Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Chevrolet Tracker problems

Owners filed 72 complaints about the 2002 Chevrolet Tracker with NHTSA between Dec 2001 and Sep 2024. The most-cited component is suspension (16).

Complaints
72
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
11
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Suspension16
  2. Structure14
  3. Air bags9
  4. Engine and engine cooling8
  5. Electrical system8
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic7
  7. Visibility7
  8. Service brakes4
  9. Steering4
  10. Power train4
  11. Exterior lighting3
  12. Tires2
  13. Latches/locks/linkages2
  14. Vehicle speed control2

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 Oct 31, 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
20011
20028
20037
20046
20059
20064
20073
20082
20095
20104
20114
20120
20138
20143
20151
20161
20172
20181
20191
20201
20210
20220
20230
20241

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

Suspension

16 reports2 crashes
“MY MOTHER AND I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND IT SEEMED AS IF THE CAR JUST LUNGED FORWARD SHARPLY AND MADE US SWERVE A LITTLE. I PULLED OVER AND SEEN THAT THE CAR WAS SITTING "OFF" A LITTLE. WE TOWED IT HOME AND MY STEP DAD LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THE CAR HAD RUSTED THROUGH THE SUBFRAME. THE SUBSPENSION SUBFRAME CROSSMEMBER PART COULD OF KILLED US. SHE BOUGHT THIS CAR AT 29 MILES FROM DAVE WHITE CHEVEROLT IN 2001. NOTHING WAS SENT TO US FROM THE MANUFACTURE OR THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS PART BEING A DANGEROUS PART. IT WAS TO BE REPLACED I HEARD IF THE CAR REACHED 150,000 MILES OR 10 PLUS YEARS. SHE HAD THIS CAR FOR BOTH AND WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPLACE THE PART. WE HAD IT TOWED THIS WEEKEND AND THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPLACE THE PART FOR FREE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 8, 2017Steering, Suspension, StructureODI 10959512

Structure

14 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET TRACKER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FRONT END SWERVED AND THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXTREME FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME AND THAT THE CROSS MEMBER WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN DUE TO THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 18, 2019Structure, Service brakesODI 11189764

Air bags

9 reports7 crashes1 fire
“The safety airbags exploded and burning my face and the passenger side passenger it was very hard and his arm and the of explosion of the airbags she was spraying and burning the face and was”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 26, 2024Air bags, Service brakes, Lane departureCrash reportedFire reportedODI 11616661

Engine and engine cooling

8 reports1 fire
“JUNE, 2004. AIR BAG LIGHT ON. DEALER INDICATES NEED TO REPLACE COIL/CLOCK SPRING. JULY, 2004, THE HORN WAS INOPERABLE AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON. WIRES UNDER HORN PAD WERE "CUT." REPLACED SIR COIL AND REPAIRED HORN WIRE. APRIL 2005, AIR BAG LIGHT ON AGAIN. STEERING COLUMN LOOSE. REPLACED AIR BAG CLOCK ASSEMBLY. MARCH, 2008. AIR BAG LIGHT ON AND HORN BEEPING INTERMITTENTLY WHEN HITTING BUMPS OR POTHOLES. DEALER FOUND BROKEN WIRES FOR HORN CONTACT AND CLOCK SPRING. REPLACED COMPLETE STEERING COLUMN. FEBRUARY, 2011. AFTER THE DASHBOARD WAS TAKEN OUT TO HAVE HEATER COIL REPAIRED, MECHANIC INDICATED THAT AIR BAG CLOCK ASSEMBLY NEEDED WAS BROKEN AND NEEDED REPLACING. FOUR SIMILAR INCIDENTS BEGINNING IN 2004 UP TO PRESENT TIME. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 19, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Air bagsODI 10383338

Electrical system

8 reports
“I HAVE A 02'CHEVY IMPALA WHEN I TURN IT ON ALL ELECTRIC COMES ON AND THE ENGINE RUNS FOR A SPLIT SECOND AND DIES THEN THE BATTERY LIGHT AND SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM COMES ON I GOT THE FUEL PUMP AND SENSOR REPLACED STILL THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURS. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT FOR A FEW MILES AFTER READING THE MANUAL AND PUSHING THE GAS TO THE FLOOR WHILE HOLDING THE KEYS ON FOR THREE SECONDS BUT EVENTUALLY IT DIED AGAIN. PLEASE HELP!!!!! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 5, 2010Electrical systemODI 10353924

Service brakes, hydraulic

7 reports2 crashes
“PURCHASED A 2002 CHEVY TRACKER ON 4/30/2002. WE'VE HAD SOME MINOR AND SOME MAJOR REPAIRS MADE, IT'S NEVER BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS AND HAS BEEN UP-KEPT. COMING HOME FROM WORK MY HUSBAND NOTICED THE YEAR OLD BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY, WAS PULLING, AND STARTED VIBRATING AND SHAKING AT ABOUT 40 MPH. WE LATER NOTICED THE BACK BRAKE LINE WAS LEAKING. TWO WEEKS TO FIX BY OUR MECHANIC. ON THE TEST DRIVE NOTICED VIBRATION MUCH WORSE- VIOLENT-ABRUPT SHAKING! LATER OUR MECHANIC NOTICED THE FRONT SUSPENSION CROSS MEMBER IS ALMOST RUSTED OUT! IT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET. I AM GOING TO NOTIFY MANUFACTURER. APPROXIMATE MILEAGE WAS110,000. WERE NOTIFICATIONS SENT OUT? DON'T REMEMBER ONE- I'M PRETTY ADAMANT ABOUT SAFETY! ALWAYS LOVED THIS VEHICLE, NOW TONS OF JUNK MEDAL SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY AND DOWN A VEHICLE! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 22, 2014Suspension, Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10574122
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 31, 2026

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