NHTSA Complaint #10141335 — 1999 ISUZU TROOPER

WE BOUGHT A 1999 TROOPER FROM THE DEALER THAT WAS NEVER REGISTERED, BUT THAT THE DEALER HAD DRIVEN FOR 14,000 MILES. WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT A NEW FACTORY WARRANTY APPLIED AS WE WERE THE "ORIGINAL RETAIL PURCHASER." AFTER DRIVING THIS VEHICLE THREE YEARS AND LESS THAN 60,000 MILES, THE ENGINE FROZE GOING UP A MOUNTAIN PASS, ENDANGERING OUR LIVES AND OUR GRANDCHILDREN'S LIVES. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED AND NOW HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT WE NEEDED AN NEW ENGINE -- THOUGH THERE WAS STILL OIL IN THE ENGINE, THERE WERE SHARDS OF METAL IN THE OIL. (WE HAD PROPERLY MAINTAINED THE ENGINE MORE THAN REQUIRED UNDER WARRANTY BUT IT SEEMED TO BURN A LOT OF OIL OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.) ISUZU DENIES THAT IT IS RESPONSIBLE, AND THE DEALER DENIES THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE, SO WE ARE NOW STUCK WITH A VEHICLE WE'VE HAD THREE YEARS THAT WILL COST US $5,000 - $8,000 TO REPAIR (AND THAT WE STILL OWE 11K ON AND IS WORTH 6K AS A TRADE-IN OR 8K IF WE SELL IT OURSELVES). I NOW SEE OTHER EVIDENCE OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VEHICLE ON THIS SITE AND HAVE TALKED WITH OTHER MECHANICS WHO HAVE SEEN SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE, YET MOST CONSUMERS DON'T SEEM TO FILE THESE REPORTS. I'VE HAD SEVERAL VEHICLES, AND MAINTAIN THEM WELL, AND HAVE NEVER HAD AN ENGINE FREEZE WITH 71,000 MILES ON IT. AS NEITHER ISUZU NOR THE DEALER HAS BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE NOR STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT, I HOPE THAT THE NHTSA INVESTIGATES THIS ISSUE SO THAT NO OTHER OWNERS OR PASSENGERS ARE PLACED IN POTENTIALLY DEADLY AND CERTAINLY COSTLY CIRCUMSTANCES AGAIN. *NM