2003 Chevrolet Tracker Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often complain about the front suspension crossmember and related front-end parts rusting through, typically on higher-mileage vehicles, which shows up as shaking, pulling or noise. A second cluster of complaints covers the safety systems in crashes: airbags reported as not deploying and seat belts reported as not latching or retracting. Smaller groups describe unintended acceleration complaints and brake concerns, including rusted brake lines.

1. 1
   Suspension

   Front crossmember and control arm corrosion

   • 16 complaints (23%)
   • median 126,000 mi at 11.6 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2008–2021

   Complaints describe the front crossmember, subframe or lower control arm rusting through to the point of cracking or detaching. Owners say the first sign is often a violent shake, a pull to one side, a clunk or a wheel that moves around, and in some cases the vehicle became hard to steer or stop normally. Mechanics quoted in the complaints identified heavy corrosion of the front structure, and several owners say the repair was not done or that coverage for the part had already expired. Reported mostly between roughly 60,000 and 170,000 miles, often on older vehicles in rust-prone areas.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Have a shop inspect the front crossmember, subframe and control arms for rust and perforation before purchase, especially on vehicles from snowy or coastal areas. Ask whether the front suspension crossmember special coverage was ever applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving the car the wheel started pulling to the right.after that the steering wheel began to go back and forth a bit and felt shaking..we have owned this car since it was new.there was no previous warning of a problem.I looked under the car and the cross member was rotted out.”

   NHTSA complaint #10572671, filed 2014-03, 68,000 miles

   “I was driving home from work when my car started to violent shake at about forty five miles hr so I pull over my Tracker over saw not problem so I drop my spd and was able to make it home with min shaking and the next day I had a mechanic look it and was told the whole front crossmember bar had rust away. I look up the problem online and found a extended warranty or as been called a silent recall. On this part,but it has expired the problem is I was never informed of this now expire warranty. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10594099, filed 2014-05, 120,193 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Airbag did not deploy in a crash

   • 9 complaints (13%)
   • median 35,000 mi at 2.7 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2003–2016

   Owners describe frontal or rear impacts where the airbags did not deploy, including crashes at highway speeds and one case where the vehicle was totaled. Several complaints involve injuries to the driver or passenger, and in some the seat belt is also described as not restraining the occupant. Complaints do not describe a dealer diagnosis in most cases. Scattered across low and moderate mileage, with most reports on vehicles under about 50,000 miles at the time of the crash.

   What to check: Ask whether the airbag warning lamp behaves normally at startup and whether any airbag-related repairs or recalls were completed. A pre-purchase inspection that includes a scan for stored airbag fault codes is worthwhile.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was at a complete stop and was rearended by a vehicle who did not see me and did not attempt to stop hitting me going 35-50 MPH and pushing my car into the vehicle in front of me and impact that vehicle. My frontal airbag did not deploy and my seatbelt did not restrain me. I believe both of these were faulty and did not work properly based on the speed I was hit. My car was totalled by the insurance company. I was seriously injured with permanent facial damage.”

   NHTSA complaint #10129016, filed 2005-07, 47,000 miles

   “I had a sever car accident and the air bag never open and problem with the suspension and steering wheel and the brakes got lock after we were hit on the rear of the Tracker. And last control”

   NHTSA complaint #10892693, filed 2016-08, 50 miles
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Unintended acceleration or sticking accelerator

   • 7 complaints (10%)
   • median 51,000 mi at 6.2 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2004–2014

   Owners describe the engine speed rising on its own or the accelerator staying down after it was pressed, in some cases with braking unable to overcome it. Several complaints reference a recall issued for the mechanically similar Suzuki models and question why the Tracker was not included. In other reports the vehicle jerked forward or surged at steady speeds; dealers were often unable to reproduce the problem. Reported from about 30,000 to 50,000 miles, with one report in extreme cold (-10 to -15 F).

