There are 5 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2001 Isuzu Trooper in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
MY SUV , ISUZU TROOPER OF 10YEARS, WAS PARKED IN A LIBRARY PARKING GARAGE AND AFTER IGNITION TURNED ON, I PUT IT IN REVERSE GEAR TO GET OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AND THE CAR RAPIDLY REVERSED AND BEFORE I COULD FIGURE OUT AND REACT, THE CAR SHOT LIKE A ROCKET TOWARDS THE FRONT , WHILE STILL IN REVERSE GEAR, AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE BRAKES OR STEERING WHEEL, IT RAMMED INTO A CONCRETE PILLAR AND GOT COMPLETELY TOTALED. AIRBAGS OPENED AND FRONT DOORS JAMMED AND I HAD SLIDE TO THE BACK TO ESCAPE. LUCKILY, CAR DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE OR EXPLODE. ( POLICE REPORT VERIFY THAT AFTER CRASH, CAR STILL FOUND TO BE IN REVERSE GEAR AND SUPRISED HOW CAR MOVED TOWARDS THE FRONT). A WEEK AGO, PRIOR TO THIS FREAKY CRASH, ( LUCKILY NO MINORS, SENIORS, HOMELESS WHO USUALLY WALK IN THE PARKING LOT WERE NOT PRESENT, OTHERWISE, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE DEATHS) MY CAR DEALERSHIP HAD DONE WORK ON MY CAR FOR NEARLY $1000.00. AND THEY REPLACED MODE SWITCH FOR MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ( THERMOSTAT CHANGED; PISTON COVER CHANGED) AND DON'T KNOW WHAT ROLE IT PLAYED IN MY CAR'S CRASH. I AM PRETTY SURE ITS A MALFUNCTION . IT NEEDS TO BE ASSESSED AND FIGURED WHAT ROLE THE ABOVE INSTALLATION PLAYED IN THE CRASH WHICH COULD HAVE HAD DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES. WAS IT DUE TO DEFECTIVE PART? INSURANCE COMPANY BLAMES IT ON ME AND SAY MY PREMIUMS WILL BE HIGHER SINCE ITS AT FAULT ACCIDENT DESPITE HEARING MY EXPERIENCE AND WITH EVIDENCE OF POLICE REPORT WHICH STATES THAT MY GEAR WAS STILL IN REVERSE. ( AFTER CRASHING HEAD ON AGAINST A CONCRETE PILLAR) THANK YOU FOR KEEPING PUBLIC SAFETY FIRST!
WE HAVE HAD TO ADD 1-2 QTS OF OIL EVERY COUPLE THOUSAND MILES ALTHOUGH WE DID NOT SEE AN OIL LEAK (NO MARKS ON THE DRIVEWAY) MECHANIC COULD FIND NO OIL LEAK OR PROBLEM OUR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON,AND MECHANIC SAID WE NEEDED EMISSIONS SENSOR REPLACED. WE DID REPLACE IT. ON OUR WAY TO THANKSGIVING IN OKLAHOMA FROM MICHIGAN OUR ENGINE BLEW ! WE ARE NOW WITHOUT THAT VEHICLE BUT STILL MAKING PAYMENTS. A DEALERSHIP IN TULSA SAID THAT THOSE ENGINES ARE REPLACED A LOT AT HIS SHOP DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT THERE IS CARBON BUILD UP IN THE VALVE THAT GOES TO THE ENGINE CAUSING THE OIL TO BURN UP. AFTER SO LONG OF IT BEING BUILT UP IT GETS CLOGGED AND ENDS UP BLOWING. HE SAID IF WE HAD BEEN TAKING THE CAR TO AN ISUZU DEALER TO GET THE OIL CHANGED THEY KNOW ABOUT IT AND CAN CLEAN IT. PROBLEM FOR US IS THERE ISN'T AN ISUZU DEALER IN THE CITY WE LIVE IN SO WE DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE. I BELIEVE ISUZU SHOULD HAVE SENT A LETTER TO TROOPER OWNERS NOTIFYING THEM OF THIS DEFECT SO AS NOT TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROBLEM SINCE IT CAN BE AVOIDED. *JB
MASSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM. VEHICLE BURNT ABOUT ONE QUART OF OIL EVERY 1000 MILES. FILLED VEHICLE WITH FUEL AND CHECKED OIL. TOOK 3 HR TRIP. ON THE WAY HOME ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING CHECKED OIL AND IT WAS DRY. NO LOW OIL WARNING LIGHT OR ANYTHING. EVERY SHOP AND ISUZU DEALER SAYS MUST HAVE NEW ENGINE $6500 DOLLARS. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 85,000 MILES. 2ND OWNER SINCE 21,000 MILES. WARRANTY FOR SECOND OWNER IS 60,000 MILES ORIGINAL OWNER 100,000 MILES. NO ENGINE HAS BEEN REPLACED COST TO MUCH MONEY. VEHICLE IS STILLING IN DRIVEWAY. *NM
I OWN A 2001 ISUZU TROOPER THAT STARTED USING EXCESSIVE OIL (1+ QUARTS EVERY 1000 MILES) AT 54,000 MILES. I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS STARTING WHEN ISUZU INTRODUCED THE 3.5L V6 ENGINE. MY RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THE PROBLEM TO BE A BAD DESIGN CHANGE OF THE OIL RING NOT ALLOWING OIL TO DRAIN PROPERLY. ISUZU IS TERRIBLE TO WORK WITH AND FIGHTS TO NOT HONOR WARRANTIES. WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA AFTER ALL THE COMPLAINTS RECEIVED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM? ISUZU HAS TERRIBLE CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR VEHICLES WHEN THERE IS A PROBLEM. STILL BATTLING WITH ISUZU AND BBB.*JB
THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE MANUFACTURE STATED THEY WERE NOT GOING TO ASSIST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PROPERLY TAKEN OF, AFTER THE CONSUMER PROVIDED THE MANUFACTURE WITH THE NECESSARY PAPER WORK, THEY STILL DECLINED ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. *JB
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