GMC Safari/Chevy Astro

wmccreary · January 2004

I have a 2000 safari van that I have had many many problems with it is unsafe to drive my wife and kids have been broke down on the freeway 3 times already I can't put their lives in jeopardy any more. Can someone suggest on how to pro sue the lemon law and what is the procedure in doing so.

canuckvic · January 2004

Hi all -- I'm going to buy a '98 Astro AWD as a second vehicle (primarily for my wife). She likes the concept of it (big, brawny, etc) but she's a little nervous about driving it because it seems bigger than other minivans due to the square shape. My question: any women out there who drive this thing without hesitation? Thanks!

[BTW: Not sure if I'm just cheap, but I don't know why someone would buy a NEW Astro/Safari -- in Canada the AWD new is $37,000. 1998's run about $10K or less on the used market]

jcastine · January 2004

Hi there,

I have searched and found no postings re using an mp3 player / ipod in an astro. I have a 2001 with the factory installed radio / cd player. Ihave tried the fm transmtter route - no good here in New York. Have read about cables to cd changer - www.rcainput.com has a model GM 9-Aux which should work?????? Installation???

stever · January 2004

You might try the CD Player and MP3 Upgrades discussion. Maybe another electronics site (like Crutchfield.com) has a FAQ?

Steve, Host

jpc47 · January 2004

My wife loves driving our 2001 awd
astro. It's actually easier to drive because it's shorter up front. Backing up takes practice, she says you have to use the side mirrors. Nowhere near as hard to drive as she thought it would be.

dadoftay · January 2004

As far as I know, the lemon law here in Gerogia is three or more times for the same major (don't know what major equals) repair. Any time you take the vehicle in, make sure you have the service writer document on the ticket what was looked at and what was done. Then go see another mechanic for a second opinion. Safety stuff should be documented by a police report. Don't laugh, you say your van broke down on the highway, well, that's a traffice case. Police documentation in front of an arbitrator is HUGE ammo in a court case. Good luck.

dadoftay · January 2004

As far as my wife is concerned, she hates my van. She can't back it up (she can back a SUV with a trailer up, by the way) and driving on the interstate with wind will make her pull over to the median. It takes a some practice, but I wouldn't recommend Astro/GMC for general running around.

topsea · January 2004

'Just wanted to put in my 2 cents worth. 3 AWD Astros and about 500,000 miles later, I can't find a better vehicle to do what I need it to do here in the NW. I grew up on a farm and I backed a 4 wheel wagon (more than I drove forward) in my early days feeding cattle.

I just drove a new Yukon this week-end and it backs the same as the Astro. I haul a lot of strange stuff and I'm always backing, so for the Astro to perform differently it must have the rear axle off the frame. I back mostly with my side mirrors, as my Astro is usually loaded, so my vision is blocked out the rear view mirror.

You have to have the "Astro from Hell". Good luck on getting it replaced because they are not all built like that.

jhey2 · January 2004

I have a '98 Astro AWD - of late, when I'm accelerating, or if I hit a bump, my interior lights will blink/flicker. I also hear a clicking sound coming under the dash on the driver side and can 'feel' the clicking sound on what a friend tells me is the computer interface for the vehicle. Has anyone else come across this? Is it a short somewhere?

donald38 · January 2004

I own a 1996 safari with all available options except towing pk.& AWD. I bought it DEC.1995.It has 150000 miles on it.The secret to the fuel pump is to keep the gas filter changed every 35,000 miles. I also change the transmission fluid yearly as well as the posi-traction fluid.I had the windshield wiper problem but it was fixed on a recall.Put plugs in it at 120000 miles other than that I change the oil & rotate the tires every 5000 miles.It always has seemed to run better when run hard.I would order a new one today if I could get a blue interior. Does anyone know if these vehicles are going to be discontinued?

coonhound · January 2004

Or lack of problems. Glad to see another satisfied owner. I was thinking this site was dead.

I am surprised that GM is still building the Astro/Safari in 2004. I think a 2005 will be a maybe, depending on which side of the bed Bob wakes up on.

I have a 97 Astro that I purchased in late 97 as a program unit with 26,000 miles. Only have 50,000 miles on it now.

