ISUZU HOMBRE · model year

1997 ISUZU HOMBRE

27 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1997ISUZUHOMBRE carries 27 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1997 HOMBRE is visibility:windshield wiper/washer with 5 filings, followed by visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor (5) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (3). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 5 investigation files overlapping the 1997 HOMBRE. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

27
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

27 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER5
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR5
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP3
VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL1
SUSPENSION1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM1
STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
POWER TRAIN1

Recent Complaints

20160421FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

1ODI ID 825115, 2.ODI ID 542133, 3. ODI ID 721936, 4. ODI ID 829011, 5. ODI ID 829780

Mileage: 12,000

20160421POWER TRAIN

1ODI ID 825115, 2.ODI ID 542133, 3. ODI ID 721936, 4. ODI ID 829011, 5. ODI ID 829780

Mileage: 12,000

20160421VISIBILITY/WIPER

1ODI ID 825115, 2.ODI ID 542133, 3. ODI ID 721936, 4. ODI ID 829011, 5. ODI ID 829780

Mileage: 12,000

20060403VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 03V210000, REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 05/02/06. *JB

Mileage: 23,500

20040318STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

THE RIGHT TAILGATE CABLE ON MY 1997 ISUZU HOMBRE XS PICKUP TRUCK BROKE. THE LEFT TAILGATE CABLE ON MY PICKUP TRUCK BROKE LAST YEAR. LUCKILY, IT DID NOT CAUSE INJURY. THIS MODEL WAS MADE BY CHEVROLET (IT''S SISTER MODEL IS THE CHEVY S-10). I UNDERSTAND THE FULL-SIZE PICKUPS BY CHEVROLET HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 68,000

20040214VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

MY ISUZU WINDSHIELD WIPER RECALL. I HAVE GONE TO ISUZU MANY TIMES TO GET THESE WIPERS FIXED CAUSE THEY TURN OFF WHEN I HAVE THEM ON. THESE PEOPLE STATE THAT THEY DIDNT THINK THERE WERE A LOT OF CARS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED SO THEY DIDNT ORDER A LOT OF PARTS. THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND IT STINKS THAT THE WIPERS DONT WORK HALF THE TIME. I WORK AT NIGHT SO IT GETS HARD TO SEE WHEN IT IS RAINING AND THE WIPERS ARE TURNING ON AND OFF. IT IS NOW FEBRUARY AND THEY STILL WONT HELP ME. THIS IS GETTING REDICULUS. IF THIS IS A RECALL BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD THEN WHY ISNT IT FIXED YET?*AK

20031219VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY QUIT WORKING WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM, RESULTING IN POOR VISIBILITY, AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. RECALL 03V210000 WAS ISSUED FOR WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. *AK *MR

Mileage: 110,000

20031203ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

CONSUMER WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT FANS THAT SPLIT AND BREAK APART. THIS OCCURRED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. FANS WERE BEING REPLACED EVERY 30,000 MILES TO 40,000 MILES. MANUFACTURER REPLACED THE RADIATOR, BUT WOULD NOT REPLACE THE FANS OR THE FAN CLUTCH. *AK 1997 ISUZU HOMBRE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE FAN AND ENGINE FAN CLUTCH. WHEN CONSUMER WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP THE FAN FELL OFF THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE FAN FELL OFF BECAUSE THE TENSION PULLEY BROKE. THE DEALER MADE THE CONSUMER PAY FOR A NEW ONE IN ADDITION TO THE PAYMENT FOR THE FAN THAT WAS PURCHASED AND INSTALLED THE DAY BEFORE. *MR *NM

20030815VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL 03V210000 REPAIRS CONCERNING WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED. CONSUMER HAD CALLED SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE PARTS WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE.*AK

20030801VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

THE CONSUMER STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ON RECALL. CONSUMER STATED THAT DEALER WON'T HONOR RECALL. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. AFTER MANY PHONE CALLS, THE DEALER SENT SOMEONE TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE AND HAVE IT REPAIRED. RECALL# 03V210000 *SCC *JB

Mileage: 46,500

20030617VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THROTTLE STUCK WHEN COMPONENT RIVETED TO THE THROTTLE PLATE BROKE AND LODGED ITSELF IN THE THROTTLE BODY. TRUCK WAS GOING AT 60 MPH. THROTTLE WAS STUCK AT THAT SPEED, DANGEROUS AS VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. HAD TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL, TURN IGNITION OFF AND PULL TO SHOULDER/EXIT. *JB

Mileage: 95,895

20030617VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN WITHOUT ANY NOTICE AT ALL. HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND GET OUT IN THE RAIN AND TRAFFIC TO LOOK UNDER THE HOOD TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY THING I COULD DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM. COULD NOT FIX THEM SO I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THEY WANTED TO WORK TO FINISH DRIVING TO WORK.. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK WHEN T H E Y WANT TO , THIS CAN BE VERY HAZARDOUS AT NIGHT OR DAY IN THE RAIN..I CHECKED ISUZU AND NO RECALLS AS OF 07-17-2003. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BY THE DEALERS IR COMPANY'S. *JB THANK YOU DAVID L. BAREFOOT

20030616VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL#03V210000 CONCERNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL, DUE TO VIN. *AK *TS *JB

20030515VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE IN USE. *JB

20020912VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WHILE DRIVING ANDWITH NO WARNING WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL WORK INTERMITTENTLY, AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO SEE DURING RAINY WEATHER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

20020624VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL INTERMITTENTLY STOP WORKING WHILE CONSUMER IS DRIVING VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

20011210VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

20000427VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED IN HEAVY RAINSTORM AND WORK ONLY WHEN THEY WANT TO. *AK

19991028SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ON-GOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM; WHENEVER BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE PEDAL WENT BACK AND FORTH WHILE TRYING TO PRESS DOWN, CAUSING VEHICLE TO TEMPORARILY LOSE BRAKING UNTIL THE PULSATION IN PEDAL STOPPED. ALSO NOTICE DA LOUD GRINDING SOUND WHEN THIS OCCURRED DEALER NOTIFED AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. *AK

19991028SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

BRAKES HAVE FAILED AT SIX OTHER TIMES, THE LAST BEING 10/22/99. I HAD TO CROSS 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC TO AVOID A COLLISION. ALL THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WANT TO DO IS TELL ME TO BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE OR THAT THEY CAN'T FIX IT WITHOUT IT HAPPENING TO THEM WITHOUT ADMITTING RESPONSIBILITY. THEY STATED, "TO TAKE THE BRAKES APART AND LOOK AT THEM WOULD BE AN ADMISSION OF QUILT".

Compare 1997ISUZUHOMBRE to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1997 ISUZU HOMBRE have?
The 1997 ISUZU HOMBRE has 27 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 ISUZU HOMBRE?
The most-complained component for the 1997 ISUZU HOMBRE is VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1997 ISUZU HOMBRE safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.