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 99 of 132 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
60 complaint records12 crash reports
"WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN AN EMERGENCY THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, VEHICLE DOESN'T STOP, WENT THOUGHT THE STOP SIGN . *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 brakes parts in the directory →
Electrical system
17 complaint records5 fire reports
"THE FRONT END AND THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN A GARAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTALL LOSS. *YH..."- 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 →
Steering
15 complaint records2 crash reports
"WHILE DRIVING AT 20MPH THE STEERING LINKAGE IDLER ARM BROKE OFF AND BROKE THROUGH THE FRAME OF THE CAR, CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. *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 steering 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DP92012 opened Jun 1992 | closed Jun 1992 | Engine And Engine Cooling | APV FIRES APV FIRES |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 94V177000 | Seats | THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BACK HEIGHT DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 202, "HEAD RESTRAINTS." | 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. |
| 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 | |
| 96067A Jun 1997 | Engine And Engine Cooling | SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT - LINEAR EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION SYSTEM. *TW |
Show 6 more bulletins
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 666309 Apr 1997 | Fuel System | ENGINE HARD TO START (REPLACE FUEL PUMP PULSATOR). *TW | |
| 236111 Jun 1995 | Engine And Engine Cooling | CPI ENGINE NOISE (INSTALL NEW GEARS/NEW MEM-CALS). *SD | |
| 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 | |
| 461103 Dec 1994 | Visibility | HVAC FAN INOPERATIVE. *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.
- 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.
- Drive one straight highway stretch and one slow parking lot.Wander or a shimmy over bumps at speed, and heavy or dropped assist at low speed, are the two faces of this vehicle's steering cluster. A clunk on turn-in points at the linkage.
- Run the VIN against open recalls before you negotiate.This vehicle has 1 recall campaign 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 →