NHTSA complaint: 2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2005 MY 2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN EXPLODED AND CAUGHT FIRE IN A PARKING LOT. THE FIRE DEPT. ARRIVED AND PUT OUT THE FIRE; THE FIREMEN DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY CABLE. THE VAN WAS TOWED TO HUFFINES CHEVROLET IN PLANO, TX. THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT ACCORDING TO THE CHEVROLET MECHANICS IS AS FOLLOWS: 1) EVERY TIME THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED, THE TIE RODS ETC. WOULD CHAFE AGAINST A BRACKET ON THE CHASSIS THAT HELD DOWN A BATTERY CABLE. 2) EVENTUALLY THE BRACKET FAILED. 3) THE BATTERY CABLE ARCED AGAINST THE BRAKE LINE. 4) THE BRAKE LINE RUPTURED SPRAYING HYDRAULIC FLUID OVER THE HOT ENGINE MANIFOLD. 5) THE ENSUING FIRE BURNED THROUGH, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE A/C HOSE CARRYING FREON. 6) WHEN THE A/C HOSED WAS SEVERED, THE FREON GAS ESCAPED CAUSING THE LOUD EXPLOSION THAT WE HEARD SOME DISTANCE AWAY. 7) THE SMOKE THAT WE SAW IN THE AIR WAS ACTUALLY THE ESCAPING FREON GAS. ALL WAS SUPPOSEDLY REPAIRED IN THREE WEEKS. ON NOVEMBER 8, 2005, THE BRAKES FAILED WHILE UNDER WAY. THE CHEVROLET MECHANICS STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE BRAKE FAILURE WAS TRACED TO A SMALL PINHOLE CAUSED BY THE ARCING BATTERY CABLE SEVERAL WEEKS AGO. EVENTUALLY THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINE FAILED. IF THIS STORY SEEMS PREPOSTEROUS TO YOU, IT DOES TO ME TOO BUT THIS IS THE STORY WE GOT FROM CHEVROLET. IN MY OPINION, MY 2003 CHEVY ASTRO VAN SUFFERS FROM A FATAL FLAW IN DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURER. IT IS UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD FOREVER. *JB
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation