1999 CHEVROLET ASTRO Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET ASTRO. THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. HE THEN DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO HIS HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS FAILURE WITHIN THE POWERTRAIN. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WERE CONNECTED TO THE SAME UNIT, CAUSING BOTH TO FAIL SIMULTANEOUSLY. HE CALLED GM AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE BRAKES SHOULD HAVE WORKED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

Mileage: 75,000

COMMENTS: WHY DID EVERYONE MISS THE 1999 CHEVY ASTRO VAN WITH AWD? I ALREADY HAD THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED (AT MY COST) EARLIER THIS YEAR FOR THE SAME PROBLEM!!! PARTS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE, BUT LOCAL FIRESTONE GARAGE PERFORMED THE MAINTENANCE, AND HAS THE RECORDS OF THE SERVICE. NEAR-MISS TOO MANY TIMES AT LOW SPEED STOPPING PROBLEMS. SOME ONE NEEDS TO INCLUDE THE CHEVY & GMC MINI-VANS!!! *JB

Mileage: 89,000

ABS BRAKING LIGHT APPEARED ON DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM BEHIND. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED, AND TOTALED OUT BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK

AT 29,000 MILES THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, BEARINGS AND PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. WHEN I COMPLAINED THAT THIS WAS LOW MILES FOR BRAKES TO FAIL, THE MANAGER SAID THE BRAKES GO OUT EARLY ON THIS MODEL BECAUSE THE BACK BRAKES WERE NOT SO GOOD SINCE THE SELF ADJUSTING WAS NOT RELIABLE. I WROTE TWICE TO GM ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION. I SPOKE TO THE MANAGER;S BOSS WHO SAID I WOULD REPLACE BRAKES EVERY 30,000 MILES BECAUSE THE BRAKES WERE LIGHT FOR THE VAN WEIGHT. NOW AT ABOUT 43,000 I AM AGAIN HAVING BRAKE PROBLEMS. SEEMS WRONG TO ME. ITEM 2 -AT 35,425 MILES I REPORTED WHEN THE VAN WAS IN FOR SERVICE THAT I PUSH THE GAS PEDAL DOWN AND THE VAN JUST DID NOT WANT TO GO. THEN IF YOU HELD THE PEDAL DOWN AFTER A BIT, THE VAN WOULD JUMP FORWARD BECAUSE IT SUDDENLY GOT GAS. THIS WAS BAD WHEN ANYTHING WAS AROUND CLOSE BECAUSE OF THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE SHOP SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE A PART UNDER WARRANTY. I THINK IT WAS CALLED A THROTTLE BODY, BUT I AM NOT SURE. THEY REPALCED NOTHING. THEY CLEANED THE THROTTLEBODY PLATE. THE PROBLEM IS NOW MORE NOTICABLE. FROM DISCUSSION WITH OTHER PEOPLE, IT SEEMS THIS LACK OF GOING AS YOU PUT THE PEDAL DOWN, AND THEN THE SURGING AHEAD IS HAPPENING TO MANY PEOPLE. THIS COMES FROM AN INTERNET CAR PROBLEM CHAT SITE. *AK

CONSUMER STATED ROTORS ON VEHICLE HAD WARPED. HAD REPAIRED. THE ROTORS WAS WARPED AGAIN. HAD TO HAVE REPAIRED THIS IS A CONTINOUS PROBLEM. NLM

WHILE DRIVING APPLIED ON BRAKES AND CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO COME TO A STOP. MECHANIC HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

BRAKES HAVE BEEN SEVERLY WORN OUT*AK 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.*SLC

CONSUMER STATES ROTORS WERE MACHINED, CALIPER SLIDES WERE LUBED, BRAKE PADS WERE CLEANED AND DEGLAZED, AND ON ANOTHER OCCASION ROTORS WERE FINALLY REPLACED.*JB

IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS WHEN CONSUMER HAS TO APPLY BRAKE HARD, PEDAL WILL GO TO FLOOR AND STAY THERE. BRAKING ACTION OKAY. *AK

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE CONSUMERS FOOT HIT BOTH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO STOP, CONSUMER BELIEVES THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. NLM

