IllustrationWHELL STUDS CAME LOSE DURING ROTINE TIRE ROTATION & NUT BROKE OFF HAD TO REPLACE HUB ALSO
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 TRANSMISSION WOULD MAKE GRINDING NOISES & ITS GETTING WORSE WHEN SHIFTING; THE FRONT ROLL BAR GRILLE FELL OFF 3 TIMES; THE 4 FUEL INJECTORS BLEW; THE TRUNK DO NOT OPEN, EVEN WITH KEY; THE FUEL GUAGE FAILS TO REGISTER PROPERLY; THE ROOF IS RUSTY CAUSING WATER TO LEAK INSIDE VEHICLE. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE.…
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THE TRANSMISSION WOULD MAKE GRINDING NOISES & ITS GETTING WORSE WHEN SHIFTING; THE FRONT ROLL BAR GRILLE FELL OFF 3 TIMES; THE 4 FUEL INJECTORS BLEW; THE TRUNK DO NOT OPEN, EVEN WITH KEY; THE FUEL GUAGE FAILS TO REGISTER PROPERLY; THE ROOF IS RUSTY CAUSING WATER TO LEAK INSIDE VEHICLE. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE. *YC
GAS GAUGE DOESN'T WORK. SEAT BELT LOCKS WHILE IN USE. TRANSMISSION SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED.
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, BRAKES PULSATE. CONSUMER CAN FEEL SOMETHING WITHIN THE BRAKES. *AK *YC
WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR ,RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *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
WHEEL STUDS CAME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. HEARD A THUMPING NOISE WHEN IT HAPPENED. STOPPED VEHICLE & CHECKED RIGHT FRONT WHEEL & TWO STUDS WERE SHEARED OFF & THE OTHER TWO WERE LOOSE. HAD TO HAVE ENTIRE HUB REPLACED. *AK
ON JULY 10, 1999, MY FAMILY AND I WERE COMMING HOME FROM RIVERSIDE PARK AND ON THE WAY BACK HOME AT 12:00AM, ALL THE LIGHTS ON MY CAR STARTED TO GO ON AND OFF , THE ENGINE STARTED TO MAKE A WAIRED NOISE AND SMELL LIKE IF SOMETHING WAS BURNING. AT THIS POINT THE CAR GOT VERY HARD TO HAND, I AM ONLY 23 YEARS OLD AND HAD MY 4 MONT…
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ON JULY 10, 1999, MY FAMILY AND I WERE COMMING HOME FROM RIVERSIDE PARK AND ON THE WAY BACK HOME AT 12:00AM, ALL THE LIGHTS ON MY CAR STARTED TO GO ON AND OFF , THE ENGINE STARTED TO MAKE A WAIRED NOISE AND SMELL LIKE IF SOMETHING WAS BURNING. AT THIS POINT THE CAR GOT VERY HARD TO HAND, I AM ONLY 23 YEARS OLD AND HAD MY 4 MONTH OLD SON IN THE CAR. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCENT IN THE HIGHWAY. AT THIS TIME I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CAR HAS BECAUSE THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN TO HELPFUL AT ALL. THIS CAR IS A LEASE AND I CALLED OFF ROAD ASSISTANCE AT THE TIME OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY WERE NOT NICE PEOPLE. THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT ABOUT 45 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR FOR ANYBODY TO TOW MY CAR AND WITH MY 4 MONTH OLD SON, I WAS NOT ABLE TO WAIT THAT LONG. THE ALL THE CLERK SAID TO ME WAS "OH WELL" AND JUST HUNG UP AND NEVER SENT NOBODY TO HELP ME OUT WITH THE CAR. AT THIS TIME MY CAR IS AT THE STATE POLICE. I WILL BE CALLED THE DEALER AND HOPEFUL THEY WILL BE ABLE TO TELL ME WHAT IS THE ACTUAL PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS THE RODERS ON THE CAR MAKE A LOUD NOISE WHEN I REVERSE. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPAIRED FEW TIMES AND IT KEEPS HAPPENING AGAIN. ALL THEY WOULD SAY IS THAT ALL TRUCKS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. THEY SAY IT IS DUE TO RUST UNDERNEATH THE CAR. I AM VERY UPSET WITH ALL THE ISSUE ON THIS CAR. IF THESE CAR HAVE AN ISSUE I THINK THEY SHOULD BE RECALLED BECAUSE THEY CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.
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
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.