1999 Chevrolet Tracker

IN OCTOBER 2007, GM INITIATED A SPECIAL COVERAGE PROGRAM FOR ALL MY 1999 THROUGH 2004 CHEVROLET TRACKER VEHICLES SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN SALT-BELT STATES.THE PROGRAM EXTENDS THE WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER CORROSION TO 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST.GM IS ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM IN PHASES DUE TO PART AVAILABILITY.THE FIRST PHASE STARTED IN OCTOBER 2007 AND COVERS THE MY 1999 AND 2000 VEHICLES.OWNERS OF MY 2001 THROUGH 2004 VEHICLES WILL RECEIVE LETTERS AT A FUTURE DATE, BUT ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE FREE REPAIRS FROM THE PROGRAM IF THE CROSSMEMBER REQUIRES REPLACEMENT.GM'S PROGRAM PROVIDES FREE INSPECTIONS FOR CONSUMERS EVERY 12 MONTHS THROUGH THE TERMS OF THE POLICY ADJUSTMENT.COPIES OF THE DEALER BULLETIN AND OWNER LETTER FOR GM'S SPECIAL COVERAGE PROGRAM ARE ATTACHED TO THE CLOSING REPORT FOR THIS INVESTIGATION. THE RATE OF CONFIRMED LCA SEPARATIONS AT 5 YEARS IN SERVICE IS LESS THAN 10 PER 100,000 VEHICLES, WHICH IS LOW RELATIVE TO OTHER INVESTIGATIONS OF FRONT SUSPENSION ISSUES PREVIOUSLY INVESTIGATED BY ODI. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS AND OTHER INFORMATION RELATING TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IN THE FUTURE IF WARRANTED. SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS RESUME.

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1999 CHEVY TRACKER. SINCE DAY ONE OF OWNERSHIP, I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH STEERING WHEEL BINDING AND IGNITION KEY ISSUES. ALSO, THERE HAS BEEN A SQUEALING NOISE THAT IS LOUD AND CONSTANT. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES WITH THE SAME OLD RECOMMENDATION OF WE CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG, JUST KEEP DRIVING IT. OR, THERE IS NOTHING TO FIX. THE SQUEALING IS LOUDER AND FROM READING OTHER ISSUES WITH THE CHEVY TRACKER, IT SEEMS IS FROM THE PULLEY AND BELT AREA THAT IS CAUSING THE NOISE THAT A DEALER REFUSES TO FIX. ALSO, MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AND THE IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT TAKE THE KEY SMOOTHLY. MEANING, ITS HARD TO INSERT AND HARD TO REMOVE WITH OUT FORCE. I HAVE A 2008 HHR THAT WAS ON RECALL DUE TO THIS SAME IGNITION PROBLEM AND THE CYLINDER WAS REPLACE. THE PROBLEM IS IDENTICAL TO THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE 98,000 MILES ON THIS CAR AND DO NOT WANT TO GET HURT OR JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY, SO I AM REPORTING THIS ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE. I BELIEVE FROM OWNING ONLY CHEVROLETS, THAT YOUR IGNITION CYLINDER PROBLEM DATES WAY BACK, THEN WHAT YOUR WILLING TO ADMIT. SO PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE, BEFORE YOU HAVE MORE PROBLEMS TO DEAL WITH. MAKE THAT RECALL ON THE OLDER CARS, BECAUSE SOME OF THEM LIKE MINE ARE DEFECTIVE AND UNSAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10667827

Incident

Dec 1, 2009

Mileage

7,576 mi

BOTH OF MY FRONT SEAT BELTS HAVE LOCKED UP, MY DRIVER SIDE IS COMPLETELY LOCKED UP AND CAN'T BE USED, THE PASSENGER SIDE WILL WORK AT TIMES BUT NOT ALWAYS. I LOOKED IT UP ON GOOGLE AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER INSTALLED MISLABELED SEAT BELTS THAT WERE MEANT FOR THE TWO DOOR TRACKERS INTO THE FOUR DOOR TRACKERS. I CONTACTED GM ABOUT THIS AND THEY DENIED THAT MY PROBLEM WAS CONNECTED, INSTEAD CHALKED IT UP TO A COINCIDENCE AND TOLD ME I COULD GO TO A DEALERSHIP AND GET IT CHECKED OUT BUT THE COST WOULD BE OUT OF POCKET AND THEY SAID SINCE THE WARRANTY IS EXPIRED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR BECAUSE THEY ARE NO LONGER LIABLE BECAUSE OF THE EXPIRED WARRANTY. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT AND HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH A WARRANTY, I AM CURRENTLY DRIVING AROUND ILLEGALLY BECAUSE I CAN'T USE MY SEAT BELT, AND IF I WERE TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT I WOULD LIKELY DIE AS A RESULT. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND IT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH IMMEDIATELY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10649906

