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1997 Isuzu Trooper

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

Limited mileage data: 5 of 13 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

  • Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

13 reports
154,000 miles · Oct 2, 2010
Structure

WE BOUGHT A 1997 ISUZU TROOPER IN FEBRUARY OF 2010 FROM A USED DEALER...THE REAR AXLE AND THE FRAME ARE SEVERELY ROTTED...THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE AND WE HAVE THAT IN WRITING..WHAT CAN WE DO?...WE CAN'T GET OUR MONEY BACK...THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE....PLEASE HELP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10358870

8,150 miles · Mar 7, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling

HYDROLIC LIFTERS STICK, VERY LOUD AND NOTICABLE ENGINE NOISE. THEY HAVE STUCK SINCE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. THEY UNSTICK IMMEDIATELY AFTER SYNTHETIC OIL CHANGE, BUT ONLY FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME.*AK DEALERSHIP(S) USED THIS WINDOW OF TIME TO THIER ADVANTAGE TO AVOID REPAIRING VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY, SENDING CONSUME…

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HYDROLIC LIFTERS STICK, VERY LOUD AND NOTICABLE ENGINE NOISE. THEY HAVE STUCK SINCE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. THEY UNSTICK IMMEDIATELY AFTER SYNTHETIC OIL CHANGE, BUT ONLY FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME.*AK DEALERSHIP(S) USED THIS WINDOW OF TIME TO THIER ADVANTAGE TO AVOID REPAIRING VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY, SENDING CONSUMER AWAY TO SEE IF IT WORKS. MANAUFACTURER RECOMMENDS SYNTHETIC OIL TO CORRECT. DOES NOT WORK. SEVERAL INCIDENTS. COUNTLESS FAILURES. WILL PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR NEW LIFTERS, APPROXIMATELY $1,800.00.

NHTSA ODI #10112633

65,000 miles · Sep 19, 2004
Fuel System, Other

DURING BRAKING, WITH NO GAS PEDAL PRESSURE BEING APPLIED, ENGINE CONTINUED AT HIGH RPMS MAKING BRAKING DIFFICULT. VEHICLE WITH NO GAS PEDAL PRESSURE WOULD PROCEED AT 30 MPH IN DRIVE POSITION OF AUTO TRANS. UPON EXITING ROADWAY, WHEN APPLING GAS PEDAL WHILE IN PARK POSITION, AND RELEASING PEDDLE, RPMS WERE AT 2200. PEDAL WAS OPP…

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DURING BRAKING, WITH NO GAS PEDAL PRESSURE BEING APPLIED, ENGINE CONTINUED AT HIGH RPMS MAKING BRAKING DIFFICULT. VEHICLE WITH NO GAS PEDAL PRESSURE WOULD PROCEED AT 30 MPH IN DRIVE POSITION OF AUTO TRANS. UPON EXITING ROADWAY, WHEN APPLING GAS PEDAL WHILE IN PARK POSITION, AND RELEASING PEDDLE, RPMS WERE AT 2200. PEDAL WAS OPPERATING FREELY AND THROTTLE CABLE/YOKE WAS IN FULLY RETURNED POSITION. I THEN CONTINUED LOOKING FOR ANY OBVIOUS OBSTRUCTIONS OR SEPERATED VACUMN LINES. NOTHING APPEARED WRONG. I THEN DISCONNECTED THE MASS AIR SENSOR CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL. UPON RECONNECTING AMS AND RESTARTING ENGINE, IDLE RETURNED TO AROUND 700 RPM'S AND NO FURTHER PROBLEMS OCCURED FOR THE REMAINDER OF MY DRIVE(APPROX 100MI MORE) NO FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS WERE PERFORMED YET. VEHICLE IS WELL MAINTAINED AND HAS 65000 MILES USE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10091301

87,773 miles · Jan 26, 2003
Power Train

CUTCH FAILURE CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE INOPERABLE STRANDING DRIVER IN TRAFFIC. SECOND CLUTCH FAILURE FOR THIS VEHICLE WITH IN 37,000 MILES OF HIGHWAY DRIVING

NHTSA ODI #10003419

50,126 miles · Jan 26, 2003
Power Train

CLUTCH THROWOUT BEARING FAILED CAUSING VEHICAL TO BE INOPERABLE STRANDING DRIVER IN TRAFFIC

NHTSA ODI #10003416

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

A HIDEOUS, LOUD NOISE COMES FROM UNDERNEATH THE CHASSIS. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT COMES FROM THE MUFFLER. IT WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER TELLS ME THAT IT WOULD COST IN EXCESS OF $800 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A MA…

