2000 Chevrolet Tracker

I OWN A 2000 CHEVY TRACKER AND THE CROSSMEMBER RUSTED OUT. I TOOK IT IN AND HAD IT FIXED, SPENDING $900. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN LIKE THAT. I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE THERE WAS A TERRIBLE JERKING EVERYTIME THE BREAKS WERE APPLIED. THE FRONT OF THE CAR WOULD PULL HARD TO ONE SIDE. IT WAS REALLY SCARY WHEN IT HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY GOING 65 MPH. I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR. I TOOK IT IN AND THEY SAID IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THEY WERE SURPRISED IT DIDN'T SNAP EARLIER BECAUSE IT LOOKED SO BAD! *TR

2000 CHEVROLET TRACKER 4 DOOR SUV. PASS SIDE FRONT CROSS MEMBER ROTTED OUT AND FRONT CONTROL ARM DISLOCATED, CAR WOULD NOT STEER, FRONT WHEEL ON PASS. SIDE TURNED IN WHILE LEFT WHEEL STAYED STRAIGHT. I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH CHEVROLET'S FINDINGS THAT IT WILL NOT LOSE CONTROL, I WAS FORTUNATELY ONLY GOING 25 MPH WHEN IT HAPPENED. THIS TRUCK IS ONLY 7 YEARS OLD AND ONLY HAS 72,000 MILES ON IT. THE REST OF THE SUV IS IN MINT CONDITON. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. THE CHEVY DEALER WAS UNABLE TO HELP ME, AS WAS GM BECAUSE THERE IS NO RECALL. *TR

ON WEDNESDAY 9-5-07 I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN MY TRACKER STARTED MAKING A CLUNCKING SOUND AND STARTED VEERING TO THE LEFT. WHEN I WOULD STOP AND BEGIN TO ACCELERATE AGAIN IT WOULD GRAB AND THEN DRIVE NORMALLY. TODAY 9-11-07 WHILE DRIVING AT A RATE OF 45MPH MY CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE ALL OVER. I LOWERED MY DRING SPEED TO 35 AND WHEN I STOPPED AT A LIGHT THE VEHICLE NOW VIBRATING AND GRABBING TO THE RIGHT. AS IF MY BRAKES WERE GOING OUT. I HAD TO DRIVE NO FASTER THAN 20 MPH TO THE AUTO MECHANICS SHOP. HE LOOKED UNDER MY VEHICLE AND AT THAT POINT MY FRONT CROSS MEMBER FELL OFF. HE SAID HE WAS SHOCKED AND NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE THIS. THE ENTIRE CROSS MEMBER WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND I WAS IN SERIOUS DANGER DRIVING THIS CAR. NOW THAT I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM I AM WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR 3DAYS DUE TO THE TIME FRAME NEEDED FOR ORDERING THIS PART. IT WILL COST $350 FOR THE PART ONLY NOT TO MENTION WHATEVER LABOR WILL BE SO MY QUESTION WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS -WOULDN'T IT BE GM. I DRIVE MY GRANDDAUGHTER IN THIS VEHICLE EVERYDAY. SO NOTHING WILL BE DONE TO RECALL THIS CAR PART UNTIL A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OCCURS AND RESULTS IN DEATH. IS THAT WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING? HOW MANY OF US HAVE TO BE EFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM-CAN WE BAN TOGETHER FOR HELP? MY CAR IS GARAGED, NOT DRIVEN ALOT OF MILES PER YEAR AND TAKEN VERY GOOD CAR OF AND MY FRONT CROSS MEMBER RUSTS AND JUST FALLS OFF. I WOULD LIKE THIS LOOKED INTO BY SOMEONE. DOES ANYONE ELSE WANT TO DISCUSS THIS WITH ME? PLEASE RESPOND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU *TR

RUSTED CROSS MEMBER ON MY 2000 CHEVY TRACKER. I DROVE MY DAUGHTER TO GEORGIA FROM VERMONT. WHILE IN THE LOCAL WALMART PARKING LOT I NOTICED MY TIRE RUBBING. I LOOKED UNDER THE FRONT AND THE CROSS MEMBER WHERE THE STEERING A FRAME ATTACHES WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND BROKEN OFF. I AM GLAD IT HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT AND NOT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON THE HIGH WAY. *TR

