2001 CHEVROLET TRACKER Suspension Problems

PASSENGER FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM MOUNTING BRACKET HAS DETACHED FROM THE FRONT CROSSMEMBER. HAPPENED TODAY MARCH 28TH 2017. VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY SOLD AND DRIVEN IN NORTH MISSOURI. DOES HAVE CONSIDERABLE RUST, BUT DIDN'T KNOW THE SUSPENSION MOUNTING POINT WOULD BREAK FREE? I WAS A FEW BLOCKS FROM MY RESIDENCE WHEN IT HAPPENED AND NO INJURIES OCCURRED. IT HAPPENED ON NORTH SIDE DR. IN FORT WORTH,TX. OVERCAST, DRY PAVEMENT ON TRAFFIC. I HIT BUMPS ON RAILROAD CROSSING AND QUITE A FEW POTHOLES.

Mileage: 131,762

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. THE CORROSION MAY ADVANCE AND CAUSE RUST-THROUGH PERFORATION OF THE CROSS MEMBER IN THE AREA OF THE LEFT OR RIGHT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM ATTACHMENT BRACKETS. AS THE CORROSION PROGRESSES THE CROSS MEMBER WILL BECOME THINNER AND THE ATTACHMENT BRACKETS AND THE PERFORATIONS WILL GROW IN SIZE. IF THERE ARE SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF PERFORATIONS, THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM ATTACHMENT BRACKETS WILL BECOME WEAKENED AND BEGIN TO FLEX. IF THIS OCCURS, THE CUSTOMER MAY NOTICE FRONT TIRE WOBBLE, STEERING LOOSENESS, VEHICLE PULL TO ONE SIDE, FRONT END NOISES (CLUNK, BANG, RATTLE, ETC) VEHICLE SHAKING, OR STEERING WHEEL ROTATION WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE AND DRIVE TO REVERSE.

Mileage: 130,000

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. GM/DEALER WILL NOT PAY FOR REPLACEMENT BECAUSE ALL THAT RUST HAPPENED IN THE LAST 3 (ISH) YEARS, NOT IN THE CLOSE TO 10 YEARS IT WAS DRIVEN FOR CLOSE TO 100,000 MILES ON CHICAGO AREA STREETS WHICH ARE HEAVILY SALTED. THE STREETS UP HERE ARE SANDED AND IN THE LAST 3 (ISH) YEARS I'VE ONLY PUT ANOTHER 13,000 MILES ON THE CAR. NEVER SEEN THE INSIDE OF A GARAGE SO 'PARKED' CONDITIONS ARE THE SAME IN BOTH AREAS. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT W/THE BBB SO WE'LL SEE HOW FAR THAT GETS ME. FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE GM'S ANSWER TO MY QUESTION OF WHY IT WASN'T REPLACED IN 2011 WAS THAT "DEALERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO TELL CUSTOMERS ABOUT SPECIAL WARRANTY PARTS". SERIOUSLY??? *TR

Mileage: 99,919

WHILE BACKING UP OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, I HEARD AN ODD SOUND AND THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. I STOPPED THE CAR AND WAS TOLD BY MY SON TO NOT DRIVE IT UNTIL HE LOOKED AT IT. I AM 77YR AND HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT HIS MOTHER GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT. MY SON SAID THE FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER RUSTED IN HALF AND THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE. I HAVE CONTACTED GM AT 800-222-1020 BASED ON THE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : EA06018. THE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS PART, HOWEVER YOUR WEBSITE CONTRADICTS THAT STATEMENT. YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION TO SPEAK WITH [XXX] REGARDING THIS MATTER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 72,000

2001 CHEVY TRACKER WITH RUSTED FRONT CROSS MEMBER. THE CROSS MEMBER RUSTED AND BROKE LEAVING THE LOWER A ARM DISCONNECT FROM THE FRAME ON ONE END. THIS CAUSES AN UNCONTROLLABLE SHAKE AND TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I CONTACTED A CHEVY DEALER AND ALSO GENERAL MOTORS AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE BECAUSE THE SPECIAL COVERAGE OFFER HAD EXPIRED. THE SPECIAL COVERAGE WAS FOR 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES. MY TRACKER HAS 59,450 MILES BUT WAS REJECTED BECAUSE OF A TIME LIMIT. I WAS NEVER SENT A NOTICE BECAUSE I WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND DIDN'T BUY IT FROM A GM DEALER. GM COULD HAVE QUERIED EACH STATE'S REGISTRATION DATABASES FOR OWNERSHIP. I WAS TOLD BY GM THAT I COULD HAVE BROUGHT IT IN AND HAD IT INSPECTED. HOW WOULD I HAVE KNOWN TO BRING IT IN FOR INSPECTION IF I AM UNAWARE THAT A POTENTIAL STRUCTURAL PROBLEM EXIST. THIS IS A STRUCTURAL ITEM THAT SHOULD OUTLAST THE DRIVE LINE AND BODY ... TO LIMIT IT BY TIME OR MILEAGE IS ABSURD AND SHRUGGING RESPONSIBILITY. THE VERY LAST THING THAT SHOULD FAIL IS THE STRUCTURE. I ARGUED THAT IT IS A FACTORY DEFECT AND SHOULD HAVE NO TIME LIMIT BECAUSE IT IS A STRUCTURAL ITEM WHICH WHEN FAILED COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND POSSIBLE DEATH AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. AND I FEEL THAT THE FACTORY SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE ENTIRE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. IF IT IS OTHERWISE ROAD WORTHY AND MEETS STATE INSPECTION THEN THE SPECIAL COVERAGE SHOULD APPLY. IT IS THE FACTORY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE SAFE VEHICLES. WITH A COMPUTER MODEL, KNOWING THE GRADE OF STEEL, THE THICKNESS OF THE STEEL ONE CAN CALCULATE THE APPROXIMATE TIME IT WOULD TAKE TO RUST THROUGH. THIS IS WHY THERE SHOULD BE NO TIME LIMIT FOR RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

Mileage: 59,450

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET TRACKER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE AND WOBBLE FROM SIDE TO SIDE WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AUTOMOTIVE SHOP WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUSPENSION CROSS MEMBER WAS RUSTED COMPLETELY. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE FAILURE DUE TO THE AGE AND MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED WITH A NEW SUSPENSION CROSS MEMBER AND CONTROL BUSHING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,925.

Mileage: 113,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET TRACKER. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS LEAKING. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ALSO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 14,597. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 608. UPDATED 01/11/2011. *LJ UPDATED 2/17/11 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE RIGHT REAR AXLE SEAL HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES AND HAS FAILED AGAIN SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW. UPDATED 08/31/11. *JB

Mileage: 608

10/29/2009, 2001 TRACKER ZR2 MODEL, VEHICLE TRAVELING 50 MPH WITH A SLIGHT RIGHT HAND TURN IN ROAD, WEST BOUND ON HWY 26 FAR LEFT HAND LANE. HEARD A LOUD BANG, VEHICLE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE, WENT INTO RIGHT HAND SPIN, CROSSED THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC AND HIT CONCRETE BARRICADE ON FAR RIGHT HAND OF HWY. DRIVER WAS SLAMMED INTO WINDOW AND SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. INSPECTION OF VEHICLE REVEALS DAMAGE TO LEFT REAR FENDER, DOOR AND BOTH WHEELS. LOWER CONTROL ARM CAME LOOSE, STEERING ROD BROKE IN HALF AND DESTROYED THE RACK HOUSING. COULD HAVE DIED IN THIS ACCIDENT, SO VERY LUCKY HERE. *TR

Mileage: 116,000

THE PAINT ON MY 2001 CHEVY TRACKER IS FORMING WHITE SPOTS ON THE ROOF OF THE CAR. IS THIS A PAINT DEFECT? I WAX MY CAR FOUR TIMES A YEAR AND WASH IT WEEKLY, SO POOR CARE FOR THE VEHICLE ISN'T A PROBLEM. WHEN I TURN ON THE A/C, IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONE'S CLICKING A COMPUTER MOUSE AT A 100MPH. IT DRIVES ME NUTS. WHEN MY CAR IS IDLING AFTER STARTUP, IT MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE. WHILE DRIVING MY CAR RECENTLY ON THE HIGHWAY, IT WAS VERY HARD TO CONTROL AND I WAS ONLY GOING 70MPH. SOMETIMES THE STEERING WHEEL NEVER TURNS BACK EITHER, WHILE PARKING. MY CAR IS A 2001 CHEVY TRACKER WITH ONLY 54,700 MILES ON IT. I AM THINKING ABOUT WRITING A LETTER TO GM TO HAVE ALL MY PROBLEMS RESOLVED AT NO COST TO ME. *TR

I TOOK MY 2001 CHEVROLET TRACKER TO A GMC DEALERSHIP AFTER FEELING THE WHEEL PULL HARD TO THE RIGHT EVERY TIME I HIT THE BRAKES. AFTER EXAMINING MY CAR, I WAS TOLD THAT THE CROSSMEMBER ON MY 6 YEAR OLD CAR HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT , AND WAS ABOUT TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE SUSPENSION. THE DEALERSHIP EXPLAINED THAT THE SALT USED TO DE-ICE THE ROADWAYS IN THE NORTHEAST CAUSED THE PART TO RUST OUT OVER TIME. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, AND THAT I WAS LUCKY I BROUGHT IT IN WHEN I DID, AS I COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED OR POSSIBLY KILLED IF THE PART HAD BROKEN LOOSE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MY GMAC WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THE REPAIRS OF THIS PART, AND AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION BY THE MECHANICS AT THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS INFORMED THAT I WOULD ALSO HAVE TO REPLACE THE FRONT STABILIZING ARMS, WHICH WERE IN PERFECT WORKING CONDITION, BUT WERE UNFORTUNATELY COMPLETELY RUSTED TO THE CROSSMEMBER THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO REPLACE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT CHEVY HAS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER THE CROSSMEMBER SHOULD BE RECALLED, AS IT IS A PART WHICH IS MANUFACTURED BY SUZUKI, AND IS KNOWN TO HAVE "INSUFFICIENT RUSTPROOFING". I FEEL THAT THIS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED, AS THE INVESTIGATION STATES THAT THIS PART HAS RUSTED OUT ON OVER 128,000 VEHICLES, AND COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE GREAT HARM TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS UPON FAILURE. *TR

REAR BEARING WHEEL FAILED. *AK