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1996 Isuzu Rodeo

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Isuzu Rodeo do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 89.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 11 of 97 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Wheels. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

17 crash reports2 fire reports9 injury reports

Structure complaints

10 reports
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153,213 miles · May 27, 2014
StructureSuspension

THE FRAME OF THIS VEHICLE IS RUSTED EXCESSIVELY AND IS DEEMED BY QUALIFIED MECHANICS AS NOT ROADWORTHY. ALL OTHER PARTS OF THE VEHICLE WORK PROPERLY AND THE VEHICLE STILL LOOKS GREAT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10594406

166,000 miles · Jun 6, 2012
Structure

EFFECTIVE PART: THE 2 MAIN FRAMES ARE RUST OUT AND COULD BREAK AT ANYTIME. WE BELIEVE ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE FRAMES ARE DETERIORATING IS FROM SALT DURING THE WINTER. DO TO THE COMPANY BAD FRAMING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10460852

Mileage unknown · Aug 2, 2011
Structure

THE FRAME OF MY 1996 ISUZU RODEO IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. WHEN SEARCHING ONLINE, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY LARGE ISSUE THAT ISUZU IS HAVING. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER TESTIMONIALS STATING THAT THEIR ISUZU RODEO'S FRAME IS RUSTED AWAY, AND THEY HAVE LESS THEN 100,000 MILES ON IT. MY RODEO HAS 110,000 MILES, BUT HAS PROBABLY BEEN…

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THE FRAME OF MY 1996 ISUZU RODEO IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. WHEN SEARCHING ONLINE, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY LARGE ISSUE THAT ISUZU IS HAVING. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER TESTIMONIALS STATING THAT THEIR ISUZU RODEO'S FRAME IS RUSTED AWAY, AND THEY HAVE LESS THEN 100,000 MILES ON IT. MY RODEO HAS 110,000 MILES, BUT HAS PROBABLY BEEN RUSTED OUT SOME TIME AGO. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON THAT A FRAME TO ANY MANUFACTURED VEHICLE SHOULD BE RUSTED OUT AROUND 100,000 MILES. MANY, MANY OTHER COMPONENTS TO THE CAR SHOULD BE GOING BAD WELL BEFORE THE FRAME ROTS OUT. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER CARS IN THE WORLD THAT ARE LITERALLY DECADES OLDER, AND DO NOT SHOW NEARLY AS MUCH FRAME RUST. ISUZU USED VERY LOW QUALITY, NON-RESISTANT METAL TO MAKE THE FRAME, AND IT HAS ALREADY INJURED/KILLED MANY PEOPLE. ISUZU RECOGNIZED THERE PROBLEM, AND MADE A RECALL ON THE RODEO'S FOR YEARS 1998-2002. THE SAME MATERIAL WAS USED IN ALL RODEO'S SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE 1998, HOWEVER, THEY LIMITED THERE RECALL TO ONLY 5 YEARS TO CUT DOWN EXPOSURE AND COSTS OF REPAIR. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS! THERE ARE 1996 AND 1997 RODEO'S ROTTING OUT AROUND 80,000 MILES. WHAT? WHY? THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CRIMINAL! THIS RECALL SHOULD INCLUDE ALL RODEO'S THAT EXPERIENCE THIS SAME PROBLEM, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THEM. NOT JUST YEARS 1998-2002. MY FRAME HAS LARGE HOLES IN IT, AND CAN BE BROKEN BY HAND. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING FOR EASILY ANOTHER DECADE. CAN SOMETHING PLEASE BE DONE ABOUT THIS, BEFORE MORE PEOPLE GET HURT. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10416776

Mileage unknown · Aug 2, 2011
Structure

THE FRAME OF MY 1996 ISUZU RODEO IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. WHEN SEARCHING ONLINE, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY LARGE ISSUE THAT ISUZU IS HAVING. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER TESTIMONIALS STATING THAT THEIR ISUZU RODEO'S FRAME IS RUSTED AWAY, AND THEY HAVE LESS THEN 100,000 MILES ON IT. MY RODEO HAS 110,000 MILES, BUT HAS PROBABLY BE…

