NHTSA Complaint #10037492 — 1999 ISUZU RODEO

THERE ARE THREE PROBLEMS WITH MY 1999 ISUZU RODEO. 1) THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON ALMOST CONTINUALLY. IT WAS CHECKED AT ROYALL ISUZU IN RICHMOND, VA, WHERE THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM IS THE FUEL SENDING UNIT. ONE OTHER CUSTOMER WAS THERE AT THE SAME TIME WITH THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM ON HER 1999 RODEO. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE IS SEEING AN INCREASING NUMBER OF RODEOS WITH THIS PROBLEM. HOW AM I TO KNOW IF A TRUE PROBLEM POPS UP WITH THE VEHICLE OR IF THE LIGHT IS ONLY ON FOR THE SAME? 2) ONE BY ONE, THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ARE FAILING. IT STARTED WITH THE CLOCK LIGHT AND HAS NOW GONE TO THE RADIO LIGHT. 3) IN JULY 2001, THREE MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE (34,000 MILES AT TIME OF USED PURCHASE) THE CLUTCH STOPPED WORKING SUDDENLY. THE CLUTCH FLUID RESERVOIR WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY. WHITTEN ISUZU IN RICHMOND, VA, TOOK THREE SEPARATE SERVICE TRIPS TO TRY TO FIX IT. AFTER THE SO-CALLED REPAIR, THE PROBLEM SEEMED BETTER. FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE FLUID LEVEL SLOWLY BUT STEADILY DECREASES SO I CONTINUALLY ADD CLUTCH FLUID. NOW THE CLUTCH SLIPS WHEN ACCELERATING IN FIFTH GEAR. STEADY DRIVING IN FIFTH DOES NOT POSE A PROBLEM BUT INCREASING SPEED SUCH AS UPHILL OR TO PASS ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSES A SUDDEN RISE IN RPM AS THE CLUTCH SLIPS. BECAUSE I PURCHASED IT USED, THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 50,000 MILES, SO THAT'S GONE. IT SEEMS AS IF A PROBLEM ADDRESSED UNDER WARRANTY SHOULD STILL BE REPAIRED. I HAVE GIVEN UP ON CALLING ISUZU CUSTOMER SERVICE AS THE CALLS ARE EITHER NOT RETURNED FROM VOICE MAIL OR I AM GIVEN A VERY BRUSQUE DENIAL OF EVEN CONSIDERING THE PROBLEMS. I LOVE THIS VEHICLE AND REALLY ENJOY IT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE PROBLEMS ADDRESSED ABOVE. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER AND HAVE KEPT IT COMPLETELY ON SCHEDULE WITH OIL CHANGES, ETC. I SEE ON YOUR COMPLAINT SEARCH THAT THERE ARE QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE FUEL SENDING UNIT, SO WHY DOES ISUZU ACT AS IF THEY KNOW OF NO OTHERS? THE FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT REGISTER CORRECTLY DUE TO THE SENDING UNIT.*AK