Problems:
Fuel injector replaced under warranty.
Serpentine belt replaced under warranty.
Rear pinion seal replaced under warranty.
Rear door opener broke and I repaired it at no cost. Dealer wanted $47.00 for the part.
Replaced brake pads and shoes.
Driver side power window acts up occasionally, indicating that I'll need the $75.00 circuit board soon.
Throttle was sticking, cleaned the carbon from the butterfly with carburetor cleaner.
Heard so much about the PCV valve and port plugging with carbon, checked this and it was clean.
Replaced the spark plugs at 48,000 even though they were in good condition. But, one plug was different than the other 5 plugs.
Replaced the Dex Cool with new Dexcool and replaced the thermostat.
Changed fuel filter.

Has a 3.73 differential.
I run Mobil synthetic in the standard differential. Not limited slip.
I use Mobil 1 5W/30 in the engine.
I have changed the transmission fluid twice as I pull a 30' Award travel trailer. The last change I put in lubegard with Havolene Dexron III.
Have a K&N air filter.

We run about 21.5 mpg at 75 mph and summer fuel.

Had a 94 company driver that I drove 80,000 miles and only replaced the plugs. It had 3.23 gears and would run 23 to 24 mpg. The gal that ordered that on must have been mad at me and ordered the 3.23 ratio instead of the standard 3.42 axle.

The differential can be a weak spot as GM now uses a synthectic lubricant in the differential.

In addition to changing the fuel filter regularly I don't run the fuel tank close to empty. The motors last longer if immersed in fuel for cooling, and has to work less to pick up fuel.

dadoftay · January 2004

hey,topsea...you made me think about my ride. My van has 120K and been reliable, save the ride problems, so I made a closer inspection on my last oil change at the dealer. Both front shocks had leaked until near empty and the right rear had busted the lower mounting point. Need to stay on my service man a little better!! It's quite impressive how new shocks that are all attached make the van handle better;) Sorry for the premature bad info jpc47 !!!!

jmarquette · February 2004

the Service AWD light started coming on 3 months ago. At the time I filled the front transfer case with fluid (it was almost empty). The light went out but started coming on again intermittantly. I had both front axle seals replaced to stop leaks. Light continued coming on with increasing frequency until now. Now it is mostly on. Any ideas??? Service AWD light???

jpc47 you mentioned that your light came on and it was a motor that controled the distribution of the front and rear wheels. How much was it to diagnose and get it fixed??

Thanks,
JOEL

jmarquette · February 2004

Yesterday in the ALL DATA system I read that most intermittant problems are the result of faulty connections. I climbed under my van and noticed that the connection to the 'motor that controls the distribution of the front and rear wheels' was a little loose. I opened and closed the connection a couple times and the 'service AWD' light has not been on since.

I did this after calling the dealer and finding out there was a $135 diagnostic fee and a potential charge of $500+ to fix something.

JOEL

jpc47 · February 2004

Just got your message I was out of town. They fixed it on warrenty, don't know how much it cost.

burned13 · February 2004

I can't say that I'm not happier having gotten rid of that overpriced underacheiving piece of junk,formerly known as a GMC Safari 2001.I took a beating,trading it in for half the price of the two year old LEMON it was but the lack of headaches of not having to drop it off at the dealership bi-weekly and finding a ride to work is almost worth the lesson I got on the General Mistake Carmaker.(GMC) Says it all for me.

coonhound · March 2004

Sounds as though you got a Monday morning Safari.
I feel as though the Astro/Safari are akin to Mom's apple pie and baseball. Many owners feel that the 4.3 engine is even better than the 3.8 used GM cars for several years. I drove a 94 2wd 88,000 miles without a single problem. My 97 2wd has had about 4 minor problems. I do wish it had rack and pinion steering instead of re circulating ball. But like a rock.

slorenzen · March 2004

I've got a '95 Safari AWD with a little over 100k, and it's been very reliable(bought the extended warranty, even...turned out to be a waste of money).
Who'da thunk it?

jmarquette · March 2004

Any oppinions or input would be much appreciated.

My service AWD light is still on. It comes on almost every time the car is started know.

I replaced the transfer case fluid with Auto trac 2 as suggested by the dealer.

When driving on snow in my yard yesterday, only the back tires were spinning. Does this mean that the AWD is not working?? (The light was not on at the time.)

