Total Complaints
5 filings
ISUZU TROOPER · model year
1985 ISUZU TROOPER
5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985ISUZUTROOPER carries 5 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, 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 1985 TROOPER is structure:frame and members with 2 filings, followed by power train:axle assembly (1) and power train:axle assembly:axle shaft:seal (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 1 investigation file overlapping the 1985 TROOPER. 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
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
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 |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000623POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
1ST INCIDENT OCCURRED 1990 AT 5 MPH. LOST POWER. WHEEL WAS EXTENDING FROM CAR. 1200 MILES LATER, 2ND INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 40 MPH, NEAR CLIFF. WHEEL AND AXLE DEPARTED, PASSED VEHICLE, SWUNG BACK & HIT VEHICLE. PAID LAREDO TX DEALER TO DISMANTLED OTHER AXLES AND EXAMINED DIFFERENTIAL. 1200 MILES LATER REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILED. CHARLSTON, SC DEALER GUARANTEED NO FAILURE. SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES LATER, NOISE & AXLE HOUSING OIL SPILL. REPAIRED IN NEW YORK CITY. SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES LATER, ANOTHER AXLE HOUSING OIL SPILL. IN 1991, NHTSA REPORTS THAT THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS & CAN'T HELP. SOLD VEHICLE AT LOSS WITH FULL DISCLOSURE & RECOMMENDATION TO REPLACE FULL AXLE HOUSING. 9 YEARS LATER, I HEAR OF A SIMILAR INCIDENT IN ANOTHER ISUZU TROOPER. NHTSA DATABASE (2000) REPORTS NO RECALL IN THIS AREA. IS THIS SERIOUS ENOUGH OF A SAFETY ISSUE FOR NHTSA TO EXAMINE?*AK
20000623POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL
1ST INCIDENT OCCURRED 1990 AT 5 MPH. LOST POWER. WHEEL WAS EXTENDING FROM CAR. 1200 MILES LATER, 2ND INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 40 MPH, NEAR CLIFF. WHEEL AND AXLE DEPARTED, PASSED VEHICLE, SWUNG BACK & HIT VEHICLE. PAID LAREDO TX DEALER TO DISMANTLED OTHER AXLES AND EXAMINED DIFFERENTIAL. 1200 MILES LATER REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILED. CHARLSTON, SC DEALER GUARANTEED NO FAILURE. SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES LATER, NOISE & AXLE HOUSING OIL SPILL. REPAIRED IN NEW YORK CITY. SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES LATER, ANOTHER AXLE HOUSING OIL SPILL. IN 1991, NHTSA REPORTS THAT THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS & CAN'T HELP. SOLD VEHICLE AT LOSS WITH FULL DISCLOSURE & RECOMMENDATION TO REPLACE FULL AXLE HOUSING. 9 YEARS LATER, I HEAR OF A SIMILAR INCIDENT IN ANOTHER ISUZU TROOPER. NHTSA DATABASE (2000) REPORTS NO RECALL IN THIS AREA. IS THIS SERIOUS ENOUGH OF A SAFETY ISSUE FOR NHTSA TO EXAMINE?*AK
20000623POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
1ST INCIDENT OCCURRED 1990 AT 5 MPH. LOST POWER. WHEEL WAS EXTENDING FROM CAR. 1200 MILES LATER, 2ND INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 40 MPH, NEAR CLIFF. WHEEL AND AXLE DEPARTED, PASSED VEHICLE, SWUNG BACK & HIT VEHICLE. PAID LAREDO TX DEALER TO DISMANTLED OTHER AXLES AND EXAMINED DIFFERENTIAL. 1200 MILES LATER REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILED. CHARLSTON, SC DEALER GUARANTEED NO FAILURE. SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES LATER, NOISE & AXLE HOUSING OIL SPILL. REPAIRED IN NEW YORK CITY. SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES LATER, ANOTHER AXLE HOUSING OIL SPILL. IN 1991, NHTSA REPORTS THAT THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS & CAN'T HELP. SOLD VEHICLE AT LOSS WITH FULL DISCLOSURE & RECOMMENDATION TO REPLACE FULL AXLE HOUSING. 9 YEARS LATER, I HEAR OF A SIMILAR INCIDENT IN ANOTHER ISUZU TROOPER. NHTSA DATABASE (2000) REPORTS NO RECALL IN THIS AREA. IS THIS SERIOUS ENOUGH OF A SAFETY ISSUE FOR NHTSA TO EXAMINE?*AK
19960930STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
FRAME RUSTED WHERE TORSION BAR IS WELDED.
19951106CrashSTRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
THE FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH ENTIRELY AND BROKE IN HALF AND CAUSED THE DRIVER TO GO INTO A DITCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
Compare 1985ISUZUTROOPER to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 ISUZU TROOPER have?▼
The 1985 ISUZU TROOPER has 5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 ISUZU TROOPER?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 ISUZU TROOPER is STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY and POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL.
Is the 1985 ISUZU TROOPER 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.