IllustrationTRIM ON TWO REAR BENCH SEATS FELL OFF WHICH WAS REPLACED. *YC
1997 Chevrolet Astro
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Astro years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Chevrolet Astro are substantially higher than the model-year median of 69.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Astro years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 46 of 360 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 64 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 62 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
23 crash reports7 fire reports16 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
64 reportsVEHICLE DEVELOPED A RANDOM PULL WHILE BRAKING, PARTICULARLY IN RAIN OR SNOW & SLUSH. IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS ONLY THE FIRST TIME YOU APPLIED THE BRAKES AFTER YOU DROVE 2 OR 3 MILES THEN IT HAPPENED ON DRY PAVEMENT. IT HAPPENS ONLY OCCASIONALLY, BUT CAN BE VERY SEVERE, IT NEARLY PULLED ME INTO THE GUIDE RAIL ON ONE OCCASION. THIS…
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VEHICLE DEVELOPED A RANDOM PULL WHILE BRAKING, PARTICULARLY IN RAIN OR SNOW & SLUSH. IN THE BEGINNING IT WAS ONLY THE FIRST TIME YOU APPLIED THE BRAKES AFTER YOU DROVE 2 OR 3 MILES THEN IT HAPPENED ON DRY PAVEMENT. IT HAPPENS ONLY OCCASIONALLY, BUT CAN BE VERY SEVERE, IT NEARLY PULLED ME INTO THE GUIDE RAIL ON ONE OCCASION. THIS STARTED AROUND 12000 MILES AND IT NOW HAS 46000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED PADS, TURNED ROTORS, ALIGNED THE FRONT END TWICE, AND GROUND THE CLEARANCE ON THE CALIPERS TWICE. AT GM DENIED HAVING MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS BUT I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER PAOPLE WITH THE PROBLEM. I WAS CALLED BY THE DEALER THE OTHER DAY TO BRING IT IN AGAIN TO LOWER THE FRONT END AND ANOTHER ALIGNMENT. I RECENTLY TOOK IT ON A TRIP IN WHICH MY BROTHER INLAW DROVE IT AND ASKED ME "HAVE YOU NOTICED THIS THING PULLING?" MY WIFE ALSO DRIVES IT AND HAS COMPLAINED TO ME. THIS VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM , AND I SUSPECT THERE ARE OTHERS! I HAD A 1992 ASTRO AWD BUT NEVER HAD THE PROBLEM. A FRIEND OF MINE TRADED HER ASTRO AWD OFF BECAUSE IT HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM, BUT PULLED TO THE LEFT, INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I 'VE BEEN LUCKY SO FAR, BUT IT COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE ON SOME OF THE SEVERE INCIDENTS IT HAS PULLED ME OFF THE EDGE OF THE ROAD. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE IS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. DEALER MADE ADJUSTMENT'S ON THE BRAKES, AND REPLACED THE BRAKE HOLES. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE REPAIR SHOP TIME AFTER TIME FOR REPAIRS ON THE BRAKS, AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEMS. *AK
DEFECTIVE POWER STEERING PUMP, CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING. ALSO, ABS PUMP WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AT 5MPH, CAUSING LOSS OF THE BRAKES. GASOLINE GAUGE IS NO LONGER WORKING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
BRAKES ARE SOFT AND NON-RESPONSIVE, PULL TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT AND SOMETIMES GRABS.
WHILE DRIVING POWER STEERING WENT OUT, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKES. POSSIBLE BOOSTER FAILURE. *AK *JB
ANTI LOCK BRAKES EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE CAUSING A VEHICLE COLLISION.
POWER STEERING PUMP MAIN SHAFT FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL
BRAKES FAILED ENGAGE IN A PANIC STOP.
BRAKES FAILED AS THE DRIVER APPLIED THEM AND FELT NO SLOWING OR PULSATING CAUSING HIM TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM.
Official recalls
403V159000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
Apr 28, 2003
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN MODEL-ENGINE COMBINATIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY FAIL DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR DURING BAD WEATHER, DRIVER VISIBILITY WOULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 19, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
01V123000 · Seat Belts:front:warning Light/devices
Apr 10, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THE "FASTEN SAFETY-BELT" AUDIBLE WARNING OCCASIONALLY MAY NOT COME ON OR MAY TERMINATE IN LESS THAN FOUR SECONDS AS REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW ALARM MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 27, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020 OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.
99V009000 · Child Seat
Jan 20, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRATED DUAL CHILD SEATS. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY BE MISSING A SEAT BELT RETRACTOR CLUTCH SPRING AND/OR PAWL SPRING IN THE CHILD SEAT. IF THE CLUTCH SPRING WAS MISSING, THE SEAT BELT WOULD LOCK IN THE RETRACTED POSITION AND COULD NOT BE USED. IF THE PAWL SPRING WAS MISSING, THE SEAT BELT RESTRAINT WOULD CONTINUALLY PLAY OUT AND WOULD NOT LOCK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THESE CONDITIONS COULD INCREASE THE OCCUPANT'S RISK OF INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SEAT BELTS ON THE CHILD SEATS, AND IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE CHILD SEAT.
97V057000 · Seat Belts:rear/other
Apr 8, 1997
THE OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT WEBBING ON THE RIGHT-HAND REAR BUCKET SEAT CAN SEPARATE DURING A VEHICLE CRASH.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE VEHICLE OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED AND PERSONAL INJURY COULD RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTOR ON THE REAR SEAT CUSHION FRAME.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA02006 · Windshield Wiper Failure
Opened May 31, 2002 · Closed Jul 23, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.