Any ideas???

creid · March 2004

Check the fuse under your hood labeled ATC this may be blown.

ficuss · March 2004

I just bought an '04 Astro cargo van, no bells and whistles, just air and radio. Has anyone regretted not buying the extended warranty due to high repair costs after warranty?

Frank

slorenzen · March 2004

Tough question. I bought a '95 Safari AWD SLT with most available options(used), and bought an extended warranty, yet the worst thing that happened was the wipers quit and the dealer charged the warranty company about $120, so I lost my shirt on that deal. It now has 102K on the clock, and everything is still working...

ficuss · March 2004

thanks for the reply. I have been asking hard questions on Edmunds for a few years now. My other Chevy is an 02 Trailblazer. The question of an extended warranty on that car was a no brainer. The TB has 7 computers and is completly controlled by computer. The engine was replaced at 2000 miles. Deciding on buying the extended warranty was easy. The Astro cargo van is so simple compared to the TB that deciding on the warranty is tougher. What kind of track record do the 4.3 vortec and the auto trans have? Does the suspension hold up for 75 K miles before needing work. There isn't much else to repair, and yet the cost of the warranty is close to the same as the TB.
By the way, your problem with wipers may have been a generic problem Chevy has been having with wiper motors. Do a search on other Edmunds Chevy forums and you will see many complaints about Chevy wiper motors. Many of the complaints have been satisfied by chevy at no cost to the owner.

jpc47 · March 2004

I got the hard sell on the warrenty from the dealer when I bought my used 2001 Astro LS. I bought the cheapest version, powertrain, and haven't used it. It's been a good van. Haven't had any problems yet. We've had it about a year.

ficuss · March 2004

Judging from the number of posts here relative to the number of posts in the Chev. Trailblazer/GMC Envoy/Olds Bravada forum, Either G.M. has sold far fewer Astros than the TB/Envoy/Bravada or there are far fewer complaints about the Astros. I hope it is fewer complaints.

Frank

dadoftay · March 2004

I would have to think that GM has outsold the SafAstro twins with the TB/Envoy combo 10 to 1. I'm sure the SUV craze hasn't waned just yet. I have to say the feedback on the SafAstros is unfortunately like any other GM, some good and some bad. I've been a lucky one, but I have experienced some of the problems posted here. But, hey at least these vans are not as ugly as the new Uplander.....YIKES!!!

oomar43 · May 2004

Being my first time to consider buying a GM vehicle, I am looking for owners feed back on the reliability of GMC Safari or the Chevy Astro compared with Toyota Sienna or Honda mini vans, and their ability to tow a 3000 lbs. boat and safely launch it out of steep wet ramps.

Thanks for your contribution

jpc47 · May 2004

can't beat the awd Astro for towing, pick the others for reliability.

slorenzen · May 2004

I tow a 20' boat, total weight around 4000lbs including trailer, with a Safari AWD. Used to use a 2wd Astro, and I would smoke the tires on the wet ramps. I would recommend the AWD for this reason. Plus, if you drive in snow, the AWD is uncanny in it's ability. When we go to the ski slopes, often times it's the Subarus and me able to stay on the road.

ganze1 · June 2004

Hi,
Has anyone changed the type of rotor they are using on their Astro/Safari? My 2003 Astro has warped rotors. I was thinking of trying some slotted or drilled rotors so they stay cooler. Has anyone tried them? If so, was there any improvement?

Thanks,
Phil...

topsea · June 2004

My 2001 AWD Astro is my third. I drive a lot, 40,000 to 50,000 a year. My current Astro has gone 70,000 plus miles on front brake pads and rotors. My driving hasn't changed. I owe this to a savy Chevrolet service advisor telling me his "secret" when my OEM pads gave out along with warped rotors. This was at about 28,000 miles, by the way. He said not to use any other pads but carbon metalic after my rotors were turned. GM doesn't sell them but I went to a local NAPA and picked up a set. Wow, what a diffence it's made. I'm at about 110,000 on the "clock" now. I'll never use anything but carbon metalic on my Astros.

ganze1 · June 2004

Thanks for the advice. Was there any special/oem rotor used or are they just the factory rotors? Also, I had thought of trying the ceramic pads. They are supposed to be the new thing!!!

