1999 Isuzu Trooper

Routine

Owners filed 81 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › engine. No safety recall has been issued.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
71,500 milesMedian miles at failure

45 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 60,00075,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine28
100
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline16
000
Engine and Engine Cooling10
010
Vehicle Speed Control5
103
Power Train › Automatic Transmission2
100
Engine2
000
Electrical System2
000
Wheels › Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs1
000
Visibility › Windshield1
000
Visibility › Glass, Side/Rear1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine
Filed May 10, 201973,000 milesCA

75000 MILES. BURNS A QUART OF OIL EVERY FEW HUNDRED MILES. NO OIL LIGHT COMES UP. I RAN IT ALMOST OUT OF OIL IN 06/2018

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Oct 3, 2016152,500 milesID

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT BEGAN TO SURGE AS IF IT WAS STUCK IN HIGH GEAR. THE GAS PEDDLE SEEMED TO BE STUCK AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO GO FASTER AND FASTER. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE TIRES SCREECHED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN MOTION FORWARD. I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND APPLIED THE BRAKES TO STOP THE AUTO.

Engine
Filed Mar 21, 2016160,500 milesAZ

LAST 3 WEEKS - INITIALLY SEEMED LIKE POWER LOSS/SURGE, THEN HEARD UNUSUAL SOUND COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT 1 WEEK AGO, ENGINE STARTED TO DIE WHILE OPERATING ON CITY/RESIDENTIAL STREETS WHENEVER NOT PUSHING GAS (SLOWING TO TURN OR STOP) FRIDAY, WOULD NOT EVEN HOLD IDLE TO START, PUSHED GAS AND HELD RPM'S AT 1 - 1.5 FOR A WHILE AND FINALLY STARTED. TODAY, INITIALLY WOULD NOT START. NEXT TIME STARTED RPM'S AT OVER 2, DROPPED WHEN SHIFTED TO REVERSE, WHEN SHIFTED TO DRIVE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT USE OF GAS PEDAL UP TO STEADY 35 MPH ON CITY STREET. AFTER 1 MILE, AT NEXT INTERSECTION STARTED MAKING THAT STRANGE NOISE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT (LIKE AIR OR FLUID UNDER PRESSURE IE AIR COMPRESSOR/HIGH PRESSURE WATER SOUND) WHILE PRESSING BRAKE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL RPM'S REVVED TO 2.5, IN DRIVE AND REVERSE DROPPED TO 1.5, IN PARK REVVED TO 2.5, AFTER TURN AUTOMOBILE ACCELERATED TO STEADY 40 MPH ON CITY STREET WITHOUT GAS BEING PUSHED AT NEXT STOP (1 MILE) RETURNED TO NORMAL IDLE AND OPERATION. HAS PROBLEM BOTH WHEN COLD AND HOT WEATHER AND COLD OR HOT START. IT HAS NOT PRODUCED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ANY CODES

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Feb 13, 2016164,538 milesMD

WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME HARD TO PRESS THEN ENGAGED AND UNABLE TO CONTROL SPEED. ALL THE WHILE FRANTICLY APPLYING THE BRAKE TRYING TO RELEASE THE ACCELERATOR, I HAD TO FORCE THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR [PARK] WHERE THE VEHICLE THEN REVVED INTO THE RED ZONE BEFORE PUTTING OFF. I THEN TRIED RESTARTING THE VEHICLE UP AND AGAIN THE ACCELERATOR REMAINED ENGAGED [STUCK] AND WOULD NOT RELEASE.

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Feb 13, 2016164,538 milesMD

WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME HARD TO PRESS THEN ENGAGED AND UNABLE TO CONTROL SPEED]. ALL THE WHILE FRANTICLY APPLYING THE BRAKE AN TRYING TO RELEASE THE ACCELERATOR, I HAD TO FORCE THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR [PARK] WHERE THE VEHICLE THEN REVVED INTO THE RED ZONE BEFORE CUTTING OFF. I THEN TRIED RESTARTING THE VEHICLE UP AND AGAIN THE ACCELERATOR REMAINED ENGAGED [STUCK] AND WOULD NOT RELEASE.

