1999 Chevrolet Tracker

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

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

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

I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT THE STEERING HAD STARTED TO FEEL A LITTLE LOOSE REQUIRING A LOT OF CORRECTION WHEN DRIVING, BUT I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS ANYTHING SERIOUS. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE THE BRAKES REPAIRED AND AS SOON AS THEY RAISED IT UP ON THE LIFT THEY NOTICED THAT THE "DRIVERS SIDE CRADLE/CROSSMEMBER TO SUSPENSION CORRODED AND RUSTED THROUGH AND THE LEFT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM DETACHED". THE MECHANIC STATED THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN AND WAS VERY DANGEROUS - COULD ALLOW COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING OR IF ON THE INTERSTATE WITH MORE SPEED COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO FLIP OVER CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THE CRADLE/CROSSMEMBER WAS REPLACED AND ALL NEW BOLTS WERE USED. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE INJURED OR KILLED - I WAS LUCKY. *TR

'99 CHEVY TRACKER. RUST FROM INSIDE THE METAL TO INNER& OUTER SURFACES. THE DOORS, ROCKERS PANELS & INTO THE FLOOR PLATE, WINDOW FRAMES & DOOR EDGES. BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE USED,3WEKS AGO, BUT LOOKING ALMOST NEW INSIDE & OUT. THERE WAS TO THE EYE ONLY SOME SLIGHTLY BUBBLED PAINT IN 8 SPOTS DECIDE TO GET RIGHT ON IT STARTED TO EMEORY CLOTH IT & FOUND THAT A LITTLE PUSH ,PARTICULARLY THE ROCKER PANELS, WOULD GO COMPLETELY THROUGH TO THE INNER SURFACE. BOTH ROCKER PANELS FRONT TO REAR WERE THE SAME. SO I USED MY GRINDER TO CUT THEM OPEN TO SEE HOW FAR I WOULD HAVE TO GO TO GET PAST THE RUST. ONCE I GOT THE PANELS OPEN I COULD SEE THAT THE CORROSION WENT CLEAR INTO THE FLOOR PANELS. I THEN DECIDED 2 HIT THE SPOTS ON THE DOORS FOUND BASICALLY THE SAME THING. THEN LOOKING ON THE INTERNET FOUND OUT G>M> WAS REPAIRING AND REIMBURSING OWNERS FOR IMPROPERLY TREATED TREATING FRAME & CROSS MEMBERS WHICH ARE RUSTING THROUGH. ALSO REPLACING CORRODED HARDWARE EVERYWHERE IT IS FOUND ON THESE VEHICLES FROM '99 TO 2004. THIS BODY RUST SEEMS TO BE THE SAME THING. DANGEROUS? IF THE SERIOUSLY WEAKEND ROCKERS & FLOOR PLATE WERE STRUCK AT EVEN A LOW SPEED I DO NOT DOUBT THAT ANY PERSON IN THIS VEHICLE WOULD SUFFER CRUSH INJURIES. THIS IS REMINISCENT OF THE 70'S & 80'S WHEN GM WAS USING HEAVILY CORRODED METAL TO BUILD VEHICLES. & CREATED UNSAFE & EXPENSIVE CONDITIONS FOR THE CONSUMERS & LOST A GOOD PORTION OF THE CAR MARKET TO FOREIGN MANUFACTURERS. I HAVE SEVERAL PICTURES I CAN SEND YOU. PLEASE ADVISE. SINCERELY DAN CHURCH *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET TRACKER. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE HAD THE SAME FAILURE AS OTHERS WHO OWN THE SAME VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WAS DERIVED FROM CORROSION OF THE CROSS MEMBERS. HE STATED THAT THE SUSPENSION CORRODED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING IT TO SWITCH LANES AND VEER OFF THE ROAD AT 40 MPH. HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET IN CONTACT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 70,000. *AK