topsea · June 2004

No, factory rotors turned for the first time. And he said do not get ceramic unless you want to replace your rotors often. The big sercret(he said) to the carbon metalic is that they dissapate heat better than any of the others and it's heat that "kills" your rotors. Heck, mine are still smooth as butter after all those miles.

ganze1 · June 2004

Great. Sounds like good advice. Thanks again.

toocheap · June 2004

I bought my 96 Astro in 2002 with 100K miles on it, and it has been pretty good generally. I now have 135K miles and over Christmas I lost my fuel pump. When the pump was actually in the process of failing, I was cruising along the highway about 60mph, and the van started to cough, hesitate, then stopped dead all in about 5 minutes. I replaced the pump, my fuel strainer, and fuel filter.

Now, sometimes when I'm cruising at highway speed (more like 70-80 mph) it will cough a little bit. This has been going on for a few months and it is very unnerving. It hasn't died, it just coughs at highway speed. I checked the diagnostic trouble Codes and got a code for the camshaft position sensor. I replaced that, and it has helped; but still has not solved the problem.

A few things I suspect are: Fuel injectors, timing chain, and ignition coil. Presently, I am getting no Diagnostic Trouble Codes. I would appreciate any of your thoughts, experiences, etc. My brother suspects that I'm sporadically losing power to my ECM, but I've seen no code to this effect.

Thanks
Too cheap to go to a dealer

ganze1 · June 2004

I now have carbon metallic pads all the way around on my '03 Astro. We'll see if they are worth it. The stopping power is pretty good. I had the front rotors turned but I think I will have to replace them because they are thin and still a bit warped, not much though. I had to replace the rear rotors. I found it very interesting that the e-brake use a drum inside the rotor. Never seen that before.

topsea · June 2004

I just had my tires rotated at a Les Schwab store here in the area and they said that my front (carbon metalic) pads were down to 1/3 of their life. They thought I'd be an easy sell for new front brakes. I said given there is 1/3 still left, that means I can go another 40,000 miles before I need to think about replacing them. I invited them to take it for a spin and check out how smooth it still stops. No abnormal rotor wear. If it lurched or grabbed, it would be time to look at the pads and rotors but it isn't. One other nice benefit is that they don't make the wheels as dirty with the dust off the wearing pads. Mark me down as sold on carbon metalics for Astros anyway.

famof3kids · July 2004

I have 95000 miles on my Astro. No problems, just regular maintenance. Can't beat that! And with three kids, we need the space. There is no other 'small' van that can beat the towing capacity! I just wish that GM would add On-Star, DVD, and curtain airbags to the 2005's. We would buy another one in a heartbeat. Seems that GM wants the Astro/Safari sales to decline. Baltimore Sun reported that in the latest UAW contract the plant was slated to close in summer of 2005. This model/plant also has the highest labor hours per vehicle in the GM lineup, so, guess that too was a determining factor, but, what can they expect with a 19 year old design. I just hope they update it or replace it with an equivalent, because I definetely will not hop on the Venture/Montana/Terraza/Relay bandwagon. According to http://www.gminsidenews.com/factsheet.htm, 2005 is the last year.

famof3kids · July 2004

Well, its been a week since my last post and bragging about my van. On our way to Myrtle Beach last week when we noticed that, upon exiting the interstate coming to a slow stop, we started hearing a thump noise from the rear of the vehicle. We continued on as the noise only occurred when coming to a stop, and slower than 10mph. After arriving, we headed out one night in the traffic. We noticed the van started shuddering when accelerating in 2nd gear. It wasn't slipping, just shuddering, enough to shake the dash. No lights on dash, but, we were worried being 7 hours from home. When it was time to come home, we took it easy. It got us home. I took the van to a local 'trusted' mechanic and he couldn't figure it out. I then took it to the Chevy dealer. They too were stumped as to the cause. The weird thing is that it didn't do this until it was driven 10 miles, maybe enough to warm it up. The service manager, lead Chevy technician, and another technician drove it trying to determine the cause. They fist started with a full transmission flush and filter kit. No results. They then flushed the transfer case. No results, but, they did say it would take about 100 miles for the transfer case synthetic oil to get through all the parts (weird, I know). They also fixed the sticking gas pedal (carbon build up). So, $400 later, I drove it home. After a day or so the problem was gone. It has been doing fine for a week. Absolutely not shuddering or thumping. We had hoped it was solved. So, last night on the way home from taking the kids swimming, 3 miles away, it started again. There are still no check lights illuminated. The Chevy dealer said that if it happened again, the next thing would be to tear into the transmission or transfer case. He said a rebuilt GM tranny was $2500 and a rebuilt transfer case was $1500. So, we are going to live it it for a few more weeks to see 'what' happens or, if it gets worse. The van is in great shape, no rust, perfect paint, etc. I just hate to put that much money in a vehicle with 95k miles and 5 years old. The GM service manager said that he would personally trade it if it was his. So, this might be the end of our Astro days, only time will tell, short time....

