NHTSA Complaint #10305971 — 2004 CHEVROLET ASTRO

WHEN MY WIFE RETURNED TO OUR 2004 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN, THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO HAVE A DEAD BATTERY. THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER OR FIRE THE IGNITION. AFTER HAVING THE BATTERY AND STARTER CHECKED, WE WERE TOLD THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED AND THEY WERE ABLE TO CHARGE THE BATTERY. THE STARTER CHECKED GOOD. THE CAR SEEMED TO HAVE A "DEAD SHORT" WHEN TRYING TO START AND/OR BOOST. AFTER REPLACING ALL COMPONENTS, THE VAN STARTED, HOWEVER, WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES, THERE WAS NO BRAKE PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL. IT APPEARED THAT WE WERE LOSING BRAKE FLUID UNDER THE VEHICLE FROM A RUPTURED LINE. WE TOWED THE CAR HOME TO INSPECT AND REPLACE THE BRAKE LINE. UPON INSPECTION, WE FOUND ELECTRICAL ARCING WHERE THE BRAKE LINE HAD GROUNDED ON THE VEHICLE FRAME CAUSING A HOLE TO RUPTURE IN THE BRAKE LINE JUST REAR OF THE ELECTRICAL UNIT. WHAT WE DETERMINED CAUSED THE PROBLEM WAS A HOT WIRE THAT RAN BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND STARTER WAS RUBBING ON THE SUSPENSION LINKS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IT RUBBED THROUGH THE ELECTRICAL SHEATH AND CAUSED CONTACT BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE ELECTRICAL CHARGING SYSTEM IF THE VEHICLE. AFTER CONTACTING GM/CHEVROLET SUPPORT, THEY WERE "SORRY" ABOUT THE ISSUE AND FELT THE ISSUE WAS DUE TO A WIRE CLAMP THAT "MUST BE MISSING." WE HAVE TEMPORARILY REPAIRED THE ISSUE, HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO FACTORY WIRE CLAMPS THAT WERE MISSING. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW FROM CHEVROLET ON THIS VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED ON THE INTERNET IN VARIOUS PLACES. HAD MY WIFE BEEN DRIVING 55MPH, SHE WOULD HAVE HAD NO BRAKES DUE TO THE ISSUE. CHEVROLET SIMPLY SAID THE VEHICLE WAS A 2004 AND THEY WOULD NOT TAKE ACTION ON A VEHICLE "THAT OLD". SEVERAL OF THE VEHICLES ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN DISRUPTED THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM SUCH AS DOOR LOCKS, DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS, ETC... WE WANT THE PUBLIC WARNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE SO NO LIVES ARE LOST. WE HAVE TEMPORARILY REPAIRED THE ISSUE, HOWEVER, THE ORIGINAL CABLE AND TIES ARE STILL IN PLACE. *TR