Westland, MI
STEERING
WHAT IS THE REAL IS HARD TO TURN IN MY ALTERNATOR WENT OUT
NHTSA complaint #11039948 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1998 Chevrolet Astro steering problems
16 of the 336 complaints about the 1998 Chevrolet Astro are about the steering — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 78,682 miles.
16
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Exactly what failed
Idler AND Attachment
5
31.3%
Hydraulic Power Assist System
4
25.0%
Pump
2
12.5%
Steering Wheel/Handle BAR
1
6.3%
Steering
1
6.3%
Hose, Piping, AND Connections
1
6.3%
TIE ROD Assembly
1
6.3%
Gear BOX (Other Than Rack AND Pinion)
1
6.3%
Steering across every Chevrolet Astro year
What owners said
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
at 87,000 miles
Cranberry Township, PA
STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT
WHILE BRAKING AT LOW SPEED THE ABS WOULD CAUSE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR REPLACED. LEFT FRONT WINDOW HANGS WHEN GOING UP. WINDOW TRACKE LUBED. PADS AND ROTORS REPLACED. RER BRAKE ADJUSTED. BRAKE PEDAL KICKED UP WHEN ALMOST TO A STOP. REPLACED BRAKE CALIPERS/ROTORS/ BACKING PLATES AND REMOVED SENSORS AND CLEANED RUST BUILD UP ON SENSOR AND HUB ASSEMBLIES. BOTH IDLER AMRS AND FRONT AND REAR SHOCKS WERE REPLACED DUE TO FRONT END PLAY.
NHTSA complaint #10110976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 70,365 miles
Placerville, CA
STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT
REQUEST ANOTHER VEHICLE (VAN/SUV) AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR RENTAL CARS DUE TO THEIR DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. *PH THE SAME DAY THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE HE DROVE TWO BLOCKS AND THE VAN STOPPED, THE ENGINE LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER WALKED BACK TO CAR LOT AND THE WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS FINE THAT THE MECHANIC HAD CHECKED OVER EVERYTHING COMPLETELY AND TO JUST FILL THE VEHICLE UP WITH GAS. WHEN THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING AND THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE CYLINDER HEAD, ALSO THE FRONT SHOCKS AND IDLER ARMS WERE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10066869 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Clarkston, MI
STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT
WHILE DRIVING IDLER ARM, PART OF LINKAGE TO STEERING MECHANISM, SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER. THIS CAUSED CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #895446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Berverly Hills, CA
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
WHILE MAKING A TURN THERE WAS LOSS OF STEERING DUE TO A BOLT SEPARATING FROM POWER STEERING, CAUSING POWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #888847 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Gaithersburg, MD
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED SUDDENLY CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKES. I WAS TOLD BY SERVICE MGR. @ DAMASCUS CHEVROLET THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM IN THIS BRAKING SYSTEM BEFORE. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR PREVIOUS PROBLEM WITH EITHER THE STEERING OR THE BRAKES. THE FAILURE WAS SUDDEN AND COMPLETE. I HAVE LOCATED ONE ADDITIONAL OWNER OF THE SAME MODEL VAN WHO EXPERIENCED A SIMULAR FAILURE. IN BOTH CASES IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT THE FAILURE WAS AT A LOW SPEED. CHEVROLET INFORMED ME THAT SINCE THE VEHILCE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY WOULD MAKE NO EFFORTS TO ASSIST ME WITH THE REPAIR ($800). I FEEL THAT A BRAKING SYSTEM THAT SUFFERS FROM THIS TYPE OF FAILURE FROM TIME TO TIME ( AS STATED BY THE CHEVY SERVICE MGR.) IS A THREAT TO ANYONE WHO MAY OPERATE OR BE IN PROXIMITY OF THE OPERATION OF THESE VEHICLES.
