NHTSA Complaint #710580 — 1994 CHEVROLET ASTRO

WITHIN A PERIOD OF THREE DAYS BOTH LIFT CYLINDERS FAILED ON MY ASTRO VAN. I FIRST NOTICED THE TAILGATE WAS HARD TO LIFT AND DID NOT STAY UP VERY SECURELY. THEN THREE DAYS LATER I TRIED TO OPEN THE HATCH BUT NOTICED IT WAS VERY HEAVY AND WOULD NOT STAY UP AT ALL. THE ONLY WAY I COULD USE THE REAR DOORS WAS TO PROP IT UP WITH A STICK. THIS CREATED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS THE HATCH DOOR IS VERY HEAVY AND COULD CLOSE VERY VIOLENTLY IF THE STICK WERE TO BE BUMPED. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THERE MIGHT BE A TREND WITH THIS PROBLEM, THEY SAID NOT TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE. I THEN PAID TO HAVE ONE CYLINDER ORDERED AS THE PARTS DEPT. ONLY HAD ONE IN STOCK. ON 8/26/99 MY WIFE PICKED UP THE SET OF LIFT CYLINDERS FOR ME TO INSTALL. MY FEAR IS WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT MAY RUN INTO THIS SITUATION AND NOT FIX IT. THIS COULD CAUSE SEVERE BODILY HARM IF THE "DUTCH" DOOR HATCH WOULD SLAM DOWN ON SOMEONE.