Total Complaints
5 filings
ISUZU IMPULSE · model year
1990 ISUZU IMPULSE
5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990ISUZUIMPULSE carries 5 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 1990 IMPULSE is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 2 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (2) and electrical system:ignition (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 1990 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.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030801VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSTANT STALLING AND/OR HIGH REVVING OF ENGINE. STALLING USUALLY OCCURS WHEN COMMING OUT OF GEAR AND IDLE GOES DOWN TO 500RPMS OR LOWER AND STALLS OUT. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE AN ACKNOWLEDGED ECU PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE REPLACED AND ISUZU NEVER DID.*AK
20020415ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
19990707VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ENGINE IDLE JUMPS ABOVE 3000 RPM AFTER PULLING TO A STOP. WILL OCCASIONALLY RETURN TO NORMAL AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES. CAR RACES AND ACCELERATES UNCONTROLLABLY WITH CLUTCH ENGAGED UNTIL IDLE SPEED RETURNS TO NORMAL. IAC AND STICKY THROTTLE CABLE HAVE BEEN RULED OUT. PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO THE DELCO ECU, AS EXPERIENCED BY MANY OWNERS OF VEHICLES WITH 1.6 AND 1.8 LITER FI 4XE1 AND 4XF1 ENGINES. MANUFACTURER HAS REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM.
19960730SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE.*AK
19960601SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED AFTER RECALL REPAIRS. *SD
Compare 1990ISUZUIMPULSE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1990 ISUZU IMPULSE have?▼
The 1990 ISUZU IMPULSE has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 ISUZU IMPULSE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 ISUZU IMPULSE is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION.
Is the 1990 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.