2001 ISUZU RODEO Complaints

I GOT A LETTER FROM ISUZU ASKING ME TO COME IN FOR A RECALL DUE TO PRE-MATURE FRAME RUSTING I WAS TOLD THEY HAD TO LIFT THE BODY OFF THE FRAME TO INSPECT IT AND I WAS HAVING THE GAS-LEVEL SENDER REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT BOLTS HOLDING THE CASSIS TO THE FRAME HAD A TENDENCY TO FAIL SO THEY WERE BEING REPLACED WITH STAINLESS STEEL HARDWARE. WHEN I GOT THE TRUCK BACK THE NEW SHINY BOLTS AND NUTS WERE VISIBLE EXTERNALLY AND I WAS ASSURED THAT MY TRUCK WAS NOT THAT BAD AND IT WAS JUST A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. I WAS TOLD THE FRAME WAS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE AND THAT THEY APPLIED SOME ANTI-RUST TREATMENT TO THE AREAS AND FOR ADDED STRENGTH, 2 REINFORCEMENT BARS WERE BOLTED TO THE SIDES OF THE FRAME ( THIS WAS DOME AND VERIFIED VISUALLY BY ME ). ABOUT TWO YEARS LATER, WHILE HAVING MY EXHAUST MANIFOLD REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE ROT, I WAS INFORMED THAT MY FRAME WAS NOT SAFE BECAUSE IT WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY ROTTEN IN NUMEROUS AREAS AND TOLD THAT WHOEVER TRIED TO FIX IT KNEW THAT IT WAS IN TERRIBLE SHAPE AND SIMPLY PUT A BAND=AID ON IT AND HIT IT WITH SOME ANTI-RUST PAINT TO MAKE IT LOOK BETTER. JUST THE FRAME WAS ROTTING, NOT THE BODY OR OTHER PARTS. THE OFFICIAL TSB APPARENTLY TO SHORE UP THE FRAME BY BOLTING TWO STEEL BARS ALONG THE SIDES, UNLESS THE FRAME IS SO ROTTED OUT THAT IT HAS TO BE REPLACED. SO IF I HAD NOT GARAGED MY TRUCK AND BEEN EXTRA CAREFUL ABOUT WASHING THE UNDERCARRIAGE, I COULD HAVE GOTTEN A BRAND-NEW FRAME, (OR A TRIP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM IF THE FRAME BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT ALMOST ANY SPEED NEVER MIND HIGHWAY SPEED). I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS TRUCK AND HAVE FOLLOWED ALL TSB/RECALLS AND RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES. I LOVE THE TRUCK, BUT I NEED IT TO BE SAFE AND VERY SOON IT MAY NOT PASS SAFETY INSPECTION IN MY STATE. I HAVE READ ABOUT MANY PEOPLE TRYING PUSH FOR SOME SORT OF LEGAL ACTION ON THIS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ISUZU RODEO. THE CONTACT STATED THE ENTIRE SUB FRAME HAD EXCESSIVELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ISUZU RODEO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V436000 (SUSPENSION). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT WHEN I HEARD A POPPING SOUND AND THEN THE SOUND OF SOMETHING DRAGGING. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND THE GAS TANK SHIELD FELL OFF AND IT WAS DRAGGING. I PULLED IT OFF AND MANY LARGE PIECES OF RUST FELL OFF OF THE RODEO. I NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS EXTREMELY RUSTING. I WAS ABLE TO POKE MY FINGER THROUGH THE FRAME IN MANY PLACES. THE CAR IS NOW PARKED IN MY GARAGE AS IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT ISUZU HAS NOT BEEN FORCED TO RECALL ALL OF THESE VEHICLES. I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT RELATED TO THE USE OF LAMINATED STEEL FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FRAMES AND THE RELATED CORROSION PROBLEMS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY MY ENGINE SHUT OFF, THEN TURNED ON AGAIN , REVVING THE ENGINE UP AS THOUGH I WAS PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL HARDER. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN ABOUT FIVE MILES FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD. HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN OFF AND ON AT DIFFERENT INTERVALS. WHEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS GO OFF I CAN HIT THE STEERING COLUMN JUST BELOW THE KEY AND THE VEHICLE WILL RESTART AND THE PANEL LIGHTS COME ON AGAIN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ISUZU RODEO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING NOISE WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH AND THAT THE ENTIRE REAR SUB FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V436000 (SUSPENSION). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 157,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ISUZU RODEO. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE REPLACING THE SHOCKS HE NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 121,000.

WHILE DRIVING IN VEHICLE, APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, NORMAL DRY CONDITIONS, DRIVER-SIDE REAR SUSPENSION TRAILING ARM BRACKET BROKE FREE FROM FRAME. VEHICLE VEERED RIGHT SLIGHTLY AND GENERATED A GROANING SOUND. PULLED VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. UPON INSPECTION UNDERNEATH VEHICLE REALIZED FRAME SECTION CORRODED COMPLETELY THROUGH ALLOWING TRAILING ARM BUSHING MOUNTING BRACKET TO COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM FRAME. LOW MILEAGE (CONSIDERING YEAR) WELL CARED FOR VEHICLE IN OTHERWISE GOOD CONDITION. HAVE SENSE LEARNED THIS TO BE AN ALL TOO COMMON PROBLEM KNOWN BY OEM BUT NOT BY SECONDARY BUYERS, THESE VEHICLES SHOULD NOT BE ON ROAD. LESS THAN A YEARS USE FROM THIS VEHICLE AFTER LOAN/PURCHASE. *TR

I WAS TURNING ONTO A STREET. THE STREET WAS COVERED IN OIL OR SOME TYPE OF SLICK ELEMENT. I SKIDDED AND FELL INTO A DITCH. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

WAS TRYING TO GET CAR THROUGH INSPECTION BUT COULDN'T GET THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND FUEL LIGHT OFF. I EXPLAINED TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID YOU NEED A NEW FUEL PUMP. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AND WHEN HE PUT THE CAR ON THE LIFT HE SAID THE FRAME IS TOTALLY RUSTED OUT AND THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE ON THE ROAD. I THEN CALLED ISUZU AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A RECALL ON IT. THEY GAVE ME THE NAME OF A DEALER NEAR ME THEY SAID THE CAR CAN NOT BE FIXED. THEY SAID IF THE CAR IS HIT FROM BEHIND IT WOULD JUST FOLD OR THE SUSPENSION WILL JUST GIVE OUT AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. ITS BEEN TWO WEEKS AND I'M GETTING THE RUN AROUND FROM THE DEALER AND ISUZU. I AM NOW OUT OF A CAR. IF THE GAS GAUGE DIDN'T BREAK I WOULD NOT HAVE EVEN KNOWN ABOUT THIS AND COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE ON THE ROAD. ISUZU SHOULD BE STANDING BEHIND THESE CARS!!!! *TR