Engine
4.3L 6-cyl
How to read this file. Complaint records are unverified owner submissions to the federal safety agency. Counts are raw, not adjusted for sales volume or vehicle age. Recall campaigns apply to the model; only a VIN check shows whether this car is affected or repaired. Parts shown are named by an editorial note or listed as a search directory; none is a diagnosis. Full methodology.
Fault profile
Complaint-component records on this vehicle, grouped by family. A complaint naming two systems counts once in each.
Complaints are owner-reported and not verified by the agency.
When it fails
The timing of this vehicle's reported failures, from the complaint file itself. A cluster tells you what to expect and when; it is shaped by reporting behavior as well as by the vehicle.
Vehicle age when the failure occurred
Years between the model year and the owner's reported failure date. Based on 73 of 95 complaints with a usable failure date.
Known issues
The component families with the most complaint records against this vehicle. Counts, crash and fire figures belong to the whole family, not to any single named issue. Parts listed are related system parts, not a diagnosis.
Brakes
52 complaint records9 crash reports
"ABS BRAKES; WHEN APPLYING BRAKES ON PANIC STOP WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON WITH EXPENSIVE COST TO RE-ADJUST. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse brakes parts in the directory →
Body & structure
10 complaint records
"THE REAR DOORS WERE DESIGNED WITHOUT HANDLES, IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, CONSUMER WOULD BE UNABLE TO OPEN THE REAR DOORS, FROM THE INSIDE. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse body & structure parts in the directory →
Electrical system
10 complaint records4 fire reports
"ELECTRICAL SHORT OCCURRED IN CIRCUIT TO INTERMITTEN IGNITION SWITCH, DAMAGING IGNITION SWITCH AND FUSING OTHER CIRCUITS TOGETHER...."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse electrical system parts in the directory →
Federal defect investigations
Formal investigations opened by the federal safety agency into this vehicle. An investigation is the step between a complaint pattern and a recall; not every one results in one.
| Investigation | Status | Component | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE97025 opened Jun 1997 | closed Nov 1997 | Electrical System | INSTRUMENT PANEL/DASH ELECTRICAL FIRE ALLEGED ELECTRICAL FIRES MAY OCCUR IN THE DASH AREA WHILE THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE BEING OPERATED OR WHILE PARKED. |
| EA92022 opened Jun 1992 | closed Nov 1993 | Seats | SEAT BACK BOLT BREAKAGE - led to recall 93V187000 There is no summary currently available |
| DP92012 opened Jun 1992 | closed Jun 1992 | Engine And Engine Cooling | APV FIRES APV FIRES |
| EA91028 opened Jun 1991 | closed Jun 1992 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | BRAKE FAILURE === |
| PE91052 opened Feb 1991 | closed Jun 1991 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | BRAKE FAILURE There is no summary currently available |
Recall campaigns
Safety-recall remedies are normally provided at no charge. Under US federal law the mandatory free remedy applies when the vehicle was no more than 15 years old at the time the defect was determined; manufacturers often cover older vehicles voluntarily. Canadian rules differ. Confirm eligibility with the manufacturer using the VIN. Each campaign number links to the federal record.
| Campaign | Component | Summary | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 93V187000 | Seats | THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME MAY HAVE FOAM AND/OR VINYL BETWEEN THEM, CREATING A "SOFT" JOINT. | Normally free |
| 91V164000 | Seat Belts | SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE BAR FOR REAR SOFA FAILED TO SUSTAIN LOADS REQUIRED BY FMVSS 210. | Normally free |
| 91V102000 | Seat Belts | THE SEAT BELTS FOR THE FRONT AND MID-SHIP SEATS DID NOT REST ON PELVIS AS REQUIRED BY FMVSS 209. | Normally free |
Transport Canada recalls
Recalls issued under Canadian law for this model year, from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database. Matched by model name, so a Canadian-market variant may appear here that was sold under another name in the US. Units are Canadian vehicles affected.
