Problems · by component
1997 Chevrolet Astro vehicle speed control problems
27 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Chevrolet Astro cite vehicle speed control, 7% of all 366 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
27
7% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the vehicle speed control
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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”
“WHILE DRIVING ACCELERATOR CABLE SHREDDED. THE SECOND TIME THE GUIDES BROKE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UP TO 90 MPH. THE BRAKES WERE SMOKING. THE CONSUMER APPLIED PRESSURE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND REPORTED INCIDENT TO CHEVROLET. *AK *SC”
“WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK AND THEN VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 40 MPH. CONSUMER SHUT OFF IGNITION TO STOP VEHICLE. MECHANIC DETERMINED A PLATE INSIDE THROTTLE BODY HAD TWO RIVETS THAT CAME LOOSE AND GOT STUCK.*AK”
“I HAVE A 1997 ASTRO, IN THE PAST 8 MONTHS THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MOTOR, WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH 54,202 MILES ON IT, WHICH STARTED GIVING US PROBLEMS AT ABOUT 53,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED BOTH IDLER ARMS AT 25,680 MILES. HAD SEAT BELT CHIME FIXED (RECALL), DRIVER SEAT FEELS LOOSE WHEN STOPPING DEALERSHIP CLAIMS TO HAVE TIGHTENED IT, STILL FEELS LOOSE. THE VAN HAS ALWAYS IDLED ROUGH TOOK IT IN 3 TIMES FOR THAT AND CAN'T SEEM TO FIX THAT. SLIDING DOOR RATTLE THEY TRIED TO FIX THAT ALSO STILL RATTLES. THE GAS PEDAL STICKS WHEN I TAKE OFF OR WHEN I GO IN REVERSE WHICH MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TAKE OFF SMOOTHLY. I HAD AN ASTRO AND A SAFARI IN THE PAST AND NEVER HAD AS MANY PROBLEMS AS I HAD WITH THIS ONE. *JB”
“THE VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM WITH DEVELOPING A CONDITION WHERE THE THROTTLE PEDAL STICKS. HIGH PEDAL EFFORT IS REQUIRED TO OVER COME THIS CONDITION BUT THIS PRACTICE IS UNSAFE BECAUSE THE RESULT IS A RAPID ACCELERATION OR LURCH WHEN THE PEDAL BECOMES UNSTUCK . PROBLEM IS CHRONIC AS IT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED AT LEAST ANNUALLY BY CLEANING THE INTERNALS OF THROTTLE BODY. THE CLEANING IS SUCCESSFUL IN REMOVING THE PROBLEM INITIALLY, BUT THE CONDITION ALWAYS RECURS AFTER ABOUT A YEAR (10,000 MILES) OF DRIVING. ALTHOUGH CLEANING THE THROTTLE BODY ON A REGULAR BASIS IS A RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE ITEM. *JB”
“WHEN PULLING OFF FROM A STOP THERE IS A DELAY IN ACCELERATION, THE GAS PEDAL WILL BE REALLY HARD TO PRESS THEN IT WILL UNEXPECTEDLY RELEASE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO JUMP FORWARD. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, AND CAN POSSIBLY HIT SOMEONE. *AK *YH”
Showing 6 of 27 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.