topsea · July 2004

Just a question or two because I had a similiar incident when mine was new. Does your van have a limited slip rear differential? Have you changed tires or rotated them front to back before the problems began?

In my situation, I put new tires on the van right after I picked it up from the dealer. The trouble was that one tire was not the same size as the other 3 and it happened to get mounted on the front. When it was rotated from the front to the back at 5,000 miles, it started trying to kick in the limited slip feature. The sensors were telling the limited slip to kick in because one tire was turning slower than the other. Chevy did all the things that they did to your van until one sharp eyed technician figured it out. Yeah, the tire dealer paid for it all.

Just thought I'd pass that along if it might be of help.

john29 · July 2004

Just bought a 2004 Safari RWD yesterday on impulse. Reading thru these message, see a lot of references to the fuel pump failures.. Is this pump inside the fuel tank?

topsea · July 2004

Yes, I just had my first fuel pump failure. I paid $634.14 to have it replaced with a new factory unit here in Seattle. The shop did tell me that they believe a lot of these failures are caused by owners driving on a nearly empty tank. Over time, they overheat and fail. They are long, narrow units that stick up high in the tank and are not submersed in fuel unless the tank is full or nearly so.

My 2 cents

famof3kids · July 2004

Good grief! That was the problem! As soon as I got home I checked the van! That was the third trip back to the tire dealer (National Chain). The manager wasn't there, but, I'll be sure to try and get him to pay for the work done at the dealer. There was only two mechanics on duty and they changed the tire free of charge. The problem was that 3 tires were 215-75-15 and one front tire was 225-75-15. We drove the van 1500 miles on the wrong size tire. I hope it did't mess up the transfer case, etc. I thought it was the tires, because the problem happened after we had new tires put on the van. But, I took it back to the tire dealer who said everything was OK. Only then did I take it to the dealer for hundreds of dollars of un-needed maintenance! Makes sense now. The AWD was kicking in thinking that the van was spinning. That explains the parking lot binding (worse than normal), the shudder when accelerating, and the thumping when coming to slow stop! Thanks for your help!!

jubileerun · July 2004

I am unhappily divorcing from a 1992 Toyota Previa, it was not designed with maintenance in mind. I am drawn to the Astro/Safari line because it sports the 4.3L vortec and rear wheel drive. I have a few questions. 1. Is there any difference in quality between the Astro versus the Safari? 2. What year did the vortec (I assume this means multi-port fuel injection) become standard equipment? 3. What is it like to work on this vehicle yourself, is there easy access to the top of the engine? 4. Is the 2001 model year as good as any? 5. Is the 8pass configuration as easy to maneuver as the 7pass? Thanks.

bsmoodha · July 2004

Scenario: 98 Astro, 98,000 m,2 WD, NON limited slip,new front shocks, 6k on tires, also tires balanced and rotated once and seem to be wearing evenly, no metal in differential, new brakes. Problem: doing 55/67 mph. internittent medium frequency vib. in steering wheel, seat of your pants and console. WHEN it is vibrating you can hear a rumble from the rear-inside the van. If you hit the brakes when it is doing this vib.thing the whole van beginns to shake moderately.

Took it to the Dealer just before the 6y/100k warranty expired. They had it for the day and two techs could not feel the vib. it probably was not acting up at the time for them or they don't know vibs.

Could it be the original rear shocks ???

I am just a jet Aircraft Maintenance Technician, what do I know about vibs......

coonhound · July 2004

There isn't any difference in the Astro and the Safari. They are both built in Baltimore and will continue production until mid 05 model year.

