2002 CHEVROLET ASTRO Electrical System Problems

WHEN RAINING WIDSHIELD WIPERS DONT WORK AS DIRECTED, THEY DO WHAT THEY WANT. THEY STAY ON AFTER SHUTTING THEM OFF. AND DOOR LOCKS LOCK AND UNLOCK REPEATEDLY. WIPERS ALSO SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF LINE OF SIFHT INTERMITTENTLY. NEVER WORKS CORRECTLY

Mileage: 89,000

I WAS DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT AND THE CAR DIED. I LOST POWER STEERING, AND I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. COME TO FIND OUT THE FUSE BOX WAS HOT AND THERE WAS A FEW FUSES THAT WERE BLOWN. I REPLACE THE BLOWN FUSES AND DROVE HOME. WHEN I GOT HOME AND TURNED OFF THE VAN, I COULDN'T GET IT START I LOOKED AT THE SAME FUSE AND THEY WERE BLOWN AGAIN. THE VAN NOW SITS IN THE DRIVEWAY TILL I FIGURE THIS OUT. BECAUSE IT IS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. *TR

Mileage: 100,145

VEHICLE LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER TO EVERY SYSTEM THAT IS CONTROLLED BY THE IGNITION BEING TURNED ON. DRIVER WAS IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING A U-TURN AROUND A CURBING ISLAND IN THE DIVIDED TRAFFIC ROAD WHEN ALL ELECTRICAL WAS INTERRUPTED WHILE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT. CONDITION CAUSED STEERING TO BECOME DIFFICULT, BRAKE PEDAL WENT CLEAR TO THE FLOOR, AIR CONDITIONING AND RADIO AND HEADLIGHTS ALL WENT OFF. CONDITION WAS REPEATABLE WITH EXCEPTION OF BRAKE PEDAL, EACH TIME STEERING WAS TURNED TO THE LEFT. INSPECTION UNDER VEHICLE FOUND THAT MAIN POWER CABLE IS ROUTED ACROSS FRONT SIDE OF MAIN FRAME MOTOR MOUNT MEMBER. THERE WAS A SLIGHT CURVE IN THE WAY THE WIRE WAS ROUTED AND EACH TIME THE STEERING WAS TURNED TO THE LEFT, THE INNER TIE ROD END FOR THE RIGHT WHEEL CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE WIRE HARNESS. AFTER MANY MILES, THE PROTECTIVE COVER AND THEN THE ACTUAL WIRE INSULATION WAS RUBBED THROUGH. THIS CAUSED A DIRECT SHORT TO GROUND THROUGH THE STEERING PARTS OF ALL (SWITCHED WHILE RUNNING) ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS OF THE VEHICLE. PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED BY TAPING THE WIRE INSULATION, THEN TAPING THE PROTECTIVE COVERING. I THEN HAD TO FABRICATE A BRACKET TO SCREW TO THE STEEL CRUMPLE MEMBER TO HOLD THE HARNESS BACK FROM THE STEERING LINKAGE. *TR

Mileage: 120,000

RECENTLY I TOOK MY VAN TO A DEALER BECAUSE THE KNOB ON THE A/C FAN MELTED OFF IT COST 600 DLRS IN REPAIRS THE HVAC KNOB HAD MELTED OFF ALSO THE CONNECTOR AND RESISTOR HAD BURNED OUT . THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS WAS MELTED TOGETHER. NO FUSE BLEW TO PREVENT HIS FORM HAPPENING WE ARE NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED THIS TO OCCUR. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE IN THE DASH WHILE I WAS DRIVING RESULTING IN SEVERE INJURY ACCIDENT OR EVEN DEATH. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF THERE WAS A RECALL I MISSED OR IF THERE IS ANY INFORMATION AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME CONCERN CHEVY OWNER. *TR

Mileage: 133,600

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK SHE NOTICED THERE WAS SMOKE AND FIRE BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WAS ALSO A MINOR EXPLOSION. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT AN ELECTRICAL WIRE STARTED THE FIRE. A REPORT WAS FILED AND THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR TOWED FROM THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000. UPDATED 8/23/12

Mileage: 170,000

ABS COMING ON AT VERY LOW SPEEDS ON DRY PAVEMENT (UNDER 5MPH/8KMH). IT DOESN'T DO IT EVERY TIME, BUT QUITE OFTEN AT LOW SPEEDS, LIKE COMING TO A RED LIGHT, STOP SIGN OR PARKING. OF COURSE, THERE IS NO NEED FOR THE ABS COME ON AT SUCH LOW SPEEDS AND ESPECIALLY NOT ON DRY PAVEMENT. *TR

Mileage: 106,872

VEHICLE HAS REPEATEDLY STARTING RUNNING POORLY AND HAS A LACK OF POWER ALONG WITH A MISFIRE. VEHICLE IS THEN HARD TO ACCELERATE AND SLOWS DOWN FLOW OF TRAFFIC. EACH TIME THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP AND ROTOR HAVE BEEN FOUND WITH EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF CORROSION ON THEM AND WHEN THE CAP & ROTOR ARE REPLACED THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY FOR A WHILE. THE CAP & ROTOR WERE CHANGED 3 TIMES EACH BEFORE 50,000 MILES. *JB