   What to check: Check that the accelerator pedal and cable move freely and return fully, and ask whether the throttle body or pedal assembly has been serviced. Note that the input file lists no recalls for this model year, so verify open recalls by VIN before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I applied my brakes to stop my Tracker, but the accelerator stuck at the speed I was going. I pushed the brakes, I couldn't get them to work full force. The Tracker was accelerating and just slightly braking ,both at the same time. I got the Tracker to a full stop just before I entered a cross road to a highway.... Not funny.... Fix it, be fore some one is killed. I saw four other complaints refering to a similar proplems. I had the veh. In the shop and they could find nothing. Something 'is' wrong. C.s. C.s.”

   NHTSA complaint #10185464, filed 2007-03, 37,000 miles

   “1. I was driving at approximately 65 MPH for about an hour, with the outside temperature at approximately -10f to -15f. Please note that my vehicle does not have cruise (speed) control. 2. I noticed that the engine was revving on its own, and maxxing out! The accelerator no longer had any effect and the engine was going as fast as it could even with my foot completely off of the accelerator. Braking was ineffective because the engine counteracted any braking attempt. When I moved my gear shift to neutral the tachometer redlined. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10253551, filed 2009-01, 90,750 miles
4. 4
   Seat belts

   Seat belts jam, won't latch or won't retract

   • 5 complaints (7%)
   • median 12,000 mi at 2.7 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2004–2011

   Complaints describe seat belt webbing that would not pull out, buckles that were difficult to latch or release, and belts that did not tighten in a collision. In one case the dealer replaced the belts under warranty and the problem returned, with dust buildup given as the explanation, and the owner was told other vehicles had the same issue. Reported from very low mileage (under about 15,000 miles) up through older vehicles, with no clear mileage pattern.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Pull each belt fully out and let it retract, and latch and release every buckle a few times. A service bulletin describes the latching and sticking buckle symptom, so ask whether any related work was done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Vehicle was stopped when rear-ended by another vehicle travelling about 30 MPH. Passenger side front seat-belt failed to tighten and passenger struck the dashboard. The brakes failed and driver had to use emergency brake to stop rolling. Fluid was seen on the driver's side front wheel well. Both front seats were knocked off track and could not be re-adjusted. Vehicle is being repaired as of 11/01/04.”

   NHTSA complaint #10098105, filed 2004-11, 10,900 miles

   “2003 Chevrolet Tracker. Letter sent from an attorney on behalf of a client regarding client for injuries sustained during a collision seat belt product liability not only was the seat belt in question, it also included the retractor, retractor housing and locking mechanism.”

   NHTSA complaint #10424911, filed 2011-09
5. 5
   Brakes

   Brake vibration and rusted brake lines

   • 7 complaints (10%)
   • median 54,000 mi at 8.0 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2004–2017

   Owners describe severe vibration or pulsation when braking, with rotors resurfaced or replaced and the vibration returning. Other complaints describe sudden loss of braking when a rusted brake line failed, requiring the parking brake to stop, and one owner was told the lines had rusted through and leaked fluid. Vibration reports from about 34,000 to 59,000 miles; brake line failures on higher-mileage vehicles around 49,000 to 148,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Inspect the steel brake lines along the underbody for rust and seepage, and check for pedal pulsation during a test drive. A service bulletin on rotor surface condition is worth asking about if the brakes were recently serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2003 chevy Tracker has a rust issue with brake lines and also rust on front crossmember. Crossmember has hole in the metal from the rust and the brake line has a hole in it also causing brake light to loose fluid..I understand from reading blogs there was a recall but now it has expired for the crossmember.”

   NHTSA complaint #10554023, filed 2013-11, 147,825 miles

   “Lost brakes without warning going down a steep hill. Had to gear down and use emergency brake to slowly get to a mechanic. He said the brake lines had rusted thru causing me to suddenly lose brake fluid. He also made the comment that GM should have used stainless brakes lines and since they did not it kept his shop in business.”

   NHTSA complaint #10521187, filed 2013-06, 49,000 miles

Buying note. The most consistent theme across complaints is front-end corrosion on these vehicles, so a thorough underbody inspection matters more here than on most used cars. Also verify by VIN whether any open recalls apply, and confirm the airbags and seat belts function normally, since owners report problems with both in crashes.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.