2003 Chevrolet Astro problems
Owners have filed 82 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Chevrolet Astro. Brakes is the most reported problem area, at 37% of complaints. Next are electrical system (12%) and suspension (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 82 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Brakes 37% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 3 and 6
- Injuries and deaths
- 4 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 67,000 miles 60 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 5 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 14 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 8 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 12 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 7 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 7 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 0 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 3 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 2 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 2 |
What the data shows
Of the 60 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 66,000 miles. For brakes specifically, the median reported mileage is about 56,000 miles (26 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 3 complaints mention a crash; 6 complaints mention a fire; 4 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2003 ranks 11th most-complained-about out of 14 model years of the Chevrolet Astro with enough data (61 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 1 safety recall campaign.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Dt: the contact stated while traveling between 50 - 55 MPH during normal driving condition the front two wheels began turning and the vehicle would not respond to steering input. The brakes were depressed however there was difficulting in stopping the vehicle due to the antilock brakes. The vehicle ending up in a six foot ditch which stopped the vehicle. It was towed to the dealer where after inspection, the dealer determined there was nothing wrong with the steering.
2003 chevrolet astro cargo van air bag did not deploy at time of collision. Astro van was hit on passenger side, front wheel well & bumper. Driver who hit van was exceeding speed limit, approximately doing closer to 40 MPH in a 25 MPH zone when they hit our van. We were just starting to proceed after a stop sign, barely doing 10 - 15 MPH. The astro van was dragged approximately 6-7 feet into the intersection.
Consumer stated that both she and her 2 year old child got burned by the interior bulb. It overheated and melted the housing around it. Consumer's husband stated that it may have been a electrical wiring problem, and was afraid that the vehicle may catch on fire.
While fueling my vehicle at a gas station, I pumped about $3.00 worth of gas into my 1/8 tank. After it reached $3.00 a loud hissing sound came from the filling neck of my van (not the actual gas station pump) and a large amount of gasoline sprayed me on the stomach and upper legs. There was no sign that this was going to happen. I am still awaiting word on getting repair authorized. It is my understanding that there is a TSB regarding the fuel system on the 2003 chevrolet astro van.
The brake line rubbed up against the power steering pump, eventually rubbing through. I lost braking power and nearly caused an accident. Within minutes, I went from having brakes to having to push the brake peddle to the floor to stop. I had a local mechanic fix the problem at a substantial cost.