Ask the Car People.SM


Chevrolet Tracker Rusted Crossmember Subframe

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

You are in the Chevrolet Tracker Forum.

What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Tracker

Messages Page 5 of 13

#37 of 124 Venting about Rusted sub frame on 2000 Tracker by ksanner

Aug 19, 2007 (3:46 pm)

I have a 2000 4dr/4wd Chevy Tracker. I purchased it in November of 2006 from a Chevy dealer. I also purchased the Value Guard protection plan. I was told that the Tracker had just had new rotors installed and that it was a solid car. In June of this year, I took it to a GM certified garage (not the dealer that I purchased from though) for a steering issue...it was tight...very hard to turn the steering wheel. They told me it was the rack, which was covered by the extended warranty. They ordered the part and repaired it, said it was in excellent working condition. The second I got in the car to drive it, I was convinced that nothing was done to it. Took it back to the garage, and was told it was the intermediate steering shaft. Not covered. But, I'm a single mom of three and needed the vehicle, so I paid for the repair. Yesterday I took the car to a local Ford Garage for the inspection. Imagine my surprise when they told me it would never pass inspection because the sub frame was rusted through! Apparently, I have been driving my kids around in an unsafe vehicle! Now...my inspection runs out in two weeks, I can't afford the repair, have to continue making the payments on the Tracker, and thus can't afford another vehicle. And...on a side note, the rotors that I was told were brand new turned out to be one used rotor replacement, and the brakes on the front were two different sizes! I feel totally ripped off by the dealer that sold me the car less than a year ago and again ripped off by the repair garage who HAD to have seen that subframe when replacing the rack and steering shaft and didn't have the decency to tell me! That would have at least given me more time to figure out what I'm going to drive! What the heck is up with Chevy!!

#38 of 124 Re: Venting about Rusted sub frame on 2000 Tracker [ksanner] by tidester

Aug 19, 2007 (10:58 pm)

Replying to: ksanner (Aug 19, 2007 3:46 pm)
Unbelievable! Have you mentioned the rotor issue to the dealer?
 
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

#39 of 124 Re: Venting about Rusted sub frame on 2000 Tracker [tidester] by ksanner

Aug 20, 2007 (5:19 am)

Replying to: tidester (Aug 19, 2007 10:58 pm)
I intend to. This all just came up on Saturday. I feel so cheated by these people cause apparently I am a stupid woman! I just am figuring I'm not gonna get anything but personal satisfaction by telling them off.

#40 of 124 Re: Venting about Rusted sub frame on 2000 Tracker [ksanner] by jredder

Aug 21, 2007 (8:13 am)

Replying to: ksanner (Aug 20, 2007 5:19 am)
Make sure you write a complaint on the NHTSA website. be very detailed with names and everything. mention your childrens safety. you can go back and check the status of the complaint. several people including myself have made this same complaint with no avail. but hopefully someday it will matter. i'm sorry for your situation...

#41 of 124 Re: Venting about Rusted sub frame on 2000 Tracker [jredder] by vtfarmboy

Aug 27, 2007 (12:15 am)

Replying to: jredder (Aug 21, 2007 8:13 am)
This entire conversation is interesting. I have a 2000 chevy tracker that i purchased used 5 years ago with only about 20,000 miles on it. I have just been down to Georgia after driving from my home in Vermont to drop my daughter off at college. While in the local Wal Mart parking lot I was taking a sharp turn when i noticed the wheel was rubbing on somthing. I looked under the front end and the cross member where the steering aframe was attatched was rusted completely off. Overall this has been a very reliable vehicle. This will be the first major repair other than just regular maintainance.
 
I just happened across this site while looking for parts to repair this problem. Right now my tracker is in Georgia while i am headed back home to be at work on Wednesday. I am certainly glad i noticed this while in a parking lot rather than driving down the road at 65 mph!!

#42 of 124 Re: Venting about Rusted sub frame on 2000 Tracker [vtfarmboy] by vtfarmboy

Sep 12, 2007 (3:12 pm)

Replying to: vtfarmboy (Aug 27, 2007 12:15 am)
as a follow up to my response.... I just got the bill for repair of my tracker. While replacing the subframe which really isnt that big a job they had problems getting the lower control arm off. Subsiquently they had to replace that along with the sway bar links (I knew this was an issue already) give it all an alighnment total bill comes to $1548.23 I am keeping the parts and bill hopefully the NTSB will realize this is really a hazard and make GM recall.

#43 of 124 Re: Venting about Rusted sub frame on 2000 Tracker [vtfarmboy] by fiji1

Sep 19, 2007 (8:12 pm)

Replying to: vtfarmboy (Sep 12, 2007 3:12 pm)
I actually had my 1999 Tracker Crossmember replaced for free by GM last week. There is a resolution pending.

#44 of 124 Re: Venting about Rusted sub frame on 2000 Tracker [fiji1] by jredder

Sep 21, 2007 (12:05 pm)

Replying to: fiji1 (Sep 19, 2007 8:12 pm)
How did you get GM to fix it? How did you know about a pending resolution?

#45 of 124 Re: Venting about Rusted sub frame on 2000 Tracker [jredder] by fiji1

Sep 23, 2007 (6:31 pm)

Replying to: jredder (Sep 21, 2007 12:05 pm)
I complained to GM, got an estimate from a dealer just like they wanted me to only to get a denial from someone in Detroit who said I had nowhere else to appeal it to. I looked at the paperwork for the Engineering investigation posted on the NHTSA site and searched for email addresses, they got right back to me and were pretty interested in my situation.
They usually won't let any investigation go beyond a year without a resolution, the year is almost up.
 I got a call from GM a couple of weeks ago saying they reconsidered and would like to fix my Tracker. They replaced the crossmember and all of the bolts that tie it to the frame, aligned the vehicle and got it back to me in one day. I have a 1999 that is in pretty good shape except for the crossmember.
The service manager couldn't believe they covered it, I took it to the same dealer that did my original estimate that got denied.

#46 of 124 canadian tracker owners, start calling and complaining!! by cheesedoff

Sep 28, 2007 (6:12 am)

GM Canada is refusing to pay for my part because there is no recall on it YET, but they said hold onto the bill just in case we get enough calls.
We have a 2001 Chev Tracker, was driving the other day, heard a clunk in the front right, lost steering, could have been KILLED if on the hwy! took it to the closest shop.. surprise surprise, no recall on the front subframe ..ended up costing me $640 bucks. The shop was shocked because underneath it is in excellent condition, still paint etc, the ONLY rusted out part is right around the weld on this subframe.
I have no problem paying for parts that wear out, rust out etc, but DEFECTIVE parts and a Dangerous one at that, should MOST DEFINITELY be covered by GM!!!!!!!
completely cheesed off, is my fourth GM, might be my last if this doesn't fix itself ..

Messages Page 5 of 13

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement