1995 Chevrolet Astro

WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR, ONE OF OUR FIRESTONE FR 410 TIRES EXPLODED IN BUSY TRAFFIC, PLACING US IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE TIRE BLEW OUT ON BOTH SIDES, AND THE TREAD SEPARATED. THIS WAS A FRONT TIRE ON AN ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE VAN. PUTTING ON THE SPACE-SAVER SPARE IN THE DARK ON THE SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE WAS VERY NERVE-WRACKING AND HAZARDOUS. A STATE TROOPER GAVE US ADVICE AND WARNED US ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS THE SITUATION WAS. THE OTHER FRONT TIRE, UPON EXAMINATION AT A TIRE DEALER, ALSO HAD SEPARATING TREAD. THE TIRES ARE P21575R15. WE HAVE NEVER HAD A BLOWOUT OR TIRE PROBLEM THIS SEVERE. OF COURSE WE HAD TO BUY 2 NEW TIRES. WE WONDER IF THESE TIRES HAVE BEEN RECALLED OR IF THERE IS ANY WAY TO GET A REMEDY FOR OURSELVES AND WARN OTHERS WHO MAY HAVE THESE TIRES. WE FEEL WE COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. WE ARE ANGRY, NERVOUS, AND DISGUSTED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 CHEVROLET ASTRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TORSION BAR FAILED, WHICH INCREASED THE RISK OF A CRASH. THE DRIVER SIDE TORSION BAR WAS REPLACED PREVIOUSLY AND NOW THE PASSENGER SIDE HAS FAILED. THE VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE WHEEL SCRAPES AGAINST THE FENDER WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY UPGRADED THE PART BECAUSE THE BAR WAS TOO LONG. THE TORSION BAR FOR HIS VEHICLE HAS A NEW SIZE, THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD NEED TO REPLACE BOTH SIDES. HE IS NOT WILLING TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 175,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 CHEVROLET ASTRO. WHILE IN MOTION THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING A NEW FUEL PUMP AND HARNESS. THE CONTACT HAS THE REPAIR INVOICE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 103234.*AK UPDATE *4/23/07TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED PRIOR THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP WHICH WAS NOT A GENERAL MOTORS DEALERSHIP. THEY DETERMINED THE LOWER ARM WAS DISENGAGED FROM THE FRAME DUE TO MATERIAL FATIGUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO INDICATED THE VEHICLE MUST BE TAKEN TO ANY GENERAL MOTORS DEALERSHIP TO PRODUCE A DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE GM DEALERSHIP YET. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN BECAUSE THERE WAS A RECALL # 95V175000 AND A RECALL LETTER NEVER RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, INTERMITTENTLY, WHILE THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE WET AND SNOWY THE BRAKES DID NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY. THERE WAS NO PRESSURE IN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED A TRUCK. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THERE WERE MULTIPLE REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. UPDATED 06/07/2006. *AK *TS

MY WIFE WAS TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND ON ROUTE 41 IN PRINCETON, INDIANA, AT APPROXIMATELY 55 - 60 M.P.H. UNEXPECTEDLY, AND WITHOUT HER COMMAND, THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED ITSELF AND FORCED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY. PLEASE NOTE THAT SHE WAS NOT UTILIZING THE CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTION AT THE TIME. APPLYING THE BRAKES DID NOT HAVE THE EFFECT OF DISENGAGING THE CRUISE CONTROL. DRIVER WAS FIGHTING THE FORCE OF THE DRIVE TRAIN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WITH FULL BRAKE FORCE, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT COME TO A SAFE STOP. FINALLY, MY WIFE HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL TO DISENGAGE POWER TO THE REAR DRIVE WHEELS. SHE ACTIVATED THE PARKING BRAKE AND THE PRIMARY BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE. ONCE FULLY STOPPED AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SHE CALLED ME AT WORK FOR ASSISTANCE. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND WERE INFORMED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL MODULE ON THE ENGINE FIREWALL HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THE TECHNICIAN UNPLUGGED THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS TO THE MODULE TO PERMANENTLY DISABLE IT. *NM

I HAD JUST PARKED MY CHEVROLET ASTRO AWD IN THE GARAGE AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE DRIVERS SIDE TORSION BAR SNAPPED. THE FRONT END WAS SITTING ON THE SUSPENSION STOPS. I AM LUCKY THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN 10 MINUTES EARLIER WHILE I WAS DRIVING. IT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT OR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY SITTING IN THE GARAGE AWAITING REPAIR. THE UPDATED PARTS ARE GOING TO RUN ME $600 PLUS INSTALLATION. I CURRENTLY HAVE THE BROKEN TORSION BAR. I VEHICLE RESIDED IN UTAH AND DID NOT SEE WISCONSIN SALT UNTIL COUPLE YEARS AGO. THE BAR APPEARS TO BE SEVERELY CORRODED/PITTED AT THE BREAK. *NM

DT: THE TORSION BARS ARE BREAKING AND IT DROPS THE SUSPENSION. DO NOT HAVE ANY STEERING. CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS COMING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND THE TORSION BAR. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED GM, THEY SAID THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH CAUSE. CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THE SALT ON ROADWAY CAUSED THEM TO RUST. THIS HAPPENED ON JUNE 15, 2002. DID HAVE BOTH BARS REPAIRED AND SOLD THE VEHICLE.*AK *JB

DT: WITHOUT WARNING THE TORSION BAR BROKE AND DROVE ITSELF INTO THE AXLE SHAFT WHICH ALSO HAD TO REPLACED.. THE DEALER FIXED THE PART, AND SAID IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT NO ONE WAS DRIVING WHEN IT HAPPENED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. THE REPAIR INCLUDED ALL FOUR OF THE TORSION BARS AND THE BRACKETS THEY FIT INTO. *AK THE FRONT LEFT SIDE AXLE SHAFT WAS REPLACED. (THE FRONT LEFT OF THE VAN DROPPED TO THE GROUND) *SC