Most common 1998 Chevrolet Astro problems
Share of the 241 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 →
1998 Chevrolet Astro recalls (3)
Visibility › Rearview mirrors/devices › Exterior
Certain sport utility vehicles, Mini vans, and pickup trucks May develop a short circuit in the electric outside rearview mirror switch.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused jumper harness to the electric outside rearview mirror switch. Owner notification began on April 24, 2003.
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.
What 1998 Chevrolet Astro owners say
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 45 →
Tl contact owns a 1998 Chevrolet Astro. The contact stated that there was a short circuit in the electric switch for the outside side view mirror. The failure caused heat damage that ignited a fire in the driver side door. The entire van was engulfed in flames. The fire occurred in the driveway of the contact's residence. A police report was filed and no one was injured. The fire department extinguished the fire. The current and failure mileages were 130,000.
Dt: the consumer stated that her windshield wipers fail intermittently. They came on when the consumer didn't need them, but when she needed them they wouldn't come on. This has happened in two astros that the consumer has owned. The first one was a 1995 Chevy Astro van and the second one is a 1998 Astro van. The windshield wipers and motor to the wipers had to be replaced. The owner was told by a service technician that GM replaced the motor on the wipers on the models before the owners van. There is no recall on the 1998 vans. This has been a problem since 2003. The owner has not had this looked at by a technician. The owner stated that she usually she pulls over to the side of the road, pops the hood and taps on the windshield wiper motor to get the wiper to work, and most times this works. The consumer has not talked to the dealer but has talked with GM. …
Brakes all 38 →
Cannot get air throught vents in dash, all controls work properly vacuum actuator moves, there is vacuum at the swithc, no one knows the answer paint on gas door bubbling and looks like it is going to fall off transmission shifted hard into 2nd gear since we bought it ( 54000kms) finally started to slip , bought used trans and had it installed, quoted 3000.00 to rebuild, dealer was past even belief. ABS comes on when coming to a stop every time . Lf front sensor reads o MPH when other sensors read movement causing it to assume a skid situation, replaced sensor at 205.00 no better, does not set code in computer according to mechanic. Pulled fuse. Has had vibration in driveline since purchased no one can find anything sugeestion range from replace all u joints, did some of them no better to replace rear end. …
While slowing to a stop at about 2 MPH on dry pavement, the vehicle's anti-lock braking system started rapidly cycling, no brakes were grabbing because of the rapid cycling, the engine started to race slightly, and the vehicle was headed for either two pedestrians or a building. To stop the vehicle, I placed the transmission in reverse and the vehicle came to a stop. After another brake attempt the brakes responded. I went to an isolated street with some ice and dry pavement, and this anti-lock braking failure occurred in 1 out of 5 braking attempts. I never received an anti-lock warning light and the system completed its self tests properly on each engine start up. I removed the 60 amp fuse to disable the system and I am not sure I can ever trust this system again.
Engine & cooling all 28 →
Cannot get air throught vents in dash, all controls work properly vacuum actuator moves, there is vacuum at the swithc, no one knows the answer paint on gas door bubbling and looks like it is going to fall off transmission shifted hard into 2nd gear since we bought it ( 54000kms) finally started to slip , bought used trans and had it installed, quoted 3000.00 to rebuild, dealer was past even belief. ABS comes on when coming to a stop every time . Lf front sensor reads o MPH when other sensors read movement causing it to assume a skid situation, replaced sensor at 205.00 no better, does not set code in computer according to mechanic. Pulled fuse. Has had vibration in driveline since purchased no one can find anything sugeestion range from replace all u joints, did some of them no better to replace rear end. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Chevrolet Astro. The contact stated that the built- in diagnostic system was defective and did not provide warning that the engine was overheating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the head gasket failed and caused engine coolant to leak into the motor abnormally. The engine motor and the intake gaskets would both need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer advised the contact that the built-in diagnostic system was not operating due to the vehicle's age. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but the vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 92,000. Updated 08-07-12
1998 Chevrolet Astro engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: Van.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Chevrolet Astro a good car?
Based on 241 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Astro rates avoid: 2.2× 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 1998 Chevrolet Astro?
The windows, wipers & sunroof — 45 complaints, 19% of all complaints for this model year, most often about windshield wiper/washer › motor. Next are the brakes (38) and engine & cooling (28).
How many recalls does the 1998 Chevrolet Astro have?
There are 3 recalls for the 1998 Chevrolet Astro, the most recent from March 7, 2003 (exterior). 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 1998 Chevrolet Astro problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 88,000 miles; 7% 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.