Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Isuzu Rodeo, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic211
- Structure69
- Suspension59
- Engine and engine cooling39
- Electrical system30
- Vehicle speed control29
- Power train22
- Fuel system, gasoline17
- Air bags16
- Fuel system, other15
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 31 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1998 Isuzu Rodeo failed the safety check 5.05% of the time — 195% more often than the average 1998 passenger car (1.71%). Median odometer at inspection: 161,672 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 14.2–14.4 L/100 km (about 16–17 mpg US), CO₂ 327–331 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rodeo 4X4 · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 15.6 | 12.5 | 14.2 |
| Rodeo 4X4 · Sport utility vehicle · Regular gasoline | 16.1 | 12.5 | 14.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 1998 Isuzu Rodeo.
| 2010341 8 Oct 2010 | Suspension Certain vehicles operated in areas of heavy road de-icing material usage (Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland & … |
| 2000085 24 Mar 2000 | Suspension On certain vehicles, paint may have been applied unevenly on the rear axles. In cases where the paint was too thick, the allotted drying time may have resulted… |
| 1999203 29 Oct 1999 | Emissions Certain V6 Rodeo do not comply with the requirements of CMVSS 1105 - Evaporative Emissions. The rubber purge hose of the Enhanced Evaporative Emission Control … |
| 1999038 15 Mar 1999 | Electrical On certain vehicles, the engine wire harness ground connection terminal may fracture due to improper crimping. In a case where the terminal is fractured, the p… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ISUZU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1998-2002 ISUZU RODEO AND MODEL YEAR 2002 ISUZU AXIOM VEHICLES, AND HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN 1998-2002 HONDA PASSPORT VEHICLES, THAT WERE ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR ARE CURRENTLY REGISTERED, IN THE STATES OF MAINE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, VERMONT, MASSACHUSETTS, RHODE ISLAND, CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE, MARYLAND, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WEST VIRGINIA, OHIO, INDIANA, MICHIGAN, ILLINOIS, WISCONSIN, MINNESOTA, IOWA, MISSOURI, AND KENTUCKY. VEHICLES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED SUSTAINED EXPOSURE TO HIGHLY CORROSIVE MATERIALS USED IN SOME JURISDICTIONS FOR ROAD DEICING PURPOSES MAY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE CORROSION IN THE VICINITY OF THE FORWARD MOUNTING POINT BRACKET FOR THE LEFT OR RIGHT REAR SUSPENSION LOWER LINK PRIOR TO THE TIME THAT SUCH CORROSION WOULD NORMALLY BE EXPECTED.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. PAINT WAS APPLIED UNEVENLY ON THE REAR AXLES, RESULTING IN INSUFFICIENT PAINT HARDNESS. SHOULD THIS OCCUR ON THE SURFACE THAT CONTACTS THE REAR AXLE LOWER LINK BRACKET BOLT HEAD AND/OR NUT, THE NUT MAY LOOSEN.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. A GROUND CONNECTION TERMINAL WAS NOT PROPERLY CRIMPED IN THE SUPPLIER'S ENGINE WIRING HARNESS MANUFACTURING LINE. THIS IMPROPER CRIMPING PROCESS CAN LEAVE AN IMPRESSION ON THE TERMINAL THAT WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE A STRESS FRACTURE. S
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A DRIVER'S SIDE OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT RUBBER FLOOR MAT. REPEATED MOVEMENT OF THE DRIVER'S FEET AND ACTUATION OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN RESULT IN A SHIFTING OF THE MAT'S POSITION. THIS SHIFTING CAN CAUSE AN INTERFERENCE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Isuzu told its dealers about the 1998 Isuzu Rodeo: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 633996 | MOUNTING POSITION OF SPEEDOMETER DRIVEN GEAR BUSHING WORK SHOP MANUAL REVISION. *JG |
| 633944 | REPLACEMENT ODOMETER PROGRAMING. *JG |
| 633928 | REAR STORAGE COMPARTMENT LID LOCK KNOB BROKEN. *JG |
| 625968 | SUBJECT REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF HEC LONG BLOCK/PARTIAL ENGINE ASSEMBLIES. *SLC |
| 621394 | SOME V6 MODELS WITH TRANSMISSION SERIAL NUMBERS 4754596 - 5831756 MAY EXPERIENCE LEAKAGE IN THE AREA OF OVERFILL PLUG AND OIL DRAIN PLUG. *TT |
