IllustrationWHEN STARTING ENGINE IN NEUTRAL ENGINE REVVS AND RPM'S GO TO 3000, CONSUMER HAS TO PRESS DOWN ON ACCELERATOR TO GET RPMS TO GO DOWN. PLEASE ADD FURTHER COMMENTS.*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
What owners actually said
42 reportsVEHICLE 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
WHILE COMING TO A STOP ANOTHER DRIVER REAR ENDED CONSUMER AND PUSHED CONSUMER ABOUT 70 FT. UP ROAD. DRIVER'S AND PASSENGE'R SEAT FLEW BACK, PASSENGERS SEAT LANDED IN THE BACK SEAT ON TOP OF CCS. CONSUMER BROKE A TOE, AND PASSENGER HIT FOOT ON FRONT WINDSHIELD. *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
PE00 020; CONSUMER TOOK TIRE INTO FIRESTONE AGENCY AND THE ATTENDANT TOLD HIM THAT HIS REAR TIRES WERE DRY ROTTED. FIRESTONE, BRIDGESTONE DULLER, #684 2457014. HE HAD THEM REPLACED IN THE REAR TIRES, AND THE FRONT TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK
WHENEVER VEHICLE IS STARTED ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WOULD COME ON & STAY. SOMETIMES ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON AFTER DRIVING FOR A WHILE. BEEN TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS AT LEAST 8 TIMES. WAS INFORMED OF VARIOUS REASONS FOR LIGHT COMING ON. *AK
EXPERIENCING POWER WINDOW FAILURE. *YC
BRAKES EXPERIENCE POOR PERFORMANCE CAUSING NOISE. YH
WINDSHILED WASHER JETS DO NOT WORK. NLM
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.