1998 ISUZU RODEO Complaints

I PURCHASED A 1998 ISUZU RODEO FROM "VAN TROW" MOTORS, IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, IN SEPTEMBER 2003. THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD A LUG NUT MISSING. THE DEALER SAID TO JUST REPLACE THE LUG BOLT, THAT IT HAD STRIPPED. ON 04 JULY, 2004, I HAD A FLAT ON THE LEFT REAR. REPLACING THE TIRE, ANOTHER ONE LUG BOLT STRIPPED, AND A LUG NUT FROM A DIFFERENT LUG BOLT STRIPPED. I TOOK MY FLAT TIRE TO WALMART TO HAVE THE FLAT REPAIRED. THEY REFUSED TO WORK ON THE TIRE, STATING WALMART IS NOT ALLOWED TO DO ANY REPAIRS OF ANY KIND ON RODEOS DUE TO LUG BOLTS AND LUG NUTS STRIPPING TO SUCH AN EXTENT THEY CAN NOT BE HELD LIABLE AND THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. 1998 ISUZU RODEOS HAVE AN INHERENT DEFECT IN THE WHEEL LUG BOLTS. EITHER THE LUGS OR THE LUG NUTS STRIP OUT WHEN TIGHTENED BY AIR TOOLS OR HAND TIGHTENING, CAUSING THE TIRES TO BE DRIVEN ON LESS THEN SIX LUGS TIGHTENED. ISUZU IS AWARE OF THIS, AS WALMART HAS A MEMO AT EVERY STORE, STATING NOT TO DO ANY REPAIR WORK ON ISUZU RODEOS DUE TO THE LUGS STRIPPING. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD, AND THE LUGS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED.*AK

CAR LOSES COOLANT AND OVERHEATS. ENGINE HAS BEEN PRESSURE-CHECKED AND DYE-CHECKED. THERE APPEAR TO BE NO LEAKS. AFTER FURTHER REPAIRS TO NO AVAIL, IT IS CONCLUDED THAT COOLANT IS ESCAPING VIA THE EXHAUST, AND THE HEADS NEED TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 88,000 MILES, WHICH I AM TOLD IS VERY LOW TO HAVE SUCH A MAJOR PROBLEM.*AK

THE HEATER/AC CONTROL UNDER THE DASH HEATED UP FROM AN UNKNOWN HEAT SOURCE, CAUSING THE INTERNAL PLASIC PARTS HOLDING THE BLOWER SWITCH TO EITHER MELT OR SOFTEN TO THE POINT THAT THE BLOWER SWITCH, WHICH GOES FROM ZERO TO FOUR (0-4), PUSHED IN THROUGH THE MELTED PLASTIC AND BECAME INOPERABLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED A LOUD NOISE FLOWING THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS JERKING. CONSUMER SAW A LARGE CHUNK OF TIRE FLY AWAY FROM VEHICLE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO INSPECT VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. P225/75R15. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 01I002000 REGARDING TIMING BELT FAILURE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. IT HAS BEEN OVER SIXTY DAYS AND DEALER DOES NOT HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE. *AK

THE RECALL REPLACEMENT PART FOR THE TIMING BELT RECALL 01I002000 HASN'T BEEN AVAILABLE FOR OVER A MONTH, AND THE DEALERSHIP DOESN'T KNOW WHEN THE PART WILL BE AVAILABLE.*AK

THE FUEL SENDING UNIT HAS BECOME ERATICE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED THREE YEARS AGO. AT TIMES IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW HOW MUCH FUEL REMAINS IN THE TANK. EVEN AFTER FILLING THE TANK THE GUAGE MAY READ EMPTY AND THE LOW FUEL LAMP WILL FLASH. I'VE READ THAT THIS IS A COMMON MAJOR REPAIR ON THIS VEHICLE.*AK

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL. DRIVER HAD TO HIT THE SIDE OF THE CURB TO STOP. MECHANIC REPLACED THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SENSOR. ALSO, IN JUNE OF 2003 ENGINE WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE TIMING BELT CAME OFF AND DESTROYED THE ENGINE. *AK *NM

AFTER RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE, THE ABS LIGHT REMAINED ON. *PH WHEN THE CONSUMER ASKED WHY THE LIGHT WAS STILL ON THE SERVICE REP SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE SENSORS. THE CONSUMER REFUSED ADDITIONAL WORK. MONTHS LATER THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES SQUEAKED SO BAD THAT AN INDEPENDENT SHOP REFUSED TO DO THE VEHICLE'S STATE INSPECTION. THE CONSUMER ATTRIBUTES THE PERSISTENT SQUEAKING WITH THE INITIAL ABS SAFETY RECALL 021-002. THE CONSUMER REQUEST THAT THE MANUFACTURER REPAIR THE SENSORS. *NM

LUG NUT BOLT SHEARED OFF. I SAW WHERE OTHERS HAD SAME PROBLEM SO IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE DEALER WHO BROKE IT. THE DEALER REPLACED IT BUT USED A LUG NUT WHICH HAS ALREADY RUSTED. I HAVEN'T TRIED TO TAKE THE RUSTY LUG NUT OFF SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE BOLT IS RUSTED TOO. I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE LUG NUT, AT LEAST, BEFORE IT RUSTS ONTO BOLT. THIS SOUNDS VERY DANGEROUS AND NOW I AM SO PARANOID ABOUT ONE OF MY WHEELS FALLING OFF WHILE I AM DRIVING IT THAT I HAVE TO CHECK ALL FOUR TIRES EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE VEHICLE. WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS I'VE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE, I AM AFRAID TO TAKE IT ANY FURTHER THAN THE LOCAL AREA AND AFTER ONLY 45,000 MILES, I FEEL THIS VEHICLE IS A MONEY PIT THAT IS ALREADY USED UP. *JB