2003 Isuzu Ascender

Defect. CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE A REAR SIDE CLOSURE LATCH THAT MAY NOT LATCH OR UNLATCH DUE TO CORROSION CAUSED BY ROAD SPLASH, SUCH AS WATER AND ROAD SALT. THESE VEHICLES WERE ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

Risk. IF THE DOOR IS NOT LATCHED PROPERLY AND IT GOES UNNOTICED, IT MAY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. IF AN UNBELTED OCCUPANT FELL OUT OF THE VEHICLE, PERSONAL INJURIES COULD OCCUR.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SEAL ALONG THE LOWER PART OF THE ROCKER PANEL TO PREVENT INTRUSION OF CORROSIVE MATERIAL, AND INSPECT THE REAR SIDE CLOSURE LATCHES. FUNCTIONAL LATCHES WILL BE CLEANED AND LUBRICATED. NON-FUNCTIONING LATCHES WILL BE REPLACED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 24, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463, OR ISUZU AT 1-800-255-6727.

Defect. ON CERTAIN TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE DRIVER WISHING TO SIGNAL A TURN BY MOVING THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL LEVER, (UP OR DOWN) MAY CAUSE THE FRONT MARKER/TURN LIGHTS AND REAR TURN LIGHTS TO FLASH IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO HAZARD WARNING, RATHER THAN FLASHING ON THE DESIRED SIDE ONLY.

Risk. THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CLEARLY SIGNAL THEIR INTENTIONS TO TURN, CHANGE TRAVEL LANES, OR POTENTIALLY WARN OTHERS OF AN IMPAIRED VEHICLE OPERATING CONDITION INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SUSPECT FLASHER MODULES WITH A NEW FLASHER MODULE DESIGNED WITH SEALED RELAYS AND MORE DURABLE CONTACT MATERIAL INSIDE OF THE RELAYS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2005. ISUZU BEGAN MAILING OWNER LETTERS ON AUGUST 4, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463, ISUZU AT 1-800-255-6727, BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, AND OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537.

Defect. CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEMS THAT WILL NOT TURN ON, CEASE OPERATION WHILE IN USE, FAIL TO TURN OFF/ON BY THEMSELVES (MOISTURE SENSITIVE WIPER SYSTEM), OR HAVE CONTINUOUS WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP OPERATION BECAUSE THE PRESENCE OF WATER WITHIN THE WIPER MODULES CAN EITHER CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT OR CAN LEAD TO THE CORROSION OF COMPONENTS WITHIN THE MODULE.

Risk. DEPENDING ON THE OCCURRENCE AND WEATHER SITUATION, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM ASSEMBLY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 15, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT ISUZU AT 1-800-255-6727.

Defect. CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEM." THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT EXPLAIN THE MEANING OF THE LOCATION SYMBOLS FOR THE LOWER UNIVERSAL ANCHORAGE SYSTEM.

Risk. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE STANDARD.

Remedy. OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A SUPPLEMENT FOR THEIR OWNER'S MANUAL. IT DESCRIBES AND SHOWS THE LOCATION SYMBOLS FOR THE CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORS THAT ARE LOCATED IN THE VEHICLE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 15, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT ISUZU AT 1-800-255-6727.

Defect. CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 114, "THEFT PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH A MECHANICAL OVERRIDE THAT COULD ALLOW THE IGNITION KEY TO BE REMOVED WITH THE SHIFT LEVER IN A POSITION OTHER THAN PARK. IN ADDITION, THESE VEHICLES HAVE AN OVERRIDE THAT CAN ALLOW THE TRANSMISSION TO BE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK WITH THE IGNITION IN THE OFF POSITION.

Risk. THESE OVERRIDES ARE NOT PERMITTED UNLESS THE VEHICLE HAS A LOCKING STEERING COLUMN.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL ELIMINATE THESE CONDITIONS BY DISABLING THE OVERRIDES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 13, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT ISUZU AT 1-800-255-6727.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS PERFORATED DUE TO RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

SERVICE BULLETIN OR RECALL 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER. PROBLEM KEY STUCK IN THE IGNITION CAN NOT REMOVE SEEMS TO BE NORMAL PROBLEM FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL . L HAVE BEEN READING THROUGH FORUM COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET. I AM CURIOUS IF THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL AND IF NOT WHY NOT. CAR COULD BE CAR JACK OR STOLEN BY NOT ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THIS HAS BEEN A INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *TR

