NHTSA Complaint #10090941 — 1999 ISUZU TROOPER

I OWN A 1999 ISUZU TROOPER WITH AROUND 77000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I AND MY FAMILY ENJOYED THE VEHICLE UNTILL ABOUT 1 YEAR AGO (10-03) WHEN, ON A 250 MILE RUN FROM SAN ANTONIO TO MY HOME, WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS, STRANGE SOUNDS OR ROUGH RUNNING, I HEARD A LOUD WHINE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, EVERYTHING LIT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE FOR A SECOND AND THEN WENT COMPLETELY DEAD. AFTER A LONG. HOT WAIT AND AN EVEN LONGER TOW, I HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED OUT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE WAS LOCKED UP TIGHT AS A DRUM AND THAT THERE WAS AROUND 1 QUART OF OIL IN THE PAN. DURING MY OWNERSHIP OF THE TRUCK, I HAD NOTICED THAT THE DIPSTICK WOULD OCCASIONALLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY READ LOW - BUT IT NEVER VISIBLY BURNED ANY OIL. I CHALKED IT UP TO A 'DIPSTICK MALFUNCTION' AND KEPT UP WITH MY OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE. I HAVE OWNED MANY CLASSIC AND HIGH PERFORMANCE VEHICLES IN THE PAST AND AM A STICKLER FOR PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE. MY IMMEDIATE THOUGHT WAS THAT MY PREVIOUS OIL CHANGE HAD BEEN DONE INCORRECTLY - BUT MY OWN DILIGENCE IN CHECKING THE OIL PRIOR TO MY TRIP AND ADDING A NEEDED QUART STEERED ME AWAY FROM THAT AS A SOLUTION. NOW, AFTER AN ATTEMPT TO LOCATE A REPLACEMENT ENGINE FOR THE TRUCK ONLINE, I FIND THAT I'M NOT ALONE BY ANY MEANS. BEING OUT OF WARRANTY (JUST) LEAVES ME WITH THE BELIEF THAT I WILL JUST HAVE TO EAT THE COST OF GETTING THE VEHICLE BACK ON THE ROAD, BUT I FEEL THAT, GIVEN THE NUMBER OF SIMILAR STORIES OUT THERE, ISUZU SHOULD PONY UP AND ASSIST THOSE WHO CAN PROVE THEIR STORIES. AFTER 1 FULL YEAR WITHOUT A SECOND VEHICLE AND MINUS THE INITIAL $159 FOR TOWING AND INITIAL DIAGNOSIS, MY TRUCK IS CURRENTLY BEING RE-DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED AT A TRUSTED FACILITY AFTER A SECOND COSTLY TOW. INITIAL ESTIMATES HAVE INDICATED THAT IF A REPLACEMENT ENGINE IS REQUIRED, I WILL BE OUT AROUND $3000-$4000 FOR THE ENGINE PLUS AN ADDITIONAL $1000-$2000 IN LABOR. I WILL LODGE A SECOND REPORT ONCE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED INDICATING THE ACCURATE TOTAL BILLING.