IllustrationDT: VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED IN A FIRE. TRANSMISSION INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON, AND DRIVER PULLED OVER AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. VEHICLE HAD A RECALL BUT CALLERS VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO CONTACT MANUFACTURER, BUT CALLER COULDN'T REACH ANYONE.*AK
1991 Isuzu Rodeo
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1991 Isuzu Rodeo do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 89.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Rodeo 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: 3 of 42 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.
- Power Train. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports15 fire reports3 injury reports
Power Train complaints
12 reportsWHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH ON HIGHWAY NOTICED SMOKE COMING THROUGH THE DRIVER'S SIDE. VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE AFTER RECALL REPAIRS. RECALL 91V118000. *AK
CONSUMER CONCERNED WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF FIRE DUE TO THE RISK OF TRANSMISSION FLUID SPILLING ONTO THE HOT ENGINE PARTS.
TRANSMISSION LEAK CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE AND EXPERIENCE A ROUGH IDLE, PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE (91V118000), CAUSING STRONG ODOR. *YC
REPLACED LEAKING REAR AXLE SEALS/BEARINGS. *AK
TRANSMISSION FLUID OVERFLOWED ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD, CAUSING FIRE. *DSH
TRANSMISSION FIRE, CAUSING INJURY. *SD
TACHOMETER WIRING SHORTED. *SD
WHOLE DIFFERENTIAL WENT OUT VEHICLE IS ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD ISUZU HAVE PUT IN MANY CALL TO MANUFACTURER WITH NO ASSISTANT. TT
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO LEAKAGE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKAGE AND SPRAYED ON DRIVER CAUSING 2ND DEGREE BURNS TO FACE AND ARMS. TT
Official recalls
191V118000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Jul 12, 1991
THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL GAUGES (DIP STICKS) INSTALLED IN THESE VEHICLES ARE NOT TO DESIGNED SPECIFICATIONS. THE GAUGE INDICATES THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID SHOULD BE ADDED WHEN IT IS AT THE CORRECT LEVEL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: ADDING MORE TRANSMISSION FLUID THAN REQUIRED WILL CAUSETHE FLUID TO LEAK THROUGH THE FLUID LEVEL GAUGE TUBE ONTO THE MANIFOLD AS THEENGINE TEMPERATURE RISES. THIS CREATES A POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE.
Remedy: REPLACE OIL LEVEL GAUGE AND NOTIFY OWNERS TO USE ONLY THE SPECIFIED AMOUNT OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID.
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
1EA95009 · 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