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Isuzu Trooper

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Comments

  • savvas_esavvas_e Member Posts: 347
    Hey, guess what!

    There's a rumour flying around down here that Trooper/Jackaroo/Bighorn production for the remaining world markets (ie ... not North America) has now shifted to Isuzu's Thailand plant.

    This is where the Isuzu Pickup (Holden Rodeo) is still built in 2WD and 4WD models.

    Haven't been able to verify it though.
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    It was funny to see a cross section of the Hummer H2 at the autoshow...running a 4L60E transmission...I assume that is the big brother of the 4L30E in the trooper.

    The transfer case looked very similar too...I suppose it probably is a borg and warner implementation, so why shouldn't it.
  • coop18coop18 Member Posts: 4
    I have a 2000 Troop S - at around 15 and 30K miles I've had take it in to the dealer to track down a rattle -- which to my inexperienced ear sounded like some type of valve or exhaust leak. Both times its been a quick fix - which is listed on the service slip as a "loose EGR tube causing exhaust leak". Last time, I had to pick it up after hours, so I didnt get to talk to the mechanic. Anyone know what this -- and where it is so that I might get to it myself next time..... thanks.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Yep the H2 doesn't get a very large tranny or t-case. All it is is a gussied up version of the 1500 series SWB Yukon/Tahoe.

    -mike
  • ronslakieronslakie Member Posts: 58
    I am new to this forum, my son just bought a new 02 Trooper S and he loves it, however, he is having starting problems. Sometimes he cranks for nearly a minute before he can get it to start and it is not even a week old. We are of course going back to the dealer to have it checked out. I am wondering if this is a common problem. Would appreciate any feedback on this.

    Ron
    Springfield, VA
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    If it is a "new" 2002, my first guess with our cold spell here in the East would be that it's a weak battery. An 02 model could have been sitting for almost a year since it was produced, and my guess is that the dealer never checked out the battery before delivery.

    Another option is that it's the fuel pressure riser this keeps pressure in the line after you turn off the vehicle. If this is bad (and we've seen 2 or 3 on here that were) then the first start of the day could be trouble.

    An easy way to check for this is to put the key into the "on" position for 15 seconds before turning the key. This will power up the fuel pump and pressurize the fuel line. Then when you turn the key it should turnover immediately. At least then you can tell the dealer what to fix.

    The 3rd option might be the intake manifold gasket, although on such a new vehicle my guess is that this is not the problem. Are there any stalling problems @ idle associated with the hard starting?

    -mike
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    I was able to remove the boot/tube with my hands. Some forceful pushing and a little twist, and the coil pack and boot/tube were together again. breakor, thanks for your advice on this.

    I checked 5 of the 6 spark plug wells and saw no signs of oil in any of them. Didn't try to pull any of the plugs, though. My plan is to have a shop do this since the plugs have 76k+ on them and they might be tough to get off. I'd rather have them do the damage than me, so I can have it fixed on their dime.

    I couldn't figure out how to get the coil pack off the driver's side rear one due to the master cylinder proximity. Do you guys remember how you removed the 2 screws? I tried an 8mm socket and also 8mm wrench but couldn't get in there clean enough. I need a couple more tools first.

    Any ideas on this - shop damages a plug and can't get it out, or runs into some sort of problem during a plug change. Do you think most shops (dealers included) would take on the responsibility for fixing it free, or would they claim it was due to lack of maintenance and try to stick the customer with the bill?
  • sdc2sdc2 Member Posts: 780
    I say it's your fuel pressure regulator. I had that problem on my 99 once.
  • cracoviancracovian Member Posts: 337
    My 2002 starts rough sometimes and it's garaged here in Georgia, so I can't blame it on any cold weather. To be honest, after 4500 miles, I've had all kinds of little crap happen with this truck (starting, frequent weird engine sounds, cruise control getting stuck or accelerating rapidly for no reason, etc.) Finally, the Check Engine light came on yesterday, so I locked the SOB in the garage and I'll have my wife drive it to the dealer tomorrow. We keep wasting our time, I'm really getting tired of these constant surprises and I hope I didn't make a huge mistake buying this lemon :-(
  • looseheadloosehead Member Posts: 2
    I am considering buying a 2002 Trooper. What is/has been reliability, safety etc on this vehicle?

