Power Train. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Structure. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

13 crash reports1 fire reports5 injury reports

Equipment complaints

6 reports

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152,000 miles · Feb 2, 2011

Engine And Engine CoolingEquipment

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ON JULY 22, 2010, I PURCHASED A 2002 ISUZU AXIOM FOR MY PREGNANT DAUGHTER, FROM ALAM, THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF A CARS 4-U, LOCATED ON 3503 HILLCROFT STREET SUITE B, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77057. UPON THE PURCHASE, ALAM, THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF A CARS 4-U URGED ME TO PURCHASE A PENN WARRANTY, BUT I COULD NOT, SO HE PURCHASED IT. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, I BEGAN EXPERIENCING STEERING PROBLEMS, SHIFTING GEARS, AIR CONDITIONING PROBLEMS, AUTOMATIC DOOR AND WINDOW PROBLEMS ETC. HE TOLD ME TO HAVE MY DAUGHTER BRING IT IN BUT, SHE REFUSED TO BECAUSE HE WAS ALWAYS HARASSING HER ASKING HER TO GO OUT TO LUNCH WITH HIM, SO I TOOK IT BACK TO HIM AND HE SAID, "THAT'S WHY I TOLD YOU TO PURCHASE A WARRANTY". TWO HOURS LATER, HE TOLD ME THAT THE MECHANICS CHECKED OUT THE VEHICLE AND THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. AS SOON AS I RETURNED HOME,I BEGAN EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS. SO, THE NEXT DAY, I TOOK IT TO TWO OTHER MECHANICS. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING RACK AND PINION AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I THEN CONTACTED ALAM, THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND TOLD HIM THAT I HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO TWO OTHER MECHANICS AND TOLD HIM WHAT THEY SAID. HIS RESPONSE WAS, "LET THE WARRANTY TAKE CARE OF IT". ALAM, THE DEALERSHIP TOOK ME TO ANOTHER ONE OF HIS MECHANIC'S THAT WORKED ON ALL OF HIS VEHICLES, WHOSE SHOP LOCATED ON 4208 MANGUM RD. STE.8 CALLED AUTOTECH COLLISION EXECUTIVE AUTO, I TRIED TO WAIT FOR THEM TO TEST DRIVE IT BUT ALAM BEGAN TO ENGAGE IN IMPROPER CONVERSATIONS, AND MAKING IMPROPER BODILY AND HAND GESTERS SO I LEFT. AFTER ABOUT ANOTHER WEEK LATER, I CALLED TO CHECK ON THE STATUS OF THE VEHICLE,THEY TOLD ME THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10379975

Mileage unknown · May 11, 2010

EquipmentPower TrainVisibility

I HAVE A 2002 ISUZU AXIOM WITH 84,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. APPARENTLY THIS IS A DEFECT THAT MANY, MANY OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING OR HAVE EXPERIENCED. THIS DEFECT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE SECOND ISSUE IS THE BUTTONS ON THE RADIO/HEATING AND COOLING UNIT FALLS OUT. THIS TOO NEEDS TO…

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NHTSA ODI #10329854

Mileage unknown · Nov 21, 2006

Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingEquipment

2002 ISUZU AXIOM REPLACED TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AFTER MECHANIC STATED EVERYTHING WAS RUNNING FINE. *KB ***NAR*** THE CONSUMER HAS ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE'S AIR CONDITIONER AND THE OXYGEN SENSOR. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10174343

