RecallRepo

1985 Chevrolet Astro Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 1985 Chevrolet Astro has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 635,818 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

SEATS 93V187000 1993-11-16 604,207 affected
Defect

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.

Consequence

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.

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.

STEERING 85V160000 1985-12-03 26,741 affected
Defect

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…

Remedy

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

PARKING BRAKE 85V124000 1985-10-07 4,870 affected
Defect

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. …

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.

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
1
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
1
STEERING:COLUMN
1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
1
Total complaints6

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“The bolt inside of the steering column come loose. Tt”

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR · reported 1995-05-01

“Cruise control problems.”

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · reported 1995-04-06

“I had a recall done on this at that time the dealer just relplaced the buckle buttons and put some spring clip on the retractor, the spring did not hold and the retractor totally gave up working I heard it spring all over in the pillar and the buckle has totally detriorated from the uv light if…”

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC · reported 1995-04-01

“I had a recall done on this at that time the dealer just relplaced the buckle buttons and put some spring clip on the retractor, the spring did not hold and the retractor totally gave up working I heard it spring all over in the pillar and the buckle has totally detriorated from the uv light if…”

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY · reported 1995-04-01

“Tilt steering column unlatches and begins to swing while driving. *ak”

STEERING:COLUMN · reported 1995-03-25

“Transmission slips out of gear while sitting/running or off. But transmission still pulls van reverse or forward. *ak”

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Defect investigations

Investigation EA87009 Opened 1987-01-21 · closed 1988-08-16

REAR BRAKES

ANALYSIS: THE PROPOSED GM CHANGES SHOULD REDUCE THE FRONT-BIAS IN THEREAR BRAKE SYSTEM.HOWEVER THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT GM WILL RETROFITTHE 1985 AND 1986 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES.REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE PROBLEMMAY NOT LIE IN THE BRAKE BIASING SYSTEM, BUT RATHER IN MALFUNCTIONINGOR IMPROPERLY DESIGNED REAR BRAKE…

Investigation EA92022 Opened 1992-06-24 · closed 1993-11-19

SEAT BACK BOLT BREAKAGE

There is no summary currently available

Investigation PE86053 Opened 1986-05-01 · closed 1987-01-20

INADEQUATE REAR BRAKES

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:NO TSB'S OR RECALLS HAVE BEENISSUED ON THIS MATTER.THE 1985 CAMIP PHASE II SURVEY RATED THE GM M-VANBRAKE EFFECTIVENESS LOWEST AMONG VEHICLE LINES TESTED.IN RESPONSE TO THECONCERN OF VAN OWNERS, CHANGES IN THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDER DIAMETER AND THEPROPORTIONING VALVE WERE…

Investigation PE89106 Opened 1989-03-23 · closed 1989-09-19

REAR AXLE SEAL FAILURE

===

Investigation PE90039 Opened 1990-02-05 · closed 1990-06-29

SPARE TIRE CARRIER FAILURE

There is no summary currently available

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1985 Chevrolet Astro as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.