ISUZU TROOPER · model year

1998 ISUZU TROOPER

48 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1998ISUZUTROOPER carries 48 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 2 fires, 4 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 1998 TROOPER is engine and engine cooling:engine with 11 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (4) and vehicle speed control (3). 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 1998 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.

48
Complaints
2
Crashes
2
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

48 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
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE11
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE4
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL3
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING3
TIRES:TREAD/BELT2
TIRES2
SEATS1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL1
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS1
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC1

Recent Complaints

20190319POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 ISUZU TROOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK INTO ANY OTHER GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE RPMS INCREASED AND THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AN UNKNOWN DEALER THAT WAS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS WAS CONTACTED. THE DEALER RETAINED THE VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN TWO WEEKS, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

Mileage: 30,000

20190319VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 ISUZU TROOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK INTO ANY OTHER GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE RPMS INCREASED AND THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AN UNKNOWN DEALER THAT WAS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS WAS CONTACTED. THE DEALER RETAINED THE VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN TWO WEEKS, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

Mileage: 30,000

20101129FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

WHEN IDLING THE VEHICLE IS IDLING VERY HIGH. ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS COMING ON, AND WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AS YOU START TO LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE JERKS YOU, ALMOST TO THE POINT OF GETTING WHIPLASH. WE HAVE HAD IN THE SHOP AT LEAST 3-4 TIMES AND LOTS OF TIMES FOR A WEEK AT A TIME. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS DUE TO THE GAS CAP, THEY REPLACED THAT, 2 DAYS LATER IT WAS BACK ON. THEY ALSO SAID IT WAS THE FUEL SENSOR, REPLACED THAT AND ITS STILL ACTING AS THOUGH ITS NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS. AS FAR AS THE JERKING OF THE VEHICLE THEY WONT TELL US WHAT COULD BE CAUSING THAT. ALSO THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO TO RESOLVE THESE PROBLEMS. THIS VEHICLE IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO TAKE OTHERS LIVES. *TR

Mileage: 86,444

20101129ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WHEN IDLING THE VEHICLE IS IDLING VERY HIGH. ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS COMING ON, AND WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AS YOU START TO LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE JERKS YOU, ALMOST TO THE POINT OF GETTING WHIPLASH. WE HAVE HAD IN THE SHOP AT LEAST 3-4 TIMES AND LOTS OF TIMES FOR A WEEK AT A TIME. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS DUE TO THE GAS CAP, THEY REPLACED THAT, 2 DAYS LATER IT WAS BACK ON. THEY ALSO SAID IT WAS THE FUEL SENSOR, REPLACED THAT AND ITS STILL ACTING AS THOUGH ITS NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS. AS FAR AS THE JERKING OF THE VEHICLE THEY WONT TELL US WHAT COULD BE CAUSING THAT. ALSO THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO TO RESOLVE THESE PROBLEMS. THIS VEHICLE IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO TAKE OTHERS LIVES. *TR

Mileage: 86,444

20101129INTERIOR LIGHTING

WHEN IDLING THE VEHICLE IS IDLING VERY HIGH. ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS COMING ON, AND WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AS YOU START TO LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE JERKS YOU, ALMOST TO THE POINT OF GETTING WHIPLASH. WE HAVE HAD IN THE SHOP AT LEAST 3-4 TIMES AND LOTS OF TIMES FOR A WEEK AT A TIME. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS DUE TO THE GAS CAP, THEY REPLACED THAT, 2 DAYS LATER IT WAS BACK ON. THEY ALSO SAID IT WAS THE FUEL SENSOR, REPLACED THAT AND ITS STILL ACTING AS THOUGH ITS NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS. AS FAR AS THE JERKING OF THE VEHICLE THEY WONT TELL US WHAT COULD BE CAUSING THAT. ALSO THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO TO RESOLVE THESE PROBLEMS. THIS VEHICLE IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO TAKE OTHERS LIVES. *TR

Mileage: 86,444

20101129POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHEN IDLING THE VEHICLE IS IDLING VERY HIGH. ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS COMING ON, AND WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AS YOU START TO LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE JERKS YOU, ALMOST TO THE POINT OF GETTING WHIPLASH. WE HAVE HAD IN THE SHOP AT LEAST 3-4 TIMES AND LOTS OF TIMES FOR A WEEK AT A TIME. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS DUE TO THE GAS CAP, THEY REPLACED THAT, 2 DAYS LATER IT WAS BACK ON. THEY ALSO SAID IT WAS THE FUEL SENSOR, REPLACED THAT AND ITS STILL ACTING AS THOUGH ITS NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS. AS FAR AS THE JERKING OF THE VEHICLE THEY WONT TELL US WHAT COULD BE CAUSING THAT. ALSO THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO TO RESOLVE THESE PROBLEMS. THIS VEHICLE IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO TAKE OTHERS LIVES. *TR

Mileage: 86,444

20100215ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE IS EXHIBITING ABNORMALLY HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION. ONE QUART PER 500 MILES. IMMINENT ENGINE FAILURE IF PROBLEM IS NOT CORRECTED. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

20080806TIRES

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 ISUZU TROOPER. THE VEHICLE HAS ORIGINAL BRIDGESTONE DUELER 684 TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO RIDE AS IF THE TIRES WERE UNBALANCED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER AND NOTICED THAT THE TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE. THERE WAS NO BLOW OUT. THE CONTACT DID NOT DRIVE OVER ANY POTHOLES. THE VIN AND TIRE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000.

