2004 Chevrolet Astro Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: May 22, 2015 · Filed: April 21, 2020

ONCE OR TWICE PER YEAR WHEN USING CRUISE CONTROL, WHEN I TOUCH BRAKE TO DEACTIVATE CRUISE, IT DOESN'T DISENGAGE. I THEN HAVE TO STAND ON BRAKE WITH ALL MY EFFORT TO STOP VAN AND PULL OVER TO PUT IN PARK. ENGINE CONTINUES RACING TIL I TURN KEY OFF. THEN EVERYTHING OK TIL NEXT TIME MAYBE MONTHS LATER. SWITCK ON BRAKE PETAL IS OK. ONCE IN THE WINTER, CRUISE CONTROL PUSHED ME INTO AN INTERSECTION. LUCKILY OTHER TRAFFIC REALIZED I COULDN'T STOP. NO CODES SHOW UP TO IDENTIFY CAUSE. BEEN DOING THIS 4 OR 5 YEARS INTERMITTENTLY. EVEN THO THIS VAN IS 16 YEARS OLD, IT ONLY 6HAS 90000 MILES ON IT. I TRY NOT TO DRIVE IT MUCH BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. MY BEST GUESS IT'S MECHANICAL OR COMPUTER PROBLEM BUT SINCE IT HAPPENS SO SELDOM HARD TO DIAGNOSE.I HAVE ANOTHER ASTRO 5 YR OLDER WITH 230000 ON IT AND CRUISE WORKS LIKE IT SHOULD. I HAVE NO MORE INFORMATION.

Incident: May 18, 2006 · Filed: May 19, 2015

ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I WAS ENTERING THE FREEWAY. THE LIGHTS CONTINUE TO COME ON WHENEVER I AM DRIVING. I HAD IT CHECKED AT CORNING CHEVROLET AND WAS TOLD THE PART ALONE WAS $900 PLUS LABOR TO REPLACE IT. THE BRAKES WORK, BUT NOT THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM INSTALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

Incident: April 16, 2014 · Filed: April 9, 2015

WE LIVE IN THE COUNTRY WITH GRAVEL ROADS. ALL OF OUR CHEVROLET VEHICLES HAVE HAD BRAKE LINES ROT OUT. OUR FORD AND DODGE VEHICLES HAVE NOT. THE CHEVROLET ASTRO VANS WE HAVE EXHIBIT A PROPENSITY FOR THE BRAKE LINE ROTTING OUT OVER THE GAS TANK AS WELL AS THE BRAKE LINES OVER THE FRONT FRAME MEMBERS. THE BRAKE LINES ON 20 YEAR OLD FORD VEHICLES LOOK AS GOOD AS NEW UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS. MY 1994 CHEVROLET K-3500 PICKUP HAS BLOWN BRAKES LINES DUE TO ROT ALONG WITH THE BACK PART OF THE FRAME THAT RUSTED OUT. I JUST READ WHERE YOU HAVE ADVISED WASHING THE UNDERSIDE OF CHEVROLET VEHICLES SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR. WELL THE LINES ROTTING OUT ON TOP OF THE GAS TANK AND THE FRONT FRAME RAILS WILL NOT GET WASHED. WHOEVER MADE THE "WASH IT" DECISION EVIDENTLY DOES NOT DRIVE OLDER CHEVROLETS. IF THERE WAS NO PROBLEM THEN WHY DID CHEVROLET EVIDENTLY CHANGE THEIR LINES? OR MAYBE THEY DID NOT AND THE NEWER ONES JUST HAVE NOT STARTED ROTTING OUT YET. WHY DO FORD BRAKE LINES, EXHAUST SYSTEMS, FRAMES, AND BODIES NOT RUST LIKE GM. SOMEONE IS HIDING SOMETHING. THE CHEVROLET BRAKE LINE ARE DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO RUSTING THRU. *TR

Incident: June 14, 2013 · Filed: June 20, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET ASTRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START UNTIL AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND THEN THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. THE CONTACT PUMPED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, WAITED TEN MINUTES AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED ITS NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ASSURED THE CONTACT THAT AFTER PAYING FOR THE REPAIR, THE FAILURE WOULD BE RESOLVED. THE FUEL PUMP, STARTER, MOTOR MOUNTS, AND GENERATOR WERE ALL REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 134,249.