The major engine change was in 95 when the engine rating was increased from 165 HP to 190 HP & I assume the Vortec designation.

The 8 passenger and the 7 passenger van is the same size and wheelbase i.e. maneuverability is the same.
Some other changes in the 18 year old design.
97, supposedly ruggedized the 4L60E transmission.
99, added the tow haul mode to the 4L60E trans.
Around 02, 03, and 04. changes. Changed the computer program to eliminate the EGR valve. Added disc breaks on the rear. Changed to Synthetic fluid in the differential. Cheapened the base model by eliminating the folding and sliding rear seats in the 8 passenger model.
Changed the fuel injection system again, I believe in 03. Side door beams were added sometime after 97, (my model year), and this reduced the rated fuel mileage from 17, 21 to 16, 20, on the rwd.
Issues, but not major:
Transmission valve body on 97 models.
Sticky throttle body valve.
EGR valve on models so equipped.
Fuel pump if fuel level not properly maintained as a pump coolant.
Fuel pressure regulator on early models, and injectors. These problems mostly caused by using California formulated fuel and or using a premium fuel.
Differential is a little on the weak side if used for heavy towing. Synthetic lub, and or recommended frequent changes alleviate this problem.
Brakes are a little on the weak side.
Summing up: Like a rock, it is one tough truck. If you have the 8 passenger you can remove the rear seats and haul 4X8' sheets of wallboard and plywood. The center seats are bolted in on the 7 passenger. But it takes two men and a boy to lift the rear seats. Actually I do it by myself but they are heavy. I would recommend the 2003 if within your price range due to the disk rear brakes, improved injection system, no EGR valve, and the synthetic lube already in the differential.
Maintenance work is not all that difficult. Considering some of the other vans. i.e the Venture for instance.
Good luck

jubileerun · July 2004

Thanks for the info. This helps us with our decision to replace the Previa, which was not designed with shade tree mechanic maintenance in mind.

stever · July 2004

Bent rim or some other wheel problem?

Try asking in the Got a Quick, Technical Question? discussion - maybe there's some A&P propeller heads in there who can help.

Steve, Host

riccd2001 · July 2004

This probably applies to Astros and a few other Chevys...

From 1992 to 1994 GMC Safaris were available with L35 engines that produced 200 HP @ 4400 rpm. These so-called "W" series engines were marketed as "Enhanced" or "High Output" V6s and used central port electronic injection for fuel delivery. All were catagorized as "Vortec" V6s. From 1995 to date the SAE Net HP rating was reduced to 190 HP @ 4400 rpm. Multi-port fuel injection Vortec V6s became available starting in 1996 to date.

hansienna · July 2004

The Astro 4.3L V6 was called "Vortec V6" from the beginning even though it had carburetor at introduction in 1985. Fuel Injection was added in 1990 even though the label "Fuel Injection" appeared on the rear door in 1991.
      With a relatively frugal 17/22 EPA rating for 1991 and a 27 gallon fuel tank, the Astro/Safari had an outstanding fuel range. Many owners were getting 24-25 MPG on the highway with the 1990-91 Astro RWD.
      Sadly, GM failed to make small improvements such as easily removed 2nd row Captain Seats and left side sliding door so the Astro/Safari sales continued to drop as the Voyager/Caravan/Town & Country kept improving in comfort items and power while retaining excellent fuel economy.
      Most early Astro/Safari owners (1985-1994) would have continued to buy one IF GM would have improved them as Chrysler has done.
      Honda got it right the 2nd time with the 1999 Odyssey and Toyota finally produced a satisfactory minivan with the 2004 Sienna.
      The Mazda MPV minivan and KIA Sedona are too small for most families; the 2004 Nissan Quest too radical in appearance; Volkswagen vans have always been too gutless with very few creature comforts and poor gas mileage; the GM FWD vehicles were too radical at first and then too expensive with the current style; and Ford never did make a competitive minivan at a reasonable price. Ford minivans were always haunted by very poor reliability. The Taurus/Windstar transmission had a notoriously high failure rate and the 3.8L V6 had an almost 100% head gasket failure rate.

GMC Safari/Chevy Astro

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