ISUZU I-290 · model year

2008 ISUZU I-290

6 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2008ISUZUI-290 carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, 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 2008 I-290 is electrical system with 2 filings, followed by equipment (1) and power train:manual transmission (1). 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. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 5 investigation files overlapping the 2008 I-290. 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.

6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

6 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
EQUIPMENT1
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION1
ENGINE1
STEERING1

Recalls (1)

09V31000029/07/2009

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

GM IS RECALLING 185,903 MODEL YEAR 2004-2009 COLORADO, GMC MODEL YEAR 2009-2004 CANYON, MODEL YEAR 2006 I-280, I-350, MODEL YEAR 2007-2008 I-290, AND I-370, PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, ARIZONA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, HAWAII, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIP

Recent Complaints

20140701ENGINE

EVERYTHING DIED SEVERAL TIMES INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THEN STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING THE VEHICLE. PROBLEM DISCOVERED TO BE A FAULTY GM IGNITION SWITCH. NOTE THAT THE ISUZU I290 IS BASICALLY AN IDENTICAL VEHICLE TO THE CHEVROLET COLORADO. *TR

Mileage: 86,000

20140701ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

EVERYTHING DIED SEVERAL TIMES INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THEN STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING THE VEHICLE. PROBLEM DISCOVERED TO BE A FAULTY GM IGNITION SWITCH. NOTE THAT THE ISUZU I290 IS BASICALLY AN IDENTICAL VEHICLE TO THE CHEVROLET COLORADO. *TR

Mileage: 86,000

20140701STEERING

EVERYTHING DIED SEVERAL TIMES INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THEN STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING THE VEHICLE. PROBLEM DISCOVERED TO BE A FAULTY GM IGNITION SWITCH. NOTE THAT THE ISUZU I290 IS BASICALLY AN IDENTICAL VEHICLE TO THE CHEVROLET COLORADO. *TR

Mileage: 86,000

20101026POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 ISUZU I-290. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STALLED AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO ANY SELECTED GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CLUTCH WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON FOUR OCCASIONS WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CLUTCH EACH TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND WOULD NOT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120.

Mileage: 120

20091215ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1.) AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SETTING, UNUSED FOR A DAY OR TWO, 2.) VEHICLE WILL NOT START BECAUSE OF A DRAINED BATTERY. 3.) BATTERY IS RECHARGED WITH A STANDARD AUTOMOTIVE CHARGER AND SERVICE IS RESTORED. SUSPICIONS ARE THAT IT MAY FALL UNDER AN EXISTING TSB # 08134 - DRAIN BATTERY PROBLEM DUE TO CD/MP# RADIO POWER DRAIN, WHICH APPLIES TO THE CHEVROLET AND GMC COUSIN THE ISUZU. *TR

Mileage: 19,000

20091215EQUIPMENT

1.) AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SETTING, UNUSED FOR A DAY OR TWO, 2.) VEHICLE WILL NOT START BECAUSE OF A DRAINED BATTERY. 3.) BATTERY IS RECHARGED WITH A STANDARD AUTOMOTIVE CHARGER AND SERVICE IS RESTORED. SUSPICIONS ARE THAT IT MAY FALL UNDER AN EXISTING TSB # 08134 - DRAIN BATTERY PROBLEM DUE TO CD/MP# RADIO POWER DRAIN, WHICH APPLIES TO THE CHEVROLET AND GMC COUSIN THE ISUZU. *TR

Mileage: 19,000

Compare 2008ISUZUI-290 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2008 ISUZU I-290 have?
The 2008 ISUZU I-290 has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2008 ISUZU I-290?
Yes, the 2008 ISUZU I-290 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 ISUZU I-290?
The most-complained component for the 2008 ISUZU I-290 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EQUIPMENT and POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION.
Is the 2008 ISUZU I-290 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.