31,000 miles · Dec 2, 2005

Equipment

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AIR CONDITIONING - AT APPROX. 31,000 MILES ON MY ISUZU AXIOM THE AIR CONDITIONER BEGAN MAKING A LOUD NOISE AND WOULD NOT COOL AT IDLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT THE AIR COMPRESSOR HAD GONE OUT AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THEY WERE HAPPY TO REPLACE THE AIR COMPRESSOR AND OTHER COMPONENTS THEY CLAIMED NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE AIR COMPRESSOR BEING REPLACED (I.E. DRYER, ETC.) FOR A MERE $1,600.00. I WAS NOT HAPPY SINCE THE VEHICLE HAD LOW MILEAGE AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE THAT HAD THE A/C FAIL AT SUCH A LOW MILEAGE. THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED THE LOCAL ISUZU REP AND THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE COMPRESSOR AT NO COST. I FELT THAT SINCE THE CAR WAS SO NEW AND HAD SUCH LOW MILEAGE THAT THEY WOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. NOT!!! THE LOCAL ISUZU REP EVEN WANTED ME TO PROVIDE SERVICE RECORDS (OIL CHANGES, ETC.) ON THE VEHICLE SO THEY COULD BE SURE I WAS MAINTAINING THE VEHICLE AS I SHOULD. I ASKED WHAT THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER. THEY REALLY HAD NO RESPONSE. I WENT TO THE DEALER TO PICK UP MY CAR TO TAKE TO ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP FOR ANOTHER OPINION AND AS I WAS PICKING UP THE CAR I WROTE ON THE WINDOWS WITH SHOE POLISH RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SERVICE BAY. I WROTE "ISUZU DO NOT BUY ONE!" THE SERVICE MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP WAS STANDING OUT THERE AND SAW ME. I AGAIN EXPRESSED HOW MAD I WAS WITH ISUZU'S SORRY PRODUCT AND THE SERVICE MANAGER ASKED ME TO COME INTO HIS OFFICE. HE CALLED THE LOCAL ISUZU REP AND SPOKE WITH HIM BRIEFLY AND THEN ISUZU DECIDED THEY WOULD ONLY CHARGE ME $635.00 FOR THE A/C WORK. I WAS STILL NOT HAPPY BUT HAD THE WORK DONE ANYWAY. ISUZU DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS AND THE WARRANTY IS A JOKE! I FEEL THAT ISUZU SHOULD REFUND ME WHAT I PAID FOR THE A/C WORK SINCE IT WAS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECTIVE PART IN MY VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10144205

56,000 miles · Jul 18, 2005

EquipmentSeat Belts

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CAR PURCHASED 11/2002. 6 MONTHS LATER TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, REPLACED. SINCE REPLACEMENT ONLY GETTING 13-15 MILES TO THE GALLON. TOOK CAR IN 3 TIMES AND COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. ABOUT A MONTH LATER CAR STARTING RATTLING, THE DRIVE TRAIN WAS REPLACED. THE GEAR BY THE SEAT STATES IN DRIVE BUT THE DASH STATES D3 OR NUETRAL DEPENDING IF THE GEAR IS UP OR DOWN. I ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM WITH THE SHOP AND WAS TOLD THIS IS NORMAL AND HAVE TO MAKE SURE MY DASH HAS THE CORRECT GEAR AND NOT TO GO BY MY HANDLE ON THE SIDE OF SEAT. NOW TODAY, MY CAR STARTS SMOKING AND MADE A RATTLING SCREACHING NOISE AND IT IS MY AIR COMPRESSOR. ALSO, THE BRAKE JUMP WHEN IT IS WET AND IS VERY SCARY WHEN I BRAKE AND I AM AFRAID THAT CAR IS NOT GOING TO STOP. ALSO, THE SEAT BELT CONSTANTLY GET CAUGHT UNDER THE SEAT AND WHEN YOU THINK YOU ARE STRAPPED IN YOU ARE NOT SINCE THE PLACTIC PIECE CATCHES UNDER THE SEAT. I FOUND THIS OUT WHEN I HAD TO ABRUPTLY STOP MY BRAKES AND WAS PUSHED FORWARD, THIS HAPPENS ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! THIS CAR IS AWFUL. I HAVE OWNED 5 DIFFERENT CARS IN MY LIFE AND THIS CAR IS HORRIBLE. I PURCHASED THE CAR IN NOVEMBER 2002 AND HAVE HAD LESS THAN 3 YEARS.

NHTSA ODI #10129078

Mileage unknown · Jul 27, 2004

EquipmentFuel System, OtherService Brakes, Hydraulic

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WHILE DRIVING TO WORK I NOTICED THAT MY GAS NEEDLE WAS LOW WHICH I DEEMED FUNNY BECAUSE I HAD JUST FULLED THE SUV THE MORNING BEFORE, I THEN WHEN TO THE STATION TO GET GAS JUST TO CHECK AND I ONLY GOT $6.00 DOLLARS IN THE TANK AND ALSO THE COMPUTER SAID THAT I WAS 56 MILES FROM EMPTY. THE FRONT END SHAKES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING, SPARKS COME FROM IT WHEN YOU TURN IT ON, THE BLOWER FAN JUST STOPPED WORKING, THE BRAKES MAKE A LOUD SOUND UPON BEING APPLIED, THE OUTSIDE TEMPERTURE INDICATOR DOES NOT WORK ANYMORE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10082761