    Would you recommend purchase of 2002 Trooper S?
  • cracoviancracovian Member Posts: 337
    Please judge the safety of the Trooper for yourself:
    http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/00029.htm
    I guess there is a way to put a positive spin on these results but I cannot think of any at this point...
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    There are at least 2 trooper owners on this board who were in 40-50mph T-bone accidents with previous troopers. Walked away untouched from their truck that was totalled and re-bought another one. For me that says a lot about them. Theoretical tests aren't real world stats. Real world stats show the Troopers as very safe. If they were so "unsafe" then the liability insurance on one would not be less than a mazda 626, a friend of mine had a 626 and the liability jumped $20 when he went from the 626 to the trooper.

    -mike
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    I place importance on both controlled crash test results as well as anecdotal crash test results. I'm one of the folks whose Trooper t-boned another vehicle (his fault, not mine) and walked away basically unscathed. Well, I did have a sore neck for a few days but that was it. The Trooper, a 1996, was totalled. I felt it protected me quite well in this type of collision. We bought a 1998 Trooper to replace it.
  • leedavidyoungleedavidyoung Member Posts: 102
    loosehead - As far as reliability goes, the Trooper is well above average. I have owned 2 Isuzu trucks and 2 Troopers with a combined mileage of over 500K. I have never been stranded or experienced any major repair items. If you surf this message board, you will find very few complaints compared to other SUVS. Remaining Troopers are deeply discounted so don't pay anything close to MSRP on this '02 S model.

    cracovian - Don't give up on your Trooper. I know it's frustrating but you should see what Land Rover Discovery owners have to contend with the first 20,000 miles. Like the Disco, the Trooper is bomb proof to 200K once you iron out the new car issues. You mentioned you live in Georgia. I live in Atlanta and can tell you from experience that several Isuzu service departments suck. Stay away from Lou Sobh and Pugmire. I like Horton (terrible sales dept. but great service) and Southtowne. Good Luck
  • looseheadloosehead Member Posts: 2
    Thank you for info. I am looking at 2002 Trooper S (used with 14 K miles). Price will be about $16,500. I have spoke to approx 6 owners face to face over last couple of days all said that they liked them and would buy another. I need to move quickly.
    Brian
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    You might want to remove the word in your last post that rhymes with "shuck" before it's deleted!

    Interesting that Southtowne has a good service department. During my last Trooper search, I nearly bought a year-old Troop from them. I'm in Michigan, but would have flown to Atlanta and drove back the Troop. In the end, they didn't have one with TOD, so I ended up buying from a dealer in Maryland and driving it home from there. Horrible buying experience, by the way.
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    There are some problems with the trooper...don't be fooled, many of us have had issues, such as starting, alignment, fuel regulator, etc. These are all fairly minor and get resolved by the dealer.

    I have had a "pulling" problem, where it took several tries to get it to drive properly (basically because I took it to a car shop and not a truck shop), my catalytic converter failed and was replaced under warranty, I had my thermostat replaced, my steering column was replaced under warranty (didn't fail, but a seal allowed water to get in and caused a coupling to wear).

    I have not heard of any real drivetrain failures on one of these trucks due to mechanical failure.

    Trouble free? I wouldn't say so...but free of major driveline problems, I would definetely say so. It is a truck and has different maintenance issues than say a nissan sentra, which may not need to see a shop for 10 years.

    It is important to make sure you include as part of your research finding a qualified place to get it serviced. Is the Isuzu place you are buying it from a Truck shop? Most of my problems have only been problems because I had to make repeated trips to the dealer to get the one thing fixed. Once I found a decent place, those issues were resolved.
  • leedavidyoungleedavidyoung Member Posts: 102
    That sounds like a fair price to me. Is it a 4X2 or 4X4? I have a '99 S 4X4 and have only 2 regrets in choosing an S over an LS or higher. The first was the lack of an armrest. I think the new S comes standard with this now. The second was the lack of TOD, I love my 5-speed but wish I had the added security that the TOD system provides.

