1991 Isuzu Trooper

Fatalities reported

Owners filed 57 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train › automatic transmission. It has been recalled 3 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Power Train › Automatic Transmission8
030
Wheels › Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs7
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline6
060
Tires › Tread/Belt4
101
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump3
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine3
010
Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal2
000
Suspension › Front2
202
Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly2
100
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System2
000

3 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Trailer Hitches93E023000
Filed Jul 22, 1993670 vehiclesReese Products, Inc

Defect. THE WELD ON THE RECEIVER UNIT OF THE TRAILER HITCH CAN BREAK.

Risk. IF THE FAILURE OCCURS, THE TRAILER CAN SEPARATE FROM THETOWING VEHICLE, AND COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy. REPLACE THE TRAILER HITCH.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission90V167000
Filed Sep 20, 199017,048 vehiclesIsuzu Motors Limited

Defect. PUTTING IN MORE TRANSMISSION OIL THAN SPECIFIED CAN CAUSE OIL TO BLEED THROUGH AIR GROOVE ON TO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD IF OIL TEMPERATURE RISES.

Risk. THIS COULD CAUSE SMOKE EMISSION FROM THE MANIFOLD, WHICHCOULD IGNITE RUBBER HOSES AND RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy. REPLACE OIL LEVEL GAUGE AND NOTIFY OWNERS TO USE ONLY THE SPECIFIED AMOUNT OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Hoses/Lines/Piping/Fittings90V166000
Filed Sep 20, 199012,222 vehiclesIsuzu Motors Limited

Defect. IMPROPERLY INSTALLED HOSE ON THE OIL COOLER COULD COME IN CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND COULD MELT.

Risk. ENGINE OIL COULD LEAK OUT WITH POTENTIAL FOR ENGINESEIZURE AND DAMAGE AND COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy. PROPERLY INSTALL COOLER HOSE CLIP TO PREVENT CONTACT WITH EXHAUST MANIFOLD.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal
Filed Feb 12, 2015135,000 milesCA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 ISUZU TROOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR CABLE WAS STUCK WHICH CAUSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL NOT TO RELEASE. THE FAILURE WAS PROGRESSING MORE FREQUENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE SPEED WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY DECREASE UPON THE RELEASE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO ADJUST THE PEDAL; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V199000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000. UPDATED 5/29/15*CN

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Pads
Filed Nov 19, 2004OH

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE AND VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK. *AK

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed May 4, 2004MD

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 50 TO 60 MPH AND SHIFTING FROM LOWER TO HIGHER LEVER GEAR VEHICLE EXPERIENCE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › EngineFire
Filed Nov 5, 2003OH

VEHICLE'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE.*MR CONSUMER WAS AT A TOLL BOTH WHEN SHE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SHE PULL OVER INTO THE EMPLOYEE PARKING LOT AND EXITED THE VEHICLE WITH THREE OTHER OCCUPANTS. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *PH *NLM

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Feb 10, 2003GA

THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS INFORMED VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.*JB

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jun 15, 2002MD

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Aug 6, 2001MD

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON 1991, TROOPER, P235/75R15 SIZE. TREAD ON LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *AK CONSUMER STATES VIBRATION STARTED AT 40 MPH AND THE FAILURE WAS SUDDEN, BRIDGESTONE DESERT DUELER TIRE. *SLC

Tires › Tread/BeltCrash1 injured1 killed
Filed Mar 9, 2001TX

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 75MPH ON HIGHWAY AND LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE BECAUSE REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE, AND FLIPPED MULTIPLE TIMES. *AK DRIVER DIED FROM HEAD INJURIES, I PERSON WAS INJURED, TIRES WERE BRIDGESTONE DESERT DUELLER, SIZE P235/75R15, DOT WK13356. *SLC

Power Train › Automatic TransmissionFire
Filed Nov 12, 2000MD

TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES DUE TO FAILURE OR LEAKAGE AND THIS TRANSMISSION WAS SHOWING SIGNS OF SLIPPAGE AFTER DRIVING 40 MILES ON HIGHWAY. TROOPER WAS BEING OPERATED ON I-895 IN BALTIMORE AT 50 MPH WHEN SMOKE WAS SEEN IN REAR VIEW MIRROR. TROOPER WAS PULLED TO SIDE AND SON EXITED VEHICLE TO CHECK ENGINE. TROOPER IMMEDIATELY BURST INTO FLAMES RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE AND CONTENTS.*AK

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Oct 8, 2000FL

TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, FIRESTONE STYLE. SAME THING HAPPENED A COUPLE YEARS AGO WITH THE SAME TIRE TYPE ON THE SAME CAR. (DOT NUMBER: HYHLF75195 TIRESIZE: 23575R15)

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Aug 4, 2000CA

WHILE DRIVING COULD HEAR NOISE COMING FROM REAR LEFT TIRE WHERE TREAD HAD SEPARATED. THEN, PULLED TO THE SIDE OF ROAD AND TIRE STILL HAD AIR IN IT. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Jun 25, 2000NY

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed May 27, 2000SC

TRANSMISSION ENGINE CYLINDER (4TH CYLINDER) FAILED. NLM

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › GasolineFire
Filed Apr 4, 2000NJ

