NHTSA Complaint #10629673 — 2001 ISUZU RODEO SPORT

I GOT A LETTER FROM ISUZU ASKING ME TO COME IN FOR A RECALL DUE TO PRE-MATURE FRAME RUSTING I WAS TOLD THEY HAD TO LIFT THE BODY OFF THE FRAME TO INSPECT IT AND I WAS HAVING THE GAS-LEVEL SENDER REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT BOLTS HOLDING THE CASSIS TO THE FRAME HAD A TENDENCY TO FAIL SO THEY WERE BEING REPLACED WITH STAINLESS STEEL HARDWARE. WHEN I GOT THE TRUCK BACK THE NEW SHINY BOLTS AND NUTS WERE VISIBLE EXTERNALLY AND I WAS ASSURED THAT MY TRUCK WAS NOT THAT BAD AND IT WAS JUST A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. I WAS TOLD THE FRAME WAS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE AND THAT THEY APPLIED SOME ANTI-RUST TREATMENT TO THE AREAS AND FOR ADDED STRENGTH, 2 REINFORCEMENT BARS WERE BOLTED TO THE SIDES OF THE FRAME ( THIS WAS DOME AND VERIFIED VISUALLY BY ME ). ABOUT TWO YEARS LATER, WHILE HAVING MY EXHAUST MANIFOLD REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE ROT, I WAS INFORMED THAT MY FRAME WAS NOT SAFE BECAUSE IT WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY ROTTEN IN NUMEROUS AREAS AND TOLD THAT WHOEVER TRIED TO FIX IT KNEW THAT IT WAS IN TERRIBLE SHAPE AND SIMPLY PUT A BAND=AID ON IT AND HIT IT WITH SOME ANTI-RUST PAINT TO MAKE IT LOOK BETTER. JUST THE FRAME WAS ROTTING, NOT THE BODY OR OTHER PARTS. THE OFFICIAL TSB APPARENTLY TO SHORE UP THE FRAME BY BOLTING TWO STEEL BARS ALONG THE SIDES, UNLESS THE FRAME IS SO ROTTED OUT THAT IT HAS TO BE REPLACED. SO IF I HAD NOT GARAGED MY TRUCK AND BEEN EXTRA CAREFUL ABOUT WASHING THE UNDERCARRIAGE, I COULD HAVE GOTTEN A BRAND-NEW FRAME, (OR A TRIP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM IF THE FRAME BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT ALMOST ANY SPEED NEVER MIND HIGHWAY SPEED). I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS TRUCK AND HAVE FOLLOWED ALL TSB/RECALLS AND RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES. I LOVE THE TRUCK, BUT I NEED IT TO BE SAFE AND VERY SOON IT MAY NOT PASS SAFETY INSPECTION IN MY STATE. I HAVE READ ABOUT MANY PEOPLE TRYING PUSH FOR SOME SORT OF LEGAL ACTION ON THIS. *TR