Total Complaints
28 filings
ISUZU IMPULSE · model year
28 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991ISUZUIMPULSE carries 28 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, 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 1991 IMPULSE is electrical system:ignition:module with 8 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (4) and unknown or other (4). 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 1991 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.
Total Complaints
28 filings
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 8 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 4 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 4 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL | 2 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
I HAVE A 1991 ISUZU IMPULSE AND IT'S HAVING ECU PROBLEMS. MY MECHANIC SAYS IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I SEE THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS, AND IT SHOULDN'T FALL ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE CONSUMERS. *AK
CAR RACES ENGINE BADLY IN THE SUMMER WHEN TEMP OVER 80 DEGREES-WONT IDLE. *AK
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME IDLE CONTROL PROBLEMS AS STATED IN PREVIOUS RECALL REGARDING THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT. *YH
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME IDLE CONTROL PROBLEMS AS STATED IN PREVIOUS RECALL REGARDING THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT. *YH
THE SYMPTOMS OF THIS FAULT ARE MOST NOTABLY ERRATIC IDLE, IDLE REVVING AND DROPPING, IDLE DIPPING OFTEN WITH ENGINE DYING, IDLE HANGING HIGH ABOVE 2,000 RPM, AND ENGINE DYING OR STALLING FOR NO REASON WITH NO TROUBLE CODES. THESE SYMPTOMS WILL OFTEN ONLY OCCUR IN WARMER WEATHER AS THE METAL CIRCUITS OF THE CIRCUIT BOARD SEEM MOST VULNERABLE TO SHORT CIRCUITS AT SOLDER CRACKS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE CAR IS ABOVE 80 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. IN TEMPERATE CLIMATES, THE SYMPTOMS MAY FIRST SHOW THEMSELVES AS SOON AS THE WEATHER WARMS AND PLAGUE THE OWNER ALL SUMMER LONG, ONLY TO SUBSIDE IN THE FALL WITH THE COOLER WEATHER AND THEN REAPPEAR THE NEXT SPRING.
THIS IS A REOCCURRING MANUFACTURER DEFECT. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE ENGINE CONTROL MODULES. *AK
AS THE WEATHER IS GETTING WARMER THE ENGINE REVS AND DROPS UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CAR ALSO STALLS AT ANY SPEED. I HAVE HAD IT EVEN STALL ON THE HIGHWAY. I HEAR THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF ECM UNIT, PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS FOR ME. IF I HADN'T TAKEN A DEFENSIVE DRIVING COURSE I COULD BE DEAD RIGHT NOW. *AK
AS THE WEATHER IS GETTING WARMER THE ENGINE REVS AND DROPS UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CAR ALSO STALLS AT ANY SPEED. I HAVE HAD IT EVEN STALL ON THE HIGHWAY. I HEAR THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF ECM UNIT, PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS FOR ME. IF I HADN'T TAKEN A DEFENSIVE DRIVING COURSE I COULD BE DEAD RIGHT NOW. *AK
THE DEFECTS ARE DUE TO THE IMPROPER MANUFACTURING OF THE ECM MODULE OF THIS VEHICLE. THE SYMPTOMS INCLUDE AN ERRATIC IDLE WITH THE IDLE REVVING UP AND DROPPING TO THE POINT WHERE THE ENGINE DIES. THE IDLING WILL JUMP UP TO 2000 RPM, LINGER THERE UNTIL I BLIP THE THROTTLE, SOMETIMES UP TO 3 OR 4 TIMES. ON ONE OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65MPH, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO STALL WITH THE IDLING MOVING ERRATICALLY, AND THEN SUDDENLY THE CAR WENT COMPLETELY DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. LUCKILY, I MANAGED TO COAST OFF TO THE SHOULDER WHERE I REMAINED STRANDED FOR OVER FOUR HOURS. WHEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER, THERE ARE NO TROUBLE CODES PRESENT. IT WAS SUGGESTED TO ME TO REPLACE THE IGNITION MODULE, PLUGS, WIRES, COIL PACKS, CAM ANGLE SENSOR, AND VARIOUS OTHER COMPONENTS DUE TO THE REASON THAT THEY WERE THE ONES CAUSING THE PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY, THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED AND MY WALLET WAS LIGHTENED BY ABOUT $500. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS "NORMAL" FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. I D
THE CAR WILL FOR NO REASON STALL, EVEN AT HIGH SPEEDS RESULTING IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. THIS IS THE SECOND ONE THAT I HAVE OWNED, AND THE OTHER ONE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, WHEN THE CALL STALLED, AND CAUSED A LOSS OF STEERING. A PEDESTRIAN WAS WALKING ON THE STREET CORNER, WHEN MY CAR SMASHED AGAINST THE CURB, JUST BARELY MISSING HIM. IT'S REALLY SCARY WHEN THIS HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS TOLD THAT THE ECU IS DEFECTIVE IN EVERY IMPULSE/STORM EVER MADE. WHY WASN'T THERE EVER A RECALL? ARE WE WAITING FOR SOMEBODY TO BE KILLED FIRST?