BRAKES PADS ARE WEARING EXCESSIVELY. FRONT BRAKES/ ROTORS & WHEEL BEARING WERE ALL REPLACED. CONSUMER RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM GMC. APPARENTLY, THEY KNOW OF PROBLEM, BUT NO RECALL WAS ISSUED. *AK SOMETHING IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING, ACCORDING TO THE CONSUMER. *YH

DEFECTIVE DRIVER INBOARD PAD WORN METAL TO METAL WHICH CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, MAY RESULTING IN A CRASH. *AK THE OWNER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE BUT THE DEALER DISAGREED. *YH

INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF STEERING WHERE STEERING BINDS TURNING RIGHT OR LEFT. HAVE TO FORCE STEERING TO COMPLETE TURNS. BRAKES ALSO INTERMITTANTLY WILL GRAB HARD WHEN COMING TO A FAST, HARD STOP. HYDRAVAC UNIT HAS BEEN REPLACED. DEALER CHACKED POWER STEERING PUMP PRESSURE PER GM TECH SUPPORT. PLAN NOW IS TO REPLACE STEERING GEAR BOX. DON'T SEE HOW THIS COULD AFFECT BRAKES. POWER STEERING PUMP HAS HAD A HIGH PITCHED WHINE SINCE IT WAS NEW. DEALER AND GM DO NOT SEEM TO BE CONCERNED WITH THAT.

IF PUTTING BRAKES ON QUICKLY THEY LOCK UP AND THEN THEY STOP. BRAKES WILL GRAB/DRIFT, THEN THEY STOP. WHEN CONSUMER STOPS SLOWLY THEY WORK FINE.*AK

BOTH FRONT BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE WORE EVENLY, PAPER THIN IN 8000 MILES - THIS IS ABNORMAL SINCE MY OLD ASTRO WENT MORE THAN20,000 MILES AND STILL HAD PLENTY LEFT WHEN I CHANGED THEM - BOTH WHEELS SPIN FREELY WITHOUT BINDING - MY BEST GUESS IS THAT THE BACK BRAKES MAY NOT BE GRABBING (OR THE FRONTS MAY BE GRABBING TOO HARD - CHEVROLET IS TRYING TO BLAME MY DRIVING - THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS SINCE IF THE LINING WEARS OFF IT WILL PULL TO THAT SIDE WHILE BRAKING AND POSSIBLY CAUSE A CRASH - I DO NOT RIDE MY BRAKES AND DO ALL HIGHWAY DRIVING - BRAKES ARE SUPPOSED TO LAST LONGER THAN 8000 MILES. *AK

BOTH FRONT BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE WORE EVENLY, PAPER THIN IN 8000 MILES - THIS IS ABNORMAL SINCE MY OLD ASTRO WENT MORE THAN20,000 MILES AND STILL HAD PLENTY LEFT WHEN I CHANGED THEM - BOTH WHEELS SPIN FREELY WITHOUT BINDING - MY BEST GUESS IS THAT THE BACK BRAKES MAY NOT BE GRABBING (OR THE FRONTS MAY BE GRABBING TOO HARD - CHEVROLET IS TRYING TO BLAME MY DRIVING - THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS SINCE IF THE LINING WEARS OFF IT WILL PULL TO THAT SIDE WHILE BRAKING AND POSSIBLY CAUSE A CRASH - I DO NOT RIDE MY BRAKES AND DO ALL HIGHWAY DRIVING - BRAKES ARE SUPPOSED TO LAST LONGER THAN 8000 MILES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 20-30 MPH AND UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES ON WET PAVEMENT FRONT BRAKES LOCK UP, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ABS FAILED. YH

ABS FAILED. YH

ABS FAILED. YH

DURING A MODERATE BRAKING THE VEHICLE WILL PULL TO THE LEFT SIDE. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS DUE TO YOU HAVE TO HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE BRAKING TO KEEP FROM PULLING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC.

BRAKE PEDAL WAS SET TOO HIGH , AND WHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE WOULD PULL HARD TO THE RIGHT. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER'S SHOP AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. *AK

BRAKE HYDRO-BOOSTER FAILED. MJS

BRAKES FAILED. MJS