| Recall | System | Units (CA) | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000080 2000-03-21 | Accessories | 200,580 | On certain vehicles operated in areas of high salt use, the spare tire hoist cable may corrode and eventually break. This would allow the spare tire to fall off the vehicle possibly resulting in a road hazard for other vehicles. |
| 1993153 1993-11-15 | Seats And Restraints | 65,907 | ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH BUCKET SEATS WITH KNOB TYPE RECLINER MECHANISMS, A FRONT SEAT RECLINER BOLT MAY FATIGUE AND BREAK. THIS MAY ALLOW THE SEAT BACK TO SUDDENLY RECLINE, WHICH CAN LEAD TO SUDDEN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. |
| 1993120 1993-08-20 | Brakes | 43,021 | On certain K1500, Astro, Safari and Suburban vehicles, corrosion of the composite front brake rotors could cause separation of the stamped steel centre section from the cast outer rotor resulting in complete loss of braking capability for... |
| 1991175 1991-12-23 | Brakes | 9,055 | On certain vehicles, In areas of high road salt use, corrosion of the composite front brake rotors could cause separation of the stamped steel centre section from the cast outer rotor resulting in complete loss of braking capability for... |
Service bulletins and warranty extensions
Manufacturer communications to dealers on file with the federal agency: repair instructions, service campaigns, and warranty extensions. A warranty extension means the manufacturer may pay for a repair the recall table does not cover.
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| PIT-3665-A Nov 2010 | Service Brakes | GENERAL MOTORS: ON ALL 1988-2009 FULL SIZE CHEVROLET/GMC PICKUPS, UTILITIES AND VANS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL MOVE DOWN OR SELF APPLY DURING FULL LOCK TURNS OR NEAR FULL LOCK TURNS. CHEVROLET ASTRO AND GMC SAFARI VANS; HUMMER 2 ARE INCLUDED. *PE UPDATED 5/24/11. *PE | |
| 020730024A Aug 2005 | Power Train | DIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *TT | |
| 01667 Jan 2004 | Visibility | WINDOW REGULATOR MOTOR DOES NOT FIT. *TT | |
| 990730016A Oct 2002 | Power Train | DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION FOR INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT, SLIP, BUSY/CYCLING TCC OR NOISY COOLING FAN. *TT | |
| RCL/91C50 Apr 1995 | Engine And Engine Cooling | RECALL 91-C-50 - GENERAL MOTORS HAS DETERMINED THAT CERTAIN 1991 CHEVRTOLET C/K TRUCKS, M/L AND G VANS EQUIPPED WITH 4.3L ENGINES [RPO LB4 OR RPO LU2 (M VAN ONLY)] MAY BE EMITTING NON-METHANE HYDROCARBONS (NMHC) IN EXCESS OF CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS STANDARDS. |
Show 4 more bulletins
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| RCL/91C50 Feb 1995 | Engine And Engine Cooling | CALIFORNIA RECALL - GENERAL MOTORS HAS DETERMINED THAT CERTAIN 1991 C/K TRUCKS, M/L AND G VANS WITH 4.3L ENGINES MAY BE EMITTING NON-METHANE HYDROCARBONS IN EXCESS OF CALIFORNIA EMISSION STANDARDS. TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION, DEALERS ARE TO INSTALL A NEW EXHAUST OXYGEN SENSOR. *TW | |
| 376105 Feb 1995 | Engine And Engine Cooling | COLD ENGINE KNOCK. *TW | |
| 467108 Dec 1994 | Power Train | TRANSMISSION EXTENTION SEAL LEAKS. *TW | |
| 476149 Dec 1994 | Unknown Or Other | OIL PRESSURE GAUGE READING CONCERNS. *TW |
Before you buy this vehicle
A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.
- Brake hard once from speed on an empty road.A pull to one side, a pulsing pedal, a pedal that sinks at a stop, or an ABS light that stays lit are the brake complaints on this vehicle presenting themselves.
- Walk the body slowly in daylight.Panel gaps, rust at the rockers and wheel arches, and cracked trim are this vehicle's structure complaints. Open and close the liftgate or trunk and look at the latch area.
- Sit in it with the engine off and test everything that has a switch.Windows, locks, lights, the cluster, the radio. Electrical faults are this vehicle's story and the hardest to see on a drive: an intermittent no-start waits for the second week of ownership. Ask for the battery's age and whether any control module has been replaced.
- Run the VIN against open recalls before you negotiate.This vehicle has 3 recall campaigns on file. An open recall needs VIN-specific confirmation. Many are quick, no-charge fixes and worth negotiating over; an unresolved do-not-drive advisory, or a remedy the manufacturer has not yet made available, should stop the purchase until it is resolved.
- Ask for the service history in writing, then read it against this page.The complaint families above are where owners of this vehicle report trouble. Repairs in exactly those systems are evidence the car had the problem; no such repairs could mean it never developed it, or that it was never fixed. The test-drive items above are how you tell those apart.
Parts search directory
The generic parts list for this vehicle has its own page: a search launcher for every system, filtered by fuel type and era but not by engine, trim, or brake type. It is not a diagnosis and not a fitment guarantee.
Open the parts directory for this Chevrolet Astro →