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THE FRAME OF MY 1996 ISUZU RODEO IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. WHEN SEARCHING ONLINE, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY LARGE ISSUE THAT ISUZU IS HAVING. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER TESTIMONIALS STATING THAT THEIR ISUZU RODEO'S FRAME IS RUSTED AWAY, AND THEY HAVE LESS THEN 100,000 MILES ON IT. MY RODEO HAS 110,000 MILES, BUT HAS PROBABLY BEEN RUSTED OUT SOME TIME AGO. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON THAT A FRAME TO ANY MANUFACTURED VEHICLE SHOULD BE RUSTED OUT AROUND 100,000 MILES. MANY, MANY OTHER COMPONENTS TO THE CAR SHOULD BE GOING BAD WELL BEFORE THE FRAME ROTS OUT. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER CARS IN THE WORLD THAT ARE LITERALLY DECADES OLDER, AND DO NOT SHOW NEARLY AS MUCH FRAME RUST. ISUZU USED VERY LOW QUALITY, NON-RESISTANT METAL TO MAKE THE FRAME, AND IT HAS ALREADY INJURED/KILLED MANY PEOPLE. ISUZU RECOGNIZED THERE PROBLEM, AND MADE A RECALL ON THE RODEO'S FOR YEARS 1998-2002. THE SAME MATERIAL WAS USED IN ALL RODEO'S SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE 1998, HOWEVER, THEY LIMITED THERE RECALL TO ONLY 5 YEARS TO CUT DOWN EXPOSURE AND COSTS OF REPAIR. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS! THERE ARE 1996 AND 1997 RODEO'S ROTTING OUT AROUND 80,000 MILES. WHAT? WHY? THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CRIMINAL! THIS RECALL SHOULD INCLUDE ALL RODEO'S THAT EXPERIENCE THIS SAME PROBLEM, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THEM. NOT JUST YEARS 1998-2002. MY FRAME HAS LARGE HOLES IN IT, AND CAN BE BROKEN BY HAND. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING FOR EASILY ANOTHER DECADE. CAN SOMETHING PLEASE BE DONE ABOUT THIS, BEFORE MORE PEOPLE GET HURT. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10416774

150,000 miles · Jun 20, 2011
StructureSuspension

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 ISUZU RODEO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EXCESSIVE RUST WAS BUILDING UP UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V436000 (SUSPENSION:REAR) BUT THE YEAR OF THE VEHICLE DID NOT COMPLY WITH THE RECALL. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT T…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 ISUZU RODEO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EXCESSIVE RUST WAS BUILDING UP UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V436000 (SUSPENSION:REAR) BUT THE YEAR OF THE VEHICLE DID NOT COMPLY WITH THE RECALL. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD EXTEND THE RECALL TO LATER MODEL VEHICLES AS THE FAILURE WAS CONCURRENT WITH THE FAILURE. 150,000. UPDATED 9/16/11 *CN THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE GAS TANK LEAKED DUE TO THE RUSTING OF THE VEHICLE. THE GAS TANK SUPPORTS RUSTED OUT AND THE FRAME WAS CRUMBLING FROM THE RUST. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE VEHICLE WAS BEYOND REPAIR. UPDATED 11/02/11

NHTSA ODI #10407573

111,000 miles · Mar 1, 2011
Structure

HI, I OWN AN ISUZU RODEO S V6 (YEAR 1996) AND AFTER HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL PUMP MY MECHANIC ALERTED ME ABOUT AN ADVANCED RUSTING DETERIORATION ON THE STRUCTURAL FRAME OF THE CAR. NOT ONLY THE BODY OF THE CAR IS RUSTED BUT THE FUEL LINE PIPES AS WELL. THE BREAK FLUID PIPE BROKE TWO YEARS AGO DUE TO RUSTING BUT FORTUN…

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HI, I OWN AN ISUZU RODEO S V6 (YEAR 1996) AND AFTER HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL PUMP MY MECHANIC ALERTED ME ABOUT AN ADVANCED RUSTING DETERIORATION ON THE STRUCTURAL FRAME OF THE CAR. NOT ONLY THE BODY OF THE CAR IS RUSTED BUT THE FUEL LINE PIPES AS WELL. THE BREAK FLUID PIPE BROKE TWO YEARS AGO DUE TO RUSTING BUT FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BY REDUCING GEARS. THE REST OF THE CAR IS IN GREAT CONDITION (MECHANICALLY, ELECTRICALLY, ETC) AND IT IS A SHAME THAT IN VITAL PARTS OF THE CAR ISUZU USED CHEAP/NON-RESISTANT MATERIAL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10386130

Mileage unknown · May 12, 2010
Structure

THE FRAME OF MY 1996 ISZUZ RODEO IS RUSTED AWAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10330042

70,000 miles · Feb 22, 2010
Structure

FRAME IS ROTTED ON 1996 ISUZU RODEO COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH , ONLY 98,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10312849

Mileage unknown · Aug 24, 2000
StructureWheels

LUGS: NUTS STRIPPED THE METAL IN MALE FORM. AIR GUN STRIPED THE METAL PARTS WHEN MECHANIC WAS REMOVING THE WHEELS. ALSO, ELECTRICAL DOOR LOCKS ARE NOT GOING ALL THE WAY DOWN. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, AND THE RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #868642

Mileage unknown · Nov 4, 1997
Structure

POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #605447

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.