← New search

1991 Isuzu Impulse

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Impulse years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 0 of 25 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

9 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Apr 19, 2004
Electrical System

I HAVE A 1991 ISUZU IMPULSE AND IT'S HAVING ECU PROBLEMS. MY MECHANIC SAYS IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I SEE THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS, AND IT SHOULDN'T FALL ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE CONSUMERS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10066469

Mileage unknown · Jan 31, 2002
Electrical System

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME IDLE CONTROL PROBLEMS AS STATED IN PREVIOUS RECALL REGARDING THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT. *YH

NHTSA ODI #564213

Mileage unknown · Jul 4, 2001
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

AS THE WEATHER IS GETTING WARMER THE ENGINE REVS AND DROPS UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CAR ALSO STALLS AT ANY SPEED. I HAVE HAD IT EVEN STALL ON THE HIGHWAY. I HEAR THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF ECM UNIT, PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS FOR ME. IF I HADN'T TAKEN A DEFENSIVE DRIVING COURSE I COULD BE DEAD RIGHT NOW. *AK

NHTSA ODI #747780

Mileage unknown · Jun 28, 2001
Electrical System

THE DEFECTS ARE DUE TO THE IMPROPER MANUFACTURING OF THE ECM MODULE OF THIS VEHICLE. THE SYMPTOMS INCLUDE AN ERRATIC IDLE WITH THE IDLE REVVING UP AND DROPPING TO THE POINT WHERE THE ENGINE DIES. THE IDLING WILL JUMP UP TO 2000 RPM, LINGER THERE UNTIL I BLIP THE THROTTLE, SOMETIMES UP TO 3 OR 4 TIMES. ON ONE OCCASION, WHILE DR…

Read full complaint

THE DEFECTS ARE DUE TO THE IMPROPER MANUFACTURING OF THE ECM MODULE OF THIS VEHICLE. THE SYMPTOMS INCLUDE AN ERRATIC IDLE WITH THE IDLE REVVING UP AND DROPPING TO THE POINT WHERE THE ENGINE DIES. THE IDLING WILL JUMP UP TO 2000 RPM, LINGER THERE UNTIL I BLIP THE THROTTLE, SOMETIMES UP TO 3 OR 4 TIMES. ON ONE OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65MPH, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO STALL WITH THE IDLING MOVING ERRATICALLY, AND THEN SUDDENLY THE CAR WENT COMPLETELY DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. LUCKILY, I MANAGED TO COAST OFF TO THE SHOULDER WHERE I REMAINED STRANDED FOR OVER FOUR HOURS. WHEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER, THERE ARE NO TROUBLE CODES PRESENT. IT WAS SUGGESTED TO ME TO REPLACE THE IGNITION MODULE, PLUGS, WIRES, COIL PACKS, CAM ANGLE SENSOR, AND VARIOUS OTHER COMPONENTS DUE TO THE REASON THAT THEY WERE THE ONES CAUSING THE PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY, THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED AND MY WALLET WAS LIGHTENED BY ABOUT $500. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS "NORMAL" FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. I DON'T SEE ANYTHING "NORMAL" ABOUT HAVING YOU CAR COMPLETELY GO DEAD ON YOU ON THE FREEWAY. I NEED TO GET THIS DEFECT FIXED BECAUSE THIS PUTS THE DRIVER IN AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE SITUATION. WITH THE FREEWAYS BEING AS DANGEROUS AS THEY ARE, THE LESS THINGS YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, THE BETTER ATTENTION YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PAY TO THE ROAD AHEAD OF YOU. THANKYOU FOR YOUR TIME. I REALLY HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME.*AK

NHTSA ODI #747508

Mileage unknown · Jul 30, 2000
Electrical System

WHEN CAR WARMS UP YOU CANT DRIVE OR IT WILL STALL. ONCE WARMED UP IT WILL NOT START. I SAW AN ARTICLE ON THE ISUZUPERFORMANCE WEB SITE THAT SAID OTHER VEHICLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IT ALSO STATED THE REASON FOR THIS PROBLEM IS A FAULTY ECU COMPUTER MADE AND INSTALLED BY AC DELCO. I WISH I WOULD HAVE HAD THIS INFORMATION BEFORE I W…