THE TROOPER HAD AN OIL LEAK AND THE ENGINE WENT ON FIRE. MY CAR IS TOTALED. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING AND SEE A PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR. HELP! I WANT ISUZU TO PAY FOR MY LOSE EVEN IF I WAS THE SECOND OWNER OR BOB CIASULLI USED CARS FOR SELLING ME THIS CAR WHICH HAD A RECALL ON AND PUT MYSELF AND MY 5 YEAR OLD SON IN DANGER.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection SystemFire
Filed Sep 24, 1999VA

THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SHIFTING ROUGH SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 1991. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND SOME MINOR REPAIRS/ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE BY THE DEALER. THE SECOND INCIDENT REQUIRED MORE EXTENSIVE REPAIRS TO THE TRANSMISSION AND I WAS REQUIRED TO PAY A PORTION OF THE REPAIRS SINCE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED BY SOME 2-3K MILES. UPON THE THIRD INCIDENT WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN, I REQUESTED SOMEONE FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO INVESTIGATE. THEY REQUESTED THAT I KEEP A LOG FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS OF THE CONDITIONS OCCURRING WHILE DRIVING. AFTER THIS PERIOD, THEY FELT THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE UNIVERSAL JOINTS. THESE WERE REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. OTHER COMPLAINTS IN THE DRIVE TRAIN INVOLVE THE INABILITY OF THE CRUISE CONTROL TO MAINTAIN SPEED ON SLIGHT INCLINES AND WOULD SUFFER A GREAT REDUCTION IN SPEED ON A MODERATE TO STEEP INCLINE. WITH REGARDS TO THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, A FUEL INJECTOR PLUG EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND ERUPTED IN A FIRE THAT SELF-EXTINGUSHED. THE DEALER WAS INFORMED THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY 7 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME. I PROCEEDED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS ABLE TO USE A GM PART (I FOUND OUT THAT THE DRIVE TRAIN AND ENGINE ARE ACTUALLY MADE IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY GM EVEN THOUGH MY VEHICLE IS AN ISUZU). THERE WAS A SECOND INCIDENT IDETICAL TO THE FIRST AND THE REPAIRS WERE AGAIN MADE. I HAD THE DEALER CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE O

Power Train › Automatic TransmissionFire
Filed Jul 14, 1999CA

TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING OUT THROUGH THE MEASURING DIPSTICK AND OVER THE ENGINE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE, RESULTING IN EXPLOSION AND MAJOR PROPERTY DAMAGE, PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE (90V167000). *YC

Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under DashFire
Filed Jun 18, 1999CA

I HAVE HAD A HISTORY (DOCUMENTED) OF ELECTRICAL/TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY 1991 ISUZU TROOPER. ON 11/95, A FAULTY COMPUTER CONTROL PANEL CAUSED MY TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. I HAD A WEEK LEFT ON MY POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ISUZU SANTA MONICA. THEY REPLACED THE COMPUTER PANEL UNDER WARRANTY ON 11/95. 15 MONTHS LATER, MY TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING AGAIN. SAME SYMPTOMS. THIS TIME, I SPENT $2,000 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. ISUZU REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. ON 6/12/99, WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE STARTED SMOKING AND WITHIN SECONDS THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPT. CAME AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. NOW THE TRUCK IS COMPLETELY TOTALED. I AM IN THE MIDST OF HAVING INSURANCE INSPECTORS DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FIRE. I HAVE ALL OF MY SERVICE RECORDS FOR THE VEHICLE. IT WAS KEPT IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.

Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire1 injured
Filed Jun 17, 1999CA

I JUST EXITED THE HOLLYWOOD FREEWAY WHEN SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING THE 1991 ISUZU TROOPER CAUGHT ON FIRE. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND GET OUT.THE FIRE APPEARED TO BE UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK WITH GAS OR SOME OTHER LIQUID POURING OUT. THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE MELTED AND EXPLODED, THEN THERE WAS A SECOND EXPLOSION. ALL THE PARTS OF THE ENGINE, BATTERY ETC. WERE IN FLAMES. TWO FIRE TRUCKS AND POLICE CARS WERE DIPATCHED. IT WAS A VERY BIG BLAZE. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. OUR INSURANCE COMPNAY CANNOT DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE SINCE THE DAMAGE IS SO EXTENSIVE. PLEASE HELP. I AM NOT SURE HOW TO PROCEED. I'D LIKE TO WARN OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE AND CONTACT ISUZU. SO FAR, THEY HAVE NOT RETURNED MY PHONE CALLS.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Park/Neutral Start Interlock SwitchCrash
Filed May 6, 1999CA

CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE INTO DRIVEWAY. THEN MOVED TRANSMISSION INTO WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS PARK, LOCKED IGNITION AND TOOK KEY OUT. WHEN HE WALKED AWAY VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS, RESULTING IN A CRASH. PHONED ISUZU AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY DID NOT INSTALL AN IGNITION INTERLOCK DEVICE. OWNER BELIEVES THIS IS A NECESSARY SAFETY DEVICE. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Hoses/Lines/Piping/Fittings
Filed Jan 8, 1999NC

ENGINE OIL COOLER HOSE TOUCHED EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND MELTED HOSE.

20 of 57 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1999
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
200212000Routine
200129100Routine
200049200Routine
199981010Routine
199842120Routine
199713200Routine
199651210Routine
199554130Routine
199447230Routine
199333200Routine
199225230Routine
1991 — this page573153Fatalities reported
199023350Routine

Compare every Trooper year →

Reading this record

3 deaths reported in complaints filed with NHTSA.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jul 22, 1993. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.