1995 ISUZU TROOPER Complaints

MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE - ONE AT 200 MILES AND SECOND FAILURE AT 67,543 MILES. *AK

I CONTACTED ISUZU OF AMERICA CUSTOMER RELATIONS HOTLINE AND WAS "BRUSHED OFF". MY ISUZU TROOPER WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION PRIOR TO THE CRASH AND THE COMPUTER FAILURE WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY THE ISUZU MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION. I WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE PCM IS MALFUNCTIONING AND CAN CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO GO OUT OF CONTROL. IN FACT, I WHEN IN THE "DRIVE" MODE ON THE SELCTOR, THE COMPUTER PUTS THE TRANSMISSION IN "REVERSE". IN ORDER TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE, THE GEAR SELECTOR HAS TO BE IN "NEUTRAL". THERE IS NO "PARK" GEAR. THE COMPUTER WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING AND TOLD THE TRANSMISSION TO GO INTO "REVERSE" MODE. THE FLOOR SHIFTER LEVER DID NOT MOVE AND REMAINED IN THE "DRIVE" MODE BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE CRASH. THE "DRIVE" MODE IS NOW "REVERSE". I WAS TOLD BY THE ISUZU MECHANIC THAT THIS IS A COMMON IN TROOPERS AND RODEOS WITH ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS AND MOST PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT MY ECM IS IN THE "DEFAULT MODE" AND SENDING ERROR SIGNALS TO MY ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO RANDOMLY SHIFT OUT OF "DRIVE" INTO "REVERSE" WHILE TRAVELLING AT 50-55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE INFORMATION ON SIMILAR CRASHES INVILVING THE 1994-1998 ISUZU TROOPERS, RODEOS, HONDA PASSPORTS AND ACURA SLXS. SOME HAVE RESULTED IN INJURIES AND DEATHS. HOW MANY MUST DIE BEFORE ISUZU TAKES AN INTEREST IN THIS PROBLEM. I FOUND THAT THERE ARE MANY ISUZU OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THIER ECMS AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE OWNERS MANUAL WHICH WARNS CONSUMERS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS THE ECM COULD CAUSE, NOR IS THERE INFORMATION ON SERVICING. THERE IS ONE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REFERENCING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE OF TROOPERS AND RODEOS, BUT IT DOESNT PROVIDE MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT EXACTLY WHIC COMPONENT IS AFFECTED. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME.

ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WHICH CONTROLS THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION FUNCTION IS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING AT RAMDOM, GEARS TO SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO ANY OTHER GEAR WITHOUT WARNING, ON ITS OWN, WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

VEHICLE SUSPENSION SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPLACED ON FOUR OCCASSIONS SINCE PURCHASE, INCLUDING SHOCKS ON THREE OCCASIONS IN 1997 AND ONE OCCASION IN 1998. COILS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN 97. VEHICLE CONTINUES WITH SUSENSION PROBLEMS WHICH THE DEALER WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE AND/OR REPLACE. VEHICLE HAS UNDERGONE TWO COMPLETE SETS OF TIRE CHANGES, 4 BATTERIES, AND SEVERAL OTHER PROBLMES SINCE PURCHASED. CURRENT MILEAGE ON VEHICLE-42,000 MILES.

OWNER WAS BACKING UP VEHICLE WHEN IT STOPPED MOVING, VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT MOVE AFTER INTENSE ACCELERATION. OWNER APPLIED BRAKE AND ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT TO DRIVE BUT LEVER WOULD NOT MOVE. ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT TO PARK WITH NO SUCCESS. WITH DRIVER OUT OF VEHICLE IT ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN UP HILL AND CRASH INTO WALL. WAS THEN ABLE TO DRIVE FORWARD AND HAD NO PROBLEM USING REVERSE.

IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID A VEHICLE THAT HAD LOST CONTROL CONSUMER WENT INTO THE OPPOSING LANE, AND ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS COMING THE OTHER WAY AND THE CONSUMER HIT IT, GOING ABOUT 5 MPH; NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN FIRST STARTING VEHICLE, THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT FLASHES AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE. THE IGNITION HAS TO BE TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE TRANSMISSON CONTROL MODULE HAS BEEN REPLACED, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. ALSO, EXPERIENCED COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE. THE WHOLE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND THE WIRING HARNESS HAS BEEN REPLACED. *AK

DROVE INTO GAS STATION TO REPLENISH GASOLINE SUPPLY, UPON REMOVING PRESSURE VACUUM RELIEF FILLER CAP, FLAMES SPEWED OUT OF FILLER NECK, BURNING HAIR AROUND HAND, FIRE EXTINQUISHED BY ITSELF, FUEL TANK WAS ALMOST EMPTY. *AK

NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DURING A HEAD-ON COLLISION, DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES, *AK

OWNER STATES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IT IS HARD TO CONTROL, WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN PROBLEM IS MOST NOTICED. *AK