Illustration1998 ISUZU TROOPER 3.5 LITER ENGINE FAILURE AT 74,000 MILES. NO REBUILT OR USED ENGINES AVAILABLE ANYWHERE IN USA. ONE GARAGE IN CHANDLER, AZ SAID IT WAS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM WITH FAILURE #1 ENGINE CYLINDER WITH 60 TO 90,000 MILES. THEY ARE DOING ALOT OF BUSINESS WITH THIS, EVEN SELLING OVERHAULS ON E-BAY. *AK
1998 Isuzu Trooper
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Isuzu Trooper do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 25.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Trooper 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
Limited mileage data: 16 of 42 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
19 reportsISUZU TROOPER INTAKE MANIFOLD IS FAULTY. MFR. WILL NOT ISSUE RECALL. *AK
EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. *AK
1998 TROOPERS HAD A SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING FAULTY INTAKE GASKETS, WHICH THEY WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN REPLACING IF THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. THERE IS A SAFETY FACTOR TO THIS ISSUE, MY VEHICLE HAS STALLED WHILE AT LOWER RPM'S CAUSING LOSE OF CONTROL, AFTER CHANGING TO UPDATED GASKETS THE CAR NO LONGER STALLS. …
Read full complaint
1998 TROOPERS HAD A SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING FAULTY INTAKE GASKETS, WHICH THEY WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN REPLACING IF THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. THERE IS A SAFETY FACTOR TO THIS ISSUE, MY VEHICLE HAS STALLED WHILE AT LOWER RPM'S CAUSING LOSE OF CONTROL, AFTER CHANGING TO UPDATED GASKETS THE CAR NO LONGER STALLS. *LA
WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE STARTED JERKING SOON AFTER VEHICLE DIED AND WAS TOWED. TECHNICIAN NOTICED TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
ENGINE INTERMITENTLY STALLS AT THE VARIOUS SPEEDS SPECIALLY AT THE FREE EXITS AND THE STOPS FOR TRAFFIC LIGHTS.*AK
VEHICLE STALLS WHEN MAKING SLOW TURNS AND WHEN COMING TO A STOP. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER 4 TIMES, CANNOT REMEDY. VEHICLE HAS STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES, UP TO 6 TIMES A DAY. *AK
GASKETS LEAKY. CAUSED EXTRA FUEL TO BE DUMPED TO ENGINE. DID NOT GET BURNED. DAMAGED ALL 6 SPARK PLUGS. NECESSITATED FLUSH OF FUEL INJECTOR, REPLACEMENT OF ALL 6 PLUGS, REPLACEMENT OF ALL GASKETS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, NOTICED WHITE STEAM COMING FROM HOOD. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER AND INFORMED OF A HEAD GASKET FAILURE, REPAIRS WERE MADE AT NO COST TO CONSUMER. *AK THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH ISUZU TROOPERS AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. *YH
Official recalls
198V180000 · Power Train:transfer Case (4-WHEEL Drive)
Aug 3, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE TRANSFER GEARBOX FLANGE NUTS WERE NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED, CAUSING THE NUTS TO LOOSEN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE FLANGE NUTS LOOSEN, THE PROPELLER SHAFT CAN SEPARATE, RENDERING THE VEHICLE INOPEATIVE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FRONT AND REAR FLANGE NUTS AND, IF FOUND LOOSE, TIGHTEN TO SPECIFIED TORQUE AND SECURED STAKED AT TWO PLACES.
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.