NHTSA complaint #744800 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kenosha, WI
STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY WOULD GRAB, TOOK TO DEALER WHO FOUND EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD BEEN FUSED TO BRAKES. TOOK 2 VISITS TO DEALER BEFORE PROBLEM WAS FOUND. ALSO, IDLER ARM/TIE ROD ENDS HAD TO BE REPLACED. TIRES HAD BEEN WEARING UNEVEN, VEHICLE WAS SHAKING BADLY.
NHTSA complaint #875449 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kenosha, WI
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY WOULD GRAB, TOOK TO DEALER WHO FOUND EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD BEEN FUSED TO BRAKES. TOOK 2 VISITS TO DEALER BEFORE PROBLEM WAS FOUND. ALSO, IDLER ARM/TIE ROD ENDS HAD TO BE REPLACED. TIRES HAD BEEN WEARING UNEVEN, VEHICLE WAS SHAKING BADLY.
NHTSA complaint #875449 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lebanon, OR
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #734590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Holland, MI
STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT
AT 35,000 MILES HAD IDLE ARM REPLACED, BAD WHEEL ALIGNMENT CAUSED LOSE OF FOUR TIRES, AT 40,000 HAD TWO IDLE ARMS AND DIFFERENTIAL REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #725311 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Modesto, CA
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
ROBLEMS THAT I HAVE LISTED ARE ONLY THE ICING ON THE CAKE. I HAVE SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS AND SUCH AS : OIL COLLER INLET, REAR MAIN SEAL, EXTENTION HOUSING LEAKING.MY FRONT END ALIGNMENT WANDERS, PROBLEMS WITH KEYLESS REMOTE AND FACTORY ALARM.ROOF RACK WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED, CIGARETTTE LIGHTER FALLS OUT, GLOVE BOX LIGHT SWITCH DEFECTIVE,RAIDO SPEAKERS NOT PROPERTLY INSTALLLED. WHEN TENSIONER FAILED, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE FROM THE FRONT END,SO I DECIDED TO GET OFF THE BUSY ROAD TO FIND OUT WHERE THE NOISE CAME FROM. MY STEERING ALSO WENT OUT;I HAD MY CHILDREN WITH ME ON A BUSY ROAD SPEED LIMIT 45.I WENT TO MAKE A LEFT HAD TURN AND HAD EXTREME DIFFICULTY IN TURNING MY WHEEL. I HAD TO UNBUCKLE MY SEATBELT; TO PULL ON THE STEERING WHEEL WITH ALL MY BODY WEIGHT, AND STILL COULDN'T MAKE THE TURN, I HAD TO BACK UP AND TRY TO TURN AGAIN.I CONTINUE TO HAVE FRONTEND,WINDOW,FUEL INJECTION, DOORS NOT WANTING TO LOCK AND UNLOCK PROPERLY AND I STILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. I FEEL THAT THIS CHEVROLET, ASTRO IS A VERY UNSAFE VEHICLE TO BE DRIVING. ANY INFO YOU CAN GIVE ME ON THIS VEHICLE WOULD BE GREATLY APPERICATED. THANK YOU LAURIE HOEKZEMA.
NHTSA complaint #715876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Anaheim, CA
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
DUE TO DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF STEERING GEAR BOX NUT BROKE, CAUSING THE STEERING MECHANISM TO LOCK UP AND NOT BEING ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE, WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. DUE TO THIS DESIGN DEFECT, IT CAUSES THE STEERING GEAR AND PUMP TO BE REPLACED, AND COULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE BRAKE HYDROBOOST. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #832078 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rockwood, NY
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE STEERING BELT TENSIONER FELL OFF, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAIL.
NHTSA complaint #848403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Upland, CA
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER STEERING FAILED. NLM
NHTSA complaint #606116 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Newtown, PA
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL, DRIVER HEARD A
NHTSA complaint #700207 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Florence, MA
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX 25 MPH, MAKING A SHARP TURN, LOST COMPLETE STEERING AND BRAKEING AND ALL POWER ASSIST. HAD TO DOWNSHIFT IN ORDER TO GAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE. DEALER REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP. BRAKES WORK OFF PUMP. DEALER CANNOT FIND PROBLEM. THIS DEFECT CAN RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #818615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.