Total Complaints
4 filings
ISUZU IMPULSE · model year
1985 ISUZU IMPULSE
4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985ISUZUIMPULSE carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 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 1985 IMPULSE is service brakes, air:antilock with 1 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission:park/neutral start interlock switch (1) and electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers (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.
NHTSA currently has 5 investigation files overlapping the 1985 IMPULSE. 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.
4
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030923ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
CAR WILL NOT IDLE OR RUNS FOR VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. HAVE REPLACED FUEL PUMP FUEL PUMP RELAY ETC ETC. ASC CERTIFIED MECH. SAYS NOTHING HE CAN DO. WHEN CAR IS COLD IT WORKS WELL.BUT A FEW MINUTES LATER IT STARTS ACTING UP. BASICALLY UNDRIVABLE
Mileage: 98,000
20030923FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY
CAR WILL NOT IDLE OR RUNS FOR VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. HAVE REPLACED FUEL PUMP FUEL PUMP RELAY ETC ETC. ASC CERTIFIED MECH. SAYS NOTHING HE CAN DO. WHEN CAR IS COLD IT WORKS WELL.BUT A FEW MINUTES LATER IT STARTS ACTING UP. BASICALLY UNDRIVABLE
Mileage: 98,000
19970904CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
THE GEAR SHIFT ON VEHICLE DOES NOT HOLD WHILE IN PARK. OWNER'S CHILD PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL WHTHOUT THE KEY BEING IN THE IGNITION. CHILD'S LEG WAS BROKEN IN THE INCIDENT. *AK
19961112SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK
POOR ABS PERFORMANCE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
Compare 1985ISUZUIMPULSE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 ISUZU IMPULSE have?▼
The 1985 ISUZU IMPULSE has 4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 ISUZU IMPULSE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 ISUZU IMPULSE is SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS.
Is the 1985 ISUZU IMPULSE 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.