There are 11 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2001 Isuzu Rodeo in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
FUEL DELIVERY WENT OUT KILLING VEHICLE. FRAME COMPLETELY RUSTED REAR LINKS COMPLETELY GONE. ENGINE RANDOMLY LOSES POWER. WHILE TRAVELING TO WORK VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWAY, STARTED TICKING THEN ENGINE SHUT OFF. WON'T START. BATTERY TESTS GOOD ALTERNATOR JUST REPLACED A WEEK AGO. 2001 3.2L RODEO
MY 2001 ISUZU RODEO SPORT SHAKES AND VIBRATES VIOLENTLY WHEN DRIVING AT LOW OR HIGH SPEEDS. IT FEELS AS IF THE VEHICLE IS ABOUT TO TURN OVER AT ANY MOMENT. I RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING MESAGE WHEN I SEARCHED THE NHTSA DATA BASE "THE VIN YOU ENTERED CANNOT BE PROCESSED AT THIS TIME. IF THE VIN WAS ENTERED CORRECTLY, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR VEHICLE MANUFACTURER FOR MORE INFORMATION."
MY FRIEND [XXX] AND I WERE RETURNING HOME FROM SHOPPING IN TOWN. HIT A SMALL POTHOLE ON SPRING STREET IN VERNON, CT ABOUT 5 PM. TOOK A LEFT TURN DOWN A HILL AND HEARD SCRAPING SOUND OUTSIDE THE CAR.I PULLED OVER AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE, ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND EXAMINED THE WHEELS. THE REAR LEFT TIRE WAS SCRAPING AGAINST THE MUD GUARD. I WAS WITHIN .2 MI. FROM HOME AND DROVE THERE SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY AND PARKED THE VEHICLE. ON CLOSER INSPECTION WE DISCOVERED THAT THE SHOCK/STRUT HAD SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME, AND THAT BOTH PARTS WERE BADLY RUSTED. SINCE THE LEFT REAR WHEEL IS NOT SAFELY CONNECTED TO THE FRAME, MY STEERING WAS AFFECTED, ESPECIALLY WHEN BRAKING. THANK GOD THIS DID NOT HAPPEN AT HIGH SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY OR INVOLVE INJURIES OR AN ACCIDENT. MY BLIND WIFE AND I ARE BOTH DISABLED ON SSD AND DO NOT HAVE THE MEANS TO FIX OR REPLACE THIS VEHICLE. OTHER THAN THIS INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE IS IN GREAT CONDITION. PLEASE HELP US GET OUR SAFE TRANSPORTATION RESOLVED. THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
HAVE OWN OUR ISUZE RODEO FOR FOUR YEARS. WE RECEIVED THE RUST RECALL BACK IN 2010 AND HAD THE RECALL WORK PERFORMED. THE ISUZE DEALER INSTALLED THE STABILIZING BRACKETS ON THE REAR SUSPENSION, DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF RUST. NOW, TODAY AS I AM PAYING A MECHANIC FOR A NEW STARTER, HE INFORMS ME THE THERE ARE LARGE HOLES IN THE FRONT AND BACK PART OF THE FRAME. HE ALSO SAID IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE ISUZE DEALER NEVER TOLD US ABOUT THE EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE VEHICLE WHEN THE RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED.THIS IS MY KIDS CAR AND I WON'T ALOW THEM TO DRIVE IT ANYMORE. *TR
WE OWN A 2001 ISUZU RODEO WITH 144000 MILES ON IT. WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR EXCESSIVE RUST ON REAR SUSPENSION. WE HAD THE ISUZU DEALER COMPLETE THE RECALL WORK OF INSTALLING STABILIZER BRACKETS, IS WAS DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF RUST. HOWEVER, WE WERE NEVER INFORMED OF ANY ADDITIONAL RUST THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE FRAME IN THE FRONT AND BACK. TODAY, WE HAD THE RODEO IN TO HAVE A NEW STARTER PUT IN AND THE MECHANIC TELL US THAT THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. THIS IS MY SON'S CAR AND HE IS IN COLLEGE AND DOES NOT HAVE A WAY OF GETTING TO CLASS, ANY LONGER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ISUZU RODEO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR TIE RODS AND WHEEL BEARINGS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE MECHANIC ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE UNDERBODY OF THE FRAME WAS CORRODED, ESPECIALLY ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE MECHANIC REFUSED TO MAKE ANY REPAIRS. THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V436000 (SUSPENSION: REAR); HOWEVER THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 117,000. UPDATED 8/23/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A SLOW LEAK ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THERE WAS ALSO A SLOW LEAK ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 09/06/2012 *JS
