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Sagging suspension? Starting in '95 GM stopped using the fiberglass rear spring and went to steel. Might check the wrecking yards for a set.
Does anyone else have the "wow-wow-wow" rear bearing noise in their vans? Our '95 has had that noise for the last 50k miles. I checked the bearings and axles while replacing the rear axle seals and could find no unusual wear. Then I rode in a courtesy van with about 80k miles and heard the same noise. I asked the driver about it and he said the noise had been there since day one. One thing I did notice is that the outboard bearings use the axle itself for the inner race. I understand that is common on Chevy rear axles.
Jim
Anyway, push the emergency brake down one click. This will not engage the brake, but it turns off the DRL and the "BRAKE" lamp will illuminate on the instrument panel. Wouldn't do this on a road trip, but to find your spot at the movies is no problem.
Jim
A new filler hose, a drained gas tank, and a fuel injector cleaner seemed to have cured the problem. A call to GMC customer service was to no avail.
Being such a peculiar problem I thought that perhaps a recall would be involved. I wonder if this problem is fairly isolated or becoming common.
P.S. repairs and diag cost at private shop about $500
Use it to tow a large pop up trailer weighing about 2400 lbs loaded. Have air shocks in back to level the ride height and a class 3 hitch. Had a little problem with the trailer swaying and I know there was plenty of hitch weight. Aired up the rear tires to 50 psi (BFG All Terrain T/A's max press 50 psi), solved the swaying problem.
AWD is a godsend in the snow. Lack of ground clearance keeps me on the road, never try any off roading. We get lots and lots of snow where I live, can't say enough about the AWD and ABS with agressive tires.
Our fleet includes 80 late model Astros, and we've owned more than 200 others over the years. If either of you guys live in the central Massachusetts area, please contact me.
I disabled those @#* running lights by pulling the fuse. They're worse than useless, because they make one think the driving lights are on when it turns dark while driving, they're almost as bright as the regular headlights, but the tail lights are off, so makes for a very dangerous situation. They should be outlawed. If I want the lights on in daytime, I'm capable of turning them on myself. Dale.
Huh? They're not for you but for the other driver on the road in the day, so they're not supposed to be directly useful for you. Your dashboard lamps are not on either so when it gets dark, you turn the lights on as normal!
I too wonder why the rear lights are not turned on when the fronts are; not a smart
move in my book.
Erik
Now that it's getting colder I am hearing a weird noise from the front. It sounds like the nutty professor's car (power by flubber.)
It's really loud the first 5-10 minutes of the morning drive. But it is much quiter after the engine warmed up. I can't hear it unless I open the hood.
Have anyone heard this noise? Any guesses?
Thanks.
Could this be a design change for 2001 or is the dealer full of it?
Also I have checked the override switch on the dash to ensure that it was not depressed.
Any suggestions is appreciated.
Hope that helps.
This may be a feature on the LS that is not available on other models. Just how much would it have cost GM to add this switch to all of the vans?
My 2001 Astro LT has lots of nice goodies but I miss the armrest on the left side of the drivers seat. I drive a lot and my '98 had arm rests on both sides of the seat. I miss that left side arm rest.
Had a quick question. We have a 2000 LS (Astro).
We are getting 12-13 mpg.(city/highway, mostly
highway). We have the 4.3L. This
seems low. Expected 18-21. Driving habits are
normal. The van does seem to struggle at speeds
above 60-65 mph. It also needs "encouragement"
meaning pedal to the floor to get up any type of
hill. I think it might be the tranmission or
sensor. We only have 15,000 on it, but am wondering if this has affected anybody elses van.
I dont want to hear from the dealership that the
mpg is normal. I know better.
Thanks for any advice.
I don't know if that helps with your problem on your 2000 Astro....
It would be interesting to see if the milage of the 3.73 can be improved by larger diameter tires. 235-75 15s can be accomodated by raising the vehicle acording to info at http://www.overlandvans.com/
On long trips it averaged 24.6, 23.9, 23.1, 23.6, and 23.8 MPG. I normally drive within the speed limit. The lowest gas mileage was for town driving in mid-December 1998 when we got only 13.3 MPG.
We had digital instrumentation that started working intermittently after about 2 years. It would always work when we took it in for service. At 59,725 miles it had a coolant leak which required a $15.50 manifold gasket that took $335 labor and an overpriced $306.60 windshield wiper motor replaced that cost $67 labor. Never did require any brake pad or shoe replacement.
Ironic? We got a NEW 99 GC SE after the repairs mentioned above and now the 99 GC had to have head gaskets replaced at 35,002 miles. If the GC needs any more repairs, I want to trade it in on a NEW 2002 Astro. I prefer the higher seating position of the Astro, panel doors to a liftgate, the 27 gal fuel tank to a 20 gal, the 4.3L V6 with 250 lbs Torque to our 3.3L with only 203 Ft. Lbs. and the much larger interior of the Astro in a vehicle that is a foot shorter in length.
My friend drove Astros for an airport shuttle service. One had gone 700,000 miles and another one had 650,000 miles. Some transmission work was performed but he says those 4.3L Vortec engines are indestructible.
other Dallas taxi drivers who use Astros report the same mileage, 12-13mpg during taxi duty...