WHEN CAR WARMS UP YOU CANT DRIVE OR IT WILL STALL. ONCE WARMED UP IT WILL NOT START. I SAW AN ARTICLE ON THE ISUZUPERFORMANCE WEB SITE THAT SAID OTHER VEHICLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IT ALSO STATED THE REASON FOR THIS PROBLEM IS A FAULTY ECU COMPUTER MADE AND INSTALLED BY AC DELCO. I WISH I WOULD HAVE HAD THIS INFORMATION BEFORE I WENT OUT A BOUGHT PARTS TO TRY TO FIX THE PROBLEM MYSELF. IF ITS THE COMPUTER, THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT THAT ON MY OWN. A RESPONSE ON THIS ISSUE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. *AK
THIS IS THE 2ND IMPULSE THAT I HAVE OWNED, AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD ONLY HAPPEN TO MY FIRST ONE, BUT THIS ONE IS THE SAME WAY. WHEN IT GETS WARM OUT, THE ENGINE HAS IDLING PROBLEMS. THEN OTHER IMPULSE I HAD (1990) DID IT FROM DAY 1 AT 55000 MILES. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NO SUMMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THE VEHICLE FAILS TO RUN AFTER IS WARMS UP. I HAVE CONTACTED SEVERAL MECHANICS AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THE MANUFACTURER USES AN INSULATING SPRAY ON THE ECU THAT CAUSES IT TO SHRINK AND BRAKE CONTACTS IN THE UNIT ITSELF. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IN THAT IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ONCE ALREADY AND WITH LOOSE CONTACT IT MY CAUSE A FIRE. I DO NOT EXPECT THE MANUFACTURER TO REPLACE THE UNIT FOR FREE. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED SO THEY DID NOT MAKE ANY MONEY OFF OF ME BUT SOME HELP WOULD BE NICE. I FIND THEM RESPONSIBLE SO THEY SHOULD LIVE UP TO THERE REPUTATION OF QUALITY. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
ECU HAS ERRATIC PROBLEM. WILL PUT THE CAR INTO HIGH IDLE AT ANY GIVEN SPEED AND WILL NOT RESET UNLESS CAR IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. REPLACE ACCELERATOR CABLE AND RESEATED ECM SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL. TRY RESETTING THE ECM TO GET THE CAR OFF OF HIGH IDLE WHILE YOU ARE IN TRAFFIC. *AK
ECU HAS ERRATIC PROBLEM. WILL PUT THE CAR INTO HIGH IDLE AT ANY GIVEN SPEED AND WILL NOT RESET UNLESS CAR IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. REPLACE ACCELERATOR CABLE AND RESEATED ECM SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL. TRY RESETTING THE ECM TO GET THE CAR OFF OF HIGH IDLE WHILE YOU ARE IN TRAFFIC. *AK
MY ADDRESS IS IN ONTARIO,CANADA POSTAL CODE L5J-3N5. THE SYMPTOMS OF THIS FAULT ARE MOST NOTABLY ERRATIC IDLE, IDLE REVVING AND DROPPING, IDLE DIPPING OFTEN WITH ENGINE DYING, IDLE HANGING HIGH ABOVE 2,000 RPM, AND ENGINE DYING OR STALLING FOR NO REASON WITH NO TROUBLE CODES. THESE SYMPTOMS WILL OFTEN ONLY OCCUR IN WARMER WEATHER AS THE METAL CIRCUITS OF THE CIRCUIT BOARD SEEM MOST VULNERABLE TO SHORT CIRCUITS AT SOLDER CRACKS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE CAR IS ABOVE 80 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. IN TEMPERATE CLIMATES, THE SYMPTOMS MAY FIRST SHOW THEMSELVES AS SOON AS THE WEATHER WARMS AND PLAGUE THE OWNER ALL SUMMER LONG, ONLY TO SUBSIDE IN THE FALL WITH THE COOLER WEATHER AND THEN REAPPEAR THE NEXT SPRING. *AK
WHILE MAKEING A STOP ENGINE WOULD STALL OR IDLE. EALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ,CAN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *AK
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.