Official recalls

10V436000 · Suspension:rear

Sep 22, 2010

ISUZU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1998-2002 ISUZU RODEO AND MODEL YEAR 2002 ISUZU AXIOM VEHICLES, AND HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN 1998-2002 HONDA PASSPORT VEHICLES, THAT WERE ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR ARE CURRENTLY REGISTERED, IN THE STATES OF MAINE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, VERMONT, MASSACHUSETTS, RHODE ISLAND, CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE, MARYLAND, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WEST VIRGINIA, OHIO, INDIANA, MICHIGAN, ILLINOIS, WISCONSIN, MINNESOTA, IOWA, MISSOURI, AND KENTUCKY. VEHICLES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED SUSTAINED EXPOSURE TO HIGHLY CORROSIVE MATERIALS USED IN SOME JURISDICTIONS FOR ROAD DEICING PURPOSES MAY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE CORROSION IN THE VICINITY OF THE FORWARD MOUNTING POINT BRACKET FOR THE LEFT OR RIGHT REAR SUSPENSION LOWER LINK PRIOR TO THE TIME THAT SUCH CORROSION WOULD NORMALLY BE EXPECTED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: EXCESSIVE CORROSION MAY RESULT IN THE LEFT OR RIGHT REAR SUSPENSION LOWER LINK BRACKET BECOMING DETACHED FROM THE FRAME, WHICH CAN AFFECT VEHICLE HANDLING AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR SUSPENSION LOWER LINK BRACKET AREA. FOR VEHICLES IN WHICH LITTLE OR NO CORROSION IS FOUND, THE AREA WILL BE TREATED WITH AN ANTI-CORROSIVE COMPOUND. FOR VEHICLES IN WHICH CORROSION HAS DAMAGED THE REAR SUSPENSION LOWER LINK BRACKET AND AFFECTED ITS CONNECTION TO THE VEHICLE FRAME, A REINFORCEMENT BRACKET WILL BE INSTALLED. IN THE RARE EVENT THE CORROSION IS SO SEVERE THAT THE REINFORCEMENT BRACKET REMEDY WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE, A REPURCHASE OFFER WILL BE EXTENDED TO THE VEHICLE'S OWNER. ALL INSPECTIONS AND REMEDIES WILL BE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE 10 YEARS OLD OR LESS. FOR VEHICLES OLDER THAN 10 YEARS, ISUZU WILL OFFER A FREE REMEDY, BUT ONLY IF THE VEHICLE IS PRESENTED TO AN ISUZU SERVICE FACILITY, OR HONDA DEALER (AS APPLICABLE), DEALER WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF WHEN OWNER NOTIFICATIONS WERE ISSUED. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 10, 2010. ISUZU OWNERS MAY CONTACT ISUZU AT 1-800-255-6727. HONDA OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009.

05V466000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Oct 7, 2005

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO FUEL CONTAMINATED WITH SILICON MAY DEVELOP SMALL PIN HOLES IN THE FUEL PUMP FEED PORT. SILICON HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE FUEL SYSTEMS OF AFFECTED VEHICLES AND IN CERTAIN FUEL AVAILABLE IN THE REGION OF TYLER, TEXAS. THIS RECALL WILL BE LAUNCHED FOR VEHICLES REGISTERED IN TEXAS AND THE FOUR SURROUNDING STATES: OKLAHOMA, ARKANSAS, NEW MEXICO AND LOUISIANA.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A FUEL LEAK COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: FOR VEHICLES REGISTERED IN THE STATES IDENTIFIED ABOVE, DEALERS WILL PROVIDE A NEW COVER OVER THE EXISTING FEED PORT ON THE FUEL PUMP OR, IF THE EXISTING FEED PORT HAS ALREADY BEEN DAMAGED, DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW FUEL PUMP THAT IS EQUIPPED WITH THE NEW COVER. THE NEW COVER WILL BE MADE OF A DIFFERENT MATERIAL. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 25, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ISUZU AT 1-800-255-6727.

03V113000 · Structure

Mar 24, 2003

AS A RESULT OF INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM A HEAD IMPACT TEST CONDUCTED BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) TO EVALUATE COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 201, "OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN INTERIOR IMPACT," ISUZU HAS DESIGNED A MODIFICATION FOR CERTAIN 2002 MODEL YEAR ISUZU AXIOM VEHICLES. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MODIFICATION IS TO ENHANCE HEAD IMPACT CRASH PROTECTION FOR FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE RESULTS OF THIS TEST INDICATED A POSSIBILITY OF AN INCREASED RISK OF HEAD INJURY IN A CRASH.