The 8 seats allowed both me and my brothers family to go out to dinner and not take two vehicles! So it sounds like on average we should see 18-19 in town and at least low twenties on the highway. It is going to the dealer with a rather long list of repairs needed. Actually, they are minor tweaks. Also a new metal on metal sound started two days ago. Possibly the brakes, allready? If it is, will take it someplace other than the dealer. And WILL NOT go to Brake Depot. (big rip off artists, they are in litigation in California, BIG SMILE). Thanks again and keep on truckin'
I have a 97 2wd Astro with 3.73 gears and 40,000 miles and pull a 4000 to 4500 lb. 30 ft. Award travel trailer. It gets about 14 mpg at 55 to 65 mph in tow. Solo it will run 20 MPG at 65 to 70 mph. It takes a strong tail wind and flat country to get 21 mpg.
I am using a 10/30 Mobil 1 engine oil. Of course the fuel mileage is very difficult to check on this vehicle as you can add 6 gallons of fuel after normal nozzle cut off. The last 6 gallons are like filling through a straw, and not all pumps will pump at a low enough volume to permit topping off.
I had a 94 2wd 165 hp company van with 3.23 gears and it would get up to 24 mpg. I drove it 85,000 miles with zero defects. I had one injector replaced on the 97 under warranty.
I find it to be one tough truck, and the mini vans are a different breed. The 5500 lb. tow rating and hauling 4x8 sheets of plywood or wallboard set it apart. I ran out an Aerostar and a Voyager Co. vans and prefer the gusto of the Astro.
We had never had a coolant leak in under 100,000 miles on any vehicle until the 91 Astro CL developed the leak from the manifold gasket at 59,725 miles. However, the Astro had that abominable digital instrumentation that started working intermittently after we had it a couple of years which made the coolant leak the final straw. I wish GM had made more improvements on Astro/Safari like quick release on middle row bucket seats and extending the length at front to provide better engine compartment accessibility and more foot room for front passenger and driver. They could still be shorter in length than GC, Odd, Windstar, etc. while having more interior room.
The 99 GC SE had ZERO problems until the coolant leak and we love the separately controlled temperature for driver and front passenger, front and rear A/C or Heating, Complete overhead console with outside temp, compass, and Trip Computer. If we have more than one more problem with the GC, we will trade it.
My sister has a 2001 Odd EX which will make it easy to see how Odd are for reliability. I now feel it was unwise to trade off the Astro which had only 3 problems: Intermittent functioning of temp and oil pressure of digital instrumentation, and the failure of the heat gasket and windshield wiper motor at 59,750 miles.
Joseph here. New to list. 54 year old school teacher, 4 years from possible retirement.
I just bought a 2001 Astro RWD passenger van. I like it. Going to tow a TT eventually but now I'm worried about winter and a trip from new York City where I live to Toronto. Right through snow country. I used to live (12years) in New Hampshire and have always had a front wheel drive car (my last rear wheeler was a VW Bus, also good in snow). So what can I expect from the astro??? Should I get four snow tires??? Currently have P2 15/75R all season radials which came with vehicle. Could use brands/names models you use. Blizzard by Firestone????
Thanks
Studded snow tires on the rear of a RWD Astro would let you go anywhere that you could go except with 4WD vehicle. I have been able to go anywhere in my rear wheel drive Impalas, pickups, and Astro that I could go with any of 3 FWD vehicles when all had regular all-season tires. I prefer the handling characteristics of RWD over FWD.
I recently changed the transmisson fluid to semi synthetic, and here also, there is a magnet attached to the pan. The metal particles had been collected on the magnet.
The engine drain plug is also magnetic.
The transmission filter is a real filter, not a mesh screen as some other manufactures use.
Just crawl underneath and look at how the thing is built. The muffler is huge and looks as though it belongs on a over the road tractor. The exhaust piping is large for a 4.3 liter engine.
It also has that high profile seating so that if you have the SUV mightier than thou syndrome then you may be satisfied with the Astro elevation. But, maybe not, you probably got to have those big oversized raised letter Firestones to really become obnoxious.
Incidentally, my daughter had and older astro that had some problems. A water pump and an alternator. She gave it to the Salvation Army at 200,000 miles because it had engine oil leaks.
I'm sorry, we're only to come here to complain and bash GM, but there is another side to the story.
Mobil 1 10/30 for the engine.
Mobil 1 75/90 for the differential.
Quaker State semi synthetic with filter for transmission.
K&N drop in air filter.
Front brake pads.
Rear brake bands.
Fuel filter.
TOYO ultra 800 tires that are rated at 44 psig.
These have the hightest tread wear rating of 700 and a 100,000 mile tread wear warranty. This van runs straight and true as did the 94 without any unusual tire tread wear or cupping.
Yes! those front brakes do need the silicone grease to allow free movement of the assembly and shoes. I got this information from this post somewhere.
Now I expect it to run the 100,000 miles to get the tread off the tires. Or to at least go to 85,000 miles, like my Co. 94 driver did, without a problem. And I expect the highway fuel mileage to increase from the 20/21 to 21/22 mpg with all this TLC.
I love this van and consider it bullet proof. The main reason for owning the van is to tow a 30 ft. Award travel trailer. Tows like a dream but I did buy the TOYO ultra 800 tires for the extra rated pressure from 35 psig to 44 psig. This should improve the slight sway induced by the 85 mph 18 wheelers. Incidentally, the fuel mileage in tow is 14+ MPG at 60 mph.
When I get to feeling depressed about the fuel mileage I just go visit the Toyoto Siena, and Chrysler van sites and I realize that things could be worse and I feel better.