    Thanks for the tip bluedevils. Sorry if I was offensive to anyone. On a lighter note, I've seen people dissatisfied with Lou Sobh scratch the "h" off the dealer nameplate. Talk about negative publicity.
  • bstone3bstone3 Member Posts: 97
    2001 TOD LS - 34K miles - 1 1/2 years ownership - one trip to the dealer to replace the drive by wire sensor - thats it - and the sensor was not causing a problem but the check engine light came on and the dealer changed it out. The 30K mile service I have had done by independents since the Isuzu price is rediculous. I have owned a bunch of SUVs and 4X4 trucks - this is by far the finest of the bunch. Still running on stock tires and they have 10K left. Run on Mobil 1 for 5K miles between changes and may use 1/2 quart berween changes.
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    no offense taken. It's just that Edmunds has a pretty strict policy on profanity, and a pretty wide-spanning definition of what qualifies as profanity. So rather than see your helpful post be deleted, I figured I'd mention it in case you could clean it up first.
  • sdc2sdc2 Member Posts: 780
    While my Trooper has not been trouble free, the problems I have had have been relatively minor: intake manifold gasket and fuel pressure regulator. Neither problem disabled the vehicle. You rarely see the major lemon problems that frequent the other boards.

    BTW, I'm waiting to see if my intake manifold gasket goes out again in January like it has before. It was -12 degrees this morning, so if it is going to happen it should happen now. Or maybe I did get the new improved gasket last time, have never been able to find out.
  • bawbcatbawbcat Member Posts: 118
    sdc2,
    What are the symptoms of a bad intake manifold gasket? My Trooper runs normally as far as I can tell, but it does make quite a bit of intake noise, especially when the engine is cold. Could possibly be a leaking gasket?
  • cwmosercwmoser Member Posts: 227
    Brian, I would have preferred a manual transmission version. How well does the manual transmission shift?
  • sdc2sdc2 Member Posts: 780
    IMG symptoms were most evident at idle. RPMs would surge from 0 to 1000 every second or two, "check engine" light on. I could also hear a hissing sound with the hood up.

    Starting and driveability were generally fine with this problem.
  • leedavidyoungleedavidyoung Member Posts: 102
    I have a 5-speed in mine. It shifts great. It feels a little stronger than the automatic in my opinion. I wanted a stick shift so bad that I ordered a base S model and then added leather, 6 disc changer etc. I get alot of comments from people that are suprised to see a manual transmission in a SUV.
  • boxtrooperboxtrooper Member Posts: 843
    I have a manual transmission Trooper because I did not particularily like the feel of the shifting in the automatic transmission on the 1995 Troopers. I have had a test drive of a 2002 TOD and I like it's automatic just fine. I like my manual transmission. It makes driving more fun and I think I am able to use more of the 175hp that my Trooper came with. I especially like driving it as if the 4000# trailer was there when it is not, revving to >5000 RPM before shifting and taking curves etc.. The Trooper feels pretty sporty that way, especially just after letting go of the trailer.
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    I wish there was a 4HI option with the Automatic.
  • cbreckcbreck Member Posts: 9
    For those who have experienced a leaking IMG, was the surging/stalling constant, or intermittent? My 98 trooper acts up once a week, with no engine light when it occurs. The dealership doesn't seem to have a clue. After talking with Isuzu, "they" tell me if it were the IMG, the problem would be constant. Any thoughts?
    Thanks
  • serranoserrano Member Posts: 107
    I tend to agree that an air leak would be constant, but not necessarily so. If it was intermittent, I would expect it to show up when cold.

    Easy check--when the truck is cold, start it and open the hood. Spray some starting fluid around the manifold where it contacts the block. If there is a leak, you will hear the engine speed up as it draws the starting fluid into the cylinder(s).

