LOCKS INOPERABLE, DEALER REPLACED POWER DOOR LOCK SWITCH. POWER WINDOW INOPERABLE, DEALER REPLACED POWER WINDOW SWITCH. SHIFTER WAS HARD TO MOVE, DEALER REPLACED SHIFT CABLE. GAS PEDAL BINDS AT TIMES, DEALER ORDERED THROTTLE CABLE AND REPLACED ACCELERATOR CABLE. DRIVER SETA SEEMS LOOSE WHEN BRAKING, DEALER ORDERED DRIVER SEAT TRACK ASSEMBLY AND REPLACED DRIVER SEAT ADJUSTER. PCM FUSE KEPT BLOWING OUT, DEALER REMOVED ENGINE COVER AND TRACED WIRE HARNESS, REPAIRED SHORTED HARNESS AT THE REAR OF THE TRANSMISSION. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #879935 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

CONSUMER WENT TO CHECK WHY THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, MECHANICS REPORTED THAT THE WIRING UNDERNEATH THE DRIVERS SIDE WAS ENTANGLED. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #555327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

BATTERY WAS REPLACED WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #555327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH ALL OF THIS VAN. PLEASE CONTACT TO EXPLAIN IN FULL.

NHTSA complaint #711659 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

FAILURE OF ELECTRONIC COMPUTER MODULES.

NHTSA complaint #609461 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

WAS DRIVING AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO MISS,AND WOULD NOT PULL IT'S SELF DOWN THE HWY. THEN ENGINE STALLED, AND WOULD NOT RESTART. ITS WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL CHEVY DEALER,WHICH IS 350 MILES FROM MY HOUSE. WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTAM WAS CONTAMINATED WITH FUEL. THE MECHANIC POURED RAW GAS FROM ECM. APPARENTLY FUEL IS BEING PUMPED THROUGH THE WIRES THAT FIRE THE INJECTOR TO THE ECM. THE DEALER DON JOHNSON MOTORS OF RICE LAKE WS, HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. MY LOCAL CHEVY DEALER SHEPPARD CHEVROLET OF LAKE BLUFF IL HAS HAD ANOTHER 4.3 IN A TRUCK DO THE SAME THING. GM WARRENTED THAT. BUT I'M OVER MY STANDARD WARRENTY AND THE BEST THEY SAY THEY CAN DO IS 50/50 ON THE COST,WHICH I THINK IS UNFAIR. THEY SHOULD COVER THIS, AS FAR AS IM CONCERED THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. ONE SPARK WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND IT COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DON JOHNSON MOTORS HAD CONTACTED GM TECHNOCIAL ASSIST. WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED AND ASKED FOR HELP. GM SAYS THEY HAVE FOUND THIS PROBLEM BEFORE BUT WOULDNT GIVE SPECIFICS. IN REVIEWING OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEB PAGE, OTHERS HAVE HAD INJECTOR PROBLEMS WITH THESE VANS, BUT THEIR DESCRIPTIONS ARE INCOMPLETE.

NHTSA complaint #709889 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

REROUTE PLUG WIRE AT COIL.

NHTSA complaint #545963 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMING ON COINCIDENTLY WITH VERY ROUGH SHIFTING. DEALER STATES TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACEMENT, EVEN THOUGH AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP COULD FIND NO PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC MAINTAINS THE PROBLEM IS IN THE COMPUTER, WHICH IS SHUTTING DOWN AND CAUSING A FULL LINE PRESSURE IN THE TRANSMISSION, CAUSING THE ROUGH SHIFT. THE INDEPENDENT SHOP DROPPED THE TRANSMISSION PAN, INSPECTED THE FLUID AND VISUALLY INSPECTED THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO KEPT AND DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR 2 DAYS. DEALERSHIP INSISTS THE COMPUTER CODE THEY ARE RECEIVING (P1870) INDICATES A TRANSMISSION SLIP, TO BE REMEDIED BY A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT OR AT LEAST AN OVERHAUL. NO VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS CONDUCTED BY THE DEALER -- ONLY RELYING ON A COMPUTER CODE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. DEALER ALSO STATED THEY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MANY TRANSMISSIONS ON THIS MODEL VEHICLE --- "MORE THAN WE CARE TO ADMIT." STILL, AN INDEPENDENT SHOP CAN FIND NO INTERNAL PROBLEM AND MAINTAINS IT IS A PROBLEM IN THE PCM. DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO CHANGE PCM AND WILL DIAGNOSE ONLY AS FAR AS "PULLING CODES" FROM THE PCM. THEY CANNOT ADEQUATELY EXPLAIN WHY THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND ONLY PRESENTS INTELF UNDER CERTAIN WEATHER CONDITIONS. WHEN ROUGH SHIFTING OCCURS, THE PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY GOES AWAY WHEN THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF AND RE-STARTED.

NHTSA complaint #708682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

THE MODULE AND HARNESS MELTED. PROBABLY WOULD HAVE STARTED A FIRE HAD NOT WE BEEN THERE AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. THE VEHICLE WAS OFF AND HAD BEEN FOR AT LEAST 20 MINUTES. JUST THOUGHT SOMEONE SHOULD CHECK TO BE SURE THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #708677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

COIL WIRE FAILED. NLM

NHTSA complaint #605936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED OUT WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S COMPARTMENT TO BE FULL OF SMOKE. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #838566 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THIS VEHICLE HAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT CAUSES THE WHOLE ELECTRICALE SYSTEM TO SHUT DOWN, INCLUDING HEADSLIGHTS/SIGNAL LIGHTS/SPEEDOMETER/WINDOWS/LOCKS, AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #833332 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

ALTERNATOR FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #537876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

DASH CLUSTER FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #530490 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.