Total Complaints
4 filings
ISUZU IMPULSE · model year
1985 ISUZU IMPULSE
4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports 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). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 5 investigation files overlapping the 1985 IMPULSE. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1985 ISUZU IMPULSE; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.