Incident

Jun 9, 2014

Mileage

157,420 mi

CAR KEEPS HAVING ITS BATTERY DRAINED AFTER REPAIRS. REPLACED TWO ALTERNATORS AND A CAR COMPUTER. SEEMS TO WORK FOR A FEW WEEKS AFTER GETTING FIXED AND THEN BURNS UP AN ALTERNATOR. THREE TIMES TO THE MECHANIC; CURRENTLY SHOP. PROBLEM OCCURRED AFTER NEW BATTERY WAS INSERTED. CAR HAS WORKED GREAT FOR 10 YEARS AND THEN THIS REQUIRING ELECTRICAL PROBLEM; BATTERY IS DEAD (THIS WITH A NEW BATTERY). *TR

NHTSA ID

10451010

Incident

Mar 9, 2012

Mileage

126,000 mi

CAME TO A STOP AT A STOP SIGN AND HEART A POP. TRACKER WOULD THEN PULL ROUGHLY TO THE LEFT WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CROSSMEMBER BROKE WHERE THE INNER SUSPENSION ATTACHES. CALLED SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT COVERED ON A RECALL FOR THIS YEAR VEHICLE. FOUND SEVERAL FORUMS THAT COMPLAIN OF THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON VARIOUS YEARS FOR THE CHEVY TRACKER. THIS IS VERY UNFORTUNATE SINCE I AM QUITE FOND OF MY TRACKER AND RELY ON IT FOR WORK AND TRAVEL WITH MY CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY IN WINTER MONTHS. I AM GLAD THIS WAS DISCOVERED BEFORE IT CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10442661

Incident

Dec 22, 2011

Mileage

207,000 mi

FRONT FRAME CROSSMEMBER RUSTED THROUGH IN MULTIPLE AREAS AND HAS MADE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE PULLS VIOLENTLY TO THE LEFT WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT HIGH SPEEDS OR TURNING SHARPLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10393898

Incident

Mar 18, 2011

Mileage

120,000 mi

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WHEN THE FRONT SUSPENSION BEGAN TO SHUDDER VIOLENTLY. APPLYING BRAKES CAUSED VEHICLE TO SWERVE TO THE LEFT. INSPECTION SHOWED THAT FRONT CONTROL ARM MOUNT HAD SEPARATED COMPLETELY FROM THE CROSSMEMBER DUE TO CORROSION. CALLED CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD IN CAREFULLY PARSED WORDS THAT ACCORDING TO MY VIN THERE WAS NO COVERAGE OR RECALL DESPITE WHAT I HAVE FOUND ON LIN: SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT - FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER CORROSION #06186 - (10/17/2007) 1999-2004 CHEVROLET TRACKER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10364994

Incident

Oct 2, 2010

Mileage

116,500 mi

MY MOTHER SAID TO ME THAT HER CAR WAS PULLING TO THE CENTER LINE WHEN SHE PUT HER BRAKES ON. SHE AND I NATURALLY THOUGHT SHE HAD A STUCK CALIPER OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE. SHE DROVE IT TO MY HOUSE THE NEXT MORNING, AND SAID IT WAS PULLING BADLY TO THE CENTER LINE. I JACKED UP THE CAR TO FIND THAT THE [SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER] SUBFRAME WHERE IT HOLDS THE FRONT MOUNT FOR THE LOWER CONTROL ARM TO THE CAR, WAS CORRODED AND HAD ACTUALLY BROKE, CAUSING THE FRONT WHEEL TO JUST MOVE AROUND MAKING THE CAR PULL HARD TO THE LEFT. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 70K MILES ON IT AND IS WELL MAINTAINED IN FACT, IT JUST PASSED VEHICLE INSPECTION THE PREVIOUS MONTH. THIS PART IN MY OPINION SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED THIS WAY. HER CAR IS NOW OUT OF SERVICE DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP HER IN ANY WAY YOU CAN. SHE DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT BUT I'M NOT SURE WHY THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN TRAGIC. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID

10360178

Incident

Oct 5, 2010

Mileage

73,312 mi

1999 CHEVY TRACKER FRONT CROSSMEMBER RUSTED THROUGH FROM THE INSIDE CAUSING THE CAR TO PULL VERY HARD WHEN BRAKING. THERE WAS A RECALL ON CERTAIN VIN #'S FOR THIS VEHICLE BUT MINE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I DID DEVELOP THE PROBLEM THOUGH. THE FRONT CROSSMEMBER IS RUSTED OUT FROM THE INSIDE AND IS JUST ABOUT TO BREAK OFF. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I REPORTED TO GM AND THEY SAID THEY CAN DO NOTHING TO HELP. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE RUST ON THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE YET THIS PART COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10332460

Incident

May 25, 2010

Mileage

113,000 mi

This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to Unlock Delco Radio with Theftlock.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.  The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable.  E version update is to add administrative details.

This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.