NHTSA Complaint #10520058 — 2001 ISUZU RODEO

WHILE ROTATING THE TIRES, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ENTIRE REAR FRAME OF THE CAR WAS RUSTED THROUGH AND CRACKING. THIS CAR HAD A RECALL IN 2010 THAT WAS RELATED TO CORROSION AND THE DEALER THAT DID THE INSPECTION AND "REPAIR" ONLY APPLIED AN ANTI-CORROSIVE COMPOUND TO THE REAR LINKAGE WHERE IT ATTACHED TO THE FRAME. WE KNEW THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTING SEVERELY AT THAT TIME AND MENTIONED IT TO THE DEALER. HE SAID THE RECALL ONLY INVOLVED THE LINKAGE AND NOT THE FRAME. NOW THE FRAME IS SO CORRODED THAT THERE IS NO WAY IT CAN BE REINFORCED BECAUSE THERE IS NO METAL LEFT TO TAKE A WELD. THE WHOLE FRAME WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED AT CONSIDERABLE COST. THERE IS LOW MILEAGE ON OUR CAR AND OUTWARDLY APPEARS PRISTINE. WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE DEALER WOULDN'T REPORT THE FRAME DAMAGE AS THE LINKAGE WOULD SOON FAIL IF THE FRAME ROTTED AWAY! WE WOULD HAVE TAKEN A BUY BACK AT THAT TIME IF IT HAD BEEN OFFERED AS STATED IN THE RECALL NOTICE AS FOLLOWS: "ISUZU WILL NOTIFY OWNERS BY MAIL, AND START THE RECALL EITHER IN LATE JULY OR EARLY AUGUST, ACCORDING TO A COMPANY SPOKESPERSON. THE NHTSA ACKNOWLEDGED THE RECALL IN A LETTER TO ISUZU ON FRIDAY. AT THE DEALERSHIP, INSPECTIONS AND REPAIRS WILL BE FREE OF CHARGE, AS LONG AS THE AFFECTED SUV IS NO MORE THAN 10 YEARS OLD. SPECIAL RESTRICTIONS AND RULES MAY APPLY TO VEHICLES OLDER THAN TEN YEARS. VEHICLES WILL BE INSPECTED FOR SIGNS OF CORROSION. IF LITTLE OR NO CORROSION IS FOUND, THE AREA WILL BE TREATED WITH AN ANTI-CORROSIVE COMPOUND. FOR VEHICLES WITH CORROSION THAT HAS DAMAGED THE REAR SUSPENSION LOWER LINK BRACKET AND HINDERED THE CONNECTION TO THE VEHICLE FRAME, A REINFORCEMENT BRACKET WILL INSTALLED. IF THE DAMAGE IS BEYOND REPAIR, ISUZU WILL OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE VEHICLE BASED ON THE KELLEY BLUE BOOK "PRIVATE PARTY" PRICE." WE FEEL ISUZU SHOULD MAKE GOOD ON THE REPURCHASE AS THE "REPAIR" WAS A JOKE. *TR