29th Aug 2006, 21:20

I have a 2001 Isuzu Rodeo LS 4wd. I purchased it in Sept. of 2004 with 30,000 miles on it. It now has 50,000 miles. I have had relatively no problems compared to some that have posted. I had to have some bearings packed and alignment done. And I had to have the tranny fluid changed and checked out last winter, but nothing major. Did replace my tires at around 45k. I too have the problem (electrical?) listed previously of:

When headlights on and pressing the brake pedal only the rear brake bar lights up, but not the tail lights.

Mine is only the driver side tail light that doesn't light up, but it's only part of the time. I've replaced fuses and the bulbs are good. It's hit and miss. Just gets annoying to have people constantly telling me I have a tail light out.

After reading everyone else's posts, I am getting nervous. I still have 3 years to pay on my Rodeo. I do have a warranty, but some of these problems sound so frustrating and major. I hope I got a good Rodeo!

5th Sep 2006, 21:30

I own a 1999 Isuzu Rodeo LS 4x4 and have had the car since it was new. It had (keyword "had") been a fantastic vehicle with the exception of the warranty covered problems of the fuel sending unit and ABS system, however just this year the common problems started to happen all at once. Now with 178k miles this car has started the ABS brake problem, the odd reving up and down problem, the transmission slipping in first gear problem followed by harsh shakes and tire chirping, overheating problems (replaced radiator seemed to fix the problem, but started the transmission problem-my tranny fluid was burnt to a crisp), and the A/C that works most of the time, but you can never tell. I love this car for what it has be able to do for me for the last 7 years, but now it seems to be a big money pit. A Honda or Toyota is a much better alternative.

6th Sep 2006, 18:15

1998 rodeo 2 wd automatic

I bought it used with 30k miles on it, ran great! Around 80k miles started eating oil about 1 qt every 1k miles, this lasted for about 5 months. Then it stopped doing that and now burns 1/2 qt every 3-4k miles. Don't know why.

Now I am having the shift light on dash not matching the shifter location problem. When that occurs the trans bangs 2nd and 3rd gear real hard. Turn car off, turn car back on works fine again. Has anybody got an answer? Please reply. I have the gas gauge problem too.

19th Sep 2006, 13:03

I have a 2001 Rodeo 4x4 with 120,000 miles on it. Great car up until the last three months. Fuel gauge won't work, engine light won't turn off, and the transmission slips in first gear. It was a no frills ride that was great while it ran, but in this day-and-age I expect a car to go over 150,000 without any troubles.

2nd Oct 2006, 13:41

We purchased our 1997 Honda Passport new and loved the car until it reached approximately 80,000 miles. Then, a small tick started which grew into a loud constant ticking noise. The local Honda dealer ran the diagnostics on it and said that this is being caused by the rods going out in chambers 1 and 2 of the engine. He also said that they had 2 of these SUV's in the shop that day having the engine replaced because of this same problem. I have chosen not to replace the motor based upon comments made by a local mom and pop shop that is well respected. They said the engine is prone to carbon build up and to continually use fuel/oil additives to remove the carbon. They said the noise will never go away until engine is replaced, but they have seen engines run for 300,000 miles in this condition with proper attention. Other bad things... Radiator and head gaskets were replaced. Fuel sensor is going out causing hard starting, rear seals are leaking oil, engine is burning oil, and about once a month, the transmission "clunks" every time it shifts gears. My recommendation...Don't buy a Honda unless you know it was made by Honda. Passports are actually Isuzu Rodeos.

25th Oct 2006, 16:25

I have a 2000 Isuzu Rodeo. I bought it new, but recently had to replace the transmission. I went with the rebuilt transmission with a one year warranty, but it was still expensive. The car also will not pass inspection because the 'check engine' light stays on. I had to take it to one of those 'underground' places & pay twice as much to get the sticker. The car also burns oil like crazy! I go to change oil every month & when I get there it is almost empty. I have 80K miles on it now & it is now starting to get jerky again and making weird noises when I make turns. Probably the CV joints going out or something. Also it gets TERRIBLE gas mileage. I am thinking it is something like 10 miles per gallon. I am just praying nothing huge goes wrong before the one year warranty is up on the used transmission.

26th Oct 2006, 23:05

Bought my Isuzu Rodeo LS in 1995 brand new and, up to today, have logged 145,000 miles on it. I went searching for a site like this because I am experiencing a couple problems I've never seen before. First, when I turn the ignition to start the car, it no longer has that quick snap. The car starts within a second, but it sounds weak almost as if the engine fights to run. Could this be a sign that the car needs a tune up? It's been a few years since I had this done. The second thing I've just noticed is that the engine isn't sounding like it should; it almost has this 'hot rod' sound when I park the car and step on the gas, but it isn't too loud. It's just a sound that I'm not used to hearing. Can anyone please tell me if I may be experiencing my first transmission problems? What exactly happens when a transmission is about to go bad? And what might possibly be happening with the weak car start? I'd greatly appreciate any information from anyone.

28th Dec 2006, 21:30

I am surprised by some of the comments on this page. I own a 1995 Isuzu Rodeo, it's the second one I've owned, both used. My current one has over 130,000 miles on it, and with the exception of some broken window switches and replacing a window regulator, the only real problem I've had is the valve/lifter tap on the #1 cylinder. And all the 3.2L engines do this, so it's not even really a problem. The first one I owned only lasted me about 7 months, but keep in mind that in this time, it was abused more than most military vehicles. That truck saw more dirt, mud, and water than it did pavement. It even had to be pulled off some train tracks by a locomotive after the clutch blew out.

These are good, dependable trucks, they of course have their problems, but as a mechanic, I can tell you that every vehicle has it's problems. As for the 95 Rodeos, they are worth what you pay, I've put both of mine completly under water, and they still run, I'm talking parked inside of a mud puddle, water up to the windows. These trucks are monsters, and are worth paying about 4-5 grand for.

Matt @ oneandonlygoo@yahoo.com