Chevrolet Forum Members Give Tips on Locating Hard to Find Parts
After problems left this member’s mother ready to junk her Chevrolet Tracker, the community jumped in to help.
Unless you own a newer or extremely common vehicle, locating replacement parts can oftentimes prove difficult. Typically, once an obscure vehicle runs through its lifespan, manufacturers simply quit producing new parts for it. One good example of this is the Chevrolet (Geo) Tracker. Once a wildly popular niche vehicle, the Tracker has since disappeared off the face of the earth. But there are still plenty of folks that love them, including Chevrolet Forum member almsthvn27‘s mom. So he headed to the forums seeking advice on where to find the parts necessary to keep it on the road.
“My mom has a 2003 Chevy Tracker with 82k miles that she loves. The transmission lines and pan are both rusted and it’s going through a lot of fluid. Even the specialty transmission places around here can’t find parts for it. She is distraught that she may have to junk an otherwise great vehicle for a few little parts. Help!”
Thankfully, fellow member L84sky jumps in with a great resource for the OP.
“It is unlikely you will find these parts new. Start a search for used parts at Car-Part.com. I found two transmission pans listed for a 2003 Tracker. Keep in mind that the same transmission is often used over several model years. Knowing the Regular Production Option (RPO) code for her transmission will help you get the correct part. The code for my 2001 4-speed automatic is M41. You will find all the RPO codes on a sticker in the glove box.”
And if that doesn’t work, oldchevy offers up another solution.
“Depending on how badly rusted the pan is, a good welder should be able to repair it. The lines can be made from tubing the same size and should not be a big problem. No need to junk a good vehicle when some time and money can fix it.”
L84sky also goes the extra mile and points out some similarities between the Chevrolet version of this tiny ‘ute and its Suzuki twin.
“If she has the V6 engine, she almost certainly has the M41 transmission. That will allow you to broaden your search criteria beyond 2003 models. Hopefully that will lead to lower prices (in the used parts market). The RPO codes are listed in alphabetical order on a sticker on the glove box door. If she finds M41 listed you can save yourself a trip to her place.”
All-in-all, this is just another great example of how Chevrolet Forum members are always keen to help those in need. So if you’ve got a problem you can’t seem to solve, why not join today and get the help you need from our community of experts?
Photos: Chevrolet Forum
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