Filed: December 4, 2011

IT STARTED WITH MY ABS BRAKE LIGHT COMING ON AND STAYING ON. THEN I STARTED TO ENCOUNTER ANTI LOCK PULSATIONS WHEN I SLOWED DOWN AND COMING TO A STOP, SOME TIMES I COULDN'T EVEN STOP WHEN & WHERE I WANTED. BRAKING DISTANCE STARTED BEING LONGER. THEN SOME TIME LATER I FELT AS THOUGH SOMEONE STUCK A BRICK UNDER MY BRAKE PEDAL BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW HARD I PRESS, I GUARANTEE YOU, I COULDN'T STOP. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS IN FRONT OF ME AS I CRUISED ON THOUGH THE STOP LIGHT! I WAS TOLD THAT MY ABS SENSORS WERE SLOWLY MALFUNCTIONING MOST LIKELY DUE TO CORROSION, A PROVEN DESIGN DEFECT. THEN MY ABS MODULE WILL GET SHORTED, AND THERE IS NO FAIL/SAFE WHEN IT GOES. I WAS TOLD THAT WHEN THE MODULE FAILS, HANG ON BECAUSE I WILL CRASH. THIS SCARES ME TO DEATH AND I WONT LET ANYBODY DRIVE MY VAN IN CASE THIS HAPPENS WHEN THEY ARE DRIVING. ALSO WHEN WE WANT TO TAKE A TRIP I DON'T WANT TO TAKE MY VAN BECAUSE I'M AFRAID 6 TO 8 PEOPLE COULD GET HURT AND IT WOULD BE ON ME. EVERY REASON I BOUGHT THIS AWD VAN IS COMPLETELY OUT THE WINDOW. I CANT SELL IT BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE PROBLEM. I'M STUCK WITH A VAN THAT I CANT USE. I'M WRITING THIS BECAUSE WHEN I WENT TO GET THE ABS SERVICED I FIND OUT THAT I COULD WRITE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE PROBLEM ( I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW YOU COULD DO THAT ) BECAUSE SOMETHING ABOUT A COMMUNICATION PROBLEM TO THE ABS MODULE SINCE 1999. AND THAT THEY RECALLED THE CHEVY TRUCKS THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM YEARS AGO. I WOULD THINK YOU WOULD FIX THE VANS BEFORE THE TRUCKS, BECAUSE TRUCKS DON'T CARRY A LOT OF PEOPLE! THEY CARRY WOOD. WHEN EVER I DRIVE THIS VAN NOW, I CONSIDER IT A RUSSIAN ROULETTE. I CANT AFFORD THE 2200.THAT WAS ESTIMATED TO FIX IT. I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED IN CHEVY, BUT I CANT BELIEVE THAT I DRIVE AFRAID EVERY DAY. I CANT BELIEVE THAT CHEVY KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *TR

Incident: February 15, 2011 · Filed: April 17, 2011

I HAVE AN '04 CHEVY ASTRO VAN WITH ~ 88K MILES. IT IS SERVICED EVERY 3,000 MILES. RECENTLY, MY BRAKES FAILED. THE CAUSE WAS A WORN BRAKE LINE NEAR THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL. IT HAD RUBBED A HOLE IT THE LINE AND I LOST ALL THE BRAKE FLUID. *TR

Incident: March 30, 2011 · Filed: March 31, 2011

AS I WAS DRIVING OVER SOME RAILROAD TRACKS BOTH OF MY FRONT TORSION BARS FAILED AND BROKE. HAD I BEEN TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. FROM MY ONLINE RESEARCH, THIS SAME FAILURE HAS HAPPEND TO THOUSANDS OF OWNERS AND NO RECALL WAS DONE. GM EVEN REDESIGNED THE TORSION BARS BECAUSE OF THE KNOWN DESIGN FLAWS AND IT WILL COST WELL OVER $1,000 TO REPAIR. *TR

Incident: July 14, 2010 · Filed: August 12, 2010

1. I PARKED MY WIFE'S VAN AT THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE BECAUSE GUESTS WERE ABOUT TO ARRIVE. THEIR DRIVEWAY IS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE SO I ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. 2. IT OCCURRED JUST ONCE WITH THE PEDAL GOING COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. 3. AFTER CONTACTING GM AND BEING DENIED COMPENSATION DUE TO NO RECALL AND THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE I PURCHASED AND REPLACED THE BROKEN DRIVER SIDE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE MYSELF. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE WAS A DESIGN FLAW. I HAVE THE OLD PART IF NEEDED FOR EXAMINATION. THE CABLE WAS COMPLETELY SEVERED DUE TO A CRACK IN THE OUTER SHEATH ALLOWING MOISTURE TO ENTER AND TO DETERIORATE THE CABLE. THE CRACK OCCURRED AT A SEVERE BEND WHERE A BRACKET SECURED THE CABLE TO THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

