Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1998 record →
SPORADICALLY, FROM HWY SPEED OF 55 MPH TO OFF RAMP, WHEN CLUTCH IS FULLY DEPRESSED, ENGINE DIES (ALL DASH INDICATORS LIGHT UP) AND RPM GOES TO ZERO, RESULTING IS LOSS OF POWER STEERING (AND PROBABLY POWER BRAKES). DRIVER IS ABLE TO RESTART ENGINE WITH CLUTCH IN COASTING IN NEUTRAL. SOMETIMES, ENGINE DIES AGAIN RIGHT AWAY. CAR IS NOT OUT OF GAS.
AT ALL TIMES WHILE DRIVING THERE IS FUMES AND A STRONG BURNING SMELL ENTERING THE VEHICLE WHICH AT ONE POINT AN OCCUPANT GOT SICK OFF OF THE STRONG ODOR. BEEN TO DEALER 36 TIMES. DEALER REPLACE THE ENGINE, BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
ABS BRAKES ENGAGE ON DRY BUMPY PAVEMENT, CAUSING INCREASED BREAKING DISTANCE. THIS OCCURS ALL THE TIME. NO DEALER SOLUTION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON ROAD PULLED UP TO THE INTERSECTION WHEN LIGHT TURNED RED, CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES TO SLOWDOWN, BUT BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND VEHICLE WENT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK *ML
WHEN CONSUMER IS TRAVELING AT REGULAR SPEED LIMIT ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN, AND WHEN MAKING TURNS, SHE LOSES CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *AK
WHEN DRIVING ON WET PAVEMENT AND UPON MAKING A NORMAL STOP, CONSUMER EXPERIENCED COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. ALSO, GAS TANK HAS SEPARATED FROM BOTTOM OF VEHICLE, CAUSING A FUEL LEAKAGE, SUN ROOF COVER DOESN'T STAY INTACT, AND SEAT BELT AND GAS PEDAL STICK. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK *ML
VEHICLE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED AND WAS REPAIRD ON FOUR OCCASIONS (RECALLED). THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *YC (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).
ABS SYSTEM IS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP. HAS TO APPLY THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN, THE PEDAL GOES STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD. *AK
MY 1998 ISUZU AMIGO HAS PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND VIBRATES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS SINCE I PURCHASED IT. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SEVEN (?) TIMES AND IF ANYTHING, IS WORSE THAN WHEN I PURCHASED IT. THE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT IT IN FOR THE PULLING PROBLEM, THE SERVICE ADVISOR (MELISSA) TOLD ME IT WAS SUPPOSED TO PULL TO THE RIGHT, BECAUSE "THE FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE STUFF IS IN THE RIGHT HUB". SUBSEQUENT TRIPS YIELDED NO FIX WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAYING THAT THEY HAD; DONE A FRONT-END ALIGNMENT, BALANCED THE WHEELS, ROTATED THE WHEELS, AND PUT ON NEW TIRES. MY ADVISOR, "ROB" ALONG WITH THE ISUZU MECHANIC, "MARK" HAVE TOLD ME THAT ISUZU KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLES BUT THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIX SOME OF THEM. THIS WEEK, MY AMIGO IS GOING IN ONCE AGAIN, THIS TIME TO HAVE WHAT I WAS TOLD IS A "SPRING KIT" INSTALLED ON THE RACK AND PINION STEERING. THE VIBRATION PROBLEM IS VERY NOTICEABLE AND OCCURS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES AS DOES THE WHOLE TRUCK. A GREAT DEAL OF "FEEDBACK" IS ALSO EVIDENT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN PASSING OVER ROUGH ROADS. THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM HERE AND NOBODY AT ISUZU SEEMS ABLE TO FIX THIS TRUCK.
EA9999008, ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE NO BRAKING CAPABILITY, AND RESULTING IN A CRASH. *AK.ET.
ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED, ALLOWING REAR BRAKES TO LOCK UP CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. MJS
WHEN DRIVING ON WET PAVEMENT, MOSTLY ON HILLS, THE ABS STARTS UP AND ALLOWS MY CAR TO FREE WHEEL FOR ABOUT 10 TO 20 FEET BEFORE BRAKING BEGINS AGAIN. I AM NOT LETTING UP ON THE PEDAL. THE FIRST TIME THE ABS STARTED UP IT WORKED GREAT, I HEARD A MOTOR RUNNING UNDER THE HOOD AND EVEN ON THE SNOW I STOPPED FINE. THIS MOTOR DOES FUNCTION WHEN 12VDC IS APPLIED BUT AS OF LATE, NO LONGER FUNCTIONS WHEN THE ABS IS STARTED, THE PROBLEM MUST BE IN THE CONTROLING MODULE IT IS FAILING TO START THE MOTOR. I HAVE BEEN INTO THE DITCH 6 TIMES TOTAL AND I AM JUST WAITING TO GET INTO A VERY BAD ACCIDENT. I DID NOTICE THAT OTHER CARS NEXT TO ME UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS ARE ABLE TO STOP. THIS LEAD ME TO THIS LITTLE TEST I CONDUCTED. WHEN I DISABLE THE ABS MY CAR STOPS FINE. IN FACT IN A PARKING LOT WITH THE ABS OFF FROM A SPEED OF 30 MPH THE CAR WILL STOP ON AVERAGE 45% SHORTER THAN WHEN THE ABS IS STARTED. THE REAR TIRES DID LOCK UP JUST BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP WITH THE ABS OFF. I TESTED 10 TIMES WITH EACH CONDITION (10 WITH ABS AND 10 WITHOUT ABS) AND THEN AVERAGED RESULTING STOPPING DISTANCE. THE TESTS WERER DONE ON WET PAVEMENT CAUSED BY RAIN. THE DEALERSHIP STATES THAT THEY HAVE CHECKED EVERYTHING AND THE SYSTEM IS FINE( JAN 29 1999). IF THE DEALER IS CORRRECT AND NO PROBLEM EXSISTS THE SYSTEM ITSELF IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. SURE I CAN STILL STEER THE CAR AND THERE IS NO DANGER OF LOCKING THE TIRES (OR STOPPING THIS CAR) BUT AROUND HERE IF I STEER OFF THE ROAD IN ORDER TO MISS SOMETHIN
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG DURING FRONT END COLLISION RESULTED IN DRIVER NECK INJURY.
THE GAS PEDAL SNAPPED OFF, I HADN'T EVEN DRIVEN THE TRUCK TEN MILES. HAD TO HAVE A NEW GAS PEDAL PUT ON TRUCK.
FUEL GAUGE VERY INACCURATE. REGISTERS FULL UNTIL ALMOST EMPTY, THEN DROPS SUDDENLY.
WHILE BRAKING DOWNHILL I HIT A BUMP AND THE PEDAL MOVED TOWARD THE FLOOR. STOPPING DISTANCE SEEMED TO INCREASE MORE THAN I SUSPECTED. IF THERE HAD BEEN A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME I MAY HAVE HIT IT. *AK
GAS GAUGE READS FULL UNTIL TANK IS NEARLY AT 1/2. THEN WILL RUN OUT OF GAS AT AROUND 1/8 TO 1/4 SHOWING ON THE GAUGE. *AK
GAS GUAGE READS FULL UNTIL TANK IS APPROXIMATELY 1/2 EMPTY. LESS THAN 1 GALLON READS 1/4 TANK ON GUAGE. DEALER REFERRED MY 1998 PROBLEM TO TSB SB97-02-L009, A 1997 TSB REGARDING THE ISUZU RODEO MODEL AND A DIFFERENT SYMPTOM. DEALER'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO WAIT UNTIL ISUZU SOLVES THE 1997 TSB. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER 1998 AMIGO OWNERS CAN BE SEEN AT HTTP://FORUMS.VMAG.COM/SUVAMIGO0199. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT STALLING, UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE. MJS
ON FEB 4 IT WAS SEND TO DEALER FOR THE SECOND TIME. STILL TODAY, NO CONTACT BY THE DEALER AND NO CAR YET. IMMEDIATELY AFTER FIRST PROBLEM,CONTACTED ISUZU. TO PROVIDE ALL INFORMATION AS REQUESTED BY THEM AND NO CONTACT FROM THEIR PART. I WOULD LIKE WHAT I PAID FOR, A NEW CAR OR MONEY BACK. THANKS FOR YOU HELP AND CONTACTING ME BACK
FUEL GAUGE FAILED.
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES ON DRY PAVEMENT THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
SUNROOF COVER FELL ON DRIVERS HEAD WHILE DRIVING.
MOON ROOF COVER CLIPS FELL OFF, CAUSING MOON ROOF TO FALL OFF. ADHESIVE ON CLIPS LOSE HOLDING ABILITY IN HEAT. (QCAW)
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH THE SUN ROOF COVER FELL ON DRIVER'S HEAD. DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND ALMOST CRASHED. THE SUN ROOF WAS REPLACED 4 TIMES, AND THE SUN ROOF CLIPS HAVE BEEN GLUED AT LEAST 6 TIMES BY DEALER. *AK *SLC
VEHICLE STRUCK REAR END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT AT 35-40 MPH, AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S OR PASSEGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
WHILE DRIVING OWNER STATES SUN ROOF FELL OFF, STRIKING OCCUPANTS. POSSIBLE CAUSE OF PROBLEM CLIP FROM SUN ROOF IS MISSING. *AK
FUEL SYSTEM/TANK FAILED.
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1998 Isuzu Amigo → · Every Amigo year → · How the figures are calculated →