Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Chevrolet Astro problems

Owners filed 366 complaints about the 1997 Chevrolet Astro with NHTSA between Dec 1996 and Jun 2014. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (62).

Complaints
366
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
23
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
24
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes, hydraulic62
  2. Visibility56
  3. Power train53
  4. Steering37
  5. Engine and engine cooling37
  6. Vehicle speed control27
  7. Fuel system, gasoline27
  8. Electrical system25
  9. Structure25
  10. Suspension21
  11. Air bags17
  12. Tires15
  13. Seat belts13
  14. Fuel system, other13

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19962
199719
199841
199979
200069
200155
200233
200327
200415
200512
20060
20072
20082
20090
20102
20113
20121
20131
20143

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Service brakes, hydraulic

62 reports7 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO MINIVAN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT VERY LOW SPEEDS WHEN THE ANTI BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED, CAUSING INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING LOW-SPEED BRAKE APPLICATIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER ID: 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: ANTILOCK) BUT THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT HIS VEHICLE AS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 346,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 3, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10373959

Visibility

56 reports1 fire1 related recall
“THE CONSUMER'S 1987 AND 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO VANS HAD FAULTY ENGINE'S.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED, THE DRIVER'S SEAT CAME LOOSE, THE REAR DOOR HATCH BROKE AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER SLIPPING AND VALVE BODY WEAR (90000 MILES). *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 29, 2005Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Visibility, Structure, SeatsODI 10117266

Power train

53 reports
“BRAKE PROBLEMS ON 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. *MR THE CONSUMER STATED THAT MORE BRAKE WORK WAS NEEDED. THE BRAKES HAD RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE TURNED, THE A/C WAS NOT BLOWING COLD AND THERE WAS A HEATING CONCERN. *SC THE REAR AXLE SEALS AND DIFFERENTIAL GASKETS WERE LEAKING.. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 13, 2004Service brakes, hydraulic, Power train, Visibility, EquipmentODI 10092588

Steering

37 reports1 crash
“I OWN A 1997 CHEVY ASTRO VAN WITH 151K MILES. SUNDAY, THE POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT. WHEN IT DID SO, THE BRAKES TURNED MUSHY WITH LITTLE BRAKING POWER. WE WERE LUCKY AS WE HAD JUST COME DOWN A STEEP DRIVEWAY. IF THEY HAD FAILED THEN OUR CHOICES WOULD HAVE BEEN TO RUN INTO THE BACK OF A CAR IF WE COULD HAVE TURNED, RUN INTO A GROUP OF PEOPLE AND THEN CONTINUED DOWN A STEEP HILL INTO BRUSH AND FOREST WITH LIKELY CASUALTIES. LUCKILY, WE HAD JUST STARTED UP TO LEAVE AND NOTICED THE PROBLEM. WE SHUT DOWN AND THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN A PART. HOWEVER, THE SERVICE WRITER TOLD US THAT TO THIS DAY, MANY CHEVY VANS AND TRUCKS HAVE THE SAME SYSTEM WHERE THE POWER STEERING PUMP ACTS AS A BOOSTER PUMP FOR THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THAT LACK OF INDEPENDENCE BETWEEN THE TWO SYSTEMS IS AN ENGINEERING ERROR AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 1, 2011SteeringODI 10410205

Engine and engine cooling

37 reports3 fires
“WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH VEHICLE COMMENCED TO LOSE SPEED. VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE MORE THEN 20-25 MPH. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE OXYGEN SENSOR/ EGR VALVE, AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER MALFUNCTIONED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE OXYGEN SENSOR/ EGR VALVE, AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER MELTED DOWN. THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. *TC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 16, 2005Engine and engine coolingODI 10108989

Vehicle speed control

27 reports1 crash
“DT: WHILE TURNING A CORNER AND PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR IT BECAME STUCK CAUSING THE VEHICLE ACCELERATE FASTER. THE CONSUMER PUMPED THE GAS PEDAL WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE GO FASTER. THE CONSUMER THEN PLACED HER OTHER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH MADE THE REAR TIRES SPIN. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED. TRIPLE A WAS AFRAID TO TOW THE VEHICLE DUE TO ACCELERATION ISSUE BUT FINALLY DECIDED TO TOW IT TO DEALER. DEALER WAS WILLING TO REPAIR UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. GMC WOULD OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 5, 2005Vehicle speed controlODI 10119963
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.