    Tom
  • gao16gao16 Member Posts: 7
    I just had to take my 2000 S (pretty basic-auto and TOD) to the dealer on 1/20/03. Symptoms-constant check engine light, surging RPM at idle, unable to sit and idle for more than a few minutes, and intermittent stalling. The problem was fixed under warranty, no problems with dealer. I also received a follow up call the next day from dealer service department. Seems Isuzu computers were down on 1/20/03 and the service dept was unable to check recalls. The service mgr set me up with a loaner and recall work was done today. The recall work had to do with a fuel hose kit and a fuel pipe protector. I would recommend M'Lady Isuzu in Chicago area for service, but I did have a bad experience with their sales dept.
  • wheels13wheels13 Member Posts: 51
    Starting fluid is even more explosive then gasoline. Maybe use WD-40. At least don't test it in your garage.
  • serranoserrano Member Posts: 107
    Do you have any proof to back up your assertion? Starting fluid is basically alcohol. I disagree with you. It's not like nitromethane, or even gasoline. I have used it on snowmobiles, small engines, and autos, and have yet to see any evidence to support your conlusion. In my opinion, gas vapor is much more dangerous.

    WD-40 is a water dispersant, albeit petroleum based. I would be very surprised if it did anything at all.

    Tom
  • ostazostaz Member Posts: 80
    Starting fluid is NOT alcohol based, it is ether based, and yes, it's explosive and dangerous.

    Sam
  • tkevinblanctkevinblanc Member Posts: 356
    Starting fluid, at least the traditional kind , is more like ether than alcohol, and is extremely flammable, and dangerous to inhale. WD40 will definitely change the fuel/air mixture into something more combustible. It has solvents in it that are extremely flammable.
  • sbcookesbcooke Member Posts: 2,297
    sorry, couldn't resist.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I went sea kayaking one March and a snowstorm blew in after we got set up on the beach. There was lots of soaking wet driftwood, but the can of starter fluid I found on the beach got a bonfire going in no time. If you read Crankshaft, think about Ed's BBQ :-). That stuff will singe your eyebrows before you light it!

    Can't imagine it being good for MAF sensors and the like on newer cars.

    Steve, Host
  • cbreckcbreck Member Posts: 9
    The surge/stalling problem I have is not constant. The first time it occured was after my first drive out to the Colorado river from Los Angeles, in the middle of July(110 degrees), no check enging light. After stopping for food and beer, the surging stopped. Since then, it occurs after driving more than 20 miles on the freeway, or after several short trips in the morning. Only twice has the check engine light come on. I don't know how much of a leak would cause the problem.
    I'm wondering if it's possible for the gasket to expand and contract throughout the thermal cycling of engine operation, enough to cause the problem to be intermittent? I'm stumped!
  • boxtrooperboxtrooper Member Posts: 843
    Recently I have driven in some very slippery ice on steep hills, a significant hazzard South of the road salting line. The kind of hills that I downshift to ascend in summer. Today there was a Jeep Grand Cherokee spinning its tires and being pushed by two big guys that I had to wait for. They ended up going back down the hill to find another route. Once the jeep was out of the way I put my Troper in 4wd High and eased the clutch out in first gear. I went right up. I even was even able to shift to second without breaking loose a tire. Another vehicle suddenly apeared over the crest of the hill from the other side, the sunny side dry side, it was moving too fast, I was worried for a moment since I was in the oncoming lane going around an abandonned car, but I was able to get back over to my side of the road before the oncoming vehicle got too close. A few miles later another big glare ice hill and this time it was a full size white work van that could not go up. He got sideways and was lucky to stay out of the ditch turning around. There were cars in the ditch on one side and way down in the woods on the other that slipped off this hill. Again I eased my Trooper right up the hill without slipping. I don't have TOD and I don't have rear limited slip. My 1995 SOHC Trooper-S has new Bridgestone Dueler AT Revo tires that impressed me very much today.
  • serranoserrano Member Posts: 107
    Okay, okay, ether is not the same as alcohol. Here is a link describing its composition - http://classes.yale.edu/chem220a/studyaids/history/ether/ether.html. I grudgingly yield to the masses who think the car will explode by virtue of spraying ether in the engine compartment. However, keep in mind that folks spray this stuff into an open air cleaner and intake manifold. I think the dangers here are overstated. Yeah, if you empty the whole can into a puddle on the engine, you might have some problems, but let's not get too PC on the dangers of a spritz of starting fluid.

