NHTSA Complaint #721785 — 1994 CHEVROLET ASTRO

THIS VAN IS EQUIPED WITH 4 BUCKET SEATS. SINCE WE PURCHASED THIS VAN (PURCHASED USED SPRING OF 96) WE HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ADJUSTMENT OR TILTING MECHANISM ON ALL FOUR BUCKET SEAT. THE TILTING MECHANISM ON THE BACK TWO SEAT EVENTUALLY STOP WORKING CONSEQUENTLY THE SEAT WOULD NO LONGER ADJUST OR STAY IN THE UPRIGHT OR IN ANY OTHER POSITION IN OTHER WORDS THE BACK OF THE SEAT WERE ESSENTIALY FREE MOVING! I TOOK ONE OF THE SEATS OUT TO INSPECT THE OPERATING MECHANISM AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A STUD WHICH HOLDS THE OPERATING LEVER AND A TENSION SPRING THAT WAS BROKEN. I ALSO INSPECTED THE 4 OTHER SEAT AND ALL 4 HAVE THE SAME DEFECTIVE PROBLEM. IN MY OPINION THIS IS UNQUESTIONABLY A POOR PIECE OF ENGINEERING THE DEFECTIVE PART WHICH CAUSES THE PROBLEM IS MADE OF AN ALLOY THAT (WHITE METAL) THAT IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND NORMAL DAILY USE. I VISITED A LOCAL GM DEALER AND THEY CLAIM THIS IS NOT A REPETIVE OR PROBLEM ISSUE WITH THESE SEATS WHICH I FIND EXTREMELY HAD TO BELIEVE. THEY WANTED TO SELL ME REPLACEMENT MECHANSIM AT 218 TO 230 EACH. IN OTHER WORDS IT WOULD COST ME CLOSE TO $1000.00 TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. AS A RESULT WE CAN NO LONGER PLACE A CHILD SEAT IN ANY OF THE FOUR BUCKET SEATS BECAUSE THE SEAT DON'T STAY UPRIGHT AND WE CAN NOT TETHER THE CHILD SEAT IN PROPERLY. IN CLOSING I CALLED GM'S CUSTOMER LINE AND FILED A COMPLAINT ...AS EXPECTED BECASUE THE VAN IS PAST THE WARANTY PERIOD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME. I HAVE TAKEN ONE OF THE OPERATING MECHANISM TO A MACHINE SHOP AND THEY WILL MANUFACTURE ME THE PART THAT IS DEFECTIVE. ANY ENGINEER THAT WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK AT ONE OF THESE WOULD CERTAINLY AGREE THAT THIS IS A VERY POOR DESIGN WHICH IS PRONE TO FAILURE DOWN THE ROAD. MY CONCERN IS ONE OF SAFETY FOR ALL OTHER OWNERS OF GM ASTRO VANS WITH THESE TYPE OF SEATS. GM SHOULD COME CLEAN AND REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. I HOPE YOUR ORGANIZATION CAN HELP THOSE THAT MAY BE AT RISK. THANK YOU, MARC SHERWOOD WINNIPEG, MANITOBA CANADA. *A