NHTSA Complaint #10169521 — 1999 ISUZU TROOPER

SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, THE ENGINE FAILED ON OUR 1999 ISUZU TROOPER, POSSIBLY DUE TO LOW OIL. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR SYMPTOMS OF ANY KIND - VEHICLE JUST QUIT ON ROUTE 95 IN MANSFIELD WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING HOME FROM BOWLING. CAR WAS TOWED TO LOCAL GARAGE, WHERE THEY CONFIRMED THAT ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED - IN FACT, THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER HAD LITERALLY PICKED PIECES UP FROM THE PAVEMENT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. UPON SEARCHING FOR A NEW ENGINE, WE DISCOVERED THAT THEY WERE NOT EASY TO FIND UNLESS PURCHASED DIRECTLY FROM ISUZU, AND ACCORDING TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS WEBSITE, THIS IS PRIMARILY BECAUSE THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS COMMON AMONG ISUZUS MANUFACTURED IN LATE 1990'S/EARLY 2000'S. OUR REGULAR MECHANIC, AND SEVERAL OTHERS QUESTIONED, CONFIRMED THAT THE ISUZU'S WERE NOTORIOUS FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. BOTTOM LINE, IT WOULD COST US $5000-$6000 DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE, WHICH IS ABOUT WHAT WE OWED ON THE CAR. *NM