Service Brakes
Filed Jul 24, 2012139,224 milesMD

I WAS TRAVELING ON HILLEN ROAD AND E. 33RD ST IN BALTIMORE, MD. THE WEATHER WAS LIGHT RAINING AND MISTY. AS I APPROACHED 33RD AND THE ALAMEDA I ENGAGED MY BRAKES, THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP AT FIRST AND HEARD A LOUD BANG. AT FIRST I THOUGHT I HIT SOMETHING IN THE ROAD AND HAD FLAT TIRES. I TIRED TO DRIFT OUT OF THE INTERSECTION INTO A SAFE LOCATION AND PUT MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON. MY GRANDSON GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND CHECKED FOR ANY VISUAL DAMAGES. THERE WERE NONE. AS I TRIED TO DRIVE OUT OF THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC THE NOISE WAS HORRIFIC AND AS IF ALL COMPONENTS OF MY BRAKES WERE RATTLING WITHIN THE WHEELS. I PULLED ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALLED FOR A TOW. AFTER INSPECTION AT THE REPAIR SHOP I WAS TOLD THAT THE ABS RING HAD SHATTERED INSIDE THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY. WHEN I WENT TO THE SHOP, THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE ABS RING, SHATTERED INTO MANY SMALL PIECES. THANK GOD I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE AND AVOID WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGIC ACCIDENT. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Feb 23, 201050,000 milesKS

99 ISUZU TROOPER 3.5 ENGINE BURNS OIL EXCESSIVELY. I AM ORIGINAL OWNER AND REGULARLY SERVICED PER OWNERS MANUAL. AT 50K MILES, ENGINE OIL LIGHT TURNED ON 2,500 MILES AFTER OIL CHANGE AND WAS OVER 4 QTS LOW. ENGINE NOW AT 60K MI AND BURNING APPROX. 1 QT PER 600-700 MILES. SEEMS TO BE COMMON ENGINE DEFECT KNOWN BY MECHANICS AND OWNERS, BUT ISUZU UNWILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM. THOUGH MONITORING CONSTANTLY, I AM JUST WAITING FOR SIGNIFICANT ENGINE FAILURE. *TR

Suspension › Front
Filed Sep 4, 2009CA

HI, THIS IS THE SECOND USED CAR I BOUGH FROM INFINITY AUTOS, THE FIRST ONE WAS A 97 DODGE CARAVAN, IT HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING I PAID $300.00 TO FIX SOMETHING IN THE MOTOR OMAR FROM THIS DEALERSHIP NEVER TOOK CARE OF THIS FOR LIKE HE SAID SO I PAID OFF THE VAN I NEED A NEWER BETTER CAR SO I TRADED THIS CAR IN FOR A ISUZU 1999, I USED THE VAN AS A DOWN PAYMENT +I GAVE HIM $300.00 DOLLARS, I TOLD HIM THAN MARCH, 2009 THIS CAR BETTER BE IN BETTER CONDITION AGAIN HE SAID NO PROBLEM, THERE WERE THINGS ON THIS CAR THAT NEEDED TO REPLACED, LIKE PANEL IN THE BACK OF THE CAR NO SPARE TIRE, PARTS OF THE CAR INSIDE WERE MISSING NO RADIO, I BOUGHT ONE ALL THESE THINGS HE SAID JUST LIKE MY VAN WERE NOT TAKEN CARE OF, I AM ANGRY WITH HIM BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL CUSTOMER OF HIS, I WENT BACK TO HIM BECAUSE HE WAS THE ONLY DEALER SHIP THAT WOULD GIVE ME CREDIT, BEFORE THIS I PAID MY PAYMENTS, ON TIME, ONE TIME WITH THE VAN I HAD RO SKIP A PAYMENT BECAUSE THE VAN WAS IN THE SHOP, HE SAID HE WILL NOT REIMBURSE ME BECAUSE I DID NOT LET HIS WORKERS TAKE CARE OF IT I TOOK THE VAN BACK TO HIM THREE TIMES BEFORE IT WAS NOT TAKEN CARE OF THIS WAS WITH IN 30 DAYS OF HAVING THE VAN ANYWAY I PAID FOR THE REPAIR, HE HAS A COPY, BUT WHEN I WENT TO TRADE THE CAR IN HE CHARGED ME $300.00 BECAUSE HE SAID I MISSED 1 PAYMENT I SAID OK GIVE ME THIS OTHER CAR, OK I HAD THE CAR 2 MONTH AND MY DAUGHTER PASSED AWAY, I CALLED THE DEALER SHIP AND TOLD HIM MY CIRCUMSTANCE, HE WANTED A $10

Engine and Engine CoolingFire
Filed Apr 10, 200877,800 milesTN

I GET FREQUENT OIL CHANGES IN MY 99 ISUZU TROOPER AND HAD JUST GOTTEN ONE LAST MONTH. I HAD AT LEAST 2700 MILES BEFORE MY NEXT ONE. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM MY HOOD AND ALL MY DASH LIGHTS CAME ON LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE. I PULLED OVER AND FOUND OUT THAT MY ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. I CALLED THE FIRE DEPT TO PUT IT OUT AND GOT IT TOWED TO MY HOUSE TO LATER FIND OUT THAT THE PISTON HAD GOT THROWN FROM THE ENGINE BECAUSE IT LOCKED UP DUE TO NO OIL GETTING TO THAT PISTON. SO NOW I HAVE TO GET A NEW ENGINE WHICH COST ABOUT THE SAME AS THE CAR. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jan 20, 2008102,000 milesCO

I TOOK MY '99 ISUZU TROOPER TO GET AN OIL CHANGE, AND 3 WEEKS LATER THE OIL LIGHT TURNED ON. I WENT TO THE ISUZU DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND AFTER CHECKING THE OIL, THEY NOTICED THAT THERE ARE LESS THAN A LITER IN THE ENGINE. THEY FILLED IT AND ADDED A CONDITIONER TELLING ME THAT THAT SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. A FEW MONTHS LATER, DRIVING BACK FROM A TRIP, THE ENGINE BEGAN KNOCKING AND THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. MOMENTS LATER I LOST POWER (RPMS) AND PULLED THE CAR OVER. THE MECHANIC WHO LOOKED AT MY CAR TOLD ME (AND THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY A CONSUMER REPORT WEBSITE) THAT '99 TROOPERS OFTEN HAVE "UNEXPLAINED LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE RESULTING IN THE ENGINE SEIZING." THE CAR NOW NEEDS A NEW ENGINE (APPROX 4000-9000 DOLLARS) OR A NEW CAR. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE OR DEFECT. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jun 19, 2007MD

ENGINE DIES WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. FROM 5 MPH TO 60 MPH. DIES WHILE TURNING, THEN STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP. ALMOST BEEN IN A FEW ACCIDENTS. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES THIS SUMMER. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *AK ENGINE ALSO BURNS 1QT OIL EVER 1,000 MILES.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Sep 28, 200693,000 milesMA

SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, THE ENGINE FAILED ON OUR 1999 ISUZU TROOPER, POSSIBLY DUE TO LOW OIL. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR SYMPTOMS OF ANY KIND - VEHICLE JUST QUIT ON ROUTE 95 IN MANSFIELD WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING HOME FROM BOWLING. CAR WAS TOWED TO LOCAL GARAGE, WHERE THEY CONFIRMED THAT ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED - IN FACT, THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER HAD LITERALLY PICKED PIECES UP FROM THE PAVEMENT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. UPON SEARCHING FOR A NEW ENGINE, WE DISCOVERED THAT THEY WERE NOT EASY TO FIND UNLESS PURCHASED DIRECTLY FROM ISUZU, AND ACCORDING TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS WEBSITE, THIS IS PRIMARILY BECAUSE THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS COMMON AMONG ISUZUS MANUFACTURED IN LATE 1990'S/EARLY 2000'S. OUR REGULAR MECHANIC, AND SEVERAL OTHERS QUESTIONED, CONFIRMED THAT THE ISUZU'S WERE NOTORIOUS FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. BOTTOM LINE, IT WOULD COST US $5000-$6000 DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE, WHICH IS ABOUT WHAT WE OWED ON THE CAR. *NM

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Sep 11, 200666,366 milesWI

FROM THE TIME I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS ONLY A COUPLE YEARS OLD, EVERY TIME I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, THEY SAID IT WAS ALMOST EMPTY OF OIL. I BROUGHT IT IN TO A DEALER SEVERAL TIMES SINCE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THEY COULD NEVER FIND THE REASON FOR IT BURNING OIL. EVERY DEALER SAID IT WAS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE ISUZU, BUT THEY COULD NOT FIX IT BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed May 2, 200655,000 milesFL

EXCESSIVE OIL BURNING. *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Apr 30, 200652,000 milesTX

ENGINE OIL BURNING ISSUE. 1999 ISUZU TROOPER S. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE BURNS OVER 1 QUART OF OIL PER 3K MILES. HAS DONE THE SAME SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN 2003 WITH 52K MILES. NOW HAS 93K MILES. BASED ON ONLINE RESEARCH, THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE OIL FLOW PORTS WITHIN THE 3.5 LITER V6 AND IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Mar 24, 200683,000 milesPA

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45MPH, THERE WAS A KNOCKING NOISE WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE AND THE OIL WAS DRY ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE RECEIVED REGULAR MAINTENANCE. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ENGINE.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Feb 19, 2006TX

MY 1999 ISUZU TROOPER ENGINE SEIZED UP. NO WARNING LIGHT OR ANY INDICATIONS THAT ANY THING WAS WRONG. TOWED IT TO A MECHANIC AND THEY SAID IT HAD NO OIL IN IT. I HAD JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE 1 MONTH EARLIER AND HAD THE OIL CHANGED/FILLED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PURCHASE. I HAD DRIVEN IT LESS THAN 2000 MILES. I NOW SEE THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED ON THE INTERNET. NOW I AM HAVING TO REPLACE AN ENGINE WHICH COULD BE MORE THAN THE COST OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURERS OIL CONSUMPTION DEFECT AND LACK OF LOW OIL GAUGE/WARNING. *NM