POWER STEERING LINES FROM THE PUMP (HIGH PRESSURE AND RETURN LINES) ARE CORRODING AND NOW LEAKING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER. HE STATED THAT INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE "SES" AND "CHECK ENGINE" WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE RISK FOR A VEHICLE CRASH WAS INCREASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND REPAIRED TEN TIMES; HOWEVER, THE REPAIRS HAVE NOT REMEDIED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

HEATER/AC FAN KEPT GOING OUT. WAS TOLD IT WAS RELAY SWITCH. AFTER SEVERAL REPLACEMENTS, WAS TOLD IT WAS A FAULT IN THE IGNITION. IGNITION WAS REPLACED. FAN NOW WORKS. NOW HEADLIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY. TECH'S CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY. *TR

WHILE TRYING TO RELEASE THE FULL-SIZED SPARE TIRE, THE CABLE HOLDING IT UP BROKE CAUSING THE TIRE TO UNEXPECTEDLY FALL. *TR

WHEN YOU GO TO PUT GEAR SELECTOR INTO PARK THE IGNITION KEY GETS STUCK TEMPORARILY ON MY ISUZU ASCENDER 2003 . SOMETIMES I HAVE TO WAIT 1 MIN OR SOMETIMES 10 MIN. TO GET THE KEY OUT .IF YOU LISTEN REAL CLOSE YOU CAN HERE A ELECTRONIC CLICK .THIS JUST STARTED ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. I AM WORRIED ABOUT LEAVING THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. IT COULD BE STOLEN OR EVEN CAR JACK. *TR

SMELL OF GASOLINE AND DRIPPING UNDERNEATH REAR BENEATH FUEL TANK (DRIVER'S SIDE), WHEN STARTING. PROBLEM WAS FOUND TO BE THE FUEL PUMP MODULE AT THE LINE :OUTPUT SIDE OF PUMP. REPLACED FUEL PUMP MODULE AND RING. PARTS AND PICS AVAILABLE. *TR

GAS ODOR AND GASOLINE DRIPPING BENEATH FUEL TANK WHEN PARKED. *TR

REAR PASSENGER DOORS WILL NOT LATCH CLOSE. REMOVED AND REPLACED BOTH RUSTY LATCHES. *TR

AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING THE LOW BEAMS HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES TURN BACK ON. THE HIGH BEAMS WORK WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT AND WE HAVE TO TURN THEM ON TO HAVE HEADLAMPS. THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS DON'T SEEM TO BE AFFECTED BY THE PROBLEM DURING THE DAY. PROBLEM HAPPENS ONLY AT NIGHT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON 1-88W BOUND ON 2-1-2008, MY CAR STARTED TO MAKE SQUEAKING NOISE AND VERY HARD TO DRIVE. LUCKILY, 2 BLOCKS FROM RT 31 EXIT, THERE WAS A FIRESTONE AUTO CARE, THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT AXEL BROKE AND IT IS AFFECTING THE DIFFERENTIAL. THE CAR WAS THEN TOWED TO ISUZU DEALER IN ELGIN THE NEXT DAY.THE MECHANIC FROM BIGGER ISUZU CALLED MONDAY, 2-5-07, CLAIMING THAT THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL NEED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF LACK OF GEAR OIL. COST--$4,800 TO BE REPAIRED. THE CAR MILEAGE WAS 77,000 MILES. I CALLED ISUZU TO COMPLAINED AND THEY SAID, THEY WON'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. I WENT TO NHTSA, THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER POWER TRAIN-DRIVE DIFFERENTIAL. NHTSA ITEM #10016589 AND SERVICE BULLETIN #0507002. DATE OF BULLETIN 08/01/2005. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THE DIM HEAD LIGHTS GO OFF FOR NO REASON,THIS HAPPENS EVERY TWO DAYS OR SO , SO I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH BRIGHT LIGHTS (WHICH BLINDS ON COMING TRAFFIC) ON FOR ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN MILES BEFORE THE LOW BEAMS START WORKING AGAIN. DEALERSHIP CAN'T SEEM TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM, SO NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL # 05V198000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000.

