IllustrationCONSUMER LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, HIT AN EMBANKMENT HEAD ON, FLIPPED OVER TWICE AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *JB
1997 Isuzu Rodeo
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Isuzu Rodeo do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 89.5.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →118Owner complaints
Model-year median: 89.5
0Recall campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1997 Isuzu Rodeo
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 118 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Structure: 32 reports
- Engine And Engine Cooling: 16 reports
- Wheels: 14 reports
- Air Bags: 13 reports
- Vehicle Speed Control: 11 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
No recall campaigns in this snapshot.
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Rodeo years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure 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
10–25K
025–50K
550–75K
975–100K
12100–150K
14150K+
41 reports with mileage · 77 unknown
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.
- Structure. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Wheels. Review the 14 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 reports0 fire reports10 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
13 reportsCONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN HIT AT 35 MPH IN THE FRONT CENTER OF THE VEHICLE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR
I WAS IN ANA ACCIDENT ON SEPT. 4, 2002. I COULD NOT STOP IN TIME FOR THE WRECK THAT HAPPENED 1/4 MILE IN FRONT OF US SO I PROCEEDED TO SLAM INTO THE REAR-END OF THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME. ALTHOUGH I WAS NOT INJURED THE SHERIF SAID THE AIR BAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED BUT IT DID NOT! I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED AND THAT COUL…
Read full complaint
I WAS IN ANA ACCIDENT ON SEPT. 4, 2002. I COULD NOT STOP IN TIME FOR THE WRECK THAT HAPPENED 1/4 MILE IN FRONT OF US SO I PROCEEDED TO SLAM INTO THE REAR-END OF THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME. ALTHOUGH I WAS NOT INJURED THE SHERIF SAID THE AIR BAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED BUT IT DID NOT! I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED AND THAT COULD HAVE SAVED MY LIFE BUT IT DID NOT WORK! THANK YOU FOR CARING ENOUGH FOR PEOPLE AND LETTING THEM FILL THIS FORM OUT.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 50MPH ON HIGHWAY AND A DEER JUMPED IN FRONT OF VEHICLE, CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO AVOID HITTING THE DEER , HE SWERVED AND LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING, A VEHICLE CUT CONSUMER OFF LEAVING CONSUMER TO SWERVE TO THE RIGHT INTO A SAND BARRIER ON THE EXIT RAMP, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES, CONSUMER CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY STATED THAT VEHICLE HAD TO BE HIT A CERTAIN WAY FOR THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. *SLC
RPMS WENT DOWN AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON, THAT WAS THE ONLY LIGHT THAT CAME ON, CONSUMER TRIED TO GIVE CAR A JUMP, BUT IT KEPT DYING. TOWED TO DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
CONSUMER WAS HIT HEAD-ON, AND DRIVER'S SIDE/PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DIN'T DEPLOY. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 50 MPH, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS MALFUNCTIONED DURING CRASH.
Recall campaigns
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 ↗
Defect investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.