        An alternate method of diagnosis is to use a vacuum gauge. It is likely that an air leak would lead to unsteady, weak vacuum. I defer to the experts on the correct engine vacuum for this vehicle at idle because I have not had the opportunity to do any diagnosis of this type on a trooper.

    Tom
  • tkevinblanctkevinblanc Member Posts: 356
    PC?

    The stuff is very dangerous to inhale. Ether was once used as an general anethesia. I wanted to be sure no one thought it was just alcohol and could be treated as such.

    I personally had no problem with your suggestion to use it as a diagnostic tool, although spraying it around all sides of both intake manifolds while you stick your head down close to the engine to listen... to... to the.. rev....... [instert noise of fan slashing face of person lying across the engine unconscious].
  • serranoserrano Member Posts: 107
    tkevinblanc - you have an overactive imagination. Amusing, but overactive.

    Tom
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    Serrano, allow me to present myself as one Trooper-owning moron who definitely would be stupid enough to do exactly what tkevinblanc is describing. I appreciate you pointing this out as a good troubleshooting tip, but I appreciate even more that tkevinblanc and others cautioned on the risks involved!
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    serrano, thanks for your explanation. Today I was able to locate the SOTF unit. I removed the skid plate (14mm bolts) and fitted a 17mm socket on what I thought were the drain and fill plugs, but I couldn't budge either one. My guess is lack of torque since the 17mm socket was attached to my shortish 3/8" drive socket wrench.

    Can someone confirm that the two 17mm bolts whose tops face the front passenger wheel are indeed the fill (mounted higher, and slightly further toward back of truck) and drain (lower, and slightly closer to front of truck) plugs?

    The owners manual in my 1998 Trooper calls for GL-5 gear oil. I have some Mobil 75W90 synthetic gear lubricant left over from changing the differential fluids last year, and the bottle says it exceeds all GL-5 requirements. Is this a good, and compatible, choice for the Trooper SOTF unit?
  • bluedevilsbluedevils Member Posts: 2,554
    Ran across this vendor tonight and don't recall anybody else mentioning them.

    www.jatdesign.net. I know nothing about them and was disappointed to see their Trooper page does NOT include a sample pic of a seat in a Trooper.
  • serranoserrano Member Posts: 107
    Bluedevils - that Mobil 1 gear lube will work fine in the SOTF system.

    Tom
  • breakorbreakor Member Posts: 398
    No, I do not believe those are the plugs. The check level/fill plug is the big plug that is accessed from the REAR and faces towards the rear. It is more or less in the center of the unit. Look at the manual picture again.

    Like I noted before I didn't find a drain plug. Then again my fluid looked like brand new so I didn't need to change it. Consequently I didn't look very hard for a drain. In that I didn't see one on the bottom of the unit my current plan is to eventually suction out the old fluid with a large syringe. That should even get the old fluid off the bottom of the unit, as opposed to a "hidden" but higher up drain that I may have missed.

    Just my $.02.
  • flyinlowflyinlow Member Posts: 62
    I think there was some confusion on the whole intake manifold gasket/starting fluid posts. Spraying "starting fluid" such as found at auto parts stores, for winter problems, is not the same as "charcoal lighter fluid", which I'm guessing is what the kayaker found on the beach. Both can be dangerous and you should read and heed the directions on the containers.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    It was ignition starter fluid that came in the aerosol can - not recommended for starting fires! It was in common usage among boat owners at the time (still is?) and if the guy didn't vent the engine compartment after using some... well, that could explain how the can wound up on the beach.

    Steve, Host
  • cwp2cwp2 Member Posts: 19
    I started to "quickly" replace the back wiper, then realized I have to pull the cover and spare tire, etc. Am I missing something obvious and simple, or what?
    signed......getting all wet
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