I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER IN SEPT. 2003. WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 500 MILES ON THE ODOMETER THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON (SES) LIGHT CAME ON. WE TOOK THE SUV TO AN ISUZU DEALER WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD IMPROPERLY PUT THE GAS CAP ON AND THAT IS WHY THE SES LIGHT CAME ON. WITHIN A WEEK THE SES LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. MY HUSBAND TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS THOROUGHLY CHECKED AND THE ISUZU DEALER FOUND A LEAK IN THE FUEL TANK. THE TANK WAS REPLACED AFTER A LENGTHY WAIT FOR THE PROPER PARTS. WE THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. JULY 2, 2007 WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM ISUZU STATING THAT THE SES LIGHT MAY COME ON AFTER FUELING AND THAT YOU MAY SMELL A FUEL ODOR. WE BROUGHT THE SUV TO AN ISUZU DEALER ON JULY 5. THE SERVICE STAFF FOUND 2 LEAKS IN THE TANK. IT IS NOW JULY 13, 2007 AND THE CAR IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THEY ARE UNABLE TO GET A TANK FOR THE SUV. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT ALLOW US TO DRIVE THE SUV OFF THE LOT BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL RISK OF IT CATCHING FIRE OR EXPLODING.

THE 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER IS THE SAME VEHICLE AS A CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER AND GMC ENVOY. AT APPROXIMATELY 51,000 MILES AND OUT OF WARRANTY. THE FAN CLUTCH MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. I HAD TO ASSUME FULL PAYMENT TO REPLACE IT. NOW, THE TRUCK SOUNDED LIKE THE UNDERCARRIAGEWAS RATTLING. HAD IT TO A MECHANIC, AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT I MUST HAVE BEEN THE SWAY BAR LINKS REPLACED IN THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER DISCUSSION THE MECHANIC DETERMINE D THAT HE HAD TO REPLACE THEM ON THE TRAILBLAZER , AND THE SERVICE MANAGER HAD TO HAVE THEM REPLACED ON THE ENVOY, BOTH WITH THE SAME PLATFORM. THIS SEEMED TO BE A DESIGN PROBLEM THAT GM AND ITS AFFILIATES SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING. *AK

GAS GAUGE DOES NOT ACCURATELY REPORT THE AMOUNT OF GAS IN TANK. HAD PROBLEM REPAIRED BUT CONTINUES TO BE INACCURATE. REAR HATCHBACK WINDOW OPENS WHEN BUMP IS HIT. TOOK TO DEALER, AND DEALER COULD FIND NO PTOBLEM. KEY OFTEN DOES NOT REMOVE FROM COLUMN WHEN PLACED IN PARK. CAR MUST BE CYCLED THROUGH ON/OFF AND PLACEED IN REVERSE AND THEN INTO DRIVE AGAIN TO REMOVE KEY.*AK

MY 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER WILL NOT START OCCASIONALLY. THE KEYS EVEN LOCKED IN THE IGNITION ONE OF THE TIMES. I HAD IT JUMPED AND THE VEHICLE WAS OK FOR A MONTH OR SO. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN THE PAST 4 MONTHS. THE BATTERY CHECKS OUT OK. THE DEALER IN WINCHESTER, VA DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. THERE ARE NO DEFAULT CODES SHOWING UP IN THE COMPUTER. *JB

I PURCHASED A 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER IN FEBRUARY 2004. IN AROUND MARCH 2006, THE TRANSMISSION BEGIN SLIPPING. AT THE TIME THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 74,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, WHICH MEANT IS WAS STILL COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS NOT INFORMED BY THE DEALER AT CLAY COOLEY MOTORS THAT THE WARRANTY WAS NOT TRANSFERABLE. THEREFORE, I HAVE BEEN STUCK WITH TRYING TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION. I CONTACTED THE ISUZU COMPANY AND THEY COULD NOT OFFER ANY HELP AND STATED THAT THEY DO NOT REGULATE THE DEALERSHIPS THAT CARRY AND SELL THEIR BRAND VEHICLE. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE DURING RUSH HOUR AT 55 MPH, A VEHICLE HIT THE WALL AND TAIL SPINNED IN FRONT OF CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HIT THE VEHICLE WITH A FRONTAL IMPACT CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE. UPON IMPACT, THE NONE OF THE CONTACT'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEATBELT HOWEVER INJURIES WERE SUSTAIN TO THE SHOULDERS, BACK AND NECK. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING PROPERLY HOWEVER THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AT THE SCENE.