Most common 1999 Chevrolet Tracker problems
Share of the 49 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Tracker complaints by model year
Best Tracker years: 1996, 2004, 1998. Years to avoid: 2000, 2001. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1999 Chevrolet Tracker:
Front suspension crossmember corrosion
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…
What 1999 Chevrolet Tracker owners say
Body & structure
'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. …
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
Electrical system
Key stuck in accessory position, unable to remove key. Brought car to dealer, ignition lock cylinder needed replacement, not covered under extended warranty, (for which we paid extra). Replacement cost $294.00 (with a small courtesy discount) and no guarantee of problem not reoccuring. This certainly is not a usual problem and not the first exact same complaint logged with NHTSA-how many more are needed to realize there's a problem? Also, how many have had this problem, but do not know about this agency or how to get the info to you?
Ignition key gets stuck in ignition switch. Car May be in accessory use or completely off but key remains. At times the key can't be removed easily and must be left in the car. Dealer indicates that this is a common problem but is not a saftey issue, which can't be true. If the car can't be completely turned off there is a fire safetlt issue. Cost of repair is $390. Chevy should pay for the new ignition switch ($189) as it is obviously a pervasive failure mechanism.
Transmission & drivetrain
I recently took my 1999 Chevrolet Tracker, VIN [redacted], into my local GM dealer for a problem I was having with the 4-wheel drive. It was a loud clunking noise in the right front and the 4-wheel drive was slipping in and out. The dealer checked it out and called me back to let me know that the problem was in the front differential. He found this out only after researching several other possibilities (at $61.00 per hour) by calling GM's tech support. He was informed that there was a service bulletin for this problem in which GM has had to modify the differential case. In order for the problem to be corrected, the front axle differential case, actuator and side bearings had to be replaced to the tune of $1380.68. At the time this problem started, I was driving to work in a snowstorm that dumped 12" in 8 hours. Needless to say, 4-wheel drive was pretty much a necessity. …
Have been reporting clunking noise in front end when I turn vehicle. Have reported this to my dealership on a regular basis since 2000. They keep telling me they have not been able to duplicate the problem and have had no other complaints. I also contacted Chevrolet and they said they do not contrradict the dealership and there is nothing they can do, I just found out there is a service bulletin on this that was issued 4-1-01. The dealership (team Chevrolet in colorado springs nor Chevrolet has ever mentioned this to me). I feel that they should be liable for any repair needed as the clunking noise is getting worse. At this point, I don't know how I should proceed and who I need to contact.
1999 Chevrolet Tracker engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 22 / 26 / 23 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 22 / 25 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 20 / 23 / 22 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 20 / 23 / 21 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 20 / 23 / 21 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 20 / 23 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Chevrolet Tracker a good car?
Based on 49 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 Tracker rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Tracker at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Chevrolet Tracker?
The body & structure — 13 complaints, 27% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frame and members. Next are the electrical system (10) and transmission & drivetrain (8).
How many recalls does the 1999 Chevrolet Tracker have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1999 Chevrolet Tracker. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Tracker?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1996, 2004 and 1998. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000 and 2001. See the full Chevrolet Tracker years comparison.
At what mileage do 1999 Chevrolet Tracker problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 113,000 miles; 18% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.