Mileage: 31,000

I HAVE OWNED 3 ASTRO VANS, ?89 AND 92 (MADE IN USA) PREVIOUSLY AND LIKED THEM SO WELL I BOUT ANOTHER ONE 2002 (MADE IN MEXICO). WITHIN 60,000 MILES REAR SEAT FABRIC STARTED TO COME APART, DRIVER DOOR POWER WINDOWS AND LOCKS STOPPED WORKING, WINDSHIELD WASHER HOSES ROTTED, INTERIOR FAN BLOWER SWITCH FAILED (TWICE), DRIVER ARM REST VINYL SPLITTING IN MANY AREAS, STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH CAUSED BREAK AND SIGNAL LIGHTS TO BLOW FUSES (THIS WAS FIXED AS RECALL), REAR CARGO DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF, FUEL TANK GAS LEVEL INDICATOR FLUCTUATES REGARDLESS OF FUEL LEVEL, ANTILOCK BREAKS ENGAGE UNNECESSARILY AT LOW SPEED SOFT BRAKING, WINDSHIELD LEAKAGE, SIDE DOOR DIFFICULT TO CLOSE AND SOMETIMES CAN NOT BE CLOSED. ALMOST ALL ITEM APPEARED AFTER WARRANTY WAS UP. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER GM PRODUCT AGAIN. *AK

I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN ACROSS TWO LANES OF ON COMING TRAFFIC (SPEED LIMIT 55 MPH). I PUSH DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE VAN MOVED INTO THE ON COMING TRAFFIC LANES AND THE ENGINE DIED. CARS HAD TO QUICKLY APPLY BREAKS TO AVOID HITTING MY VAN. IT TOOK ABOUT 20 SECONDS TO GET THE VAN STARTED AND OUT OF THE INTERSECTION. THE VAN WAS TOWED INTO COURTESY CHEVROLET AND THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP AND ROTATOR WERE REPLACE. I WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS CORRECTED. THIS WAS NOT THE CASE AS THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED TWO ADDITIONAL TIMES (OCTOBER 24, 2004 AND DECEMBER 16, 2004) WITH THE SAME TERRIFYING CONSEQUENCES WITH ON COMING TRAFFIC. I WAS FORTUNATE NOT TO BE KILLED OR KILL SOMEONE ELSE WITH THIS VEHICLE STALLING IN ON COMING TRAFFIC.*AK

I ONLY DRIVE THIS 2002 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN IN OUR SMALL TOWN BECAUSE I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE IT ON EXPRESSWAYS OR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP COLLECTED MOISTURE AND THE ENGINE STOPPED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ALMOST CAUSING TERRIBLE ACCIDENTS THREE TIMES IN THE PAST 8 MONTHS. LAST WEEK I DROVE THE VAN INTO TOWN. I KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON ALL THE GAUGES BECAUSE OF THE PREVIOUS PROBLEMS. WHEN I LEFT THE HOUSE ALL THE GAUGES ON THE DASH WERE WORKING AND THE BATTERY WAS BETWEEN 12-14 VOLTS. I NOTICED WITHIN 5 MILES THE BATTERY VOLTS WERE DECREASING SO I HEADED FOR HOME. BY THE TIME I REACHED HOME (10 MILES ALL TOTAL), THE VOLT METER WAS IN THE RED ZONE, ALL THE GAUGES (EXCEPT FOR OIL PRESSURE) AND SPEEDOMETER WERE NOT WORKING AND, I BELIEVE, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE OUT. I PULLED THE VAN INTO THE DRIVE AND SHUT IT OFF. I HAD DIFFICULTY OPENING THE DOOR (POWER LOCKS) TO GET OUT. THE VAN WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THE VAN IS UNDER WARRANTY SO I CALLED COURTESY CHEVROLET WHO HAD THE VAN TOWED IN FOR SERVICE. THEY CALLED ME THE FOLLOWING MONDAY TO TELL ME THEY REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR, COMPUTER AND BATTERY AND THE VAN WAS READY BUT THEY HAD BROKEN THE RADIO AND WOULD REPLACE IT ON TUESDAY. I SAID FINE AND I WOULD PICK IT UP ON WEDNESDAY (FEBRUARY 9, 2005). COURTESY CHEVROLET CALLED ME ON TUESDAY AND TOLD ME NOT TO COME ON WEDNESDAY BECAUSE THE VOLTAGE PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED AND THEY WOULD CALL ME WHEN THE VAN WAS READY. THEY CALLED ON FEBRUARY 10, 2005 TO SAY THE ALTERNATOR WAS BAD AND HAD BEEN REPLACED A SECOND TIME. *AK

Mileage: 28,200

VAN WILLNOT START AT TIMES. MOISTURE IS GETTING INTO DISTRIBUTOR AND SHORTING OUT THE IGNITION. IN THE 63000 MILES I HAVE DRIVEN THIS VAN THE DISTRIBUTOR AND ROTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES DUE TO FAILURE. ROTOR HAS BIG BLACK BURN ON PLASTIC NEAR ELECTRODE.*AK

MY 2002 ASTRO VAN HAS BEEN IN THE SERVICE DEPT. AT RON CARTER IN ALVIN TEXAS 11 TIMES, 7 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, THE STEERING. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS 5 TIMES, THE LIGHT FLASHING AND THE LOCKS CLICKING CONSTANTLY. THE BACK DOOR BROKE TWICE FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THE FUEL PUMP FAILING AND NUMEROUS OTHER PROBLEMS, WELL THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED, BUT NOW IS ACTING UP AGAIN, I HAVE 4 CHILDREN AND NEED A SAFE VEHICLE TO DRIVE IN WITH MY KIDS.*JB

Mileage: 37,000

THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. *JB

Mileage: 3,000