2003 Chevrolet Astro Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Astro years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 9th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 62 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Chevrolet Astro. That ranks 9th out of 11 Astro model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (21 complaints, 34%), typically at around 56,000 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 3 fires, 4 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 62owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Chevrolet Astro problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 21 | 34% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 10 | 16% | 79,123 | — | — |
| Power Train | 8 | 13% | 31,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 8 | 13% | 78,400 | — | — |
| Steering | 6 | 10% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 8% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 5% | 30,900 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 5% | 15,400 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 3% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 3% | 120,418 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 3% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 2% | 206,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 2% | 118,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 2% | 72,010 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 2% | 101,487 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 2% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 2% | 16,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Chevrolet Astro recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: Certain minivans have an interference condition between the lower ball joint rubber boot and the steering knuckle (both left/right sides), which could result in cutting of the boot that is intended to seal the ball joint. If the lower ball joint boot were cut, contamination from the road (salt, dirt, water, etc.) could enter the ball socket area of the ball joint causing the joint to wear out too quickly.
Risk: The steering knuckle could separate from the lower control arm, dropping down the affected corner of the vehicle. The coil spring would push the control arm down into contact with the ground, creating a drag that would slow the vehicle. The driver could have difficulty in maintaining the directional control of the vehicle. In addition, the affected wheel assembly could separate from the vehicle if forces resulting from the wheel's dragging action were sufficient to fracture the tie rod end and upper ball joint connections. Separation of the wheel assembly would also sever that wheel's hydraulic brake hose, resulting in lost braking performance from the front brake system. Vehicle stopping distance would increase, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the steering knuckles. Owner notification is expected to begin on april 8, 2004. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or gmc at 1-866-996-9463.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet astro. The contact was made aware by an independent mechanic that his vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 03v328000 (suspension) while performing routine maintenance on the vehicle. The vehicle was diagnosed with a faulty steering knuckle and lower…
Front suspension issues, electrical gauges, replacement of fuel tank pump, door latches failing to open on sliding side door making exiting of vehicle impossible, recall of 02v328000 unable to be confirmed as handled by any dealers.
2003 chevrolet astro cargo van air bag did not deploy at time of collision. Astro van was hit on passenger side, front wheel well & bumper. Driver who hit van was exceeding speed limit, approximately doing closer to 40 mph in a 25 mph zone when they hit our van. We were just starting to proceed…
I was driving pulling a trailer on the freeway when suddenly the traffic stop. I applied the brakes at a safe distance when suddenly my brakes when all the way to the floor i applied the emergency brakes and stop. I had to go thru the emergency lane. I told my son to push the brake pedal while i…
My spouse was driving and we were stopped at a yard sale. We returned to the vehicle and started to back out when she noticed the steering wheel was extremely hard to turn. Then when she wanted to stop the vehicle the brakes were extreme hard to operate. After some research we learned of hundreds…
Other Chevrolet Astro years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Astro | 9 | 0 |
| 2004 Astro | 14 | 0 |
| 2003 | 62 | 1 |
| 2002 Astro | 70 | 1 |
| 2001 Astro | 91 | 1 |
| 2000 Astro | 175 | 0 |
| 1999 Astro | 133 | 1 |
| 1998 Astro | 241 | 3 |
| 1997 Astro | 360 | 4 |
| 1996 Astro | 263 | 4 |
| 1995 Astro | 446 | 3 |
See all Chevrolet Astro problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
Similar Chevrolet models
Embed this 2003 Chevrolet Astro badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Chevrolet Astro?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 21 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Chevrolet Astro?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Chevrolet Astro a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Astro model years, the 2003 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.