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ZUKIWORLD Model Specific Suzuki Forum => Suzuki Grand Vitara, Vitara, Chevy Tracker (Gen. 2 Platform) 1999-2005 => Topic started by: diftoyota on April 11, 2012, 05:48:28 AM

Title: frame recall on tracker and vitara (2002 and up)
Post by: diftoyota on April 11, 2012, 05:48:28 AM
i have learned that we have a recall on the piece of frame on our vitara and trackers, the front cross member holding the rack and pinion and the radiator is rusting out and can be replaced by the dealer if you have less than 240,000km or the truck is less than 10 years old.

as for me i got a 2002 vitara and the dealer said it wasn't covered as it was older than 10 year old, since last oct 2011, i find this sad as this is really a safety issue as that piece also holds up the front a arm, witch in my case is rusted badly.

to people who has 2002 and up vitara and trackers go at your local dealership to check this out before its too late!!!

if you guys know of more recalls on these let us know
Title: Re: frame recall on tracker and vitara (2002 and up)
Post by: bush buster on April 11, 2012, 05:53:00 AM
Damn mine's a 2001 with 250k.   >:(
Title: Re: frame recall on tracker and vitara (2002 and up)
Post by: nprecon on April 11, 2012, 02:57:19 PM
I received a recall notice on my Tracker (a 2002) several years ago for the frame cross member which had a limitation of 10 years or 150K miles... which ever came first.  Appears they rusted from the inside, in the case of many Trackers.  A lot of Tracker owners had the problem and a lot of them had their Tracker repaired at their local Chevy dealer at no charge.  A few dealers weren't aware of the recall and the owners experienced a little problem with the the repair being covered, but I think most owners who experienced this problem were treated well.  I'm well beyond their limitations now.  If it fails, hopefully I will survive and I'll do the repair myself.
Title: Re: frame recall on tracker and vitara (2002 and up)
Post by: diftoyota on April 11, 2012, 07:49:27 PM
i find it sad as my body is practicaly new and the frame still has the black paint on it. but that piece of the crossmember on the passenger side is rusted, a few holes trough it. they should not look for how old or many milles there is on the vehicle, they should look at the condition of the vehicle then decide if it needs it or not. its not fair in my case and in other people as well. im lucky enough to have one for parts on my part truck but i am gona call at other dealership tomorrow just to see if they can still do it or not
Title: Re: frame recall on tracker and vitara (2002 and up)
Post by: trackinstile on April 12, 2012, 02:24:10 AM
I had my bolted in cross member changed under warrenty a few years ago and it's fine, now it's the main cross member that the control arms etc bolt into that's welded into the frame that I can now put my hand through.  Same here, body is in mint condition.  Still looking into fixing it. >:(
Title: Re: frame recall on tracker and vitara (2002 and up)
Post by: Perryd on April 12, 2012, 03:37:20 PM
Is there link an official recall or anything? Just to bring with me when I go to the dealer. Mines a 2003
Title: Re: frame recall on tracker and vitara (2002 and up)
Post by: nprecon on April 12, 2012, 05:52:09 PM
I have four pages of a document sent to me from Chevrolet when i owned my first 2nd Gen Tracker, which was a 2000 model year.... but for some reason I cannot attach the documents to the forum.  I saved them in .pdf format.  Zukiworld forum states it accepts the .pdf format... but I can't load them.  Not even one attachment at a time.  Send me your e-mail by PM and I will attempt to send them to you via regular e-mail.

These reference documents probably should be posted on a sticky here on the forum so old and new Tracker members can reference them if/when they experience a crossmember corrosion problem.
Title: Re: frame recall on tracker and vitara (2002 and up)
Post by: Perryd on April 13, 2012, 07:10:27 AM
how bad does it have to be in order for them to replace it? mine is by far the rustiest part of my vehicles frame (everything else still has most paint on it), but it doesn't look 'rotted out'. Would it be better to bring it to a suzuki or chev dealer?
Title: Re: frame recall on tracker and vitara (2002 and up)
Post by: nprecon on April 13, 2012, 10:52:30 AM
Turns out both the .pdf files and the .tif files I converted the documents to were 8mb+ in size each!
Title: Re: frame recall on tracker and vitara (2002 and up)
Post by: diftoyota on April 14, 2012, 05:26:00 PM
how bad does it have to be in order for them to replace it? mine is by far the rustiest part of my vehicles frame (everything else still has most paint on it), but it doesn't look 'rotted out'. Would it be better to bring it to a suzuki or chev dealer?

the dealer can tell you if its eligible or not, if it has a hole it should be replace. i took the one off my part truck witch i found a receipt as well in the dash, it was replaced 2 years ago with a new one and already has a hole in it!! they should use thiker metal for these jeez!!
Title: Re: frame recall on tracker and vitara (2002 and up)
Post by: mvptrukin on April 21, 2012, 10:33:34 AM
If the problem is still evident in the replacement part the NHTSA should be notified at www.nhtsa.gov (http://www.nhtsa.gov). If they receive enough complaints the OEM can be made to replace the part regardless of age. The OEM make their own rules when they issue a TSB or a recall, but when the NHTSA orders the recall they make them go all the way back. It is a defective part and a safety issue.
Title: Re: frame recall on tracker and vitara (2002 and up)
Post by: AJMBLAZER on April 23, 2012, 06:49:37 AM
When I got my 2002 from nprecon in August 2010 the first thing I did was take it to the Chevy dealership and have them replace the crossmember.  Mine had no visual signs other than a slightly higher than average amount of surface rust.  They were clueless but looked it up, agreed I was eligible, and did it.

I immediately undercoated the living hell out of it.

Figured it couldn't hurt to have it done.
Title: Re: frame recall on tracker and vitara (2002 and up)
Post by: diftoyota on April 26, 2012, 11:15:10 AM
If the problem is still evident in the replacement part the NHTSA should be notified at [url=http://www.nhtsa.gov]www.nhtsa.gov[/url] ([url]http://www.nhtsa.gov[/url]). If they receive enough complaints the OEM can be made to replace the part regardless of age. The OEM make their own rules when they issue a TSB or a recall, but when the NHTSA orders the recall they make them go all the way back. It is a defective part and a safety issue.


come on ppl!!! let them know, i have to replace mine lol
Title: Re: frame recall on tracker and vitara (2002 and up)
Post by: nprecon on April 26, 2012, 04:38:47 PM
Dam!!  Wish I had thought about doing that to them, AJM.  Never occurred to me they would replace it/them without a fight unless the A-arm was nearly falling off.
Title: Re: frame recall on tracker and vitara (2002 and up)
Post by: diftoyota on May 03, 2012, 06:24:29 AM
well i fighted with the dealer and they dint even want to do anything but sell the cross-member at 360$ + taxes and the bolts as well for an extra 80$. yesterday the a-arm braket ripped out and i nearly lost my passenger side wheel. i tied it up with a rachet strap and used my e-brake to be safer than what it is and minimized my speed. at my garage i took the rusty old bolts out, the worst part are the a-arm bushings, the bolts were rusted into the sleves. we manage to cut the front of the a-arm bracket to take it out of the rubber, then we unseised the bolt out of the sleeve. then put a bunch of electrical tape around the sleeve and hammer it back in. i did it this way since i dint had money to fix it the right way. anyhow, now i got my front crossmember on and now i have no rust at all on the truck, will have to change the a-arm bushing wen i get my check, does anyone knows if those bushing are replacable? i heard a tracker owner telling me he changed the bushing but i dont think they are replaceable without replacing the whole control arm.