1994 Isuzu Rodeo

I WAS NORTH BOUND ON VIRGINIA 220 APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES WEST OF MARTINSVILLE, VA RETURNING FROM A FUNERAL IN NORTH CAROLINA. I EXPERIENCED A LOW FREQUENCY VIBRATION FOR A 3 OR 4 SECOND PERIOD THAT INCREASED IN AMPLITUDE UNTIL THERE WAS A VIOLENT EXPLOSION IN THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. I RECOVERED CONTROL OF THE CAR AND STEERED INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE. I NOTICED IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR THAT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIRE DEBRIS IN THE LANE I WAS TRAVELING IN. I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND NOTED THAT THE DRIVERS FRONT TIRE HAD SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC TREAD AND CORD SEPARATION FAILURE. THE TIRE CONTINUED TO HOLD AIR PRESSURE. VIRGINIA STATE TROOPER E.J. O''CONNELL WITNESSED THE INCIDENT AND AFTERMATH AND PULLED IN BEHIND ME TO MAKE SURE I WAS UNINJURED. TROOPER O''CONNELL DEPLOYED FLARES AND PROVIDED TRAFFIC CONTROL WHILE I CHANGED THE TIRE. I PURCHASED THE TIRES IN NORTH CAROLINA IN LATE 2001 OR EARLY 2002 FROM A LOCAL BP GARAGE, GARYS BP ON HWY 64 IN LEXINGTON, NC. I DIDN'T RETAIN THE RECEIPT. I DIDN'T INSTALL THEM UNTIL 2005. THEY WERE IN DRY STORAGE IN THE LOFT ABOVE MY GARAGE. THE TIRE HAD APPROXIMATELY 21,000 MILES ON IT WHEN IT FAILED. THE TIRES ON MY RODEO HAD 34 PSI COLD PRESSURE AND WERE NOT OVER INFLATED. *JB

THIS IS AN ONGOING DEGRADATION OF THE HYDRAULIC LIFTER SYSTEM THAT WILL LEAD TO AN EVENTUAL ENGINE FAILURE. ACCORDING TO ISUZU MECHANICS, THE HYDRAULIC LIFTER SYSTEM IN THE ISUZU V-6 IS PRONE TO OIL SLUDGE BUILD-UP AND THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE CAN ONLY BE AVOIDED THROUGH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE HYDRAULIC LIFTER SYSTEM. WHEN FIRST DIAGNOSED, THE MECHANICS USED A OIL CLEANER TO QUIET THE VALVE TRAIN. HOWEVER, AFTER MULTIPLE CLEANINGS AND SWITCHING TO SYNTHETIC OIL AS ADVISED BY ISUZU THE VALVE KNOCK REMAINS AND CONTINUES TO WORSEN. SEARCHES ON THE INTERNET OVER THE PAST YEAR INDICATE THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THE ISUZU V-6 AND HAS OCCURED WITH SIGNIFICANT REGULARITY. SO MUCH SO, SEVERAL WEBPAGES ARE DEVOTED TO THE PROBLEM.*AK

POWER LOCKS DO NOT STAY IN ADJUSTMENT. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND REAR TAILGATE LATCHES. THEY HAVE BOTH BEEN ADJUSTED BY THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY EXHIBIT THE PROBLEMS AGAIN INTERMITTENTLY. THE TAILGATE LATCH RELEASES THE REAR WINDOW WHILE DRIVING USUALLY WHEN HITTING A BUMP BUT SOMETIMES OUT OF THE BLUE. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN THE LATCH IS OPENED LAST USING THE KEY ON THE TAILGATE. WHEN THE LATCH IS OPENED ELECTRONICALLY I DO NOT HAVE THE PROBLEM. THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR EITHER DOES NOT UNLOCK OR DOES NOT LOCK ( ABOUT 30-50% OF THE TIME ) EVEN AFTER BEING READJUSTED BY THE DEALER. THE HOOD LATCH IS A LOOSE FIT AND ALLOWS THE HOOD TO VIBRATE AND BOUNCE WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS.*AK

ON VERY HOT DAYS, THE CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT IS ACTIVATED WHEN FIRST SHIFTING GEARS INTO OR OUT OF REVERSE. THE PROBLEM IS HIGHLY INTERMITTENT ( THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 8 TIMES NOW ) AND ONLY STARTED A YEAR AGO (VEHICLE AGE 8 YRS). AT THAT POINT THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE. CHECKING THE ERROR INDICATOR MESSAGE INDICATES THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE GEAR SELECTION SENSOR LOCATED ON THE TRANSMISSION. ACCORDING TO MY ISUZU SHOP MANUAL @1993, PART NO 2-90994-072-0 THE ERROR IS DTC CODE #54 "MODE SWITCH ILLEGAL POSITION". CYCLING THE IGNITION AND WAITING A FEW MINUTES USUALLY CLEARS THE PROBLEM. THIS HAS LEFT THE CAR STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY BUT SO FAR HAS NOT LED TO AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR TAILLIGHT OR FUSE IN THE CIRCUIT BUT DUE TO THE INTERMITTENT NATURE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE FAILING COMPONENT. I BROUGHT THIS TO A SHOP ONCE AND THEY SAID IT REQUIRED OPENING THE TRANSMISSION TO FIX THE PROBLEM WHICH DIFFERS FROM MY SHOP MANUAL.*AK

ENGINE OIL LEAKS ONTO TOP OF SPARK PLUGS AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD. LEAKS SEEM TO BE MOST PREVELANT WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARMING UP. I'VE HAD THE ENTIRE GASKET KIT REPLACED TWICE. OCCASIONALLY THERE IS ENOUGH OIL ACCUMULATION TO CAUSE A LIGHT SMOKE TO BE SEEN FOR JUST A MINUTE AND THE VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS HAD AN ACCOMPANYING OIL SMELL. OIL IS NOT LEAKED INTO COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND NO OIL LEAKS ONTO THE GROUND. PROBLEM DOES NOT SEEM TO BE RECTIFIABLE AND DEALER WON'T FIX THE PROBLEM WITHOUT ME PAYING 100% EACH TIME. PROBLEM HAS CAUSED DEGRADATION OF SPARK PLUG WIRES AND ONCE ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHEN A PLUG LOOSENED AND FAILED WHILE CLIMBING A MOUNTAIN PASS.*AK

HEADLIGHT SWITCH MELTED AND FUSED ITSELF INTERNALLY BECOMING MECHANICALLY AND ELECTRICALLY INOPERATIVE. USE OF THE HEADLIGHTS WAS NO LONGER POSSIBLE AND 10 AMP FUSE (FUSE 1) DID NOT BLOW. IT MUST HAVE HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN OPERATION OR THE LAST TIME THE LIGHTS WERE TURNED OFF SINCE WE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM UNTIL FIRST TRYING TO ACTIVATE THE LIGHTS THAT NIGHT. WE DID HEAR OR SMELL THE FAILURE WHEN IT TOOK PLACE. SEEMS LIKE A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD.*AK