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CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2003 Chevy Astro Van has a solid reputation with very low complaint rates. The only problem now is finding one with low miles.

Not only is the 2003 Astro Van reliable, but since they were built on a truck powertrain, they can tow 5,500/5,000 lbs (RWD/AWD) -- almost double what other minivans can.

The Chevy Astro is mechanically identical to the GMC Safari.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
30,900 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2003 Chevrolet Astro Van brakes problems

brakes problem

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2003 Chevrolet Astro Van Owner Comments

problem #1

Sep 092005

Astro Van 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 30,900 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

On September 9, 2005 my 2003 Chevrolet Astro van exploded and caught fire in a parking lot. The fire dept. Arrived and put out the fire; the firemen disconnected the battery cable. The van was towed to huffines Chevrolet in plano, tx. The cause of the incident according to the Chevrolet mechanics is as follows: 1) every time the steering wheel was turned, the tie rods etc. Would chafe against a bracket on the chassis that held down a battery cable. 2) eventually the bracket failed. 3) the battery cable arced against the brake line. 4) the brake line ruptured spraying hydraulic fluid over the hot engine manifold. 5) the ensuing fire burned through, among other things, the A/C hose carrying freon. 6) when the A/C hosed was severed, the freon gas escaped causing the loud explosion that we heard some distance away. 7) the smoke that we saw in the air was actually the escaping freon gas. All was supposedly repaired in three weeks. On November 8, 2005, the brakes failed while under way. The Chevrolet mechanics stated that the cause of the brake failure was traced to a small pinhole caused by the arcing battery cable several weeks ago. Eventually the entire brake line failed. If this story seems preposterous to you, it does to me too but this is the story we got from Chevrolet. In my opinion, my 2003 Chevy Astro van suffers from a fatal flaw in design and/or manufacturer. It is unsafe and should be taken off the road forever.

- Plano, TX, USA

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