Model year record

1985 Chevrolet Astro

3 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 6 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 93V187000

Seats

Component
Seats
Manufacturer
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Vehicles affected
604,207
Reported to NHTSA
1993-11-16
Owners notified
1994-01-20

Defect description

THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME MAY HAVE FOAM AND/OR VINYL BETWEEN THEM, CREATING A "SOFT" JOINT. THIS "SOFT" JOINT RESULTS IN LOWER THAN SPECIFIED BOLT TORQUE WHICH LEADS TO JOINT LOOSENESS, CAUSING BOLT FATIGUE AND EVENTUAL BOLT FAILURE.

Safety risk

IF BOLT FAILURE OCCURS TO THE DRIVER'S SEAT, IT WOULDALLOW THE SEAT BACK TO SUDDENLY RECLINE, AND COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLECONTROL AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE FOAM AND/OR VINYL FROM BETWEEN THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME "SOFT" JOINT AND REPLACE THE RECLINER BOLTS.

Recall campaignNHTSA 85V160000

Steering: gear box (other than rack and pinion)

Component
Steering: gear box (other than rack and pinion)
Manufacturer
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Vehicles affected
26,741
Reported to NHTSA
1985-12-03
Owners notified
1986-04-25

Defect description

A PART OF THE STEERING GEAR HOUSING WHICH ATTACHES TO THE FRAME MAY BREAK. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: STEERING DIFFICULTIES WILL OCCUR AND THE STEERING GEAR TO THE FRAME MAY FRACTURE RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THIS COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

REPLACE BROKEN OR CRACKED STEERING GEAR OR INSTALL A BRACE IF STEERING GEAR IS NOT BROKEN OR CRACKED.

Recall campaignNHTSA 85V124000

Parking brake: driveline: air: chamber

Component
Parking brake: driveline: air: chamber
Manufacturer
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Vehicles affected
4,870
Reported to NHTSA
1985-10-07

Defect description

THE REAR BRAKE RELEASE TIME MAY BE GREATER THAN THE TIME SPECIFIED IN FMVSS 121, "AIR BRAKE SYSTEM". IN ADDITION, SOME TRACTORS MAY HAVE WARPED PARKING BRAKE APPLY SPRINGS WHICH ALSO EFFECT THE REAR BRAKE RELEASE TIME. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: TRACTORS FAIL TO MEET THE STOPPING DISTANCE SPECIFIED IN FMVSS 121 WHICH IS REQUIRED TO STOP THE TRUCK SAFELY.

Manufacturer remedy

INSTALL A QUICK RELEASE VALVE IN THE TRAILER SERVICE AIR LINE AND INCREASE THE DIAMETER OF THE REAR SERVICE BRAKE LINE. ALSO INSPECT REAR SPRING BRAKE CHAMBER AND RELEASE IF NECESSARY.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Power train: automatic transmission1
Seat belts: front: buckle assembly1
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc1
Steering: steering wheel/handle bar1
Steering: column1
Vehicle speed control1

The 1984 model has 6 times as many complaints as this one. The 1986 model has about a quarter as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.