2003 Chevrolet Astro

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2007 4:30 P.M. . TRANSMISSION FAILURE, 200 MILES FROM HOME IN CALIFORNIA. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, HEARD ROARING SOUND FROM ENGINE, WOULD NOT ACCELERATE SPEED DROPPED. EXITED FREEWAY LOOKING FOR MECHANICAL HELP, NONE AVAILABLE. OVERNIGHT IN CAMPGROUND. NEXT DAY TO LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR DIAGNOSIS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE. VAN HAD TO BE TOWED TO SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA. TRANSMISSION REPLACED, SEPT. 21, '07. *TR

THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM EXISTED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND STILL EXISTS. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THAT IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. IN THE BEGINNING, IT FELT LIKE MY VEHICLE WAS SHIFTING TOO SOON AND THEN WOULD SHIFT IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS. WHEN I SLOW DOWN OR STOP IN TRAFFIC ON AN INCLINE, THE PROBLEM IS REALLY PRONOUNCED. WHEN TRAFFIC BEGINS TO MOVE SLOWLY AFTER BEING STOPPED AT OR ON AN INCLINE AND I ACCELERATE AS TRAFFIC BEGINS TO MOVE, IT WILL JERK, THEN SHIFT, JERK, THEN SHIFT ETC., UNTIL I REACH A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. ONCE I AM ABOVE THAT SPEED IS REACHED, I HAVE NO PROBLEM. IF I FALL BELOW THAT SPEED AND ACCELERATE, THE PROBLEM OCCURS AGAIN. IT HAS STEADILY GOTTEN WORSE AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM THE FIRST TWO TIMES THAT I HAD IN FOR SERVICE. THE CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION AND SAID IT WAS FINE. THIS TIME I REQUESTED THAT THE SERVICE MAN RIDE WITH ME AND I WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HE SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS A "MISS" IN THE ENGINE, BUT IT ONLY HAPPENS AS I SAID ABOVE. WE DON'T FEEL IT IN THE ENGINE. WE FEEL IT IN THE WHEELS AND UNDERNEATH VAN ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK. IT IS ALMOST LIKE THE TRUCK IS UNABLE TO PULL ITS OWN WEIGHT THAT IT'S TRYING SO HARD WHEN I ACCELERATE AND THEN JERKS AND IMMEDIATELY SHIFTS. ON FLAT SURFACES WITH STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, I EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM SOMETIMES, BUT NOT AS MUCH AND NOT AS PRONOUNCED. WE SUGGESTED THAT THEY CHECK THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN AND THE POWER TRAIN, BUT WE AREN'T TECHNICIANS AND WERE TOLD THAT THE SERVICE MAN FEELS IT IS "MISSING." WE'RE JUST THE OWNERS THAT DRIVE AND HAVE COME TO KNOW ITS QUIRKS THAT SHOULDN'T EXISTS. THE RANGE OF MOTION WHEN TURNING AROUND OR MAKING A TURN HAS DECREASED. I OFTEN HAVE TO BACK UP THEN GO FORWARD TO COMPLETE A TURN. THIS WAS REAL EASY TO PICK UP BECAUSE WE TRADED IN OUR 1998 ASTRO FOR A 2003 ASTRO. I DEFINITELY DO NOT LIKED THE QUALITY, CHANGES, AND PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE HAD WITH THIS VAN. *JB

DT: 2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO, VEHICLE HAS STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES, AROUND AT LEAST 12 TIMES, THIS HAPPENED ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS ENDANGERING THE CONSUMER AND HER FAMILY, THE CONSUMER HAS HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AROUND 5 OR 6 OF THESE TIMES, THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, VEHICLE USUALLY STARTS BACK UP AFTER AT LEAST 2-3 HOURS AFTER STALLING, VEHICLE ONLY HAS 36,000 MILES, CONSUMER HAS GOTTEN IN CONTACT WITH THE MANUFACTURE, CHEVROLET HAS YET TO GET BACK TO THE CONSUMER, THE DEALER SAID THAT THERE WERE POSSIBLE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLES TRANSMISSION , POWER CONTROL MODULE, POSSIBLE TRANSFERENCE PROBLEM, OR POSSIBLE OTHER PROBLEM, DEALER ALSO SAID THERE WAS A LOUD REAR CHATTER. *JB

AFTER BALL JOINT RECALL, I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH STEERING, BRAKING AND SUSPENSION. FRONT LEFT SIDE CONTINUALLY POPS AND GRINDS, SHOCK BOOT WAS REPLACED TWICE, THE SHOCKS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. THE THIRD TIME MAY HAVE FIXED IT, JUST GOT THE VAN BACK TODAY. BRAKES ARE INTERMITTENT. HEARD LOUD BANG FROM REAR END, DEALERSHIP TIGHTENED BACKING PLATE. TRANSMISSION SLIPS, SHUDDER IS FELT FROM REAR END AT 30+ MPH. DEALERSHIP PUT BALANCES ON TORQUE CONVERTER AND THE DRIVE SHAFT, HAD TO CUT THE REAR SPRINGS TO DO THIS. SERVICE MANAGER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS NOT GONE, BUT LIVABLE. VEHICLE RUNS ROUGH AT IDLE, ALMOST STALLING, SERVICE MANAGER EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM AS WELL. SAID FUEL INJECTOR PORT WAS FILL WITH CARBON, BUT CLEANING IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON DURING A TRIP, STAYED ON FOR THE 6 HOUR DRIVE HOME, THERE WAS NO HEAT AT ALL, SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE COULD NOT GET THE COMPUTER TO REPRODUCE THE CODE, BUT REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP AND TWO CLAMPS.*AK

DRIVELINE VIBRATION - 40 - 60 MPH CAN BE FELT IN SEAT AND FLOOR - DEALER HAS REPLACED TAIL SHAFT BUSHINGS ON FIRST VISIT (2 DAYS) RETURNED VEHICLE WITH SAME PROBLEM - DEALER INSTALLED DAMPENERS ON REAR DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING AND REAR LEAF SPRINGS. (5 DAYS) PROBLEM STILL PERSIST. DEALER HAS ORDERED A DAMPENER FOR EXHAUST PIPE,HAS NOT BEEN INSTALLED YET WILL CALL WHEN PART ARRIVES. DEALER PERSONEL HAVE BEEN VERY POLITE AND COURTEOUS .I FEEL THEY ARE TRYING TO COVER THE SYMPTOMS RATHER THAN FIND THE CAUSE OF THE VIBRATION?*AK

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.