Remedy: ISUZU WILL OFFER OWNERS OF THE VEHICLES A FREE MODIFICATION OF THE ROOF AREA OF THE VEHICLE IN WHICH ENERGY ABSORBING COMPONENTS WILL BE INSTALLED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 11, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT ISUZU AT 1-800-255-6727. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

02V213000 · Air Bags:frontal

Aug 9, 2002

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE PASSENGER-SIDE AIR BAG INFLATOR MODULES WERE MANUFACTURED AND SHIPPED WITHOUT A NECESSARY COMPONENT KNOWN AS A CHECK VALVE PIN.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE AIR BAG WILL NOT INFLATE PROPERLY OR SUFFICIENTLY RESULTING IN AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT ISUZU AT 1-800-643-4070.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

DP18001 · Fuel Tank Retention Failure

Opened May 23, 2018 · Closed Mar 5, 2020

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:mounting

On April 10, 2018, NHTSA received a petition from Mr. Kevin Byrne (the Petitioner) requesting that the Agency ?undertake a defects investigation? of ?rust-related detachment of Isuzu Rodeo fuel tanks? (NHTSA ID 11091788). The Petitioner experienced a partial fuel tank detachment in his model year (MY) 2004 Isuzu Rodeo in July 2017. On May 23, 2018, ODI opened DP18-001 to evaluate the Petitioner?s request for a defect investigation. ODI sent information request letters to Isuzu and Honda requesting production, design history and field data related to fuel tank retention failures in MY 2001-2004 Isuzu Rodeo, MY 2002-2004 Isuzu Axiom and MY 2001-2002 Honda Passport vehicles equipped with the same fuel tank shield part number as the Petitioner?s vehicle (the ?subject vehicles?). ODI notes that Isuzu manufactured the subject Passport vehicles for Honda. Isuzu implemented a change to the tank shield corrosion protection system as a running change in early MY 2002 production. Isuzu and Honda sold approximately 172,000 subject vehicles in the United States. Fifty-eight (58) percent of the subject vehicles were produced prior to the shield change (99,000) and 42 percent after the change (73,000).ODI?s analysis of field data identified 19 incidents of partial fuel tank detachments in the subject vehicles. The incidents all occurred in states with high road salt usage in winter months (Salt States) and involved older vehicles beyond 10-years in service. On average, the failures occurred in the vehicle?s 13th year-in-service. Evidence of severe general corrosion in multiple undercarriage components was also noted in 13 of the 19 vehicles that experienced partial fuel tank detachments. None of the incidents resulted in fuel leakage or fire. Aside from the petitioner?s vehicle, ODI has not identified any other incidents of complete or partial fuel tank detachment in the MY 2002-2004 subject vehicles equipped with the modified retention shield.In addition, ODI reviewed 24 NHTSA complaints alleging corrosion concerns with the fuel tank retention system in the subject vehicles that did not result in fuel tank detachment. Twenty-three (23) of these complaints involve subject vehicles built prior to the shield change. Like the vehicles reporting fuel tank detachments, these vehicles are also all from Salt States and, in most cases (20 of the 24 complaints), the vehicles also experienced severe corrosion concerns in other undercarriage components. Half (12 of the 24 complaints) of the vehicles show prior accident damage in their service histories.Based on these analyses, ODI has not identified evidence of a defect trend for premature corrosion-related fuel tank detachments in the MY 2004 Isuzu Rodeo or similarly equipped vehicles. The damage that may result in tank retention concerns appears to occur progressively over many years with ample opportunity for detection and repair. Furthermore, ODI has not identified any crashes, fires, injuries, or fuel leaks associated with fuel tank retention failures in a population of vehicles that currently range from 16 to 19 years old.Accordingly, the Agency is denying the petition.A summary of ODI?s analysis of this petition will be published in the Federal Register and is also available in the investigative file for this action.The NHTSA consumer complaints counted in the closing resume for DP18-001 can be reviewed at www.nhtsa.gov under the following ODI identification numbers (VOQs in parentheses denote duplicate records): Allegations of fuel tank retention failure: 11084098 (11091788), 10532845, 10486109. Allegations of fuel tank retention component corrosion: 11138931, 10992150, 10845523,