Most common 1996 Chevrolet Astro problems
Share of the 263 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Astro complaints by model year
Best Astro years: 2005, 2004, 2003. Years to avoid: 1995, 1997, 1996, 1998, 2000. Compare all years →
1996 Chevrolet Astro recalls (4)
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer
On certain minivans, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles with certain model-engine combinations, the windshield wiper motor May fail due to cracked solder joints on the controller circuit board. The windshield wipers could work intermittently or not at all.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the wiper motor circuit board and cover. Owner notification began on June 19, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free…
Seat belts › Front › Warning light/devices
Vehicle description: Mini vans. Some of these vehicles fail to comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 208, "occupant crash protection." the "fasten safety-belt" audible warning occasionally May not come on or May terminate in less than four seconds as required by the standard.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new alarm module. Owner notification began June 27, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
Child seat
Vehicle description: Mini vans equipped with integrated dual child seats. Some of these vehicles May be missing a seat belt retractor clutch spring and/or pawl spring in the child seat. If the clutch spring was missing, the seat belt would lock in the retracted position and could not be used.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the seat belts on the child seats, and if necessary, replace the child seat.
Seat belts › Rear/other
The outboard safety belt webbing on the right-hand rear bucket seat can separate during a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install a protector on the rear seat cushion frame.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1996 Chevrolet Astro:
Windshield wiper failure
As a result of this, and the precedinginvestigation, rq99-003, GM has expanded the population of safety recall 98v-150 (replacement of the windshield wiper control module) to include an additional 1.77 million vehicles.included are various 1994-1997 my m/l vans, s/t trucks and suvs, & c/k trucks and suvs.see attached technical report for details.
What 1996 Chevrolet Astro owners say
Suspension all 60 →
My wife went to move our 1996 Chevrolet Astro van and when she backed up the right front tire was rubbing on the wheel well. Upon further investigation it was determined that one of the torsion bars broke. When I called my local dealer I found the parts were readily available but I would have to replace both sides because they had been "updated". The parts alone were over $500.00. When I removed the old torsion bars I found out what had caused it to break, the receiver tube that the end of the bar went into had filled with dirt and road crude causing the bar to rust and eventully break. This occured four days before we were leaving on a 2500 mile trip. If this had occured when we were going down the interstate at 75mph or in the mountains while on vacation it could have been diasaterous. …
The torsion bar snapped in half. This bar was inadequate to the vehicle, and GM has a modified version for this. The bar broke while the consumer was driving the vehicle. The consumer was going 10 MPH, when this happened and this caused the left front to drop down about 8 to 10 inches and was a violent drop. There were no problems before this. There were no wrecks involved. The consumer had to take in to the midas dealer and have the torsion bars on the left and right replaced with the new modified version. The front shock also broke, as a result of the bar breaking. The total of fixing this was $1,000.00 at the consumer's expense.
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 55 →
I have a 1996 Chevrolet Astro van. I've replaced the driver and passenger side power window motor's four times, each. Our company has 26 vehicles, all Astro van's and all have the same problem. I just received a recall notice about the wiper motor on this vehicle. The power window motor definitely is more of a problem. I can't believe that there hasn't been a recall. In the winter, you'll being driving, lower the window and all of a sudden can't get it up. It's even more of a problem when it rains. Please check into this. I first replaced the motor on both sides @ 19,000 mile, than 39,000 miles and so on. When I called GM to complain the customer service rep was stone cold; couldn't care less! If you check into this you'll see it's a majpor problem.
Windshield wipers intermittently do not work. Has happened during all sorts of conditions. When stopped, moving, etc.. Last time failure occurred when vehicle was on a major highway in a driving rainstorm. When Chevrolet was contacted on June 30, 1999, they stated there was a recall for this problem. It is for the pulse printed circuit board and the number is 97V043. When they checked our VIN, I was informed it did not apply to our vehicle. This condition is potentially life threatening and should be investigated. Several other Chevy Astro owners have stated they also have had problems similiar to this.
Brakes all 36 →
Pin holes in steel brake lines causing complete brake failure. Fortunately vehicle was sitting when brake petal was applied for starting. When pressing brake to start vehicle, petal went completely to floor. When checking under vehicle to analyze problem, pin holes leaks were observed in various places from front to rear in steel lines. I fear what May have happened had the vehicle been in motion, around pedestrians, and/or, on the road.
I just got home & was backing around to where I park when the brake pedal started vibrating. I did manage to park. The next day the vibrating stopped when a grating noise was made. Suddenly the brake pedal came way up. It does have some brakes but they are hard to depress. Suddenly my power steering is gone. There was no indication of problems with either beforehand. This van just passed inspection in mid-August, and has always been taken care of.
1996 Chevrolet Astro engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 20 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: Van.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1996 Chevrolet Astro a good car?
Based on 263 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1996 Astro rates avoid: 2.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Astro at the same age. It is one of the Astro years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Chevrolet Astro?
The suspension — 60 complaints, 23% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front › springs › torsion bar. Next are the windows, wipers & sunroof (55) and brakes (36).
How many recalls does the 1996 Chevrolet Astro have?
There are 4 recalls for the 1996 Chevrolet Astro, the most recent from April 28, 2003 (windshield wiper/washer). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Astro?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005, 2004 and 2003. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1995, 1997, 1996, 1998 and 2000. See the full Chevrolet Astro years comparison.
At what mileage do 1996 Chevrolet Astro problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 106,000 miles; 9% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.