NHTSA Complaint #10163506 — 2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO

THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM EXISTED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND STILL EXISTS. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THAT IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. IN THE BEGINNING, IT FELT LIKE MY VEHICLE WAS SHIFTING TOO SOON AND THEN WOULD SHIFT IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS. WHEN I SLOW DOWN OR STOP IN TRAFFIC ON AN INCLINE, THE PROBLEM IS REALLY PRONOUNCED. WHEN TRAFFIC BEGINS TO MOVE SLOWLY AFTER BEING STOPPED AT OR ON AN INCLINE AND I ACCELERATE AS TRAFFIC BEGINS TO MOVE, IT WILL JERK, THEN SHIFT, JERK, THEN SHIFT ETC., UNTIL I REACH A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. ONCE I AM ABOVE THAT SPEED IS REACHED, I HAVE NO PROBLEM. IF I FALL BELOW THAT SPEED AND ACCELERATE, THE PROBLEM OCCURS AGAIN. IT HAS STEADILY GOTTEN WORSE AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM THE FIRST TWO TIMES THAT I HAD IN FOR SERVICE. THE CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION AND SAID IT WAS FINE. THIS TIME I REQUESTED THAT THE SERVICE MAN RIDE WITH ME AND I WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HE SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS A "MISS" IN THE ENGINE, BUT IT ONLY HAPPENS AS I SAID ABOVE. WE DON'T FEEL IT IN THE ENGINE. WE FEEL IT IN THE WHEELS AND UNDERNEATH VAN ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK. IT IS ALMOST LIKE THE TRUCK IS UNABLE TO PULL ITS OWN WEIGHT THAT IT'S TRYING SO HARD WHEN I ACCELERATE AND THEN JERKS AND IMMEDIATELY SHIFTS. ON FLAT SURFACES WITH STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, I EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM SOMETIMES, BUT NOT AS MUCH AND NOT AS PRONOUNCED. WE SUGGESTED THAT THEY CHECK THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN AND THE POWER TRAIN, BUT WE AREN'T TECHNICIANS AND WERE TOLD THAT THE SERVICE MAN FEELS IT IS "MISSING." WE'RE JUST THE OWNERS THAT DRIVE AND HAVE COME TO KNOW ITS QUIRKS THAT SHOULDN'T EXISTS. THE RANGE OF MOTION WHEN TURNING AROUND OR MAKING A TURN HAS DECREASED. I OFTEN HAVE TO BACK UP THEN GO FORWARD TO COMPLETE A TURN. THIS WAS REAL EASY TO PICK UP BECAUSE WE TRADED IN OUR 1998 ASTRO FOR A 2003 ASTRO. I DEFINITELY DO NOT LIKED THE QUALITY, CHANGES, AND PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE HAD WITH THIS VAN. *JB