| 621373 | SUBJECT REGARDING DRUM BRAKE ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE. *TT |
| 621368 | SUBJECT REGARDING HEC ENGINE TIMING BELT SCRAPPING. *TT |
| 621364 | SOME VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO VIN BREAKPOINT 14327313 MAY EXPERIENCE MUD FLAP INTERFERENCE CAUSING A RUBBING SOUND WHEN MAKING A TURN. *TT |
| 621351 | SOME VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO VIN BREAKPOINT 14330722 EQUIPPED WITH OEM P215 / 235 15 INCH AND P225 / 245 16 INCH TIRES MAY EXHIBIT A STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION / SHIMMY (NIBBLE) OR BODY VIBRATION THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL OR FLOORBOARD RESPECTIVELY ON SMOOTH ROAD SURFACE. *TT |
| 621348 | INFORMATION REGARDING SECTOR SHAFT ALIGNMENT ON THE STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY. *TT |
| 621343 | SUBJECT REGARDING P0337 CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR CIRCUIT LOW INPUT CORRECTION. *TT |
| 617480 | SBJECT REGARDING REAR CUP HOLDER LATCH REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 615683 | SOME VEHICLES THAT HAVE RECENTLY HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED WITH A LONG BLOCK WILL SET CODE P1336 FOR TOOTH ERROR CORRECTION. *TT |
| 615682 | SOME VEHICLES MAY RANDOMLY SET A PCM CODE P0502 IN A DECELERATION MODE USUALLY WITH 0% THROTTLE. THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT WILL ONLY SET AFTER THE FAULT HAS BEEN DETECTED FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE KEY CYCLES. *TT |
| 615678 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION ON THE P1640 AND P1650 OUTPUT DRIVE CODES WHICH REFER TO OUTPUT DRIVER CIRCUIT CONDITIONS RELATED TO THE PCM. *TT |
| 614149 | SOME VEHICLES MAY DEMONSTRATE A BODY VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TT |
| 614146 | AMERICAN ISUZU MOTORS INC. IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE AVAILABILITY OF TOP TETHER CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT ANCHOR BRACKET KITS FOR CERTAIN ISUZU SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE USE OF THIS ANCHOR BRACKET MAY BE NECESSARY WHEN INSTALLING CERTAIN CHILD SEATS, WHICH REQUIRE ANCHORING TO THE VEHICLE WITH A TOP TETHER STRAP. *TT |
| 614144 | SOME OWNERS OF VEHICLES WITHIN VIN 8X4351792 MAY EXHIBIT STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION OR SHIMMY DURING VEHICLE OPERATION AT MEDIUM TO HIGH SPEED. A STEERING NIBBLE MAY BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN DRIVING ON SMOOTH ROADS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. A NIBBLE MAY BE DEFINED AS SLIGHT ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. *TT |
| 614139 | THIS INFORMATION BULLETIN OUTLINES THE PROPER STEPS TO INDEX THE CAMSHAFTS WITH THE CRANKSHAFT FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DIRECT ATTACK DOHC 3.2L / 3.5L V6 ENGINE. IN THE EVENT THAT CAMSHAFT TIMING HAS BEEN DISRUPTED, DUE TO TIMING BELT BREAKAGE OR CAMSHAFTS / CRANKSHAFT BEING ROTATED WITHOUT A TIMING BELT, THIS IS IMPORTANT PRIOR TO TIMING BELT INSTALLATION. *TT |
| 614137 | ON SUV VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, SOME REMOTE STARTER INSTALLATIONS MAY CAUSE THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT TO SET AND STORE P0705. AMERICAN ISUZU MOTORS DOES NOT SELL REMOTE STARTER KITS AND DOES NOT RECOMMEND ANY PARTICULAR INSTALLATION. *TT |
| 614135 | SOME AFTERMARKET TINT INSTALLERS MAY SCRATCH THE HEATING ELEMENT (DEFROSTER LINES) OR ETCH THE GLASS (START OF THE BREAK AREA) DURING INSTALLATION, FROM AFFIXING AFTERMARKET FILM TINT MATERIAL TO THE TAILGATE GLASS. *TT |
| 614127 | SOME VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO VIN BREAKPIONT Y4329627 MAY DEMONSTRATE A REAR WHEEL VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TT |
| 613415 | SUBJECT REGARDING ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATION CHANGE. *TT |
| 613413 | INFORMATION REGARDING ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 612596 | ON SOME VEHICLES WITHIN VIN Y4300787 / 74400051, THE ENGINE MOUNTS MAY NOT ISOLAT ENGINE VIBRATION. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Rear Suspension Lower Link Detachment
REAR SUSPENSION LOWER LINK FAILURE
BRAKING SYSTEM/ABS
BROKEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL
BRAKING SYSTEM/ABS
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation