IllustrationCORROSION AND RUST PROOFING CAUSING THE SUBFRAME AND CONTROL ARMS TO CORRODE AND DETACH
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
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When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
120–25K
1025–50K
650–75K
575–100K
9100–150K
8150K+
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.
20 crash reports1 fire reports17 injury reports
What owners actually said
69 reportsFUSES AND BRAKERS KEEP POPPING/BLOWING ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. WHEN POPPED THE VEHICLE LOSES THE ABILITY FOR THE BRAKES TO ILLUMINATE BRIGHTER WHEN YOU PUT YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AS WELL AS THE ABILITY TO USE THE HORN. RECENTLY I HAD A DIFFERENT FUSE POP THAT CUT ALL ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS AFFECTING S…
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FUSES AND BRAKERS KEEP POPPING/BLOWING ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. WHEN POPPED THE VEHICLE LOSES THE ABILITY FOR THE BRAKES TO ILLUMINATE BRIGHTER WHEN YOU PUT YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AS WELL AS THE ABILITY TO USE THE HORN. RECENTLY I HAD A DIFFERENT FUSE POP THAT CUT ALL ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS AFFECTING SOME ON THE OUTSIDE. THE FOLLOWING FAILED. THE BREAK LIGHTS WERE NOT VISIBLE WHEN TURNED ON OR WHEN YOU PUT YOUR FOOT ON THE BREAK, EMERGENCY FLASHERS DID NOT WORK, ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTING FAILED, DOOR LOCKS DID NOT WORK, WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR THE LIGHT WOULD NOT TURN ON INSIDE OF THE CAR, WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED I HAD TO MANUALLY ENGAGE THE SHIFTER BY GOING UNDERNEATH OF THE SHIFTER AND RELEASING THE LOCK WHILE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BREAK AND THEN MOVE THE SHIFTER TO NEUTRAL AT THE SAME TIME TO GET THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE. THESE HAVE BEEN RECURRING ISSUES WITH REGULAR SHOP MATNEINCE THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 135000 MILES ON IT CURRENTLY. IT HAS PLENTY OF LIFE IN IT AND THERE IS NO REASON FOR THESE CONTINUED ISSUES. HELP!!!
MY AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS. THERE ARE NO CODES, AND THE MECHANICS CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX THIS.
FRONT SUSPENSION CROSS MEMBER RUSTED THROUGH
FEONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER BROKE ON RIGHT SIDE.
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRACKER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE. WHILE INSPECTING UNDER THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE A-ARM SUSPENSION FRACTURED DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION. THE CAUSE OF TH…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRACKER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE. WHILE INSPECTING UNDER THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE A-ARM SUSPENSION FRACTURED DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 162,000.
I HAD A SEVER CAR ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAG NEVER OPEN AND PROBLEM WITH THE SUSPENSION AND STEERING WHEEL AND THE BRAKES GOT LOCK AFTER WE WERE HIT ON THE REAR OF THE TRACKER. AND LAST CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRACKER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT CONTROL AR…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRACKER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT CONTROL ARM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 84,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRACKER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE FRONT SUSPENSION ARM AND THE CROSS MEMBER FRACTURED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE WHERE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT MOUNT ARM HAD EXTEN…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRACKER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE FRONT SUSPENSION ARM AND THE CROSS MEMBER FRACTURED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE WHERE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT MOUNT ARM HAD EXTENSIVE RUST AND CORROSION TO THE POINT THAT THE PART DETERIORATED AND FRACTURED, INCLUDING THE CROSS MEMBER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA06018 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000. UPDATED 12/03/15*LJ UPDATED 11/16/2017*CN
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.