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A HIDEOUS, LOUD NOISE COMES FROM UNDERNEATH THE CHASSIS. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT COMES FROM THE MUFFLER. IT WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER TELLS ME THAT IT WOULD COST IN EXCESS OF $800 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND SHOULD BE FIXED EITHER BY THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SERVICE BULLETIN OR A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, BECAUSE THE DEALER, WHEN I MENTIONED THE PROBLEM THE VERY FIRST TIME, PICKED UP ON IT RIGHT AWAY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #764349

Mileage unknown · Aug 31, 2001
Exterior LightingService Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE FLUID LEAKS. BRAKE LIGHT WOULD COME ON. BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR WHEN APPL STEERING SHAFT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #895636

Mileage unknown · Aug 17, 2000
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE ACCELERATING AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN I DEPRESSED THE CLUTH TO ENGAGE SECOND GEAR. THE CLUTCH PEDAL DROPPED TO THE FLOOR AND I COASTED TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND HAD TO PUSH THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD OUT OF HARMS WAY. THE FAILURE WAS IN THE

NHTSA ODI #728235

Mileage unknown · Jul 31, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE BRAKE SYSTEM DOES NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE IN A STEEP SLOPE AND VEHICLE EXPERIENCES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES CONTINUALLY. *MJS

NHTSA ODI #553273

Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 2000
Power Train

THE THROWOUT BEARING FAILED WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE PRESSURE PLATE. THE ATTACHMENT POINT IS COMPOSED OF A SERIES OF SPRING STEEL FINGERS THAT ARE HELD TO THE PRESSURE PLATE WITH A SPRING STEEL CLIP. THE SPRING STEEL CLIP SEPARATED FROM THE FINGERS CAUSING THE CLUTCH TO BE INOPERABLE. THE PRESSURE PLATE AND DRIVEN PLATE ARE I…

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THE THROWOUT BEARING FAILED WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE PRESSURE PLATE. THE ATTACHMENT POINT IS COMPOSED OF A SERIES OF SPRING STEEL FINGERS THAT ARE HELD TO THE PRESSURE PLATE WITH A SPRING STEEL CLIP. THE SPRING STEEL CLIP SEPARATED FROM THE FINGERS CAUSING THE CLUTCH TO BE INOPERABLE. THE PRESSURE PLATE AND DRIVEN PLATE ARE IN GOOD CONDITION AND HAD ONLY MINIMAL WEAR. INSTEAD OF PUSHING THE FINGERS ON THE PRESSURE PLATE THIS DESIGN PULLS THE FINGERS. THE DESIGN IS EXTREMELY WEAK AND AN ADDITIONAL FAILURE WILL OCCUR. ONCE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE THROWOUT BEARING AND PRESSURE PLATE FAIL IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER IS STUCK IN THE ROAD AND UNABLE TO AVOID OTHER VEHICLES OR MANUEVER AROUND DANGEROUS SPOTS. THE ONLY SOLUTION IS A STRURDIER DESIGN THAT IS ABLE TO ABSORB THE DAILY USE OF THE CLUTCH. *AK.

NHTSA ODI #719813

Official recalls

2

97V092001 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Jun 3, 1997

THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE LINES WERE INSTALLED IMPROPERLY AT THE ASSEMBLY LINE RESULTING IN INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE BRAKE LINE AND AN UPPER CONTROL ARM OF THE SUSPENSION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE LINE CAN BE DAMAGED DURING VEHICLE OPERATION AND CAN RESULT IN BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE, REDUCED BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS, AND INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE BRAKE LINE AND THE UPPER CONTROL ARM. IF THE CLEARANCE IS NOT ACCORDING TO SPECIFICATIONS, THE BRAKE LINE WILL BE REPLACED.

97V035001 · Suspension

Mar 11, 1997

THESE VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITHOUT A LOCK WASHER AND/OR SCREWS IN THE FRONT HUB.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE BEARING ADJUSTMENT NUT CAN LOOSEN, RESULTING IN TOO MUCH FREE PLAY BETWEEN THE WHEEL AND AXLE. THE BEARING CAN SEIZE, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO LOCK AFFECTING VEHICLE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FRONT HUBS TO DETERMINE IF THE LOCK WASHER AND SCREWS WERE PROPERLY INSTALLED. IF NOT, THEY WILL MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.