VEHICLE HAS A KNOWN AND SERIOUS SAFETY MANUFACTURING DEFECT PREVIOUSLY COVERED UNDER A "SPECIAL COVERAGE - #06186" FOR CORROSION AND RUST PROOFING CAUSING THE SUBFRAME AND CONTROL ARMS CORRODE AND DETACH. GM REFUSES TO HONOR PREVIOUSLY EXPIRED SPECIAL COVERAGE AND CONSIDERS THIS AN "OUT OF POCKET" EXPENSE.
2003 Chevrolet Tracker
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Tracker years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
50 reports with mileage · 19 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Suspension. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Steering complaints
6 reportsTHE FRONT CROSSMEMBER OF MY 2003 TRACKER RUSTED AWAY AND KNOW IS UNDRIVEABLE. GUESS IT IS A WELL KNOWN PROMBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE WHEEL STARTED PULLING TO THE RIGHT.AFTER THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO GO BACK AND FORTH A BIT AND FELT SHAKING..WE HAVE OWNED THIS CAR SINCE IT WAS NEW.THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS WARNING OF A PROBLEM.I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND THE CROSS MEMBER WAS ROTTED OUT. *TR
THE FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER IS HIGHLY CORRODED (RUSTY) AND AS I HAVE READ IT IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE TRACKER MODEL AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANYONE COULD HELP WITH THE PROBLEM. *TR
DT: WAS DRIVING DOWN ROAD AND FELT STEERING WHEEL CAME LOOSE. STOPPED AT DEALER BECAUSE HE WAS CONCERNED. DEALER WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. SO DECIDED TO GO HOME BECAUSE STEERING WHEEL HAD NOT COME OFF COMPLETELY AT THAT POINT. WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE THE STEERING WHEEL CAME OFF. LAID STEERING…
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DT: WAS DRIVING DOWN ROAD AND FELT STEERING WHEEL CAME LOOSE. STOPPED AT DEALER BECAUSE HE WAS CONCERNED. DEALER WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. SO DECIDED TO GO HOME BECAUSE STEERING WHEEL HAD NOT COME OFF COMPLETELY AT THAT POINT. WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE THE STEERING WHEEL CAME OFF. LAID STEERING WHEEL ASIDE AND USED STEERING COLUMN TO MAKE IT HOME. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE, BUT TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO SEE IF ANYTHING COULD BE DONE. *AK
WHEN TURNING VEHICLE TO THE LEFT A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD. DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING GEAR BOX TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, ALL THE WINDOWS HAD SPOTS THAT THE DEALER COULD NOT REMOVE BY CLEANING. *AK *MR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA06018 · Front Suspension Crossmember Corrosion
Opened Oct 30, 2006 · Closed Dec 3, 2007
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension:front
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.
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