1997 Isuzu Rodeo problems & reliability
118 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Isuzu Rodeo. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
10 complaints report injuries (14 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1997 Isuzu Rodeo vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 32 | 27% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 16 | 14% |
| Wheels | 14 | 12% |
| Air Bags | 13 | 11% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 9% |
| Power Train | 10 | 8% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 7% |
| Unknown OR Other | 8 | 7% |
| Electrical System | 7 | 6% |
| Suspension | 7 | 6% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 125,000 miles (middle 50% between 84,000 and 150,000 miles), based on 41 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“This specific car with this VIN number is missing the back window and just a piece of wood is covering where the window should be. Grocery bags and rags are sticking out of the wood. A 10 month old child travels in this car in freezing cold weather conditions. Back seat rests were also missing from this vehicle so…”
Visibility/wiper · filed Mar 19, 2023
“The truck is eroding away the under carriage and has stated to come through interior effecting the bolts and the supports holding seat down. Also the engine has been replaced twice. Blown knocking engine”
Suspension · filed Aug 1, 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 isuzu rodeo. While at an independent mechanic for a routine service, the mechanic diagnosed that the subframe on the vehicle was corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000.”
Structure · filed May 15, 2015
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
20 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Isuzu Rodeo. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin outlines the procedures for using the Alpine Exchange Program (the "Exchange Program"). The Exchange Program must be used when any Alpine radio or other component covered by this bulletin is repaired under…
IB13-R-001G · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 8, 2023
Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc. (ICTA) is providing the following procedural recommendations to improve dealer efficiency when submitting Parts Warranty claims. We strongly recommend dealers follow these…
WB13-X-001B · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 30, 2022
Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc. (ICTA) is providing the following procedural recommendations to improve dealer efficiency when submitting Parts Warranty claims. We strongly recommend dealers follow these…
WB13-X-001A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 2, 2022
Transmission indicator light may be on and diagnostic trouble code p1870 is set in the powertrain control module (pcm). *tt
0305S001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2003
Transmission indicator light may be on and diagnostic trouble code p1870 is set in the pcm (powertrain control module). *tt
0205S003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 1, 2002
Some v6 models with transmission serial numbers 4754596 - 5831756 may experience leakage in the area of overfill plug and oil drain plug. *tt
SB0105S001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2001
Some 1997 and earlier vehicles may exhibit a condition of ticking sounds coming from the valvetrain during normal operation. *tt
SB0001S002 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 2000
On some 1997 and prior models, a condition may exist where coolant leakage may be present near the heater core area. *tt
SB0012S001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 2000
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
IB00S009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 2000
Information regarding the availability of the child seat tether anchor kit. *tt
SB9914S007 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 1999
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1997 Isuzu Rodeo in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1997 Isuzu Rodeo?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 125,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.