The dreaded learn me: Chevy Tracker

Thanks to a lovely spring snow my Malibu was backed into a guard rail and is facing retirement. For a replacement I found a 2000 Chevy Tracker. 4cyl, 5speed 4x4 with 170.000 miles. What should I look for and what is going to go wrong on it?

Rust exspecially if its clad in the nice plastic running boards and fender flares. Otherwise my friends has over 230k on it now with no issues aside from replaceing all the brake and fuel lines due too rust.

Yes, rust. Then more rust. Check the hollow tubes that tie the frame rails together carefully. That said, my '99 Vitara seems much better rust-proofed than the '88 Sidekick I had.

Is it a 2.0L 4cyl or a V6?

These have an issue with the front transfer case. Since it doesn't have locking hubs, the front axles turn all the time, eventually wearing out the inner bearings and their seats in the transfer case. For about $500 in parts you can get new bearings & shims to repair the case, as well as manually locking hubs.

Also, there's an air-powered actuator inside the front diff that engages for 4wd. The pump seals fail, the lines get brittle and break, and the seals inside the front diff can do the same. The pump should put out ~6psi when running, and the system should hold that pressure without the pump cycling. If the 4WD light on the dash is blinking, there's a problem in the system somewhere. This is also resolved with the solution above.

5-speed transmissions tend to develop howling output shaft bearings(or is it input?).

Oh, with a set of General Grabber AT2's it's damn near unstoppable in the snow.

I had a 4cyl 2wd auto. Slow as molasses, bullet proof reliable though. I always wanted to lift it an inch, throw a push bar on the front, some KC daylighters on the roof, and some of those General Grabbers on it. I suspect a 4cyl 4x will be REALLY slow.

In reply to OldGray320i:

It depend which 4-cylinder. The 2.0 is plenty powerful, the others not so much...

I owned a 2003 Vitara (same thing right) for a spell and i freaking loved it. Great size, decent MPG for what it was, (i could count on 21.5ish mpg) and fun. I had some slightly oversized tires on it and it looked great. There is a build thread on here for it.

Rust. Look for rust the the rockers and in the engine bay on the the flat sections if it was not kept clean. Also, look around the fuel door.

The 2.0 engine has timing chains and guides that need replacing or the engine goes boom. It can be done at home from what i read. If it has not been done to the one youre looking at then plan on doing it if you hear it slapping around.

All engine bay stuff seemed easily accessed which was great and you can change the oil without jacking it up. This was the first car i had that i could do that haha.

It was fun in the snow and it all around rocked. Not too big, not too small. I would buy one again. I got rid of mine because the PO neglected to do maintainance and it all caught up to it quick. Say la vie.

If a clean one came for sale by me or in my travels i would buy it again.