Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2003 record →
I HAVE A NEW 2003 CHEVY ASTRO VAN WITH A POWER DRIVERS SEAT. THE SEAT HAS A LITTLE MOVEMENT UPON TAKE OFF AND STOPPING. THE DEALER SAYS THAT IS NORMAL. I ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY HAD NONE. IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, THERE SHOULD MORE PEOPLE COMPLAINING. *JB
WHILE TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK
DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE LOWER BALL JOINT BOOT INTERFERENCE RECALL 03V328000 REPAIRS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PARTS OR THE TOOLS. CONSUMER CALLED DEALER TWICE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT SINCE RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE. *AK *NM
THE VEHICLE'S RUNNING BOARD IS TO NARROW WHEN CONSUMER GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE HER FOOT SLIPPED. AS A RESULT THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BACK AND LEG INJURIES. *NM *LA
DUTCH DOOR LOCKING MECHINISM FAILED AT ABOUT 10000 MILES. IT WAS ALWAYS HARD TO GET THE LOCK TO ENGAGE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HATCH. IT HAS NOW FAILED AGAIN AND IT WILL NOT UNLOCK PREVENTING US FROM USING THE CARGO AREA BEHIND THE BACK SEAT.*AK THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURANCE OF THE LOCK FAILING
OUR 2003 CHEVY ASTRO VAN HAD A INTERMITTENT VERY BAD SHIMMY COME FROM THE FRONT WHEELS. IT WAS SO BAD THE VAN COULD NOT BE DRIVEN OVER 30 MPH WITHOUT LOSING CONTROL. THE NEXT 20 TIMES IT WAS DRIVEN IT WOULD WORK FINE. WE FINALLY HAD IT IN TO A DEALER WHO HAD IT HAPPEN TO ONE OF THEIR MECHANIC WHILE HE WAS DRIVING. THE MECHANIC SAID IT IS A BAD BALL JOINT THAT HAD TO BE THAT WAY WHEN IT LEFT THE FACTORY. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE THE VAN FOR 3 WEEKS AS THEY SAY THE PART IS BACK ORDERED. IT APPEARS THAT THIS MUST BE A PROBLEM WITH OTHER VANS AND THAT IS WHY WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET IT REPLACED. I WANT TO KNOW IF GM IS GOING TO RECALL ALL THEIR VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM? ONE OF MY EMPLOYEES NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VAN WHEN IT DID IT TO HER AND IT COULD EASILY HAPPEN TO OTHERE.*AK
EARLIER TODAY I HAD MY WIFE TAKE IN OUR 2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO. THE SERVICE LIGHT WOULD NOT RESET. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME IT CAME ON AND THIS TIME IT WOULD NOT RESET BY ITSELF. WHILE THERE I ASKED HER TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE SEPT. 2, 2003 RECALL OF THE ASTRO VAN FOR A FRONT SUSPENSION DEFECT. RECALL NUMBER 03044. THE DEALERSHIP REPRESENTATIVE SEARCHED BY USING OUR VIN. THE SEARCH CAME BACK WITH NO RECALL. I RESEARCHED THE RECALL ON THE NHTSA AND CALLED THE CHEVROLET MANUFACTURERS 800 NUMBER FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE TO FIND OUT IF WE WOULD BE INCLUDED. I SPOKE WITH AN OPERATOR BY THE NAME OF ANGELA. SHE DID A QUICK SEARCH AND TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ALSO. I DISCLOSED TO HER THAT I WAS LOOKING AT THE RECALL AT THAT MOMENT ON THE NHTSA WEB SIGHT. SHE THEN RESTATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR MY VAN BUT SHE COULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT I WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. ALL I WANTED TO KNOW WAS IF MY VAN WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. CHEVROLET TRACKS THEIR VEHICLES. THEY KNOW WHAT PARTS ARE ON WHICH VANS. THEY EVEN KNOW WHO BOUGHT THEM AND WHERE THEY ARE. NOW THEY WILL NOT DISCLOSE IF MY VAN IS INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. THIS IS A GREAT CONCERN TO MY ENTIRE FAMILY BECAUSE THIS IS A VAN THAT MY WIFE AND CHILDREN ARE IN. IS THERE SOME SORT OF CODE, RULE, OR LAW THAT THEY ARE BREAKING ABOUT NOT DISCLOSING THIS TO THERE CONSUMERS? PLEASE CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU, BRETT SPINDLER 702-644-4671. *LA
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. *JB
WHEN THE VEHICLE TURNED AROUND A CORNER, THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT TURN FAR ENOUGH TO MAKE THE TURN. THE CONSUMER HAD TO BACK UP, AND THEN PULL IN. *JB
CONTINUED FROM MY ORIGINAL COMPLAIT ABOVE. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER FOR "SLIDING DOOR FAILURE TO LOCK IN THE OPEN POSITION". DOOR CAN BE CLOSED WITH FINGER PRESSURE AGAINST THE DOOR. ON A SLIGHT DECLINE, DOOR WILL UNLATCH FROM ITS LOCKED OPEN POSITION AND SLAM SHUT. I HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE HOLD IT OPEN DURING ENTRY AND EXITING ON A DRIVEWAY WITH A SLIGHT DECLINE. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE DESIGN HAS CHANGED AND IT DOES NOT LOCK LIKE THE OLDER ASTRO'S. SOMEONE NOT AWARE OF THIS WILL HAVE A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY AND IT COULD SLAM SHUT ON SOMEONE ENTERING OR EXITING THE VEHICLE. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFTEY ISSUE. SOMEONE MUST LOOK INTO THIS AND GET GM TO CREATE A SB TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM ANGLE OR PRESSURE REQUIRED FOR THE DOOR TO STAY LOCKED IN THE OPEN POSITION?
WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND VEHICLE BODY SHIFTS BACK TO REST A SECOND BUMP CAN BE FELT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE OR THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS DOWN LATE -OR- WHEN THE TRANSMISSION HAS SHIFTED DOWN FROM 3RD GEAR, LIKE FROM 45 MPH OR SO TO 0 MPH, AND STOPPED FOR MORE THAN SAY 5 SECONDS, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDEL IS RELEASED A BUMP CAN BE FELT LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING INTO 1ST VERY LATE. IT FEELS LIKE A VEHICLE TAPPED YOU FROM BEHIND.
SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT LOCK OPEN. CAN BE PUSHED CLOSED FROM THE LOCKED OPEN POSIITON WITH ONE FINGER. ON A SLIGHT DECLINE THE DOOR WILL UNLATCH, AND SLAM SHUT.
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2003 Chevrolet Astro → · Every Astro year → · How the figures are calculated →