Read full complaint

WHEN CAR WARMS UP YOU CANT DRIVE OR IT WILL STALL. ONCE WARMED UP IT WILL NOT START. I SAW AN ARTICLE ON THE ISUZUPERFORMANCE WEB SITE THAT SAID OTHER VEHICLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IT ALSO STATED THE REASON FOR THIS PROBLEM IS A FAULTY ECU COMPUTER MADE AND INSTALLED BY AC DELCO. I WISH I WOULD HAVE HAD THIS INFORMATION BEFORE I WENT OUT A BOUGHT PARTS TO TRY TO FIX THE PROBLEM MYSELF. IF ITS THE COMPUTER, THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT THAT ON MY OWN. A RESPONSE ON THIS ISSUE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. *AK

NHTSA ODI #726225

Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 2000
Electrical System

THE VEHICLE FAILS TO RUN AFTER IS WARMS UP. I HAVE CONTACTED SEVERAL MECHANICS AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THE MANUFACTURER USES AN INSULATING SPRAY ON THE ECU THAT CAUSES IT TO SHRINK AND BRAKE CONTACTS IN THE UNIT ITSELF. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IN THAT IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ONCE ALREADY AND WITH…

Read full complaint

THE VEHICLE FAILS TO RUN AFTER IS WARMS UP. I HAVE CONTACTED SEVERAL MECHANICS AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THE MANUFACTURER USES AN INSULATING SPRAY ON THE ECU THAT CAUSES IT TO SHRINK AND BRAKE CONTACTS IN THE UNIT ITSELF. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IN THAT IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ONCE ALREADY AND WITH LOOSE CONTACT IT MY CAUSE A FIRE. I DO NOT EXPECT THE MANUFACTURER TO REPLACE THE UNIT FOR FREE. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED SO THEY DID NOT MAKE ANY MONEY OFF OF ME BUT SOME HELP WOULD BE NICE. I FIND THEM RESPONSIBLE SO THEY SHOULD LIVE UP TO THERE REPUTATION OF QUALITY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #720403

Mileage unknown · Dec 19, 1999
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

ECU HAS ERRATIC PROBLEM. WILL PUT THE CAR INTO HIGH IDLE AT ANY GIVEN SPEED AND WILL NOT RESET UNLESS CAR IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. REPLACE ACCELERATOR CABLE AND RESEATED ECM SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL. TRY RESETTING THE ECM TO GET THE CAR OFF OF HIGH IDLE WHILE YOU ARE IN TRAFFIC. *AK

NHTSA ODI #716230

Mileage unknown · Oct 7, 1999
Electrical System

FAILURE OF INTERNAL CPU CONNECTIONS CREATES FAULTY IDLE AND DRIVEABILITY.

NHTSA ODI #712958

Mileage unknown · May 5, 1998
Electrical SystemFire

AFTER VEHICLE HAD BEEN SITTING ALL NIGHT, EARLY MORNING IT BURSTED INTO FLAMES, NEAR THE BATTERY. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE FIRE MARSHALL IT APPEARED TO BE A SHORT CIRCUIT NEAR THE BATTERY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #823096

Official recalls

1

92V091000 · Air Bags

Jul 6, 1992

THE STEERING WHEEL CENTER HUB CAN FRACTURE DURING CERTAIN FRONTAL AND NEAR FRONTAL VEHICLE COLLISIONS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: FRACTURING OF THE STEERING WHEEL HUB CAN DECREASE THEDRIVER'S CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND COULD REDUCE THE CRASH PROTECTION OF THESTEERING SYSTEM AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG.

Remedy: A STEERING WHEEL REINFORCEMENT PLATE AND NUT WILL BE ADDED TO THE STEERING WHEEL HUB.

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

1

EA95009 · Takata Seat Belt Buckle Failure

Opened Mar 10, 1995 · Closed Aug 2, 1995

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

There is no summary currently available