IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT 35-40 HAD A FRONTAL IMPACT, AND DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANTS IN THE CRASH. *AK
1996 Isuzu Rodeo
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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: 11 of 97 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.
- Wheels. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
17 crash reports2 fire reports9 injury reports
What owners actually said
97 reportsFIRST WHEN TRYING TO PULL UP THE WINDOW IT MAKES A GRINDING/CRUNCHING SOUND.ALSO, WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP WINDOW WILL JUST FALL DOWN, PLASTIC THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE CABLE, KEEPS WEARING OUT. *AK
DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, DRIVER MADE ABRUPT TURN TO AVOID COLLISION, SUV LADDEN WITH X-MAS BAGGAGE, BEGAN TO FISH TAIL. DRIVER SPUN WHEEL OTHER DIRECTION AND SUV STARTED ROLLING OVER. DURING THE ROLLOVER THERE WAS A COLLISION WITH A GUARDRAIL, DURING THE ROLLOVER THE DRIVER SIDE ROOF COLLAPSED ON TOP OF DRIVER, KILLING H…
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DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, DRIVER MADE ABRUPT TURN TO AVOID COLLISION, SUV LADDEN WITH X-MAS BAGGAGE, BEGAN TO FISH TAIL. DRIVER SPUN WHEEL OTHER DIRECTION AND SUV STARTED ROLLING OVER. DURING THE ROLLOVER THERE WAS A COLLISION WITH A GUARDRAIL, DURING THE ROLLOVER THE DRIVER SIDE ROOF COLLAPSED ON TOP OF DRIVER, KILLING HER BY HEAD TRAUMA. NO OTHER AUTOS WERE INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT. AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. HUSBAND AND TWO CHILDREN SURVIVED. *AK
IF LUGS: NUTS ARE TAKEN OFF BY AN AIR GUN, IT BREAKS THE STUDS. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS IN AUGUST 1997 AND SEPTEMBER 1997. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER BLAMES THE MECHANIC FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK
THE LUGS: NUTS HAVE STRIPPED AND BROKE IN HALF BECAUSE THE METAL HAS NOT BEEN TEMPERED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
WHEN REMOVE THE TIRE TO REPLACE, THE WHEEL STUD BROKE OFF. THIS IS NUMBER 4 IN LESS THAN 1 YEAR
ENGINE PROBLEMS;LOSING POWER AND MAKING POPPING NOISES.CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
ENGINE PROBLEMS; LOSING POWER MAKING AND POPPING NOISES.CONSUMER CONTACTED. *AK DEALER.
WHILE DRIVING 60MPH STARTED LOSING POWER, SHIFTED DOWN TO THE ENTRANCE OF EXIT RAMP. *AK
THERE HAVE BEEN 4 INCIDENTS. THE FIRST TIME THE HEATOR CORE WENT OUT AND ANTIFREEZE POURED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. I HAD TWO INCHS OF ANTIFREEZE ON THE FLOOR AND IF I HAD A PASSENGER THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN BURNED BY THE HOT ANTIFREEZE. THE SECOND TIME THE HEATER CORE WENT OUT THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THE 3RD TIME IT WAS …
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THERE HAVE BEEN 4 INCIDENTS. THE FIRST TIME THE HEATOR CORE WENT OUT AND ANTIFREEZE POURED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. I HAD TWO INCHS OF ANTIFREEZE ON THE FLOOR AND IF I HAD A PASSENGER THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN BURNED BY THE HOT ANTIFREEZE. THE SECOND TIME THE HEATER CORE WENT OUT THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THE 3RD TIME IT WAS THE RADIATOR SUPPOSEDLY CAUSED BY STRESS FROM THE HEATOR CORE AND THE 4TH TIME IT WAS THE RADIATOR WITH A HOLE ON THE BACKSIDE. I FEEL THE CONTINOUSLY BREAKDOWN HAS CAUSED UNDUE STRESS ON THE VEHICLE AND IS SUBJECT TO A MAJOR ENGINE BREAKDOWN AT ANY TIME.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.