NHTSA Complaint #10164660 — 1994 CHEVROLET ASTRO

WE OWN A 1994 CHEVY ASTRO VAN. FORTUNATELY, IT WAS SITTING IN OUR DRIVEWAY WHEN ONE OF THE TORSION BARS BROKE, DROPPING THE VAN DOWN ONTO THE FRONT LEFT TIRE. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE DRIVING THE VAN WITH OUR FAMILY, IT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. TWO DAYS LATER, THE OTHER TORSION BAR BROKE, AGAIN IN OUR DRIVEWAY. IN LOOKING AT THE WAY THE TORSION BAR IS MOUNTED TO THE CROSS MEMBER, IT APPEARS THAT A MANUFACTURE DEFECT CREATED A PROBLEM WHERE SNOW, SALT, RAIN AND DIRT ACCUMULATED INTO THE CYLINDER SHAPED TUBE THAT THE BAR IS MOUNTED INTO, TOWARDS THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE TORSION BAR, MADE OF SPRING STEEL, RUSTED AND BROKE IN TWO. THE TORSION BAR IS PART OF THE SUSPENSION THAT KEEPS THE FRONT OF THE VAN UP OFF OF THE FRONT TIRES. AFTER READING SEVERAL ONLINE FORUMS, IT APPEARS THAT THIS SAME DEFECT HAS CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS AND NEAR ACCIDENTS TO OTHER ASTRO VAN OWNERS. WHETHER REPORTED OR NOT REPORTED, THE DESIGN OF THE MOUNTING BRACKET FOR THE TORSION BAR WAS MOST LIKELY USED THIS WAY SO THE MANUFACTURED COULD USE ONE SIZE OF TORSION BAR FOR SEVERAL VEHICLES AND THEN MODIFY THE MOUNT ON EACH VEHICLE TO ACCEPT THE SAME SIZE BAR. WE HAVE PURCHASED REPLACEMENT TORSION BARS (GM PARTS) FOR $462.00 AND NEED TO ALSO PAY TO HAVE THEM INSTALLED. THE REPLACEMENT TORSION BARS ARE NOW 3 INCHES SHORTER, PROVING THAT THE MANUFACTURE BECAME AWARE THIS PROBLEM AND CORRECTED IT WITH THE REPLACEMENT PARTS - NOW WITHOUT THE EXTRA 3 INCHES OF OPEN CYLINDER TO COLLECT SALT AND SNOW. I BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND THAT THESE PARTS SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY ON ALL VANS WITH THIS SIZE OF TORSION BAR. WE REGULARLY DRIVE THE INTERSTATE AND HAD IT BROKE WHILE WE WERE DRIVING IT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND SLAMMING ON YOUR BREAKS (AS THE FRONT OF THE VAN DROPPED DOWN ONTO THE TIRE) AND SUDDENLY LOSING ANY STEERING ABILITY OR WAY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THANKFULLY, WE DIDN'T HAPPEN TO BE DRIVING IT WHEN IT BROKE. *NM