ChevroletTracker 4WD1998Overview/chevrolet/tracker-4wd/1998/base/

1998 Chevrolet Tracker 4WD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1998 Tracker 4WD.

Transmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1998 Chevrolet Tracker 4WD, built on the compact SUV platform, is powered by a three‑speed automatic transmission and a modestly sized engine that requires 4.5 qt of 5W‑30 API oil, delivering EPA‑rated fuel economy of roughly 20 mpg city, 23 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined. Across its 1990‑2004 production run, owner complaints total just 13 for this year, with the only recurring issue flagged in the engine and engine‑cooling systems and no recalls recorded, placing the 1998 model well below the peak complaint year of 2000 (115 complaints) and only slightly above the very low start of the line in 1990 (one complaint). This positioning suggests that the 1998 Tracker occupies a relatively reliable niche within the model’s history, offering a modestly efficient powertrain and a clean service record for researchers examining durability trends.

Model year20011998

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque60 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/23/21 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 26R · 500 CCA battery, OE oil filter 19468075. Note the factory front wiper blades and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 26R · 500 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnDOMEOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215-75R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-, 6.5-JJ; 6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter19468075
Engine air filter96068629
Fuel filter25121587
Spark plug19354429
Front wiper blades12344994 discontinued
Serpentine belt30016435 alt 30005514
Thermostat91177653 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length140.6 in
Overall width64.2 in
Overall height65 in
Wheelbase86.6 in
Curb weight2502 lb
Track (front / rear)55.1 / 55.1 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 23 / 21 mpg
Drivetrain4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 60 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 26.0 ft-lbs.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity4.6 qt
Engine CoolantDEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts12 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts17 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug26.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts7.5 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts60 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug17.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug17.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Ignition Coil Primary Resistance0.7-1.1 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance13,000-18,000 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK
Spark Plug TypeBKR6E-11
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque18.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.33 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type150
Oil Capacity3.04 oz
Standard BCI Group Number26R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance500 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief13 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature190 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)36.0-43.0
Injector Primary Resistance11.8-12.6 na MFI ohms
Engine Compression100
Engine Compression100 Minimum psi
Engine Compression215 Nominal psi

Brakes

Other4 Door / 2 Door
Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle65 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Other4 Door / 2 Door
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.006 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.67 in / 0.394 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 7,500 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake System (inspect) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miCV Joint Boot (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miTransmission Oil Cooler Line (inspect)
Every 50,000 miPCV Valve (replace)
Every 60,000 miDistributor Cap (inspect) · Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect) · Ignition Timing (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (replace) · Timing Belt (replace)
At 90,000 miTiming Belt (inspect)
Every 100,000 miFuel Evaporative Canister (replace) · Fuel Injector (clean) · Powertrain Control System Sensors (inspect) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1998 Chevrolet Tracker 4WD lead in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 3 of 13 reports (23%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine & engine cooling pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
20
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
13
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 13 complaints on record, top 7 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling3
Power Train3
Electrical System3
Electronic Stability Control1
Seat Belts1
Structure1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Tires1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 20 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIP4723D2020-01-31Electrical SystemThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIC4696E2019-11-22EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
17NA0732019-09-18EquipmentThis warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…
PIC4696D2019-09-05EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
17NA0732019-02-15EquipmentThis warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Tracker 4WD. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1998 Tracker 4WD take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1998 Tracker 4WD have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Tracker 4WD get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 23 highway / 21 combined mpg.