1999 Chevrolet Tracker recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Fuel economy

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Steering

  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…

  Dec 1, 2009 · 7,576 miles
• Seat belts

  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…

  Jun 9, 2014 · 157,420 miles
• Electrical system

  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

  Mar 9, 2012 · 126,000 miles
• Suspension

  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

  Dec 22, 2011 · 207,000 miles
• Structure › Frame and members

  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

  Mar 18, 2011 · 120,000 miles
• Suspension › Front

  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

  Oct 2, 2010 · 116,500 miles
• Structure › Frame and members

  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…

  Oct 5, 2010 · 73,312 miles
• Structure › Frame and members

  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

  May 25, 2010 · 113,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER CORROSIONClosed

  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…

  EA06018 · opened Oct 30, 2006 · closed Dec 3, 2007