1996 Chevrolet Astro

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MILES PER HR. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK OF MY VAN, IT LOOKED LIKE THE VAN WAS ON FIRE, I LOST ALL POWER TO THE VAN, AND HAD NO PICK-UP OR SPEED. I HAD TO DIVERT THE VAN TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. WHEN I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD I FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION CABLE HAD COME UNATTACHED, AND I HAD TRANSMISSION FLUID ALL OVER THE GROUND. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS WHATSOEVER. TRANSMISSION FLUID SPRAYED ALL THE WAY TO MY BACK WINDSHIELD OF THE VAN. *JB

WE HAD THE TRANSMISSION GO OUT THE FIRST TIME AT 39,000 GM REPLACED IT . THE TOLD US WITH A REBUILT TRANSMSSION AND FOUND OUT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION THAT WAS IN IT FIXED. THEN AT 59,00 THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AGAIN. WE HAD CONTACTED SPITZER AUTOWORLD AT ABOUT 31,000 THAT WE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS GRINDING TILL IT WARMED UP THEN IT QUIT. THEY SAID IT WOULDNT DO ANY GOOD TO BRING IT IN TILL IT WAS DOING IT ALL THE TIME WHICH IT WASNT SO WE DIDNT TAKE IT IN. THEN WHEN IT WENT OUT COMPLETLY AND WE CALLED THEM THEY DONT WANT TO FIX IT. THEY DONT WANT TO MAKE NO COMPENSATION AT ALL FOR IT. WE TOOK IT TO THE PERSON WHO REPAIRED IT ORGINALLY AND HE SAID THE CLUTCHES ARE OUT AGAIN WHICH WAS THE SAME PROBLEM IT HAD. THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT WAS AT SPITZER WHEN WE FIRST REPORTED THE PROBLEM IS GONE FROM THERE AND THE WOMEN WE STARTED WORKING WITH THIS TIME IS GONE. SO WE ARE THINKING MAYBE WITH ALL THE PEOPLE LEAVING GM HAS NOT BEEN TOLD THE WHOLE STORY BUT THE REPRESENTIVE HAS SAID NO TO THE CLAIM AND THEY SAID ONCE HE SAYS NO THAT IS THE FINAL WORD. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AGAIN ALREADY UNLESS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS! THEY MUST BE DEFECTIVE CAUSE THE PRIOR ASTRO VAN WE HAD THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DO THE SAME THING TILL IT WARMED UP BUT THANK GOD WE TRADED IT OFF BEFORE IT WENT OUT. PLEASE HELP US. IF YOU NEED ANY MORE INFORMATION FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US. WE HAVE ALSO HAD WINDSHILED WIPERS GO OUT POWER WINDOWS TIRES REPLACED THREE TIMES WHICH SEEMS ALOT FOR 59,000 MILES AND A SENSOR WAS REPLACED. PROPER MATIENCE HAS ALWAYS BEEN DONE ON THE VAN. *AK

THE PROBLEM IS THAT THERE IS A PART IN THE TRANSFER CASE CALLED A VISCOUS CLUTCH. THAT WHEN IT FAILS THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL ON ANY DEGREE OF AN INCLINE WHILE IN PARK. I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE CHEVROLET HOT LINE AND SEVERAL SERVICE WRITERS, AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS. I HAVE BASICALLY NOT RECIEVED THE SLIGHTEST CONCERN FROM ANYONE. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. WHO DOESN'T COUNT ON ANY CAR [WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION] WHILE IN PARK NOT TO ROLL. I HATE TO IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITES. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. I WILL GLADLY MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. I WOULD CERTAINLY HATE TO READ ABOUT A ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS DESIGN OVER SIGHT. THANK YOU, [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED BY CONSUMER TWO TIMES SINCE JULY 01, 1999 AT 109,000 MILES AND 169,000 MILES. DURING FIRST FAILURE, CONSUMER TRAVELED AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN TRANSMISSION FAILED ,AND LEFT HIM STRANDED. DURING SECOND OCCURRENCE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMERTHAT IT WAS SLIPPING ACCORDING TO THE COMPUTER CODE, AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *JB

ABS LIGHT IS ON, AND WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED STOPPING DISTANCE IS NOT NORMAL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK CONSUMER HAS HAD NUMEROUS REPAIRS ON VEHICLE, DIFFERENTIAL WAS OVERHAULED, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENLY, FULE INJECTION SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED, IGNITION SWITCH CYLINDER WAS REPLACED, AS WELL AS ALTERNATOR, THE ENTIRE ABS SYSTEM HAS BEEN REBUILT, CONSUMER STATES RATTLE SOUND FROM FRONT OF ENGINE DRIVEBELT WAS REPLACED AS WELL AS TENSIONER, ALSO FULE/AIR FILTER WAS REPLACED. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. FRONT AND REAR SHOCKS WERE REPLACED. *JB

IT ALL STARTED WITH THE REAR AXLE. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET DEALER TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. DEALER STATED WAIT UNTIL IT GETS WORSE SO WE CAN SEE THE PROBLEM.PROBLEM DISCOVERED BY DEALER. DRIVE AWAY WITH CAR AND THE REAR AXLE FELL OUT. NOW DEALER AGREES TO REPLACE REAR END GEAR BOX. NOW TRANSMISSION IS STARTING TO FAIL. TOO FAR AWAY FROM DEALER TO GET TOW. LEFT IT IN A TRANSMISSION DIAGNOSTIC CENTER. MY QUESTION IS TO YOU IS CAN THE PROBLEMS THAT I WAS HAVING WITH THE REAR END & THE WHEEL FALLING OFF CAUSE DAMAGE NOW TO THE TRANSMISION