27 of the 336 complaints about the 1998 Chevrolet Astro are about the transmission — 8% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 119,500 miles.
27
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN
VAN SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2ND REALY HARD. WHEN I TRIED TO GET IT REPAIRED NOTHING WAS DONE EXCEPT FOR A FLUID CHANGE. THE VAN STILL HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. I ONLY ATTEMPED TWO TIMES BECAUSE I CANT AFORD TO PAY THAT MUCH MONEY AND THE PROBLEM TO NOT GET FIXED. THE AIR AND HEAT ONLY BLOWES OUT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE.
NHTSA complaint #10068732 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
CANNOT GET AIR THROUGHT VENTS IN DASH, ALL CONTROLS WORK PROPERLY VACUUM ACTUATOR MOVES, THERE IS VACUUM AT THE SWITHC, NO ONE KNOWS THE ANSWER PAINT ON GAS DOOR BUBBLING AND LOOKS LIKE IT IS GOING TO FALL OFF TRANSMISSION SHIFTED HARD INTO 2ND GEAR SINCE WE BOUGHT IT ( 54000KMS) FINALLY STARTED TO SLIP , BOUGHT USED TRANS AND HAD IT INSTALLED, QUOTED 3000.00 TO REBUILD, DEALER WAS PAST EVEN BELIEF. ABS COMES ON WHEN COMING TO A STOP EVERY TIME . LF FRONT SENSOR READS O MPH WHEN OTHER SENSORS READ MOVEMENT CAUSING IT TO ASSUME A SKID SITUATION, REPLACED SENSOR AT 205.00 NO BETTER, DOES NOT SET CODE IN COMPUTER ACCORDING TO MECHANIC. PULLED FUSE. HAS HAD VIBRATION IN DRIVELINE SINCE PURCHASED NO ONE CAN FIND ANYTHING SUGEESTION RANGE FROM REPLACE ALL U JOINTS, DID SOME OF THEM NO BETTER TO REPLACE REAR END. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE IN NOVA SCOTIA TO OBTAIN A BLASTING PERMIT TO BLOW UP YOUR CAR EVEN IF YOU TAKE PRECAUTIONS AND HIRE A PROFESSIONAL. I HAVE NEVER IN 40 YEARS OF DRIVING SOME BAD STUFF FROM OLD ENGLISH CARS TO TRANSPORT TRUCKS WITH MORE MILES THAN THERE ARE NUMBERS, EVER HAD THIS KIND OF PROBLEM, MOST THINGS CAN BE FIXED. YOU HAVE NEVER LIVED UNTIL YOU HAVE TAKEN THE WHOLE DASH APART ON ONE OF THESE, THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED BY MADMEN.
NHTSA complaint #10071372 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
FIRST, THE DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW WORKS ONLY SOMETIMES. SECOND, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK ONLY PART OF THE TIME. IT MAY TAKE 5-10 MINUTES TO COME ON AND THEN MIGHT ONLY SWIPE 2-3 TIMES. LASTLY, ROUGH SHIFTING IN TRANSMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #10041020 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE TRANSMISSION WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO JERK. DEALER NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #10032251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
THE GEAR INDICATOR IN THE DASH BOARD DID NOT WORK.
NHTSA complaint #10007034 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, CHILD WAS ABLE TO MOVE LEVER SHIFTER AND CHANGE GEAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE. *AKWHENEVER THE VEHICLE IGNITION IS BETWEEN THE LOCK AND OFF POSITION THE SHIFT LEVER CAN BE MOVED WITH OUT APPYING THE BRAKE PEDAL.
NHTSA complaint #8019038 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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.
NHTSA complaint #564840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VERY HARD BANG WHEN TRANSMISSIONS SHIFTS,IT WAS VERY COSTLY TO HAVE IT FIXED.
NHTSA complaint #758669 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE SUN SHELL, A PART IN THE TRANSMISSION BROKE LOOSE AND CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO MALFUNCTION.
NHTSA complaint #9003257 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANMISSION VALVE BODY BAD. TRANS. SHIFTS HARD AND WHEN NOT EXPECTED.
NHTSA complaint #751703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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?
NHTSA complaint #750252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REBUILT DUE TO BAD SHIFTING. ALSO, ENGINE ROD BEARING WAS MAKING A KOCKING SOUND THAT FORCED REPLACEMENT. *AK CRACK IN COOLING SYSTEM HAD TO REPLACE SEAL.
NHTSA complaint #889009 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL
THE TRANSMISSION SEAL BLEWOUT, DEALER REPAIRED. NLM
NHTSA complaint #560311 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WHEN THE CONSUMER CHANGES THE GEAR INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE JUMPS INTO GEAR HARDER THAN IT SHOULD. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #557203 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WHEN THE CONSUMER CHANGES THE GEAR INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE JUMPS INTO GEAR HARDER THAN IT SHOULD. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #557203 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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.
NHTSA complaint #734001 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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.
NHTSA complaint #729366 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
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.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
THIS REAR DIFFERENTIAL UNIT HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIME AS A WHOLE UNIT AND THREE TIMES IT WAS TRIED TO BE REPAIRED AND THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS.IT HAS STARTED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS NEW(12000) MILES,AND IT IS STILL ONGOING.THE DEALER AND THE FACTORY HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND ARE UNWILLING TO HELP.PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF IM THE ONLY ONE WITH REAR END PROBLEMS ON MY ASTRO VAN,BECAUSE THATS WHAT THE DEALER AND FACTORY TELLS ME!! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP!!
NHTSA complaint #722099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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.
NHTSA complaint #720797 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
WHILE ENGINE IS OFF TRANSMISSION GEAR WILL JUMP FROM PARK TO DRIVE. PARKING BRAKE WAS APPLIED PRIOR TO PARKING VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #858327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAR STALLS WHEN IN REVERSE GEAR, DEALER COULD NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEMS. YH
NHTSA complaint #609918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED. NLM
NHTSA complaint #606300 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION GEARS SHIFT HARD.
NHTSA complaint #607448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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.
NHTSA complaint #838339 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
CONSUMER STATED THAT, THIS WILL BE THE FITH TIME SHE IS GOING TO TAKE VEHICLE FOR REPAIR ON THE TRANSMISSION, BECAUSE SHIFT BY ITSELF.
NHTSA complaint #837382 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
BETWEEN 50-65MPH THE REAR END HAS A LOUD HUMMING SOUND LOW SOUND - TALKED TO ANOTHER CUSTOMER WHO FRANK PARRA HAS TRIED TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEM. BROWN FUNERAL HOME BUYS A NUMBER OF ASTROS. PROBLEMS WITH THEIR 97 AND 98 - SAME THING. FRANK PARRA TRIED TO CURE BY BALANCING DRIVE SHAFT AND PUTTING A WEIGHT ON THE EXHAUST TO NO AVAIL. CAN YOU HELP. REALLY ANNOYING.
NHTSA complaint #701508 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.