ISUZU RODEO · model year

2003 ISUZU RODEO

19 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2003ISUZURODEO carries 19 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 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 2003 RODEO is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 2 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (2) and structure:body (2). 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 3 active recall campaigns, 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 2003 RODEO. 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.

19
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

19 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE2
STRUCTURE:BODY2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1
SUSPENSION:FRONT1
WHEELS1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE1
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS1
SUSPENSION1
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS1

Recalls (3)

13V54700031/10/2013

SUSPENSION:REAR

Isuzu Manufacturing Services of America, Inc (Isuzu) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Rodeo and Axiom, and 2003 Rodeo Sport vehicles that were originally sold in, or are currently registered in, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, P

03V39000010/10/2003

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:BRAKE FLUID LOW WARNING: LAMP

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 101, "CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS." THE BRAKE WARNING LAMP WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE IN THE EVENT OF DECREASED BRAKE FLUID VOLUME.

05V46600007/10/2005

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO FUEL CONTAMINATED WITH SILICON MAY DEVELOP SMALL PIN HOLES IN THE FUEL PUMP FEED PORT. SILICON HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE FUEL SYSTEMS OF AFFECTED VEHICLES AND IN CERTAIN FUEL AVAILABLE IN THE REGION OF TYLER, TEXAS. THIS RECALL WILL BE LAUN

Recent Complaints

20181007FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

THIS COMPLAINT IS RELATED TO AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION REGARDING FUEL TANK RETENTION. THE FUEL TANK SHIELD ON THIS VEHICLE IS ROTTING AWAY DUE TO RUST AND ONE OF THE TWO FUEL TANK STRAPS HAS ALREADY BROKEN. THERE IS NO ACCESIBILITY TO AN OEM OR AFTERMARKET SHIELD, THE PART IS DISCONTINUED AND AFTERMARKET COMPANIES DO NOT PRODUCE IT AS FAR AS I CAN FIND. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN, AND IT WOULD BE SERIOUSLY EXPENSIVE TO GET A NEW SHIELD MANUFACTURED BY A MACHINE SHOP. DUE TO A LACK OF RODEO'S ON THE ROAD, THERE ARE NO VIABLE OPTIONS I'VE FOUND AT LOCAL JUNKYARDS TO GET A REPLACEMENT SHIELD. WHEN THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED RECENTLY I NOTICED THE FUEL TANK CORROSION BUT WAS UNAWARE OF THE LAXK OF AVAILABILITY. THIS HAS TURNED INTO A MUCH MORE WORRYSOME AND PROBLEMATIC ISSUE THAN I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. I KNOW THIS ISSUE IS BEING LOOKED INTO ALREADY BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE MY COMPLAINT WAS ON FILE, AND TO POSSIBLY PROVIDE MORE INSIGHT AS TO WHY IT'S SUCH A LARGE ISSUE. IF

Mileage: 150,000

20140312STRUCTURE:BODY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ISUZU RODEO. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

20130521CrashSTRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ISUZU RODEO. THE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A GUARD RAIL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE FRAME RAIL WAS ROTTEN AND CAUSED THE AXLE TO DETACH FROM THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000. *TR

Mileage: 88,000

20130107SUSPENSION

FRAME RUST PROBLEM IDENTICAL TO THE 2002 ISSUE MAKES THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

Mileage: 207,000

20130107STRUCTURE:BODY

FRAME RUST PROBLEM IDENTICAL TO THE 2002 ISSUE MAKES THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

Mileage: 207,000

20100519STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

SEVERE RUST AND CORROSION OF FRAME. 2003 ISUZU RODEO. *TR

Mileage: 40,000

20090925POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE

THE "U" BRACKET WHICH PREVENTS THE DRIVE SHAFT FROM FALLING DOWN BROKE OFF AND SLID DOWN THE SHAFT AND WORE THE SHAFT DOWN AND MAKING THE CAR UNDRIVABLE. *TR