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Feb 15, 2006UT

I PURCHASED A NEW TROOPER IN 1999 AND DID EVERY REQUIRED MAINTENANCE ON TIME AT A AUTHORIZE ISUZU DEALER. AFTER THE 5 YEAR 60,000 MILE WARRANTY WAS UP WE STARTED TAKING IT TO A REPUTABLE NATIONAL OIL CHANGE COMPANY. WE NEVER HAD ANY INDICATION IT WAS USING OIL AT AN ABNORMAL RATE. IT WAS NOT LEAKING OIL, IT WAS NOT BURNING OIL AND THE OIL LIGHT WAS NOT COMING ON. ONE DAY THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND MY WIFE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND WE ADDED OIL. IT WOULD RUN ROUGH AND TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO DID SOME MAINTENANCE WORK. I HAD NOT TOTALLY WRECKED THE ENGINE. I GOT IT DRIVING GOOD FOR ABOUT $2,000 AND HOPED THIS HAD FIXED THE PROBLEM. WE ADDED AND CHECK THE OIL EVERY 500 MILES. TWO MONTHS LATER THE ENGINE SEIZED AND I AM NOW TOLD I NEED A NEW ENGINE. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS ENGINE OIL PROBLEM. ESTIMATED COSTS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE ARE $4K-$6K WHICH IS ABOUT BLUE BOOK FOR THE TROOPER AND NOW I WOULD HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN PUTTING A 1999 ENGINE WITH KNOWN PROBLEMS IN AS A REPLACEMENT. *JB

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jan 20, 200679,000 milesRI

WHILE DRIVING SOUTH ON US INTERSTATE 89 NEAR MONTPELIER, VT, PULLED OVER TO ADJUST STUCK WINDSHIELD WIPER (DUE TO SNOW). AFTER EXITING HIGHWAY VIA EXIT RAMP AND PARKING IN A PARKING LOT, RETURNED TOWARDS HIGHWAY AFTER ABOUT A 5 MINUTE DELAY. AS WAS ACCELERATING UP THE ON RAMP, TRANSMISSION "LET GO" AND ENGINE REVVED. TRANSMISSION WOULD NO LONGER SHIFT AND REMAINED STUCK IN 2ND GEAR. LIMPED TO NEAREST SERVICE STATION. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ISUZU DEALERSHIP WHERE METAL WAS FOUND IN THE TRANNY PAN UPON INSPECTION INDICATING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. VEHICLE HAD 79K MILES, WAS SERVICED AT 60K AS PER MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDATIONS, NO OTHER DRIVETRAIN PROBLEMS OR INDICATION OF IMMINENT FAILURE BEFORE INCIDENT. TRANSMISSION (4L30E) HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH NEW TRANSMISSION. *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Dec 19, 2005VA

BURNING TOO MUCH OIL WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING. MY CHECK OIL LIGHT HAS NEVER COME ON. HAVE TAKEN IT FOR 3,000 MILE OIL CHANGES A COUPLE TIMES TO FIND NO OIL AND NO TRACE OF OIL IN IT, THOUGH I HAD FILLED IT TO WHERE THE DIPSTICK REGISTERED FULL WITHIN THE LAST SEVENTY MILES. I CAN'T MAKE A DECENT STAB AT ESTIMATING HOW MUCH IT BURNS BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE FINE AND THEN BE EMPTY. IT DOESN'T LEAK ANYWHERE AND IT DOESN'T SMELL LIKE IT'S BURNING IT, BUT IT'S JUST GONE. I HAVE TO STAY ON TOP OF THIS ALL OF THE TIME; IT'S A DRAG. I'M GOING TO GO CHECK IT NOW WHILE I'M THINKING ABOUT IT. I AM WONDERING IF WHATEVER THIS DEFECT IS AFFECTING MY MILEAGE BECAUSE I ONLY GET 16 MPG. MY MECHANICS SAY THE ONLY THING I CAN DO IS GET THE ENGINE REBUILT. I DO WISH ISUZU WOULD HELP OUT HERE. I LIKE THE VEHICLE AND AM NOT IN A POSITION TO HAVE THE ENGINE REBUILT OR BUY ANOTHER CAR. I WOULD ALSO FEEL BADLY SELLING THIS TO SOMEONE KNOWING THE ENGINE COULD LOCK-UP WITH NO NOTICE. AND IF I TELL THEM, WHO WOULD BUY IT? *NM

20 of 81 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1999
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
200212000Routine
200129100Routine
200049200Routine
1999 — this page81010Routine
199842120Routine
199713200Routine
199651210Routine
199554130Routine
199447230Routine
199333200Routine
199225230Routine
1991573153Fatalities reported
199023350Routine

Compare every Trooper year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

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.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.