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Chevrolet Tracker Rusted Crossmember Subframe

124 messages,  Last post on Mar 09, 2013 at 11:36 PM

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Messages Page 13 of 13

#115 of 124 Really Unhappy with the idea of a "Silent Recall"! by silentrecall

Jun 26, 2012 (4:57 pm)

GM Customer Service has not responded to 3 separate inquiries from me.
 
I own a 2001 Chevrolet Tracker purchased new... and impeccably serviced. Consequently it was quite a surprise to me when recently the vehicle began pulling sharply to the left upon braking. I scheduled immediate service and my mechanic informed me that a part called a "crossmember" was entirely rusted through and could have actually fallen completely off while the automobile was in motion risking serious injury or worse for any occupants of the car.
 
I asked him what could have caused this as we both agree that I have been very diligent as far as automobile maintenance is concerned, and he informed me that the local General Motors Dealer indicated that the company had issued a "Silent Recall" on this very issue due to sub-standard anti-corrosive treatment from the originating factory resulting in the rapid deterioration of this part, particularly for vehicles in northern parts of the country where highway de-icers may exacerbate this defect to the point of complete failure.
 
Because he was made aware of a "Silent Recall" on this issue when he located a replacement for my vehicle, he informed me that I could expect that General Motors would make good on the repairs as is the usual policy on factory defect recalls. We were both disappointed and surprised to hear that because the "Silent Recall" had ended some 6 months ago at the end of 2011.... the defective part on MY vehicle would not be covered.
 
My concern is two-fold.
 
Firstly, obviously my mechanic can verify the maintenance schedule I have enjoyed through his business for the last ten years and therefore verify that this failure on the part of your product was in no way due to neglect of any kind on my part. Clearly General Motors was aware of the defective part and had issued a "Silent Recall" for vehicles manufactured during the time frame in which my vehicle was manufactured and driven on the same kind of road conditions to which my vehicle has been subjected during the "Silent Recall" timeframe. It then appears to me that coverage of this defective part was exactly the intent of General Motors in issuing this "Silent Recall", and the fact that I did not discover the failure of this defect until 6 months after the time limits of the "Silent Recall" had tolled is due, again, to no negligence on my part, but instead can be attributed to a diligent professional and personal maintenance schedule that may well have served to retard the degradation of this defective part such that it did not become a "customer apparent" issue until just shortly after the "Silent Recall" deadline.
 
Secondly, it is equally clear that if this recall had been made known to me, rather than being issued "silently" I would have had the defective part inspected long ago, and discovered the need for replacement well within the applicable time-frame. Instead, I have been, apparently daily and for quite some time, exposing myself, my passengers, and any other traffic sharing highway space with me to an unnecessary risk of potentially serious consequences had this part failed at either a more critical juncture or a higher speed.
 
My service station ordered and installed GM part #91177632 and I paid $791.58 for the parts and labor.
 
I feel this expense is one which should have been covered through the General Motors crossmember "Silent Recall" and I am asking for my repair expenses to be reimbursed as per the intent of the recall issuance.

#116 of 124 Thanks GM! by lmsc07ct

Jun 26, 2012 (7:56 pm)

As a followup, I ordered the part online, and did the job myself when GM declined to cover it. Buy a couple of the long and short bolts, they're cheap insurance. I ended up needing two. The job isn't bad, pull the eight bolts out of the corossmember, four off the rack, and the two control arm bolts out. Then pry the control arm down in the front, and the crossmember will slide forward and out. LIke the book says, reinstallation is the opposite of removal.
 
As for GM and their rep, thanks. My wife really enjoys her new HYUNDAI SANTA FE, bought at the HYUNDAI dealer to replace the POS Tracker. I'm sad to have a payment now, but happy that my family is safe.

#117 of 124 Same issue by bigcanada

Oct 28, 2012 (11:45 am)

I have an 04 Tracker having same issue .. having mech check it this week ... wondering if anyone knows of parts place that will ship this to Toronto Area ... The help is much appreciated

#118 of 124 Re: Same issue [bigcanada] by tdonald

Nov 04, 2012 (11:48 am)

Replying to: bigcanada (Oct 28, 2012 11:45 am)
I own a 2003 Tracker. My cross member was covered under warranty! Had it replaced about 1 1/2 years ago, but my cross member for my transmission rusted this year, they did not cover this. So please everyone, also check this cross member, as I was told by my mechanic my transmission was about to fall out.

#119 of 124 Re: Same issue [tdonald] by bigcanada

Nov 05, 2012 (12:28 pm)

Replying to: tdonald (Nov 04, 2012 11:48 am)
do u know the transmission crossmember GM# ?

#120 of 124 Re: Same issue [bigcanada] by tdonald

Nov 05, 2012 (2:40 pm)

Replying to: bigcanada (Nov 05, 2012 12:28 pm)
Do you mean part number??

#121 of 124 Same Issue by crickett1

Nov 20, 2012 (7:52 am)

I just sent a complaint to GM as well.
 
While undercoating my vehicle (2002 Tracker), my mechanic found holes in the front suspension crossmember where it had rusted through. After doing a little research online, I found that GM sent out a “Special Bulletin” replacing this part because of manufacture defects. Unfortunately, though my vehicle was under the mileage, the 10 year life of the extra warranty had expired March 29th, 2012 -- 7 months previously.
 
To make matters worse, I contacted the GM head office and they told me to take it to a GM dealer, have them confirm it needed to be replaced then call them back. I followed their instructions only to be told they could offer me $1000.00 off the price of a new vehicle. They conned me out of another $50.00!
 
Does GM consider the life of their vehicles only 10 years? Why was this “Special Bulletin” not made a mandatory recall? Why didn't’ GM make more effort to inform the public of this problem? Since the front crossmember of my vehicle has actually rusted through, if I had known this was a common problem I would have had it checked and it would most certainly have been replaced BEFORE the warranty expired. I had the front control arms replaced only a few months ago - they bolt to the crossmember so it has only been since then that the problem was noticeable!
 
This is a serious safety issue! If I had not had my vehicle under coated this would not have been discovered until my safety inspection came due. I would have driven this vehicle for 6 months! I could have had a serious accident and even harmed someone else!

#122 of 124 Re: Same Issue [crickett1] by tdonald

Nov 20, 2012 (8:05 am)

Replying to: crickett1 (Nov 20, 2012 7:52 am)
Have you also checked crossmember for transmission, GM forunately covered my front crossmember, because I was under the years, but when I called about crossmember for transmission, they said this was not covered, even though it is made from same material, and is another crossmember. Check it! another week or so, and I was told my transmission would have dropped out....

#123 of 124 Re: Same Issue [tdonald] by crickett1

Nov 20, 2012 (8:22 am)

Replying to: tdonald (Nov 20, 2012 8:05 am)
No I haven't....but I purchased a new crossmember and will have my mechanic check out the one for the transmission when he puts it in for me. Talk about expensive! It cost me $417.34 for the part, the four outside bolts and one inside bolt. They only had the one inside bolt in stock so I may have to go back and buy 3 more at $10.75 each. I haven't even gotten to the labour!

#124 of 124 Re: Special GM Extended Warranty [garmston] by gerles

Mar 09, 2013 (11:36 pm)

Replying to: garmston (May 15, 2012 1:23 pm)
To: Gregory Armston
Great! I am glad to see the info was useful and that you got in under the wire. This should have been a full recall, not a silent one. Aside from that, the Tracker has been an excellent and fun little vehicle. I have a 2-door zr-2 convertible. I like the short wheelbase, the good grip in the snow and the pop-top in the summer. Good Luck!

Messages Page 13 of 13

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