2001 Chevrolet Tracker

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET TRACKER. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, OIL LEAKED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND SMELLED A STRONG OIL ODOR. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000. UPDATED 02/12/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VALVE COVERS LEAKED OIL ONTO THE EXHAUST AND CAUSED SMOKE TO EMIT FROM THE ENGINE. UPDATED 03/07/16.*JB

THE ENTIRE UNDERCARRIAGE HAS ROTTED, INCLUDING THE BRAKE LINES, OIL LINES AND ANTIFREEZE COOLANT LINES. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS NORMAL FOR ANY CAR, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS 12 YEARS OLD. IT WAS HAPPENING TO THE PREVIOUS OWNER BUT HE WAS RELUCTANT TO REPORT IT...I AM NOT. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR ONLY FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS NOW. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE SOME OF THE COOLANT LINES AND SOME OF THE BRAKE LINES. NOW THE OIL LINES ARE LEAKING HEAVILY AND I AM GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THEM REPLACED AS WELL. ALSO, THE PREVIOUS OWNER SAID THAT WHEN A PASSENGER TRIED TO USE THE SEAT BELT IT COMPLETELY LOCKED UP ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HAVE A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL TO HAVE A PASSENGER RIDE WITHOUT A SEAT BELT. I FEEL THAT THE CAR SHOULD B E REPAIRED BY GENERAL MOTORS SINCE I FEEL THE STEEL USED IN BUILDING THIS CAR WAS NOT PROPERLY COATED, THEREBY CAUSING THIS SEVERE DETERIORATION OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE. I HAD TO BE TOWED WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED GOING DOWN RT. 739 IN PENNSYLVANIA, JUST BEFORE A HUGE HILL/DOWNGRADE IN THE ROADWAY. NOW THE COOLANT LINES ARE LEAKING DUE TO RUST AND SO ARE THE OIL LINES. *TR

WHILE DRIVING WITHIN THE CITY IN WINTER, THE WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY BECAME FOGGED OVER AND THE SMELL OF COOLANT WAS NOTICED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE OUT THE WINDSHIELD AND HAD TO PULL OVER. AFTER PARKING I NOTICED A SMALL DRIP OF COOLANT UNDER THE CENTER CONSOLE. A LOCAL INDEPENDENT GARAGE FOUND THE HEATER CORE TO BE RUPTURED. THE HEATER CORE WAS REPLACED. *TR

THE PAINT ON MY 2001 CHEVY TRACKER IS FORMING WHITE SPOTS ON THE ROOF OF THE CAR. IS THIS A PAINT DEFECT? I WAX MY CAR FOUR TIMES A YEAR AND WASH IT WEEKLY, SO POOR CARE FOR THE VEHICLE ISN'T A PROBLEM. WHEN I TURN ON THE A/C, IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONE'S CLICKING A COMPUTER MOUSE AT A 100MPH. IT DRIVES ME NUTS. WHEN MY CAR IS IDLING AFTER STARTUP, IT MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE. WHILE DRIVING MY CAR RECENTLY ON THE HIGHWAY, IT WAS VERY HARD TO CONTROL AND I WAS ONLY GOING 70MPH. SOMETIMES THE STEERING WHEEL NEVER TURNS BACK EITHER, WHILE PARKING. MY CAR IS A 2001 CHEVY TRACKER WITH ONLY 54,700 MILES ON IT. I AM THINKING ABOUT WRITING A LETTER TO GM TO HAVE ALL MY PROBLEMS RESOLVED AT NO COST TO ME. *TR

THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, SPECIFICALLY THE RESONATOR CANISTER ON THE TAIL PIPE, CORRODED THROUGH FORMING A HOLE. THIS ALLOWED EXHAUST GASES TO EXIT UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE EXHAUST LEAK COULD HAVE RESULTED IN CARBON MONOXIDE ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND CAUSING ILLNESS, INJURY OR DEATH. THE CORROSION RESULTS FROM A DESIGN DEFECT THAT ALLOWS EXHAUST CONDENSATE TO POOL IN THE RESONATOR AND CORRODE THE METAL. THIS IS THE THIRD NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM REPLACED WITHIN 5 YEARS. THIS DEFECT WAS OBSERVED ON EVERY SINGLE CHEVY TRACKER. THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. *JB

4 YEARS OLD, 82K MILES, AND THE TIMING CHAINS (BOTH OF THEM) BROKE. MECHANIC HAS HAD THE CAR FOR A WEEK WAITING FOR A BACK ORDERED TENSIONER, FINALLY GOT IT, AND THE ENGINE STARTS BUT RUNS VERY ROUGH - MECHANIC SAYS HE THINKS THE BREAKING TIMING CHAINS DAMAGED THE VALVES. TIMING CHAINS AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BREAK AT 82K MILES!!! *NM

THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, SPECIFICALLY THE RESONATOR CANISTER ON THE TAIL PIPE, CORRODED THROUGH FORMING A HOLE. THIS ALLOWED EXHAUST GASSES TO EXIT UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE EXHAUST LEAK COULD HAVE RESULTED IN CARBON MONOXIDE ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND CAUSING ILLNESS, INJURY OR DEATH. THE CORROSION RESULTS FROM A DESIGN DEFECT THAT ALLOWS EXHAUST CONDENSATE TO POOL IN THE RESONATOR AND CORRODE THE METAL. THIS IS THE SECOND NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM REPLACED WITHIN 14 MONTHS AND 10,000 MILES. THIS DEFECT WAS OBSERVED ON EVERY SINGLE CHEVY TRACKER AND SUZUKI VITARA MODEL YEARS 1999 TO 2003. THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY.*AK

THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, SPECIFICALLY THE RESONATOR CANISTER ON THE TAIL PIPE, CORRODED THROUGH FORMING A HOLE. THIS ALLOWED EXHAUST GASSES TO EXIT UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE EXHAUST LEAK COULD HAVE RESULTED IN CO ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, AND CAUSING ILLNESS, INJURY OR DEATH. THE CORROSION RESULTS FROM A DESIGN DEFECT THAT ALLOWS EXHAUST CONDENSATE TO POOL IN THE RESONATOR AND CORRODE THE METAL. THIS DEFECT WAS OBSERVED ON EVERY SINGLE CHEVY TRACKER AND SUZUKI VITARA MODEL YEARS 1999 TO 2003. THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS REPLACED. *AK