Mileage: 119,000

20070622ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

USING 1 QT OIL EVERY 450 MILES. *TR

20070131ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

I AHVE A 1998 ISUZU TROOPER. 3.5 V6. I USED 1QT OF OIL EVERY 500 MILES. ISUZU STATSE THIS IS WITHIN SPECS. I DISAGREE. SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS WELL AS ENGINES COMPLETELY NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE HELP IN MAKING ISUZU OF NORTH AMERICA OWN UP TO THIS FLAWED ENGINE.

Mileage: 82,000

20060425ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

JUST BOUGHT A 98' TROOPER WITH THE 3.5L. DROVE IT FOR 1 WEEK AND GOT THE OIL CHANGED. DROVE IT FOR ANOTHER WEEK AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO AN AUTO PARTS STORE AND HAD IT CHECKED WITH A HANDHELD SCANNER. IT SAID LOW FLOW THROUGH EGR VALVE. TECH SAID TAKE IT OFF AND CLEAN IT, SHOULD BE OK. NEXT DAY ON THE WAY HOME MOTOR STARTS KNOCKING. BABIED IT HOME, NOW KNOCKING VERY BAD. CHECKED OIL, IT WAS DRY. NO WARNING! NOTHING! I ONLY WENT 500 MILES AFTER THE OIL CHANGE. THE TRUCK IS GOING IN FOR A REBUILD. THIS IS GOING TO COST $4000. I HAVE NOT EVEN MADE A PAYMENT ON IT YET! THIS IS ABSURD. NOW, AFTER THE FACT, I HAVE READ ALL THE FORUMS ON THIS SITUATION. TOO LATE FOR ME. AFTER ALL THIS TIME HOW IS ISUZU NOT BEING MADE TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS? WHAT ABOUT CLASS ACTION? SEEMS LIKE A GREAT TRUCK OTHERWISE.

Mileage: 63,344

20060121ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

I HAVE A 1998 ISUZU TROOPER WITH A 3.5L MOTOR AND IT EATS MOTORS OIL LIKE NO OTHER. IT DOES IT EVERYTIME I HAVE CHANGED THE OIL SINCE AFTER ABOUT 50K MILES. THE MOTOR CONSUMES ROUGHLY 1QT OF OIL EVERY 1000 MILES, EVEN AFTER A RECENT OIL CHANGE. I HAVE LOOKED ON COUNTLESS WEB SITES AND FORUMS ALL OVER AND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. PEOPLE JUST DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS WEB SITE AND WHAT YOU DO. THIS PROBLEM WILL PERSIST AND EVENTUALLY END UP IN ENGINE FAILURE AND CAN BE A VERY COSTLY PROBLEM. THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS LATER AND A NEW MOTOR, ONE WILL STILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM FOR THERE IS NO WAY TO FIX IT. THE DRAIN BACK HOLES IN THE OILS RINGS IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE PROBLEM IS. PLEASE CONTACT ISUZU ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE THEN DO A RECALL PLEASE! IT WOULD SAVE A LOT OF MONEY FOR EVERYONE WHO DRIVES A 3.5L ISUZU/ACURA MOTOR. *JB

20050807FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WE WERE DRIVING IN MY 1998 ISUZU TROOPER WITH THE 3.5 LITER ENGINE AND ABOUT 90,000 MILES ON A FAMILY VACATION TO MONTANA, AS WE CAME TO OUR DESTINATION WE WERE IN THE MOUNTAINS. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS BEING USED IN OUR VEHICLE AND WAS SET AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE MONTANA SPEED LIMIT. THE VEHICLE HAD TO DOWNSHIFT TO GO UP THE MOUNTAIN SIDE UPON GETTING TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN THE VEHICLE QUICKLY BEGAN TO MAKE A STRANGE NOISE. SECONDS LATER THERE WAS A LOUD BOOM AND ENGINE PARTS WENT FLYING EVERYWHERE, WE HAD DROPPED 2 PISTONS OUT THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE AND NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR FROM SUCH BAD DAMAGE. WE QUICKLY PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT EXACTLY HAD HAPPENED AND NOTICED THAT THE OIL LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND WE HAD TO QUICKLY EXTINGUISH IT. WE THEN PICKED UP THE ENGINE PARTS FROM THE HIGHWAY TO NOT HURT OTHER VEHICLES. WE CONTACTED THE LOCAL POLICE AND THEY AIDED US IN GETTING TO THE NEAREST DEALER 110 MILES AWAY. THE DEALER TOOK OVER

