Isuzu Ascender

stever · July 2004

Anyone shopping the Ascender?

Steve, Host

batman16 · August 2004

My Ascender has been great so far, no problems yet (KOW) !! Everything works just like it did when we drove her home from the dealership.

tidester · July 2005

60hzpush · July 2005

anyone having trouble with Isuzu, My Ascender just went through 2 rearends 2 new driveshafts and 2 new transfer cases. Just filled under the lemon law. Dont buy Isuzu

gmcman · July 2005

What kind of vibration is it and what speeds does it occur at. Only 65 or other speeds. Does it go in and out or is it constant. Does your vehicle come with the Michelin cross-terrains? If it is a constant vibration and does not pulsate I will bet you anything it is in one or more of your tires. Driveshafts have pulsating vibrations, rear ends moan, transfer cases wont make much difference. Have them put a set of brand new balanced cross-terrains from a new vehicle and drive it. A hose clamp will only clamp down so tight, probably working itself loose over time spinning at 2500-3000 RPM's. I can't believe they would put one on instead of properly balancing your driveshaft or giving you a new one, what's their fix for a bad hose...duct tape? Sent you an e-mail.

60hzpush · July 2005

it's a 2200 rpm vibration, definatly the drive shaft. Isuzu doesnt know why its vibrating.A field engineer came and worked on it twice, He balanced the driveshaft to the old output shaft, Since the transmission blew up last week and they put a new transmission in, its vibrating agian.

huntera · August 2005

I have above mentioned vehicel. I experience very poor throttle response, to the point of feeling like the vehicle is going to stall upon attempt to accelerate quickly from a stop. Dealer says they can't find anything wrong. Almost seems like it isn't getting enough fuel initially upon acceleration through compiuter controlled fuel delivery system. Anyone else experience this problem and have a solution or idea?

bobkat1 · September 2005

I have paint peeling on my grill. I see small blisters in the area where it is not peeling. The isuzu zone rep said the peeling is due to stone chips. I asked him what caused the blisters. NO answer. He just said it was not a covered item. Tis is a 2004 Ascender. I have been in Quality Assurance for the past 10 years and part of my job is paint adhesion. This problem was caused by a bad bonding agent in the paint or not cleaning the part after it was extracted from the mold. This is a workmanship issue.
Who do I call above the zone manager. He does not know what he is talking about. Any names or addresses.

makaye · September 2005

Probably all you can do is call or write Isuzu directly?
Isuzu Motors America, Inc.
Owner Relations
13340 183rd Street
Cerritos, CA 90702
800-255-6727 Hours: 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (PST) Monday to Friday

mrtac2man · September 2005

buy a dealer demo with 19000 miles on it.. pick it monday afternoon.. any thoughts on this unit?? v6 modelclean unit...$19,000.00 good price or am i getting taken??

stagf15 · October 2005

Huntera,

My wife just experienced an Ascender problem that might be similar to yours. Thus I am interested in what you have been able to do/find out since you posted the thread two months ago.

First off, the car wouldn't start. It had battery power in that the headlights were normal illumination, but the interior lights were not working and dash lights very dim (this was at night). Plugged car into battery charger and immediately started vehicle. Car was running very rough ("shaking"). let it run ~20 min then tried to back out of driveway. "Shaking" was even worse when placed gear into reverse. Got to street, put in drive and car would barely move. Throttle to the floor and went nowhere. Was shaking/rough running/seemed about to stall out.

So, there is our recap. I am getting ready to call the dealer and let him know its coming his way. I saw your note on throttle response and you dealer's (typical) response. Thought I'd ask for an update.

Thanks,
Stag15

jgalens · October 2005

I just baught my ascender 5 months ago. only has 4500 miles. just took a 2000 mile trip and have had no problems at all.. still drives great and like it did when i took it off the lot. GREAT SUV!!

drussell · October 2005

If I were you, I would buy a new one at the same price that you are buying the new one for. We bought a 2005 for just a tick under 18k. Do some homework, you will find it out there.

drussell · October 2005

We took a couple of trips in ours, one to Las Vegas and the other to Texas. For something being on a "truck chassy", very, very smooth ride.

jgalens · November 2005

Yeah, i know what you mean. its was a very nice ride when i took my trip. it did great of gas, way better then i had thaught. 200 miles to a half tank.

bobkat1 · November 2005

I know there was a delay in responding. But, Cust rel says they have faith in John Lytus. They said he was their eyes and ears in the field. I said he was deaf and blind then. I contacted the local union in Moraine Oh and they are working on it with the QA manager. He was disgusted with Isuzu for not having another way to complain.

sagiascender · December 2005

I have an '03 with 66k miles. The speedometer and odometer have become erratic. The needle sometimes reads 20+ mph below the actual speed of the car (The cop said I was clocked at over 80 but my gauge read between 55 and 60.) We restarted the vehicle and it reset itself. Now, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it will just stick at a certain reading. If I'm on the freeway when it happens, I usually have to watch the speed of the traffic to make sure I'm not going to fast or slow. Last night it stuck at about 45mph even though I was matching the speeds of the other cars on a stretch of road with a posted 60pmh. Eevn when I come to a stop, it stays stuck. Took it to a dealer last week and they don't know what's wrong with it and don't have the "special tools" required to test it. Any advice or shared experience would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

makaye · December 2005

I believe it is out of warranty and you have to pay for it yourself? If you took it to an Isuzu dealer, try a GM dealer. The Ascender, of course, is a GM product. They certainly should have the "special tools." In addition, much of the problems on these vehicles seem to be "software" related and the speedo is electronic. It may be a known problem. Try posting your question on the Buick Rainier, Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy forum.

sagiascender · December 2005

Thank you for taking the time to reply, makaye. So far, none of the Isuzu dealers I've spoken with in this state, and in California, have ever replaced a speedo in an Ascender. I'm gonna check with the other companies as you mentioned. Thanks.

stever · December 2005

"General Motors has announced it will end production of the seven-passenger Isuzu Ascender in February when it closes its assembly plant in Oklahoma City."

