1998 ISUZU RODEO Complaints

ABS SYSTEM PREVENTS STOPPING VEHICLE AFTER HITTING ANY BUMP WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT ABOUT 40 MPH. DEALER SAYS THAT EVERYTHING IS WORKING PROPERLY. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *ML

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE ABS SYSTEM SEEMS TO ENGAGE PREMATURELY AT ABOUT 35-40 MPH AND IF THE VEHICLE HITS ANY TYPE OF BUMP WHEN IN THE PROCESS OF SLOWING DOWN, ONE CANNOT STOP THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE ABS SYSTEM BRINGS THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. I WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE ABS SYSTEM WAS "DESIGNED TO HELP MAINTAIN STEERING CONTROL DURING BRAKING" AND PREVENT SKIDDING AND IS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE! MY WIFE HAS ENCOUNTERED THE PROBLEM TWICE AND WILL NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE. MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILD ARE NOT ALLOWED TO RIDE IN OR DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF OUR CONCERN FOR THEIR SAFETY. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO RECTIF THIS PROBLEM? *AK

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 00V058000 IN MAIL & CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP. WAS INFORMED THAT NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE FOR THE REAR AXLE. THE PARTS WERE ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER. *AK

VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FIVE TIMES. THERE IS A BUMPING AND THUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. ALSO, THE VEHICLE HAD SAME PROBLEM WHEN HE PURCHASED IT. *AK

WHEN BRAKING AND UPON ENCOUNTERING A BUMP BRAKES RELEASED, THEN LOCKED UP WHEN VEHICLE TOUCHEED THE GROUND AGAIN. THIS CAUSED VEHICLE TO SLIDE INTO INTERSECTIONS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, ONCE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

IN OCTOBER OF 1998 I HAD AN INCIDENT WHERE I NEEDED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. WHEN I BRAKED TO SLOW DOWN, I COULDN'T STOP AND WENT THROUGH INTERSECTION. LUCKILY NO CARS WERE AROUND. I WAS VERY CONFUSED BECAUSE SUDDENLY THE BRAKES SEEMED FINE. I TOLD PEOPLE ABOUT THIS AND JUST FIGURED IT WAS A STRANGE INCIDENT. IN APRIL OF 1999 I WAS DRIVING WITH A FRIEND AND TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH WHEN A TRACTOR TRAILER STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME. I WENT TO STOP AND HAD THE SAME FEELING AS BEFORE WHEN I HAD NO BRAKES. I LITERALLY DROVE INTO THE BACK OF THE SEMI AT 35 MPH. I COULDN'T GO TO MY RIGHT OR LEFT BECAUSE OF CARS. THE CAR HAD $8,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE. I TOLD THE BODY SHOP THAT THE BRAKES WENT OUT. THEY CHECKED AND FOUND NOTHING. I CALLED ISUZU AND THEY SAID THERE WERE NO COMPLAINTS. AGAIN, THIS WAS VERY CONFUSING. I KNOW I HAD NO BRAKES AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY WERE OK. THE LAST INCIDENT HAPPENED IN MARCH OF 2000. I WAS DRIVING ALONE AT ABOUT 30 MPH AND A CAR SLOWED IN FRONT OF ME. I HIT THE BRAKES AND YOU GUESSED IT, NO BRAKES. I TURNED RIGHT OVER A CURB AND HIT A TREE SLIGHTLY. THIS CAR IS VERY DANGEROUS TO SAY THE LEAST. SOMEONE WILL BE KILLED! I TOLD A FRIEND I HAVEN'T SEEN IN A WHILE ABOUT THIS AND HE SAID HE SAW A REPORT ON NBC ABOUT CARS THAT HAD SUDDENLY LOST THEIR BRAKES. I CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THE EXACT SAME SITUATION HAPPENED TO MANY OTHERS WITH THE 1998-99 RODEO. I WAS SO EXCITED I COULDN'T SLEEP. FINALLY, I FIGURED THIS WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF. I CALLED NBC AND THEY SAID TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH YOU. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT NEED TO BE CORRECTED! PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. IT'S NOT A COINCIDENCE. I'VE DRIVEN OVER 1,500,000 MILES AND HAVE OWNED AS MANY AS 50 CARS IN MY LIFE. I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. I'M AFRAID TO PUT MY KIDS IN THE CAR. PLEASE CALL FOR AS MUCH INFO AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. *AK

CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO STEP ON BRAKES AS HE WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AND VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. REARENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK

THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED SEVERAL TIMES IN NORMAL DRIVING ENVIRONMENTS INCLUDING HIGHWAY AND CITY STREET. THESE INCIDENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED WHILE I AM APPLYING BRAKE TO SLOWDOWN THE VEHICLE DUE TO TRAFFIC CONDITIONS OR CHANGING COURSE TO ANOTHER PREDETERMINE DIRECTION. OCCASIONALLY, WHEN I APPLY BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE DUE TO TRAFFIC CONDITIONS, THE TACHOMETER INDICATES ENGINE ROTATES ABNORMALLY. THE ENGINE'S SPEED SURGES. AT TIMES WHEN ENGINE IDLES AT EXTREMELY LOW RPM, IT STALLS. *AK

BRAKES FAILED TWICE WHILE DRIVING ON A DIRT ROAD GOING DOWN HILL, AT A STOP LIGHT BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR.

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES AT 20MPH, HEARD A GROWLING SOUND FROM UNDER HOOD IN FRONT OF DRIVER'S POSITION. BRAKE PEDAL WENT DOWN AND FELT LIKE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. REPORTED TO DEALER. DEALER SAYS BRAKES O.K. OWNER SAYS BRAKES FEEL SPONGY AND FEEL LIKE THEY WILL NOT STOP VEHICLE IF NEEDED IN AN EMERGENCY. *AK