[Mrs. Doodlepunk]

We have a "new" '03 Astro AWD that only has one key, which we aren't real happy about because it's probably going to cost an arm and a leg and first-born male child to get a second key and electronic thingy. But what is even more puzzling is that the key will not unlock the doors. Could this be an electrical issue, or is there supposed to be another key for the doors? Our "old" Safari has two keys, one for ignition and one for the doors.

 

['cudapaul]

Starting in 1996, M/L Vans (Astro's and Safari's) only require one key that works for the doors and ignition locks.

If your 03 Astro key that you have will turn the ignition lock then it should be the right key. If it won't open the doors then most likely it is a bad copy, or the ignition lock was replaced at some time with a different one and the key was not matched to the doors.

I would suggest that you go to the dealer. They can make a key for your van based on the VIN information once you provide them with proof of ownership. That may then work for both the ignition and door locks. They usually charge around $25 to do this.

The remote key entry fob (RKE, the electronic thingy) is a different problem. You can either buy one from the dealer ($$$ ouch) or off e-bay or a similar source online. The problem is that for your model year you will have to go to the dealer and have it added to the vehicle because GM changed the process a few years earlier from where you could add the RKE yourself.

 

[Gus_Mahn]

The locks could just be stiff from lack of lubrication. A lot of newer vehicles have remote fobs and the key never gets used. I've found that http://blasterchemical.com/display.cfm?p=50003&pid=4 is by far hands down the best way to free up stiff locks. Just blast a little in the lock opening and play with the key. I have to do this to my F-150 every year or two or I can't turn the locks.

 

[Mrs. Doodlepunk]

Thanks guys. Mr. D went to a GM dealer and they figured it out. The ignition switch got changed at some point, and they didn't match the new one to the door locks. So they cut a key to fit the door locks, and a spare set for me. Still no extra fob thingee but don't really need it as long as I have a key. It will be my husband's vehicle anyway.

Now the plot thickens, there are major things wrong with this that we didn't know about. It started making noise on the way home. Going to see the dealer where we bought it on Monday. It needs upwards of 3K in repairs, including a transmission, pinions, also a loose chain in the transfer case. Our mechanic told us that it looks like the changed fluids so things wouldn't be apparent to people looking at it. We are NOT happy!

 

[Mr_Bowtie]

Thats definatly not good. Thats a lot of repairs to deal with right after purchasing it. Sounds like a shady dealership you bought it from. I hope it all works out.

 

[Mrs. Doodlepunk]

I'm going to see them tomorrow to let their service guys check it over. Since we bought it "as is" we have nothing to complain about, but a good business will not let a thing like this go. At least that's my theory.

We think now that it was beat to heck, either driven with a flat or towed, and maybe stolen. Nothing shows up to that effect on Carfax, but to have the ignition changed and all this stuff wrong sure looks odd.

 

[Leeann_93]

No way. If they didn't know about it, that's one thing. But if they knew about it and changed the fluids so it would appear okay, that's fraud. Pure and simple.

 

[Mrs. Doodlepunk]

Well, after over 3 hours sitting at the dealership yesterday, I have a little bit of slightly hopeful news. They might be able to "do something" for us but are not making promises. The rear end noise was minimized, since they had talked to other dealerships who were more familiar with these vans than they were, and were told "Oh, yeah, those vans all have noisy rear ends." (insert favorite joke about noisy rear ends here) I told the guy that in the 15 years we've owned our '94 it has never had a grinding humming noise like that, but then we've never driven it with the wrong size tires, or driven it with a flat tire, or had it towed without being on a flat bed hauler. Also, the two other Safari's with AWD that my husband has driven never had this type of noise. One of them he put 230K miles on in 10 years for his job! We know what we are talking about, we know these vans. They sold us a pile of problems. End of story.

So we went for a ride and listened to the noise so the salesman could hear it. That was when he said he would see what he could do but is not making any promises.

Bottom line, we should have driven it more before we purchased it. We should have had a mechanic look it over real good. We should not have been so eager, but after looking for over a year and having several other vans sold before we could get back to drive it again, we thought we had to snap this one up quick. Expensive lesson learned.

I sure wish they still made these vans. Nothing beats them for cargo space and mileage and all the other stuff like towing a boat or a camper. All around great family vehicles.

 

[astro355]

Sorry if I missed it somewhere but what state/country do you live in? Most states have some type of lemon laws to protect consumers from shady practices such as this.

 

[guyonearth]

It seems odd that they could sell a vehicle in which the transmission, transfer case, and differential were all bad. I would suggest if that is the case and they won't fix it for you. that you swap in salvage units for the transfer case and rear axle, they are not expensive, probably 5-600 for both. I would look at the fluids as well, it's not unheard of that they load these things up with STP to hush up noise. I had a guy do that to me many years ago, he sold me a Nova with "60,000" miles on it (actually 160,000) and put about 5 bottles of STP in the crankcase to quiet the noisy lifters.

 

[Mrs. D]

Update:
Sorry I never posted any more here. I seem to have lost my original account, so registered again today as "Mrs. D". A few days after my last post, my father passed away. He was an auto mechanic and had his own garage for almost 50 years.

It was a while before we got all the work done on this van, but we were driving it again by the end of August.

My brother is a mechanic and ended up doing the work for us. He did a transmission kit/rebuild, pinion seal and bearings, rear wheel bearings and distributor and plugs. He said the transfer case was OK.

We never did get another key fob, it would be nice to have.

The only trouble we have had - other than minor things like the air conditioning only blowing through the defrost vents - is now the front end chatters when turning in a parking lot. My husband is looking around here and sees that there have been others having this problem with older vans.

 

[Leeann_93]

If this is for your 2003, you need to replace the transfer case fluid with the blue AutoTrak II from GM, drive it 100 miles, replace it again. That should take care of your chatter while turning.

 

[RECox286]

It is a shame dept:

When I hear about these things happening, it makes me sick. Knowing you are selling a product that has issues is just plain stupid. In all my dealings, I never wanted just one sale to a particular party, I wanted many, many sales after the first one. Repeat business is what makes the reputation good, single sales due to underhanded dealings are what make for bad reputations, and believe me, that kind of reputation comes back to haunt you all too soon.

I wish you all the best this time. Next time, take the time to let "your mechanic" look it over first.

Bob

 

[alexalexanders]

Yes this awful they did that to you. Btw the air only blowing threw the vents is because of a vacuum line that needs replaced.