Incident: October 1, 2009 · Filed: February 4, 2010

WHEN MY WIFE RETURNED TO OUR 2004 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN, THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO HAVE A DEAD BATTERY. THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER OR FIRE THE IGNITION. AFTER HAVING THE BATTERY AND STARTER CHECKED, WE WERE TOLD THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED AND THEY WERE ABLE TO CHARGE THE BATTERY. THE STARTER CHECKED GOOD. THE CAR SEEMED TO HAVE A "DEAD SHORT" WHEN TRYING TO START AND/OR BOOST. AFTER REPLACING ALL COMPONENTS, THE VAN STARTED, HOWEVER, WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES, THERE WAS NO BRAKE PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL. IT APPEARED THAT WE WERE LOSING BRAKE FLUID UNDER THE VEHICLE FROM A RUPTURED LINE. WE TOWED THE CAR HOME TO INSPECT AND REPLACE THE BRAKE LINE. UPON INSPECTION, WE FOUND ELECTRICAL ARCING WHERE THE BRAKE LINE HAD GROUNDED ON THE VEHICLE FRAME CAUSING A HOLE TO RUPTURE IN THE BRAKE LINE JUST REAR OF THE ELECTRICAL UNIT. WHAT WE DETERMINED CAUSED THE PROBLEM WAS A HOT WIRE THAT RAN BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND STARTER WAS RUBBING ON THE SUSPENSION LINKS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IT RUBBED THROUGH THE ELECTRICAL SHEATH AND CAUSED CONTACT BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE ELECTRICAL CHARGING SYSTEM IF THE VEHICLE. AFTER CONTACTING GM/CHEVROLET SUPPORT, THEY WERE "SORRY" ABOUT THE ISSUE AND FELT THE ISSUE WAS DUE TO A WIRE CLAMP THAT "MUST BE MISSING." WE HAVE TEMPORARILY REPAIRED THE ISSUE, HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO FACTORY WIRE CLAMPS THAT WERE MISSING. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW FROM CHEVROLET ON THIS VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED ON THE INTERNET IN VARIOUS PLACES. HAD MY WIFE BEEN DRIVING 55MPH, SHE WOULD HAVE HAD NO BRAKES DUE TO THE ISSUE. CHEVROLET SIMPLY SAID THE VEHICLE WAS A 2004 AND THEY WOULD NOT TAKE ACTION ON A VEHICLE "THAT OLD". SEVERAL OF THE VEHICLES ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN DISRUPTED THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM SUCH AS DOOR LOCKS, DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS, ETC... WE WANT THE PUBLIC WARNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE SO NO LIVES ARE LOST. WE HAVE TEMPORARILY REPAIRED THE ISSUE, HOWEVER, THE ORIGINAL CABLE AND TIES ARE STILL IN PLACE. *TR

Incident: October 10, 2008 · Filed: October 14, 2008

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING A 2004 CHEVY ASTRO VAN APPROX. 35-40 MPH ON A TWO-WAY STREET. ANOTHER DRIVER FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION CUT ACROSS INTO HER LANE AND HAD A HEAD-ON COLLISION. SHE SUFFERED A BROKEN WRIST & BRUISED RIBS. SHE HAD THREE OF OUR CHILDREN IN THEIR SEATS. THEY WERE SHAKEN AND HAD SEATBELT BRUISES. THE VAN WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND WAS TOWED AWAY. THE POLICE & THE TOW DRIVER REPORTED THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WE HAVE SOME EXPECTATION THAT THE AIRBAGS WOULD HAVE SECONDARY ROLE TO MINIMIZE INJURIES. MY COMPLIANT THAT THE HARD COLLISION WAS SUFFICIENT TO DEPLOY SAFETY EQUIPMENT BUT DID NOT WORK AS DESIGNED. WAS THERE A RECALL FOR AIRBAG FAILURES FOR THIS MODEL OF VEHICLE? *TR