Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Chevrolet Astro owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
1997 Chevrolet astrovan with electrical door locks. Pulled into sheetz gas and go and went to open the drivers door and it did not open. Tried to push the manual inside door lock but it was totally frozen and would not actuate. Next tried electrical door lock switch. No response on drivers door but there was weak sound from passenger door lock solenoid. It was as if on the passenger side it was suffering from insufficient voltage. Crawled out of passenger seat and got out of car. ' took ignition key and inserted it into drivers door lock. Key would turn to lock (felt the detent of the ) and back to neutral... Key would not turn to unlock position ...would move a little and then freeze. I did not try harder to turn as I felt there was a very good chance the key would break and leave me stranded 40 miles from home... No backup ignition key. Ignition key works the door locks in this model. …
I have a 1997 Astro, in the past 8 months the driver side window motor, windshield wiper motor and transmission have all been replaced. The transmission was replaced with 54,202 miles on it, which started giving us problems at about 53,000 miles. The dealership replaced both idler arms at 25,680 miles. Had seat belt chime fixed (recall), driver seat feels loose when stopping dealership claims to have tightened it, still feels loose. The van has always idled rough took it in 3 times for that and can't seem to fix that. Sliding door rattle they tried to fix that also still rattles. The gas pedal sticks when I take off or when I go in reverse which makes it impossible to take off smoothly. I had an Astro and a safari in the past and never had as many problems as I had with this one.
Power window on passenger side has failed. Vehicle has been through 2 new batteries since we purchased it 6 months ago. Seems to be draining batteries and we are not sure why. We put battery on recharger overnight, but within hours of taking itoff the charger, the battery is drained while the car is not running.
Auxiliary air conditionr (A/C) rear switch failed/ melted/ smoked. This was the second time in 4 years. Went to the junk yard, and found thet 5 of 5 Astro vans with this type switch also were melted/burned. No appearent defect with rear blower motor that would pull excessive amps.
Engine check light coming on coincidently with very rough shifting. Dealer states transmission needs replacement, even though an independent transmission shop could find no problem with the transmission. The independent mechanic maintains the problem is in the computer, which is shutting down and causing a full line pressure in the transmission, causing the rough shift. The independent shop dropped the transmission pan, inspected the fluid and visually inspected the transmission. Also kept and drove the vehicle for 2 days. Dealership insists the computer code they are receiving (p1870) indicates a transmission slip, to be remedied by a complete transmission replacement or at least an overhaul. No visual inspection of the transmission was conducted by the dealer -- only relying on a computer code to diagnose the problem. …
Was driving and the engine started to miss,and would not pull it's self down the hwy. Then engine stalled, and would not restart. Its was towed to a local Chevy dealer,which is 350 miles from my house. Where the problem was determined. The electrical systam was contaminated with fuel. The mechanic poured raw gas from ECM. Apparently fuel is being pumped through the wires that fire the injector to the ECM. The dealer don johnson motors of rice lake ws, had never seen anything like this before. My local Chevy dealer sheppard Chevrolet of lake bluff il has had another 4.3 in a truck do the same thing. GM warrented that. But I'm over my standard warrenty and the best they say they can do is 50/50 on the cost,which I think is unfair. They should cover this, as far as im concered this is a safety issue. One spark while I was driving and it could have caught on fire. …
Driver's side rear window will not stay open, clips that should hold it up are blocked by material, window slams shut when going over a bump. Transmission went out at 45000 miles. Oil leak, dealer ordered axle output shaft seal and crankshaft sensor. Electric fuel pump replaced due to vehicle cutting and would crank, but would not star. Oil pressure gauge erratic, dealer replaced oil pressure sender. Front brakes and pads were replaced, rotors were resurfaced. Consumer states there is play in the steering, dealer replaced both idler arms and reset toe in. Power door locks inoperable, dealer replaced power door lock switch. Power window inoperable, dealer replaced power window switch. Shifter was hard to move, dealer replaced shift cable. Gas pedal binds at times, dealer ordered throttle cable and replaced accelerator cable. …
I have had a number of problems with this vehicle: both the left and right power windor motors; replace the key remote, both idler arms,front brake pad at 37,000 miles, serpentime belt, power steering pump - replaced twice, had to fix oil cooler lines twice, replaced distributor/rotor; replaced lower gasket due to intake manifold leak, and fuel pump modual. All of this was done before my car had 57,000 miles. The dealer has been very fair and repaired at low or now cost. I have had two trips shortened due to breakdowns and have spent over $1,500 on repairs not covered under warrenty or by the dealer. This is in addition to normal maintenance (oil and filter,four new tires,and transmission fluid and filter). I am concerned as to "what is next" and when the dealer when no longer be able to fix these problems at low cost to me.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Chevrolet Astro van. While driving at speeds of 30 MPH, the vehicle lost power and stalled. The contact stated the odometer and other unknown lights on the dashboard failed. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic and advised the contact there was a computer failure in the vehicle. The vehicle was diagnosed by two additional mechanics which advised the contact of the same failure. The contact had not informed the dealer or the manufacturer. The VIN was not available. The current and failure mileages were not available. Updated 07/26/10. Updated 08/06/10
Within months of purchase, on April, 2003, the power windows failed to open. Then the cd player would not eject the cd's. The intermediate levels of the windshield wipers no longer worked by that winter. The battery has been replaced twice due to it discharging, I have jumped the van and placed the batteries on chargers, only to be dead again after a test drive. I have replaced the connectors as well in hopes that was the problem but to no avail. Now the rear heater does not work.
Electrical complaints in other Astro years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 1997 Chevrolet Astro?
NHTSA has 28 complaints about the electrical system of the 1997 Chevrolet Astro, 8% of the model year's 360 complaints. The component named most often is wiring › interior/under dash (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Chevrolet Astro electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 1997 Chevrolet Astro, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1997 Chevrolet Astro electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 138,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.