Suspension complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I purchased a vehicle from a friend that is 20 years old but runs great and he takes great care of his vehicles. This one was his away car, in that he was here only 6 months of the year and drove this one mainly when he was here and only put on about 2-3 thousand miles per year. He told me he was scraping the car so I offered him scrap value but little to my knowledge that the total frame is rotted from inside to out and on driving it home it thumped, shook rattled and scared the crap out of me. I had no idea being a car person all my life that this vehicle would be allowed on the road with only 84k on it it is undriveable and even a pro welder would not work on it.
My car is in excellent shape I store it right and wash all the salt off during winter there was no corrosion or at least I thought until I was driving down the road the car started shaking violently causing me to go off the road and hit a tree come to find out my front crossmember was extrrememly corroded but the metal right next to it was not corroded at all so they used inferior metal the accident damaged the fenders bumper and lights it also destroyed my sway bar links struts and strut mounts I take good care of my car and when I called Chevy the told me they knew about it and that the would not do anything about it.
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 updated 11/16/2017
I was driving home from work when my car swerved to the right and went of the road and hit a grove of trees head on. My car was totaled and none of my airbags went off. Why does this happen I could have been killed. Also I received a safety notice about my cheverolet Tracker 4 days before this happened having a problem with the front suspension crossmember doe someone have to die before a recall is done and why didn't my air bags go off someone please look at this car before it gets hauled off by the adjuster!!!!! I was airlifted to the hospital the fire department cut the roof of my car off to get me out no airbags what happened!!!
I was driving on a two-way residential street, just picked up our two youngest grandson's from school, when the passenger side tire jammed, very unexpectedly, up in the area between the engine and frame of the Tracker. The Tracker went mid air, and then rolled. Consumer handwriting is illegible. .updated 07/02/14
Front suspension crossmember for Chevy trackeris nothing but rust. It won't pass inspection and the garage said there must have not been a coating put on it for it to be rusted through and falling apart.
In June 2011, car was almost 10 yrs. Old and had 99,919 miles on it. Brought it to dealer for 100,000 mile tune-up and other work. Asked them to check out entire car, and saw banners for 24 point inspection if I added tire rotation...so I did. In sept. 2014 (cars 13 years old and has 113, 000 miles on it) I'm told that front suspension crossmember will need to be replaced (soon). When I went online to find the part, first site I see tells me about GM's "special warranty" on that part. I check my dealer receipt and realize the rusted part should've been replaced, for free, back in 2011. Now, it's actually busted through and can not be driven safely. Contacted GM/dealer, car was towed to dealer and back home. …
My mechanic advised me that the front suspension cross member is rusted to the point the it will snap off. When I make a right hand turn or go over bumps I can hear cracking noises. Contacted Chevy (GM) was advised that I am 4 years too late in contacting them. Asked about the recall, they told me it was a silent recall. And because I live in a state that has snow and ice this contributed to the problem. I advised that is this is the case then every car in this state would have the same problem. Following is from GM's website: " front suspension cross member did not receive adequate corrosion protection. The result of this condition May be most noticeable on vehicles driven in areas where rust is most common, such as areas where salt is used to control snow and ice. …
NHTSA investigations
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…
Crossmember corrosion failure
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…
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Tracker years have suspension problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2000 (37), 2003 (21), 2002 (16), 2001 (11) and 1999 (8) model years. Suspension complaints make up 34% of all complaints for the 2000.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Tracker suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for any Chevrolet Tracker model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Tracker suspension problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 102,000 miles; 13% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front (23 mentions), followed by the rear (7).
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.