Mileage: 91,000

20050126ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I PURCHASED A USED 1998 ISUZU TROOPER IN 1993. THE PREVIOUS OWNER KEPT ALL RECORDS OF WORK DONE, PER THE MANUAL. FROM THE BEGINNING I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE CAR FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS BEING HELD BACK WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER CHECKED OUT MY CAR ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASSIONS AND FOUND NOTHING. I THEN BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT I WAS PUTTING OIL IN MY ISUZU EVERY 300-500 MILES. I TOOK IT TO A FRIENDS CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD ALSO PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH THE VEHICLE. I CALLED THEM AND THEY REQUESTED ALL OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS WHICH I SUPPLIED. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $1000.00 TO HAVE THE ENGINE TAKEN OUT AND AT THAT POINT THEY WOULD DECIDE WHETHER IT WAS MY FAULT OR A DEFECT. NEEDLESS TO SAY I DIDN'T AGREE WITH PAYING $1000.00 SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THIS VEHICLE. I CALLED ISUZU AND THEY COULDN'T HAVE CARED LESS. I DON'T HAVE THE $6000.00 NEEDED TO REPLA

Mileage: 32,000

20050113ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF A 1998 ISUZU TROOPER (3.5L V6 MOTOR). I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WITH APPROXIMATELY 43K MILES ON IT. AT JUST OVER 50K MILES, THE MOTOR BEGAN TO BURN OIL AT THE RATE OF ONE QUART EVERY 700-1000 MILES DRIVEN. THE RATE OF CONSUMPTION IS MUCH HIGHER IF DRIVEN LONG DISTANCES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ISUZU IS TRYING TO SAY THAT USING ONE QUART OF OIL PER 1000 MILES IS ACCEPTABLE. I SAY DIFFERENTLY, AS NO OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED USES OIL ACCORDINGLY. (INCLUDING MY 1993 ISUZU TROOPER). THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WELL KNOWN BY ISUZU USA, BUT THEY REFUSE TO TAKE ANY CORRECTIVE MEASURE. THE GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE DEFECT RELATES TO THE OIL DRAIN BACK HOLES IN THE PISTONS. THIS IS A FLAWED DESIGN AND CAUSES ENGINE FAILURE ROUTINELY. I FEEL WITH THE NUMBER OF FAILURES IN THE 1998+ ISUZU 3.5L V6 MOTOR, A RECALL SHOULD BE CONDUCTED TO PROPERLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THANK YOUR FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. *JB

Mileage: 50,000

20040909FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

AFTER SMELLING GAS CONSUMER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED GAS LEAKING. IF THE VEHICLE IS TURNED ON THE GAS LEAKS. VEHICLE IS BEING TOWED TO THE DEALER.*AK

Mileage: 12,800

20040806ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. 1998 ISUZU TROOPER ENGINE BEGAN USING EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL. ENGINE WITH 68,000 MILES WENT FROM FULL OIL LEVEL TO WARNING LIGHT AND MOTOR FAILURE (BEARING AND BLOCK BREAKAGE) WITHIN 2-3,000 MILES. SEVERAL EXPERIENCED MECHANICS AND EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY (THAT DENIED COVERAGE) SAY THERE IS A KNOW FAILURE OF THESE ENGINES.*AK

Mileage: 68,000

20040721ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

98 ISUZU TROOPER 3.5 ENGINE BURNS OIL EXCESSIVELY. I AM ORIGINAL OWNER AND REGULARLY SERVICED PER OWNERS MANUAL. AT 55000 MILES, ENGINE OIL LIGHT TURNED ON 2,500 MILES AFTER OIL CHANGE. OVER 4 QTS LOW. $1400 REPAIR BILL (NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY) UNABLE TO FIX OIL BURNING ISSUE. ENGINE NOW AT 75000 MI AND BURNING APPROXIMATELY. 1 QT PER 600-700 MILES. SEEMS TO BE COMMON ENGINE DEFECT AND KNOWN BY MECHANICS AND OWNERS, BUT ISUZU UNWILLING ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM. THOUGH MONITORING CONSTANTLY, AM JUST WAITING FOR SIGNIFICANT ENGINE FAILURE. *LA

Mileage: 55,000

20040610ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

1998 ISUZU TROOPER 3.5 LITER ENGINE FAILURE AT 74,000 MILES. NO REBUILT OR USED ENGINES AVAILABLE ANYWHERE IN USA. ONE GARAGE IN CHANDLER, AZ SAID IT WAS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM WITH FAILURE #1 ENGINE CYLINDER WITH 60 TO 90,000 MILES. THEY ARE DOING ALOT OF BUSINESS WITH THIS, EVEN SELLING OVERHAULS ON E-BAY. *AK

Mileage: 74,000

20040308ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

ISUZU TROOPER INTAKE MANIFOLD IS FAULTY. MFR. WILL NOT ISSUE RECALL. *AK

Compare 1998ISUZUTROOPER to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1998 ISUZU TROOPER have?
The 1998 ISUZU TROOPER has 48 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 2 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 ISUZU TROOPER?
The most-complained component for the 1998 ISUZU TROOPER is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 11 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 1998 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.