Mileage: 84,953

20080820ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

03 ISUZU RODEO 3.2L BURNING EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL. TAKES A QUART EVERY 250 MILES. DONE EVERYTHING RECOMMENDED AT THE RECOMMENDED INTERVALS, OIL CHANGES, EGR VALVE, PCV VALVE, ECT. I AM VERY GOOD ABOUT CHANGING RECOMMENDED PARTS WHEN NEEDED. THIS ENGINE SHOULD NOT BE TAKING OIL. I DO NOT TOW OR REV OVER 5,000 RPM, EVER! OTHER ISUZU OWNERS HAVE ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT THIS TO ME, THIS SEEMS TO BE A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE ISUZU ENGINE. I NOW NEED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AT A COST OF 3,000 PLUS INSTALLATION LABOR CHARGES. THIS IS THE THIRD RODEO I HAVE HAD, GOOD LUCK WITH THE OTHER TWO, BUT NOT THIS ONE. IF THIS CANNOT BE RESOLVED, I WILL PURCHASE ANOTHER MODEL IN THE FUTURE. *TR

Mileage: 34,000

20060323FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

CONSUMER HAS TRIED TO HAVE RECALL WORK PERFORMED ON VEHICLE AND HAS BEEN TOLD THAT THERE IS NO PARTS. *TS RECALL #05V466000. *JB

20051018VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

DT: 2003 ISUZU RODEO. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE DIED WHILE IN MOTION. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON . THE WHOLE DASHBOARD PANEL STARTED BLINKING. THIS OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER 2004. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP , THEY CHANGED THE ODOMETER SENSOR. THE VEHICLE WORKED FOR A WHILE AFTER THAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN IN OCTOBER 2004, AND THEY CHANGED THE SAME PART. THE PART WORKED FROM THEN UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2005. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND THEY REPLACED THE SAME PART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER A FOURTH TIME, AND THEY SPRAYED SILICONE AROUND THE PART. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THERE WAS WATER INSIDE THE SPEED SENSOR CONNECTOR. *AK

Mileage: 10,251

20050929SUSPENSION:FRONT

DT: THE CONTACT'S MOTHER HAD BOUGHT A CAR ON 9-23-05, AND SHE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF PROBLEMS. THE BRAKES WERE GRINDING AND SQUEALING. THE ALIGNMENT WAS SEVERELY OFF, AND THE CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS OUT OF CENTER. WHEN THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT ANY SPEED THE FRONT WHEELS STOPPED, AND IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS HITTING THE REAR OF THE CAR. THE DEALERSHIP TOOK IT AND FIXED NINE THINGS REGARDING THE WHEELS, THE BRAKES AND OTHER THINGS. SHE WAS NOT SURE EXACTLY. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND THE MOTION IN THE REAR OF THE CAR. SHE WANTED A NEW CAR. A MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE MANAGER THAT THE CAR WAS UNSAFE. *AK

Mileage: 42,898

20050929WHEELS

DT: THE CONTACT'S MOTHER HAD BOUGHT A CAR ON 9-23-05, AND SHE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF PROBLEMS. THE BRAKES WERE GRINDING AND SQUEALING. THE ALIGNMENT WAS SEVERELY OFF, AND THE CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS OUT OF CENTER. WHEN THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT ANY SPEED THE FRONT WHEELS STOPPED, AND IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS HITTING THE REAR OF THE CAR. THE DEALERSHIP TOOK IT AND FIXED NINE THINGS REGARDING THE WHEELS, THE BRAKES AND OTHER THINGS. SHE WAS NOT SURE EXACTLY. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND THE MOTION IN THE REAR OF THE CAR. SHE WANTED A NEW CAR. A MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE MANAGER THAT THE CAR WAS UNSAFE. *AK

Mileage: 42,898

20050929SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

DT: THE CONTACT'S MOTHER HAD BOUGHT A CAR ON 9-23-05, AND SHE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF PROBLEMS. THE BRAKES WERE GRINDING AND SQUEALING. THE ALIGNMENT WAS SEVERELY OFF, AND THE CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS OUT OF CENTER. WHEN THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT ANY SPEED THE FRONT WHEELS STOPPED, AND IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS HITTING THE REAR OF THE CAR. THE DEALERSHIP TOOK IT AND FIXED NINE THINGS REGARDING THE WHEELS, THE BRAKES AND OTHER THINGS. SHE WAS NOT SURE EXACTLY. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND THE MOTION IN THE REAR OF THE CAR. SHE WANTED A NEW CAR. A MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE MANAGER THAT THE CAR WAS UNSAFE. *AK

