NHTSA Complaint #10329206 — 2001 ISUZU RODEO SPORT

MY BRAKES DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. IN THE PAST YEAR, I HAVE REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES AND ON THE NEXT OCCASION, THE REAR BRAKES. THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE OF A NEAR ACCIDENT WHEN PRESSING ON THE BRAKE AND IT FAILING TO SLOW DOWN TO A STOP. EVENTUALLY STOPPING. THE NEXT TIME, IT ACTUALLY DIDN'T STOP UNTIL I HIT THE BACK OF A MINIVAN, THEN A SEDAN AND SUV CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF MY CAR. WHEN I GOT MY BRAKES REPLACED AFTER THAT, I ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN LESS THAN A BLOCK FROM THE REPAIR SHOP. THEN DRIVING TO WORK, I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES STILL WEREN'T RESPONDING. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE SHOP THE NEXT DAY, AND HAD THE MECHANIC DRIVE AROUND AND DRIVE THE CAR WITH ME. HE FELT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. IT KEPT HAPPENING. I PRESS DOWN ON THE BRAKE. IT STIFFENS UP, THEN MAKES SOME CLICKING SOUNDS, AND THE CAR JUST GLIDES, I.E. KEEPS ON MOVING. THAT IS NOT SAFE!! I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR OR TAKE ANY LONG DISTANCE TRIPS BECAUSE OF THE APPREHENSION OF MY BRAKES FAILING AS USUAL. FINALLY, I WENT BACK ONCE AGAIN TO THE MECHANICS AND EXPLAINED WHAT EXACTLY THE BRAKES ARE DOING, AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT HE THINKS THAT IT IS THE "BRAKE SENSOR" DUE TO THE RUST AROUND IT. AND THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS BEFORE ON THESE MODEL SUVS. SO FOR THE PAST YEAR, I CAME IN THERE WITH SENSOR "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT (2X), AND BRAKE PROBLEMS (2X) BOTH OF WHICH CAUSED ME TO NOT GET AN INSPECTION PASS UNTIL THEY WERE FIXED. I THINK THAT IT ALL HAD TO DO WITH THE SENSOR NOT WORKING ON MY BRAKES. I JUST SAW AN INVESTIGATION DONE ON MY LOCAL NEWS STATION ABOUT THE BOTTOMS OF THESE SUVS COMING APART WITH NO WARNING. ONE WOMAN EVEN PULLED SOMETHING OFF WITH HER BARE HANDS. I BOUGHT MY CARE IN 2001 WITH 9000 MILES ON IT. I DID NOT NOTICE UNTIL A FEW DAYS LATER, THAT THE BOTTOM JOINTS SHOWED A LOT OF RUST. I WAS SHOCKED AND EMBARRASSED. I ASKED ABOUT THE RUST THEN AND CONTINUE TO, AND THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS, THAT'S LIVING IN NEW ENGLAND. BUT I GOT THE CAR LESS THAN A YEAR USED. ALREADY RUSTED. *TR