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 1997 record →
THE DEFECTIVE DESIGN ON REAR DRUM BRAKE WAS "GLAZED" AT 9000 MILES, CAUSING MORE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE REAR BRAKES, WHICH MAY RESULT IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK
DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS MALFUNCTIONED DURING CRASH.
FUEL SENDING UNIT FAILED.
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35-40MPH, THE HATCHBACK WOULD POP OPEN FOR NO REASON. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN 10 TIMES. ITS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. AT TIMES ONE CAN HEAR THE MOTOR RUNNING TO UNLOCK LATCH. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC SAID NO PROBLEM TO FIND. HATCHBACK DID NOT POP OPEN AT DEALER. *AK
ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION.(NEW JERSEY POLICE ACCIDENT REPORT).
NON DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS IN A COLLISION RESULTED IN INJURIES. ALSO, VEHICLE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
CLUTCH HAS INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS, CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO SHIFT WHEN APPLIED. VEHICLE ALSO STALLS, CAUSING NON-MOVEMENT OF VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES STRONG SMELL OF RAW FUEL UPON STARTING IN CLOSED AREAS.
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, CAUSING COLLISION.
STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE UPON START-UP DUE TO EXCESS STARTING FLOW OF FUEL.
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAUSING A COLLISION .
WHILE MAKING A TURN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE TRUCK SUDDENLY STARTED TO REV AND ACCELERATED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL AND FLIPPED OVER ON FLAT PAVEMENT. *AK
DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING FRONT END COLLISION, FRONT BUMPER GRILL HIT BY ANOTHER MOTORIST/WENT OVER DOUBLE YELLOW LINE, BOTH VEHICLES TRAVELING 25 MPH. *AK
DEFECTIVE VACUUM HOSE IN EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM FAILED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH THE VEHICLE HAD DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT, AND BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH COULDNT PROTECT THE OCCUPANTS IN THE ACCIDENT. MANUFACTURER SAID THE VEHICLE DIDN'T EXPERIENCE ENOUGH FORCE TO DEPLOY THE AIRBAG, BUT HAD OVER $8000 WORTH OF DAMAGES. *AK
VEHICLE ROLLED OVER WHEN MAKING WIDE TURN, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES.
IN 3 INCIDENTS WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ON A SLIGHT HILL AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS WHILE NO ONE WAS IN THE VEHICLE, CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO HIT A TREE. DLR CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, HEARD SQEAKY NOISE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. *AK
WHILE BACKING OUT OF PARKING LOT, ENGINE STARTED RACING AND VEHICLE MADE A LOUD POPPING NOISE AND WENT FULL THROTTLE FORWARD OVER SIDEWALK , HIT A PARKED VEHICLE AND PUSHED VEHICLE (2) FEET SIDEWAYS. DRIVER HAD TO PUT VEHICLE IN PARK AND REMOVE KEY TO STOP VEHICLE. WAITING FOR INSURANCE AGENCY TO LOOK AT VEHICLE. *AK
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 1997 Isuzu Rodeo → · Every Rodeo year → · How the figures are calculated →