1997 Chevrolet Astro engine and engine cooling problems

“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”

“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”

“TENSIONER BELT ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN CONTINUES TO MAKE CHIRPING SOUNDS ESPECIALLY AFTER IT RAINS. TENSIONER BELT HAS BEEN CHANGED 4 TIMES AND ALLEVIATES THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY.*AK”

“MY PROBLEM IS THAT I HAVE A 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN WITH 63,005 MILES ON IT AND THE MAIN BEARINGS FAILED. I TOOK IT MY LOCAL DEALER FOR A OIL PRESSURE DROP, AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE BEARINGS WERE BAD. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATING ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND THAT CHEVROLET MAY HAVE BEEN AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE BEARINGS, HAVING ISSUED A TSB[87-61-22]. NOW THAT A NEW ENGINE HAS BEEN INSTALLED AT MY COST OF $4600, I AM LOOKING FOR SOME HELP OR INFORMATION ON HOW TO RECOUP SOME OR ALL OF THE COST. I HAVE HAD ALL POSSIBLE MAINTENANCE DONE AND ALL RECALL WORK DONE SINCE 1997. CHEVROLET HAS INFORMED ME THAT SOME RECALL WORK WAS NOT DONE, BUT MY DEALER RECORDS SHOW IT HAS BEEN DONE.*AK”

“*OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT* CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED TO THE SIDE. THE ENGINE HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE WHICH RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE WINDSHIELD AND ENGINE. *JG *JB”

“I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE: BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT POWER WINDOR MOTORS; REPLACE THE KEY REMOTE, BOTH IDLER ARMS,FRONT BRAKE PAD AT 37,000 MILES, SERPENTIME BELT, POWER STEERING PUMP - REPLACED TWICE, HAD TO FIX OIL COOLER LINES TWICE, REPLACED DISTRIBUTOR/ROTOR; REPLACED LOWER GASKET DUE TO INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK, AND FUEL PUMP MODUAL. ALL OF THIS WAS DONE BEFORE MY CAR HAD 57,000 MILES. THE DEALER HAS BEEN VERY FAIR AND REPAIRED AT LOW OR NOW COST. I HAVE HAD TWO TRIPS SHORTENED DUE TO BREAKDOWNS AND HAVE SPENT OVER $1,500 ON REPAIRS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRENTY OR BY THE DEALER. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO NORMAL MAINTENANCE (OIL AND FILTER,FOUR NEW TIRES,AND TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER). I AM CONCERNED AS TO "WHAT IS NEXT" AND WHEN THE DEALER WHEN NO LONGER BE ABLE TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS AT LOW COST TO ME.*AK”