THE PROBLEM "RUSTED SUBFRAME MEMBER CAUSING TOTAL SEPARATION OF THE CONTROL ARM BRACKET FROM THE SUBFRAME" THE INFORMATION POSTED BELOW ACTUALLY COMES FROM THE NHTSA'S DEFECT INVESTIGATION SECTION, AND APPEARS TO STILL BE UNDER INVESTIGATION BY NHTSA.. AFTER READING THE INFORMATION BELOW..AND EXPERIENCING THE LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE TRYING TO STOP WHEN THE BRACKET BROKE LOOSE..I HAVE TWO COMMENTS..1. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THIS ISSUE IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY? AND 2. IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN..IT APPEARS GM HAS ALREADY ADMITTED TO THE "DEFECT" AND SUZUKI, THE MANUFACTURER OF THE "DEFECTIVE" PART HAS ALREADY MADE "DESIGN CHANGES" IS THIS NOT ENOUGH OF AN ADMISSION OF THE PROBLEM TO FORCE A RECALL???? NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE06021 SUMMARY: ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2006 GENERAL MOTORS (GM) SUBMITTED INFORMATION REGARDING APPROXIMATELY 128,000 MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999 -2001 CHEVROLET TRACKER VEHICLES. ACCORDING TO GM, THESE VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH FRONT CROSSMEMBERS DESIGNED AND MADE BY SUZUKI THAT CAN RUST FROM THE INSIDE OUT BECAUSE OF INSUFFICIENT CORROSION PROTECTION. THE DESIGN OF THE CROSSMEMBER LIMITED THE COVERAGE OF PAINT ON THE INTERIOR SURFACES DURING THE PAINTING PROCESS. IN MARCH 2006 SUZUKI MADE DESIGN CHANGES TO THE CROSSMEMBER TO ENHANCE THE COVERAGE OF PAINT TO THE INSIDE OF THE PART. GM INDICATED THAT WHEN OPERATED IN AREAS OF THE COUNTRY THAT USE ROAD SALT FOR DE-ICING, OVER TIME WATER AND SALT/MUD CAN ACCUMULATE INSIDE THE CROSSMEMBER AND CAUSE CREVICE CORROSION THAT CAN LEAD TO PERFORATION. THESE PERFORATIONS AT THE FRONT CONTROL ARM BRACKETS CAN CAUSE THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO BECOME PARTIALLY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET TRACKER. THE CONTACT NOTICED A CRACK IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED HER TO GET ALL FOUR WHEELS REPLACED BECAUSE THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THE WHEEL CRACKED. THE CONTACT LEFT MESSAGES WITH GENERAL MOTORS, BUT HAS NOT RECEIVED A RETURN PHONE CALL. THE TIRE INFORMATION WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,413 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,398.

ALONG WITH MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM ON CARSPACE.COM. THE CROSSMEMBER ON MY CHEVY TRACKER RUSTED TO SHREDS DUE TO THIN METAL AND LACK OF 4 DRAIN HOLES. THE NEW CROSSMEMBER THAT WAS PUT ON MY CAR HAS 4 DRAIN HOLES TO ALLOW THE WATER TO ESCAPE. SOME TRACKERS HAVE DRAIN HOLES. WE SPENT $1000 GETTING THIS FIXED WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE WENT ON A SMOKE BREAK DURING AN ASSEMBLY LINE AT THE CHEVY PLANT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS MISTAKE THAT CHEVY IS BLOWING OFF AS TRIVIAL. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. WE TAKE GREAT CARE OF OUR TRACKER AND IT'S IN GREAT CONDITION. IT WAS UNEXPECTED TO PUT $1000 IN TO A CAR THAT OTHERWISE RUNS GREAT THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE EVEN HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE. WHAT I EXPERIENCED ON THE ROAD BECAUSE OF THIS RUSTED PIECE OF METAL GIVING SO QUICKLY WAS VERY SCARY! I COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE GOING 65 MPH DOWN THE FREEWAY HAD I NOT GOTTEN IT IN RIGHT AWAY. THEY DETERMINED IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE UNTIL IT WAS REPLACED AND SHOCKED AT WHAT THEY SAW UNDER MY CAR! THIS WAS A STUPID ERROR THAT NEEDS LOOKED IN TO. THE PART NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND PEOPLE COMPENSATED. *TR

THIS IS A SECOND STATEMENT REGARDING A COMPLAINT I MADE CONCERNING MY TRACKER. BEFORE I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES THE CAR WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND SWERVE TO THE SIDE. IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY WITHIN A WEEK. I DROVE ON THE FREEWAY WHEN IT WAS SO BAD I KNEW IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP, AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT THEY SAW! THE CROSS MEMBER WAS A RUSTED MESS! HE COULDN'T BELIEVE I DIDN'T CRASH AND BURN ON THE FREEWAY. THEY SAID THAT THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED SOME SERIOUS DAMAGE TO MYSELF AND OTHERS. I HAD TO PAY $1000 TO GET IT FIXED! $1000 TO FIX SOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED ANYWAY ON ANY CAR! I STARTED A POSTING ON CARSPACE.COM AND THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL RESPONSES TO THIS SAME ISSUE. EACH PERSON SAID WHEN THEY TOOK THE CAR IN, THE SHOP COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT THEY SAW. THEY WERE ALL SURPRISED THERE WASN'T A RECALL. I BELIEVE CHEVROLET MADE A STATEMENT ALONG THE LINES OF THERE NOT BEING ANY ISSUE WITH THIS. THAT THIS KIND OF PROBLEM WOULD NOT RISK LIVES. THEY WERE WRONG, SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE. PLEASE!*AK