IllustrationWHEN ROTATING TIRES, LUG NUTS STICK, BOLTS BROKE EASILY. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE LUG NUTS-HUB DAMAGED-NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *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 reportsWHILE DRIVING, TREAD ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE BRIDGESTONE DUELER 684 TIRE P245/70R16 CAME OFF, CAUSING DAMAGE TO VEHICLE, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *SLC
THE BUMPER HAS BEEN REPALCED LESS THAN A YR AGO & IS RUSTED AGAIN, THEIR IS RUST AND CHIPS ALONG THE CARRIAGE DUE TO POOR PAINT APPLICATION
NO SUMMARY
WHEN EVER THE LUGS: NUTS ARE REMOVED FOR NORMAL TIRE INSPECTIONS, ROTATIONS, THEY EITHER STRIP OR BREAK OFF.*AK
I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT I HAVE ONLY HAD FOR 3 MONTHS. THE DEALER IS OF NO HELP AND I DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO!!NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
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
WHEEL LUGS: NUTS KEEP BREAKING AND SNAPPING OFF. DEALER KEEPS REPLACING NUTS, BUT EVENTUALLY THEY WILL BREAK OFF ALSO. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. *AK
ENGINE REVS TO 3250 RPM AND IS UNCONTROLLABLE. THAT MEANS THE THING IN 5TH GEAR RACES TO ABOUT 80 MPH! ENGINE WOULD NOT IDEL DOWN REGARDLESS OF INPUTS BY DRIVER. VERY DANGERIOUS. HAPPENED INTERMITTANLY UNTIL WIRING CONNECTION FAILED, AT WHICH TIME DEALER WAS ABLE TO CLEAN CONNECTION. TOOK 5 MONTHS AND MANY TRIPS TO THE DEAL…
Read full complaint
ENGINE REVS TO 3250 RPM AND IS UNCONTROLLABLE. THAT MEANS THE THING IN 5TH GEAR RACES TO ABOUT 80 MPH! ENGINE WOULD NOT IDEL DOWN REGARDLESS OF INPUTS BY DRIVER. VERY DANGERIOUS. HAPPENED INTERMITTANLY UNTIL WIRING CONNECTION FAILED, AT WHICH TIME DEALER WAS ABLE TO CLEAN CONNECTION. TOOK 5 MONTHS AND MANY TRIPS TO THE DEALER FOR CAUSE TO BE IDENTIFIED. DOUBT IF OTHER THAN ROUNTINE DIAGNOSTIC WAS ATTEMPTED AS DEALER WAS UNABLE TO "RECREATE" THE EVENT UNTIL ENGINE WAS 3250 RPM FULLTIME . I FEEL THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE CONTITION AND SHOULD CAUSE ACTION BY MFG. *AK
STEERING COLUMN CAME OFF AND VEHICLE WENT TO RIGHT, CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS WAS UNSAFE. *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.