ISUZU Complaints

LETTER FROM D. GRIMES (VA) WANTED RESPONSE TO HIS INQUIRY ON A RECALL INTIATED BY NHTSA CONCERNING ABS BRAKE FAILURE ON 1998, ISUZU, RODEO; RECALL 02I002000; NO RECORD OF E-MAIL IN SYSTEM; REPLY TO RICHMOND, VA OFC, REFERENCE DAVID C. GRIMES, DOT/#2003-2228. *AK

I BEGAN EXPERIENCING BRAKING PROBLEMS ABOUT A YEAR AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. WHEN STOPPING SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE HAD EXTENDING STOPPING DISTANCES. I HAD THE BRAKES INSPECTED AND WAS TOLD THE BRAKE PADS WERE IN GOOD CONDITION. I PROCEEDED TO SEARCH THE INTERNET FOR RECALLS AND FOUND A SAFETY NOTICE ON THE ABS SYSTEM. I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE INTO A DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THIS NOTICE DID NOT PERTAIN TO MY VEHICLE. SHORTLY AFTER THIS, I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH TWO OTHER VEHICLES. THREE MONTHS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, I RECEIVED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN NOTICE REGARDING MY VEHICLE AND THE ABS. *JB

THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED, DEALER REPLACED THE MODULE, HOWEVER THE LIGHT REMAINED ON. *JB

THE BRAKES LOCKED UP, WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM

IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR MY VEHICLE (99' ISUZU RODEO 4CYL) WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN REPAIRED BY KING ISUZU IN FORT LAUDERDALE, FL. UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN#01I002000, THE TIMING BELT AND TENSIONER FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START, ALSO THE VALVES AND PISTONS WERE DAMAGED. MY VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT HERE IT IS, ABOUT SIX MONTHS LATER AND 15,000 MILES MY VEHICLE HAS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM HAPPENING AGAIN AND ISUZU REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. MARK SMITH (SERVICE REP.) FOR ISUZU ADVISED ME THAT THE PARTS THEY REPLACED WERE ONLY WARRANT FOR 12,000 MILES, BUT I FEEL LIKE IF THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED THEN MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE REPAIRED. *JB

THE FRONT CYLINDER FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL AT LOW SPEEDS. *JB

I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF SOME RECALLS ON MY 1999 ISUZU RODEO. I AM HAVING SOME OF THE PROBLEMS STATED IN THE DESCRIPTION OF THE RECALLS. MY ABS BRAKE LIGHT IS GOING ON AND OFF AND I AM HAVING SOME TROUBLE STOPPING. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS COMING ON AND WHEN SITTING STILL THE CAR ACTS AS THOUGH IT IS GOING TO CUT OFF. IT IS RUNNING REALLY HARD WHEN I COME TO A STOP. I BELIEVE THAT THESE HAVE TO DO WITH THE RECALL. ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT I AM HAVING IS MY GAS GAUGE IS NOT REGISTERING HOW MUCH GAS IS IN THE CAR AND THE GAS LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANTLY. I KNOW THAT IT IS FULL BECAUSE THE GAS PUMP STOPS. *NLM

THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2003 MY 1999 ISUZU RODEO BEGAN MAKING UNUSUAL SOUNDS FROM INSIDE THE HOOD AND THE ABS LIGHT LIT UP ON THE DASHBOARD. UPON LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD, I DISCOVERED THE BRAKE MODULE WAS RUNNING DESPITE TURNING THE CAR OFF AND REMOVING THE KEY. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE MODULE FROM RUNNING WAS TO REMOVE THE NEGATIVE CABLE FROM THE BATTERY. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE CREST ISUZU DEALERSHIP IN PLANO, TEXAS AND SPOKE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE TECHNICIAN'S FIRST RESPONSE WAS THAT I MAY QUALIFY FOR A FREE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THERE WAS A "MANUFACTURER'S INSTALLATION PROBLEM" ON SOME OF THE RODEOS COMING FROM CERTAIN PLANTS. I GAVE HIM MY VIN NUMBER AND HE CAME BACK AND TOLD ME MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT ON THE LIST. I FOUND IT ODD THAT ISUZU WOULD RECOGNIZE THAT SOME PARTS WERE DEFECTIVE, BUT NOT RESPOND TO MINE. MY NEXT STEP WAS TO CONTACT THE OWNER RELATIONS DEPARTMENT OF AMERICAN ISUZU MOTORS, INC. I INITIALLY SPOKE WITH DON WHO INFORMED ME THAT IN JULY, ISUZU WAS LAUNCHING A CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE ALL BRAKE MODULES IN 1999 ISUZU RODEOS. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS A SAFETY UPGRADE AND DID NOT MEAN THAT THE PART HAD ANY PROBLEMS. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF MY MODULE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT YET JULY. I AM BEING TOLD TWO SEPARATE STORIES FROM ISUZU EMPLOYEES. I NEED A WRITTEN RESPONSE FROM ISUZU EXPLAINING HOW MY DEFECTIVE BRAKE MODULE IS NOT RELATED TO THE CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE ALL BRAKE MODULES IN JULY. I DON'T THINK ISUZU WANTS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ACCIDENTS THAT MAY RESULT IN THE NEXT 3 MONTHS BECAUSE MY DEFECTIVE BRAKE MODULE WAS NOT ATTENDED TO. *NLM

BAD SENDING UNIT ON 1999 ISUZU RODEO LS. LEAVING ME NOT KNOWING HOW MUCH FUEL I ACTUALLY HAVE AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO DIE OUT WHILE DRIVING. *NLM