Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 Chevrolet Tracker problems

Owners filed 49 complaints about the 1999 Chevrolet Tracker with NHTSA between Dec 1999 and Dec 2014. The most-cited component is structure (12).

Complaints
49
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure12
  2. Electrical system9
  3. Suspension7
  4. Power train7
  5. Air bags5
  6. Steering4
  7. Equipment4
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic4
  9. Visibility3
  10. Engine and engine cooling2
  11. Tires2
  12. Equipment adaptive/mobility1
  13. Service brakes1
  14. Seat belts1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 13, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19992
200012
20017
20022
20035
20043
20050
20062
20074
20082
20091
20104
20111
20122
20130
20142

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Structure

12 reports1 crash
“FRONT FRAME CROSSMEMBER RUSTED THROUGH IN MULTIPLE AREAS AND HAS MADE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE PULLS VIOLENTLY TO THE LEFT WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT HIGH SPEEDS OR TURNING SHARPLY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 31, 2011StructureODI 10393898

Electrical system

9 reports1 crash
“CAR KEEPS HAVING ITS BATTERY DRAINED AFTER REPAIRS. REPLACED TWO ALTERNATORS AND A CAR COMPUTER. SEEMS TO WORK FOR A FEW WEEKS AFTER GETTING FIXED AND THEN BURNS UP AN ALTERNATOR. THREE TIMES TO THE MECHANIC; CURRENTLY SHOP. PROBLEM OCCURRED AFTER NEW BATTERY WAS INSERTED. CAR HAS WORKED GREAT FOR 10 YEARS AND THEN THIS REQUIRING ELECTRICAL PROBLEM; BATTERY IS DEAD (THIS WITH A NEW BATTERY). *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 9, 2012Electrical systemODI 10451010

Suspension

7 reports
“CAME TO A STOP AT A STOP SIGN AND HEART A POP. TRACKER WOULD THEN PULL ROUGHLY TO THE LEFT WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CROSSMEMBER BROKE WHERE THE INNER SUSPENSION ATTACHES. CALLED SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT COVERED ON A RECALL FOR THIS YEAR VEHICLE. FOUND SEVERAL FORUMS THAT COMPLAIN OF THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON VARIOUS YEARS FOR THE CHEVY TRACKER. THIS IS VERY UNFORTUNATE SINCE I AM QUITE FOND OF MY TRACKER AND RELY ON IT FOR WORK AND TRAVEL WITH MY CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY IN WINTER MONTHS. I AM GLAD THIS WAS DISCOVERED BEFORE IT CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 6, 2012Steering, SuspensionODI 10442661

Power train

7 reports
“I RECENTLY TOOK MY 1999 CHEVROLET TRACKER, VIN [XXX], INTO MY LOCAL GM DEALER FOR A PROBLEM I WAS HAVING WITH THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE. IT WAS A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE IN THE RIGHT FRONT AND THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE WAS SLIPPING IN AND OUT. THE DEALER CHECKED IT OUT AND CALLED ME BACK TO LET ME KNOW THAT THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL. HE FOUND THIS OUT ONLY AFTER RESEARCHING SEVERAL OTHER POSSIBILITIES (AT $61.00 PER HOUR) BY CALLING GM'S TECH SUPPORT. HE WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS PROBLEM IN WHICH GM HAS HAD TO MODIFY THE DIFFERENTIAL CASE. IN ORDER FOR THE PROBLEM TO BE CORRECTED, THE FRONT AXLE DIFFERENTIAL CASE, ACTUATOR AND SIDE BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $1380.68. AT THE TIME THIS PROBLEM STARTED, I WAS DRIVING TO WORK IN A SNOWSTORM THAT DUMPED 12" IN 8 HOURS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, 4-WHEEL DRIVE WAS PRETTY MUCH A NECESSITY. UNFORTUNATELY, I COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO GO HANDLE PROPERLY, BECAUSE THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE WOULD NOT STAY ENGAGED. I PARKED IT AND CALLED FOR A RIDE. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT EVEN THOUGH GM HAS ADMITTED TO A FAULTY DESIGN IN THE DIFFERENTIAL CASE, AND HAS MODIFIED IT FOR REPAIR OF A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 2004Power trainODI 10056289

Air bags

5 reports5 crashes
“VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION BETWEEN 35-40 MPH, AND BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 20, 2001Air bagsCrash reportedODI 899309

Steering

4 reports
“I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1999 CHEVY TRACKER. SINCE DAY ONE OF OWNERSHIP, I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH STEERING WHEEL BINDING AND IGNITION KEY ISSUES. ALSO, THERE HAS BEEN A SQUEALING NOISE THAT IS LOUD AND CONSTANT. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES WITH THE SAME OLD RECOMMENDATION OF WE CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG, JUST KEEP DRIVING IT. OR, THERE IS NOTHING TO FIX. THE SQUEALING IS LOUDER AND FROM READING OTHER ISSUES WITH THE CHEVY TRACKER, IT SEEMS IS FROM THE PULLEY AND BELT AREA THAT IS CAUSING THE NOISE THAT A DEALER REFUSES TO FIX. ALSO, MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AND THE IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT TAKE THE KEY SMOOTHLY. MEANING, ITS HARD TO INSERT AND HARD TO REMOVE WITH OUT FORCE. I HAVE A 2008 HHR THAT WAS ON RECALL DUE TO THIS SAME IGNITION PROBLEM AND THE CYLINDER WAS REPLACE. THE PROBLEM IS IDENTICAL TO THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE 98,000 MILES ON THIS CAR AND DO NOT WANT TO GET HURT OR JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY, SO I AM REPORTING THIS ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE. I BELIEVE FROM OWNING ONLY CHEVROLETS, THAT YOUR IGNITION CYLINDER PROBLEM DATES WAY BACK, THEN WHAT YOUR WILLING TO ADMIT. SO PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE, BEFORE YOU HAVE MORE PROBLEMS TO…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 23, 2014Steering, Equipment adaptive/mobility, Service brakesODI 10667827
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 13, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.