IllustrationTHE DEFECTIVE DESIGN ON REAR DRUM BRAKE WAS "GLAZED" AT 9000 MILES, CAUSING MORE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE REAR BRAKES, WHICH MAY RESULT IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK
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.
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
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
What owners actually said
118 reportsDRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS MALFUNCTIONED DURING CRASH.
FUEL SENDING UNIT FAILED.
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35-40MPH, THE HATCHBACK WOULD POP OPEN FOR NO REASON. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN 10 TIMES. ITS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. AT TIMES ONE CAN HEAR THE MOTOR RUNNING TO UNLOCK LATCH. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC SAID NO PROBLEM TO FIND. HATCHBACK DID NOT POP OPEN AT DEALER. *AK
ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION.(NEW JERSEY POLICE ACCIDENT REPORT).
NON DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS IN A COLLISION RESULTED IN INJURIES. ALSO, VEHICLE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
CLUTCH HAS INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS, CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO SHIFT WHEN APPLIED. VEHICLE ALSO STALLS, CAUSING NON-MOVEMENT OF VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES STRONG SMELL OF RAW FUEL UPON STARTING IN CLOSED AREAS.
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, CAUSING COLLISION.
STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE UPON START-UP DUE TO EXCESS STARTING FLOW OF FUEL.
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.