1997 Chevrolet Astro

UPON REMOVAL OF DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP ASSY CONTAINED WITHIN THE GAS TANK THE FUEL PUMP GROUND WIRE HAD MELTED AND SHORTED TO THE POSITIVE LEAD TO THE FUEL GAUGE SENDER. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF THE WIRING INSIDE THE GAS TANK IS NOT HOUSED IN SOMETYPE OF PROTECTIVE ASSY TO PREVENT SUCH FAILURES IT WOULD NOT ONLY BE A FAULTY DESIGN BUT POSE A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. FORTUNATELY EXCESSIVE HEAT OR SPARKS DID NOT OCCUR DUE TO THIS FAILURE. HAD THERE BEEN ENOUGH HEAT OR SPARKING FROM THE SHORTED WIRING, MOST LIKELY THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A RESULTING FIRE AND/OR EXPLOSION. I AM ALSO CONCERNED ON HOW SUCH FAILURES RESULTING IN A FIRE AND/OR EXPLOSION COULD EVER BE DETERMINED SINCE THE EVIDENCE OF POOR DESIGN WOULD MOST LIKELY BE DESTROYED BY FIRE AND/OR EXPLOSION. HAVE THERE BEEN MANY UNEXPLAINED FIRES OR EXPLOSIONS ON THIS MODEL VEHICLE? I DO HOPE SOMEONE WILL CONTACT ME ON THIS ISSUE!*AK

THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED DUE TO IT MISSING 1ST AND GOING RIGHT INTO 2ND GEAR.FRONT END OF VEHICLE SHAKES AT 40 MPH. HAD TIRES REPLACED AND ALIGNMENT DONE. INTERIOR LIGHT STAY S ON UNLESS MANUAL OVERRIDE IS TURNED OFF.BRAKES MAKE NOISES WHEN YOU COME TO A STOP OR YOU ARE STOPPING SLOWLY. ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON ALL THE TIME BROUGHT TO MECHANIC EVERY TIME TO GET ANALYZED.

MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER WERE IN THE VEHICLE. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING. SUDDENLY, THE ACCELERATOR STUCK IN AN OPEN POSITION. CLOSE TO HOME AND UNCERTAIN WHAT TO DO, MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO GET IN OUR DRIVEWAY AT HOME. THE NEW REAR BRAKES INSTALLED A WEEK BEFORE WERE RUINED. I HAD MECHANIC REPLACE THEM AND A REAR BRAKE CYLINDER ALSO. THE STRESS APPARENTLY CAUSED THE CYLINDER TO START LEAKING. MY MECHANIC ALSO INVESTIGATED THE THROTTLE PROBLEM. A FACTORY WIRING HARNESS STRAP HAD BROKEN AND FLIPPED AROUND INTO THE THROTTLE LINKAGE. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS INJURED. WE LIVE IN A RURAL AREA AND TRAFFIC WAS NOT VERY HEAVY. MY ENGINE ON THE OTHER HAND IS NOT SO FORTUNATE. IT SEEMS THAT IT RAN AT TOO HIGH AN RPM FOR TOO LONG. IT HAS DEVELOPED A SEVERE ENGINE KNOCK. GM DOES NOT SEEM VERY INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT MY SAFETY CONCERNS AND APPEAL FOR REPAIR COMPENSATION.*AK

AFTER LEAVING A 4-LANE INTERSTATE SECTION OF HIGHWAY 19 IN WEST VIRGINIA, AND ARRIVING ONTO A SECTION WITH STOPLIGHTS, THE DRIVER NOTICED A CLUNKING NOISE WHILE THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND. THIS OCCURRED AT MULTIPLE LIGHTS. DURING THE OCCURENCE, THE VAN WOULD ALSO LURCH DURING THE SHIFT. WE STOPPED AT A REST AREA, AND AFTER ALLOWING THE VAN TO SIT FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, WE RESTARTED. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT APPARENT WHEN WE LEFT THE REST AREA, BUT ABOUT 2 MILES DOWN THE ROAD, THE "SERVICE ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. WE DROVE TO THE NEAREST MAJOR CITY TO FIND A DEALER TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. ONCE WE FOUND AN OPEN DEALER WHO COULD DOWNLOAD THE DIAGNOSTICS, HE INFORMED US THAT THE CODE INDICATED TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE. HE RESET THE CODE, AND THE VAN SHIFTED FINE. WE CONTINUED TO OUR DESTINATION WITHOUT PROBLEMS, AND TOOK THE VAN TO A DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY. THEY STUDIED THE VAN, AND DETERMINED THAT THE VALVE BODY HAD FAILED, JUST OUT OF WARRANTY, OF COURSE. WE SPENT $1100+ TO HAVE THE VALVE BODY REPAIRED.