I STARTED TO PULL AWAY FROM THE CURB AND HEARD A SCREECHING NOISE AND THE REAR END OF MY CAR BEGAN TO SWAY BACK AND FORTH. I PULLED BACK UP TO CURB AND LOOKED UNDER REAR OF CAR. I SAW CRACKED, RUSTED FRAME AND A BROKEN STABILIZER BAR. *TR
MY BRAKES DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. IN THE PAST YEAR, I HAVE REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES AND ON THE NEXT OCCASION, THE REAR BRAKES. THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE OF A NEAR ACCIDENT WHEN PRESSING ON THE BRAKE AND IT FAILING TO SLOW DOWN TO A STOP. EVENTUALLY STOPPING. THE NEXT TIME, IT ACTUALLY DIDN'T STOP UNTIL I HIT THE BACK OF A MINIVAN, THEN A SEDAN AND SUV CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF MY CAR. WHEN I GOT MY BRAKES REPLACED AFTER THAT, I ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN LESS THAN A BLOCK FROM THE REPAIR SHOP. THEN DRIVING TO WORK, I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES STILL WEREN'T RESPONDING. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE SHOP THE NEXT DAY, AND HAD THE MECHANIC DRIVE AROUND AND DRIVE THE CAR WITH ME. HE FELT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. IT KEPT HAPPENING. I PRESS DOWN ON THE BRAKE. IT STIFFENS UP, THEN MAKES SOME CLICKING SOUNDS, AND THE CAR JUST GLIDES, I.E. KEEPS ON MOVING. THAT IS NOT SAFE!! I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR OR TAKE ANY LONG DISTANCE TRIPS BECAUSE OF THE APPREHENSION OF MY BRAKES FAILING AS USUAL. FINALLY, I WENT BACK ONCE AGAIN TO THE MECHANICS AND EXPLAINED WHAT EXACTLY THE BRAKES ARE DOING, AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT HE THINKS THAT IT IS THE "BRAKE SENSOR" DUE TO THE RUST AROUND IT. AND THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS BEFORE ON THESE MODEL SUVS. SO FOR THE PAST YEAR, I CAME IN THERE WITH SENSOR "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT (2X), AND BRAKE PROBLEMS (2X) BOTH OF WHICH CAUSED ME TO NOT GET AN INSPECTION PASS UNTIL THEY WERE FIXED. I THINK THAT IT ALL HAD TO DO WITH THE SENSOR NOT WORKING ON MY BRAKES. I JUST SAW AN INVESTIGATION DONE ON MY LOCAL NEWS STATION ABOUT THE BOTTOMS OF THESE SUVS COMING APART WITH NO WARNING. ONE WOMAN EVEN PULLED SOMETHING OFF WITH HER BARE HANDS. I BOUGHT MY CARE IN 2001 WITH 9000 MILES ON IT. I DID NOT NOTICE UNTIL A FEW DAYS LATER, THAT THE BOTTOM JOINTS SHOWED A LOT OF RUST. I WAS SHOCKED AND EMBARRASSED. I ASKED ABOUT THE RUST THEN AND CONTINUE TO, AND THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS, THAT'S LIVING IN NEW ENGLAND. BUT I GOT THE CAR LESS THAN A YEAR USED. ALREADY RUSTED. *TR
ENGINE WILL STALL WHEN CONSUMER PULLS INTO PARKING LOT IN FACILITY WHERE HE WORKS . CONSUMER FEELS THAT REASON FOR THIS DEFECT MAY BE THAT ENGINE IS NOT SHIELDED AGAINST SOURCES OF RADIO FREQUENCY ENERGY WHICH COULD SHUT ENGINE DOWN. THERE IS LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHEN ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. CONSUMER WORKS AT LONG RANGE RADAR SITE. ENGINE IS A 3.2 V6. *AK CONSUMER STATES ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AND WILL N OT RESTAT UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS MOVED AWAY FROM RF ENERGY SOURCE, CONSUMER HAS BEEN TOLD BY DEALER THAT THE PROBLEM IS BEING WORKED ON.*JB
THE STEERING COLUMN IS MAKING A "CLANKING" NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WHICH TIGHTENED A FEW SCREWS AND GAVE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE OWNER. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THE DEALER WILL KEEP TIGHTENING THE SCREWS AND SOMETHING WILL POP OR BREAK. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.
STEERING MAKES STRANGE VIBRATING NOISE WHEN TURNING LEFT CAN TURN WHEEL ALL THE WAY RIGHT WILL NOT MAKE NOISE BUT WILL MAKE NOISE TURNING ALL THE WAY BACK TO LEFT THEY HAVE REPLACED RACK AND PINION AND POWER STEERING PUMP NO CHANGE NOISE IS GETTING LOUDER THEY STILL HAVE NO IDEA EVEN AFTER FACTORY REP LOOK AT IT SEVERL TIMES
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Sep 8, 2026