This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Tracker. The air conditioner in her vehicle would not work. The dealer replaced the compressor, condenser, and the vacuum however; the air conditioner would not work. The cost of the repairs was $6,000. She was also advised that the fan needed to be replaced and the cost of the repairs was $700. The failure has been ongoing since August 2005. The current mileage was 96,000 and the failure mileage was 86,000. The vehicle date of purchase and dealer address information was unavailable.
A/C condenser fins are damaged and freon tubing is abraded in a doughnut shaped pattern on the front side of the condenser. The condenser outside the condenser fan blade area are undamaged, and the radiator is undamaged. The damaged area is free of debris and is shiny. When the condenser tubing wears through and freon escapes, the A/C will become nonfunctional. This will decrease the effectiveness of the defrosting capabilities in high humidity conditions and create a low visibility hazzard. The vehicle has been fitted with a mask and screen from April to October each year to keep insects out of the condenser and radiator. The front of the vehicle shows no wear from road debris. Another owner of a similar vehicle experienced the identical problem, and his A/C actually failed. GM did not cover his repairs because the vehicle was out of warranty.
The condenser sustained premature wear due to a defect in the design of the vehicle. The vehicle has a pusher type condenser cooling fan that forces debris into the condenser causing the condenser to sustain damage overtime causing it to fail. My vehicle has never been in a front end collision to warrant such damage. The cooling fins on the condenser get smashed into the condenser causing the freon flow to be restricted and eventual condenser failure. While talking with other owners with 1999 thru 2002 Trackers/ Suzuki viatras with the 2.0 engine it appears that they also have this problem with premature condenser failure. I contacted Chevrolet division but they claimed that the car is out of warranty and nothing can be done.
- St. Clair Shores, MI, USA
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- Douglasville, GA, USA