Mileage: 42,898

20050612ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2003 RODEO ENGINE FAILUE AT 48K. ISUZU REFUSES TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY AND BLAMING ME FOR DAMAGE BECAUSE I CANNOT PRODUCE ALL OF MY OIL CHANGE RECIEPTS. MY 2000 RODEO ENGINE FAILED AT 35K AND ISUZU REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. I AM AMAZED AT HOW MANY COMPLAINTS AND "OIL USAGE" POST I AM FINDING ON THE WEB FROM OTHER ISUZU OWNERS.

Mileage: 48,000

20041007ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED A KNOCKING NOISE WAS PRODUCED FROM THE ENGINE. *AK

Mileage: 17,742

20040329ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL

2003 ISUZU RODEO 4CYL. PURCHASED NOV 28 2003. *AK

Mileage: 20

20040302POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THE RODEO WAS THREE MONTHS OLD WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE GAS MILEAGE WAS DECREASING AT AN ALARMING RATE. (LESS THAN 12 MILES PER GALLON) UPON TAKING THE RODEO TO THE SHOP I WAS TOLD THAT IT HAD A SEAL ON THE TRANSMISSION THAT WAS LEAKING CAUSING THE ENGINE TO WORK HARDER, BURNING MORE GAS. ( I SAW NO OIL) THE SEAL WAS REPLACED BUT THE LEAK CONTINUED. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. IF THE VEHICLE WAS OLDER I WOULD HAVE DISMISSED THE TRANSMISSION DUE TO AGE. SINCE IT IS SO NEW I WONDERED IF THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER REPORTS OF THIS. MY RODEO IS AN AUTOMATIC.*AK

Mileage: 3,703

20040202CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2003 ISUZU RODEO 2WD- CHRONIC INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS W/IGNITION STICKING IN ON POSITION ON COLD START AND ENGINE REVVING HIGH AND HANGING HIGH 1700-2000 RPM'S, WITH COOLER DAMPER WEATHER, INTERMITTENT AND MORE FREQUENT IGNITION STICKING PROBLEMS GRADUATING TO IGNITION LOCK UP AFTER ENGINE STARTED: IGNITION LOCKS, CAN'T SHUT DOWN AND ENGINE CONTINUES TO REV AT HIGH RPM'S 2000-2200, UNANTICIPATED ENGINE POWER AND PROPULSION. 1/27/04, COLD START LATE AM, IGNITION STICKING IN ON POSITION, ENGINE REVVING HIGH, THEN DROPS SLOWLY, DROVE 45 MINS, PARKED ON WARM START MID-DAY, IGNITION LOCKED UP, CONTINUED GRINDING ON A STARTED ENGINE AND ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV TO 2200 RPM'S AND HANG HIGH, WITH EXCESSIVE POWER TO ENGINE. RPM DROPPED SLOWLY, ENGAGED IN REVERSE, TOOK FOOT OFF BRAKE AND IMMEDIATELY PROPELLED BACKWARD AT UNEXPECTED SPEED ABOUT 1+ CAR LENGTHS INTO FENCE AND TREE. EXCESSIVE DAMAGE TO REAR OF VEHICLE. IZUSU DEALER, ROYAL OF TUCSON, AZ, ALLEGEDLY UNABLE TO DUPLICATE ON BOTH SERVICES

Mileage: 7,162

20031027SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, INTERMITTENTLY CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND FELT A THUMPING SENSATION IN THE PEDAL. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, THE BRAKES NO LONGER WORKED PROPERLY. THE LAST TIME THE BRAKES FAILED VEHICLE HAD TO RIDE ON THE SHOULDER TO AVOID A COLLISION. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

Mileage: 450

Compare 2003ISUZURODEO to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2003 ISUZU RODEO have?
The 2003 ISUZU RODEO has 19 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 ISUZU RODEO?
Yes, the 2003 ISUZU RODEO has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is SUSPENSION:REAR. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 ISUZU RODEO?
The most-complained component for the 2003 ISUZU RODEO is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and STRUCTURE:BODY.
Is the 2003 ISUZU RODEO 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.