IllustrationTHE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE LUGS:NUTS/BOLTS BROKE WHILE SERVICING THE TIRES. THE LUGS:NUTS:BOLTS WERE REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CONSUMER WOULD BE CONTACTING THE DEALER IN THE NEAR FUTURE. *AK *SC
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 reportsTHE FLEX PIPE ON THE 1999 ISUZU RODEO DEVELOPED A LEAK.*MR THE FLEX PIPE IS A PART OF THE VEHICLE'S CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHICH IS COVERED BY AN 8 YEAR 80000 MILE FEDERAL EMISSION WARRANTY. SINCE THE FLEX PIPE IS NOT SOLD SEPARATELY THE CONSUMER BELIEVES IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WARRANTY. *NM
THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE WHEN DRIVING, AFTER LOOKING UNDER THE VEHICLE, HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A LEAK WAS BEHIND A PIPE IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE DEALER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND ZONE A MANAGER WHO STATED THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER FELT IF THE CATALYTIC CON…
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THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE WHEN DRIVING, AFTER LOOKING UNDER THE VEHICLE, HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A LEAK WAS BEHIND A PIPE IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE DEALER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND ZONE A MANAGER WHO STATED THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER FELT IF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WERE TO FAIL IT SHOULD BE COVERED, HOWEVER SINCE IT WAS THE PIPE THEY WILL NOT COVER THE FAILURE. *JB *SC *JB
WHILE DRIVING A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. CONSUMER CALLED FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. CONSUMER COULD NOT CHANGE THE TIRE BECAUSE LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS WERE ON TIGHTLY. CONSUMER TRIED AGAIN AND DRIVER SIDE LUGS/NUTS SHEARED OFF. CONSUME…
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WHILE DRIVING A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. CONSUMER CALLED FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. CONSUMER COULD NOT CHANGE THE TIRE BECAUSE LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS WERE ON TIGHTLY. CONSUMER TRIED AGAIN AND DRIVER SIDE LUGS/NUTS SHEARED OFF. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE LUGS/NUTS WERE ON BACK ORDER. CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THIS IS WAS THE SECOND SET OF LUGS/NUTS THAT WERE REPLACED. *AK THE VEHICLE'S LUG NUTS HAVE ALSO BROKEN DURING ROUTINE TIRE ROTATION. *NM
WHILE CHANGING OUT A FLAT TIRE, THE LUGS: NUTS STRIPPED THE BOLTS WHICH FASTEN TO IT. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED. EVEN WITH REGULAR MAINTENANCE OF TIRE ROTATION AND BALANCING, THE SERVICE FACILITIES STRIP THE LUGNUTS. ISUZU DEALERSHIP INDICATES IT IS THE SERVICE FACILITIES TORQUING OFF THE LUGNUTS AT …
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WHILE CHANGING OUT A FLAT TIRE, THE LUGS: NUTS STRIPPED THE BOLTS WHICH FASTEN TO IT. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED. EVEN WITH REGULAR MAINTENANCE OF TIRE ROTATION AND BALANCING, THE SERVICE FACILITIES STRIP THE LUGNUTS. ISUZU DEALERSHIP INDICATES IT IS THE SERVICE FACILITIES TORQUING OFF THE LUGNUTS AT MAXIMUM PSI, HOWEVER, ALL FACILITIES INDICATE VERY POOR QUALITY IN METAL OF LUGS: NUTS. *AK
I HAVE HAD 2 BRIDGESTONE P245/70R16 TIRE HAVE THE TREAD COME OFF WHILE I WAS DRUIVING 65 MPH. 1ST IN MARCH 2004 AND 2ND LAST WEEK ON 7/23/2004, BOTH CAUSED FENDER DAMAGE - LEFT REAR AND FRONT RIGHT.*AK
TOOK CAR IN FOR MAINTENANCE AND BRAKE CHECK...ISUZU CERTIFIED TECH WOULD NOT REMOVE TIRES AS STUDS WOULD BREAK.BRAKES NOW SQUEALING AND NOW AFRAID THAT MORE STUDS WILL BREAK.CONTACTED ISUZU 1-800 AND WAS TOLD IT WAS DUE TO INCORRECT TORQUE FROM OTHER REPAIRS TOLD BY GARAGE IT WAS DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT WHICH FUSED THE TWO TO…
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TOOK CAR IN FOR MAINTENANCE AND BRAKE CHECK...ISUZU CERTIFIED TECH WOULD NOT REMOVE TIRES AS STUDS WOULD BREAK.BRAKES NOW SQUEALING AND NOW AFRAID THAT MORE STUDS WILL BREAK.CONTACTED ISUZU 1-800 AND WAS TOLD IT WAS DUE TO INCORRECT TORQUE FROM OTHER REPAIRS TOLD BY GARAGE IT WAS DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT WHICH FUSED THE TWO TOGETHER COMMON DEFECT ON 97 RODEOS. *AK
THE PAINT/CLEAR COAT ON MY VEHICLE HAS OXIDIZED. IT STARTED ON THE HOOD AND HAS PROGRESSED TO TOP AS WELL.*AK
WHILE REPLACING A FLAT TIRE ONE OF THE ALUMINUM LUGS NUTS BROKE. PREVIOUS TO THIS INCIDENT TWO LUGS NUTS BROKE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
ENGINE SUDDENLY IDLES BETWEEN 1,500 TO 2,500 RPM. PROBLEMS SEEMS TO ONLY HAPPEN DURING WINTER MONTHS--FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. TOOK VEHICLE TO ISUZU DEALER IN TUCSON, AZ. DEALER KEPT THE CAR FOR ABOUT A WEEK, WAS ABLE TO "DUPLICATE" THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE.HIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE THE ENGINE …
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ENGINE SUDDENLY IDLES BETWEEN 1,500 TO 2,500 RPM. PROBLEMS SEEMS TO ONLY HAPPEN DURING WINTER MONTHS--FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. TOOK VEHICLE TO ISUZU DEALER IN TUCSON, AZ. DEALER KEPT THE CAR FOR ABOUT A WEEK, WAS ABLE TO "DUPLICATE" THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE.HIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE THE ENGINE "RACES" AT STOP LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS, ETC. AND IS HARD TO HANDLE. WAITING FOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENT TO HAPPEN....MAYBE THIS YEAR. *AK
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.