2001 Chevrolet Astro problems

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. WHILE TRAVELING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WOULD NO LONGER ENGAGE AND THAT THE STEERING WHEEL HAD BECOME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 160,000.”

“1) NOTICED THAT MY BRAKES WOULD "PRESSURIZE" WHEN COMING TO A STOP AS IF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WERE ACTIVATING. I'VE EXPERIENCED NORMAL ACTIVATION BEFORE ON ICE, SNOW, AND LOOSE GRAVEL SO I KNEW WHAT IT WAS DOING. IT BEGAN HAPPENING A LOT SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER (BASIL CHEVROLET, WELLSVILLE, NY) ON 9/24/07. THEY REPLACED THE ROTORS, PADS AND TOLD ME "ROAD TEST OK...ON ROAD TEST DID EXPERIENCE ANTILOCK PROBLEM. ONLY ONCE FELT - UNABLE TO VERIFY". 2) TOOK MY VAN HOME AND WAS SEEING THE PROBLEM AS MUCH IF NOT MORE SO THAN BEFORE. WAS QUITE UPSET THAT AFTER SPENDING OVER $400 DOLLARS ON THE AUTO, I STILL DIDN'T HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED THAT I TOOK THE VAN IN FOR. COMPLAINED ABOUT IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY COULD BRING IT IN TO "CLEAN THE SENSORS" FOR ME BUT COULDN'T GET ME IN UNTIL "NEXT WEEK". THE VERY NEXT DAY THE PROBLEM AROSE WHILE PARKING MY VEHICLE AT WORK. I LOST ALL BRAKING ABILITY AND SMASHED INTO THE REAR END OF A TRUCK. NO DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK AT ALL BUT EXTENSIVE DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. SMASHED GRILL, BUMPER, HOOD, HEADLIGHT, AND POSSIBLY MORE THAT I HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED YET. GOT STOPPED BY THE LOCAL POLICE FOR THE HEADLIGHT…”

“I AM A LICENSED CAR DEALER. I AM VERY CONCERNED AT WHAT I AM SEEING WITH MY CUSTOMERS, WITH CARS I SEE AT THE AUCTIONS, AND WITH BLOG SITES ON THE INTERNET CONCERNING CHEVY'S EBCM COMPUTER MODULE. AT THE AUCTIONS I AM SEEING AT LEAST 25% OF CHEVROLETS AND ABOUT 10% OF FORDS COMING THROUGH WITH BRAKE AND ABS LIGHTS ON. MY MAIN CONCERN IS WITH THE CHEVY'S EBCM. THESE VERY EXPENSIVE UNITS FAIL AT THE RELAY POINT ON THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS DUE TO BAD SOLDER JOINTS FROM THE FACTORY. WHEN THEY FAIL, THE DRIVER GETS A BRAKE LIGHT AND AN ABS INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE DASH. THE BRAKES STILL WORK ON THE CAR, BUT THEY DON'T WORK AS DESIGNED. IN FACT THE DRIVER GETS A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY BECAUSE HIS CAR IS STOPPING, BUT IN A SLIPPERY SITUATION IT WILL NOT STOP AS DESIGNED. WHEN I WENT TO THE INTERNET FOR IDEAS TO FIX THE PROBLEM, I AM FINDING A LOT OF POSTINGS SAYING JUST TAKE THE BULB OUT OF THE DASH! I AM ALSO SEEING ADS ON E BAY WHERE YOU CAN SEND YOUR EBCM TO A REPAIR STATION, THEY TAKE IT APART, AND RE SOLDER THE JOINTS FOR $49. I CALLED THE CHEVY DEALER AND THEY WANT OVER $1000 TO FIX THE PROBLEM! I HAVE HEARD OF PEOPLE SELLING THEIR VEHICLE AS IS AND TELLING THE…”

“NUMEROUS THINGS HAVE GONE WRONG WITH MY 2001 MONTE CARLO. 5 OR 6 TIMES THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPAIRED THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WHERE IT CONTINUALLY POPS OUT. I AM REALLY CONCERNED WHEN IT MIGHT EXPLODE W/O A CRASH OR IF THERE IS A DRIVER SIDE CRASH IF IT WILL COME OUT TO PROTECT ME. STEERING AND FRONT SUSPENSION POPS. AT 55,117 MILES WE HAD THE OIL CHANGED (WHICH HAS BEEN DONE EVERY 3000 MILES) OR LESS AND ON THE MULTI POINT INSPECTION SHEET, IT LISTED SEVERAL THINGS THAT "MIGHT NEED ATTENTION" SOON. THEY ARE STEERING LINKAGE AND STEERING COMPONENTS, CV AXLE BOOTS OR DRIVE SHAFT AND U JOINTS. THESE THINGS SHOULD NOT BE WORN OUT ON A CAR WITH NO MORE MILES THAN THIS. MY REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER DOESN'T WORK. NOTICED THIS AFTER ONE OF THE AIRBAG REPAIRS. THIS CAR HAS BEEN VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF BUT STILL THE NOISES PERSIST AND NOW TO BE TOLD THAT THESE PARTS MIGHT NEED REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT? WE PAID A LOT OF GOOD MONEY FOR THIS VEHICLE (THIS IS A LIMITED EDITION HIGH SPORT VEHICLE) AND FEEL GM SHOULD BUY IT BACK AND REIMBURSE EVERY DIME OF IT DUE TO THE POOR QUALITY OF IT OR PROPERLY REPAIRED OR PARTS REPLACED AT GM EXPENSE WHILE PROVIDING AN EQUAL VALUE VEHICLE WHILE…”

“THE JULY 2002 FAILURE (FIRST OF TWO) OF THE 2001 ASTRO AWD TRANSMISSION WAS FULLY COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED WITH 8000 MILES IN FEBRUARY 2001. IT HAD BEEN PURCHASED NEW IN AUGUST 2000. I DROVE IT FOR 16000 MILES IN 16 MONTHS (24000 ODO), AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE OR 3RD GEAR. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE TRANSMISSION AND GAVE A ONE YEAR/12000 MILE WARRANTY ON THEIR WORK. UNFORTUNATELY THE REPAIRED TRANSMISSION IS NOW SLIPPING IN 3RD AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. IT IS OVER ONE YEAR SINCE THE JULY 2002 FIX, BUT I HAVE JUST DRIVEN IT OVER 11000 MILES (35000 ODO). I HAVE NOT YET CONTACTED THE DEALER, BUT I FEAR THAT THE RESPONSE WILL BE ISN'T THAT JUST TOO BAD”

“THE TRUCKS BED CRACKED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. *PH THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A FULL REFUND AND A GUARANTEE THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE INSPECTED. (MODEL/FLEETSIDE) *SC *JB”