GM Ends Production of Isuzu Ascender (Inside Line)

Steve, Host

makaye · December 2005

Sounds like just another nail in the coffin of Isuzu USA, sad to say...

I understand that Toyota is taking over part of the old Isuzu/Subaru plant in Indiana.
http://blogs.edmunds.com/Straightline/Comments/274

geekbros · January 2006

Greetings,

I just purchased a 2003 Ascender Extended Loaded S model. It's got high miles (144,000) but other than that, it's in mint condition. There are a few things wich made me feel comfortable about buying it even though it has the miles:
Carfax checked out 100%
The dealer I got it from, took it in on trade from the original owner for another Ascender.
All the miles are highway oriented.
I purchased a 2 yr./24,000 mile power-train warranty.
The price was $8,900!

Are there any hints or fore-warnings you all can lend me that might help regarding this year, model, pkg., etc.?

Thanks,
Steve

stever · June 2006

"Isuzu dealers sold just 638 vehicles in the U.S. in May, down 48 percent from the previous year."

Judging by the activity in here, it's about time to shut the barn door.

Isuzu's 2007 Line May Be Final Year in U.S. (Inside Line)

Steve, Host

lunal · June 2006

I am wondering about the play in my steering wheel. Sometimes I feel like a have a flat tire (but don't), or that I'm behind a big rig (but I'm not)...or that I just don't have total control of the car...sort of like I am floating. Any ideas what might be the cause of this????

rick2456 · September 2006

A very soft suspension. I have noticed the same thing on my 04. I compensated by keeping both the front and rear tires at 35psi. Makes a difference and helps the gas mileage.

stever · April 2007

The barn door reopens a crack!

Isuzu Buying Alabama Land for Plant (Auto Observer)

destrier6 · April 2008

Hi,

I have a 2007 Ascender. I live in AZ and hunt and fish. I want to get away from the crowds and do some four wheeling. I am looking for someplace that has the gear needed to rig the machine right. A good bumper & winch, roof rack, etc

Anybody have a good source. I have looked over the net and not much to be found by googling. help

rob

chaphar · June 2008

I just replaced the serpentine belt on my Ascender, it is a 2003 with 103,000 miles. The belt and the tensioner jumps around a lot and makes a slight knocking type of noise when the engine is running. Does anyone know if maybe the tensioner needs replacing and if there is a recommended period of time to replace the tensioner.

Thanks, Jarvis :shades:

jmikell · June 2009

My 04 Ascender has service codes for EVAP, Camshaft position actuator,Camshaft positon corelation sensor. Now I have a little knowledge of mechanial parts but what the hell are these and where can I locate these parts on the truck? And which should I change 1st? any help would be appreciated. codes: PO455, POO14,POO16 Thanks Jeff

alemap34 · August 2009

Hi - I just purchased an 04 Ascender. The anti theft radio is registering "Locked" and the radio can't be used. The dealership (not an Isuzu dealership) said that I must take the vehicle to an Isuzu dealer to have the "code cleared."

Does anyone know anything about this? Is it as simple as having the code cleared?

Thanks for any information you can provide :-)

Pam

denette1 · October 2009

I am searching for the location of the Smog pump on this car so I can replace it in order to have the car inspected and pass the emissions test.

If anyone has any information on where this part is located I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.

cacorb · April 2010

Has anyone had a problem with the rear door latch not opening? First, it wasn't latching completely when shut and tonight I find it won't open at all. Any advice or direction would be appreciated. Thanks...

acepie · May 2010

Has anyone experienced your fuel gauge not reading and the gas light continuously remaining lit? My gas light came on in 2007 and would not go off so I took it to the dealer I was told it was a senor and of course it wasnt under warranty, they replaced it $500 later. Now it is 2010 and I am experiencing the same problem. I contacted Isuzu manufacturer and they said it was not a recall and it may be an electrical problem.

orchiddj · August 2010

2005 ascender, 50K, great shape. ABS light came on. Wife got out of car and something was still running under the hood after she shut off the engine (not a fan). The noise comes from drivers side front wheel well area. Breaks work fine. Called our mechanic and described to him. He says its the ABS pump or motor but he does not work on this. Wife disconnected the battery. I came home, connected the bat. The noise started. I moved the truck about 30 to in front of my garage and shut off. Got out and the pump/noise stopped. This was 3 days ago and now everything seems fine. No ABS light or pump/motor running when engine off.

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

hph1 · August 2010

I am thinking about buying a 2004 Ascender. When I test drove it for about an hour, the engine light came on while it was idling. The engine continued to run well, as it did before the light came on. The dealer is replacing the sensor saying that it is a bad sensor. Is this a reasonable explanation or would you suspect something more serious as a problem which activated the sensor? The vehicle has 144,000 miles and the exhaust manifold was recently replaced because of small exhaust leak, according to the dealer. I plan on another test drive tomorrow.

saquay · August 2010

I am getting ready to purchase a 2008 Ascender. I would like your overall opinion of the performance of this car. Thanks

Vipergg · October 2010

I bought a 2008 Ascender this year.. Love the vehicle so far . In plain language it is a Isuzu badged GMC Envoy , Looks exactly the same inside . Nice ride and the mileage has not been as bad as I expected and it will tow 5400 pounds.

callalily70 · March 2011

I realize your issue with the gas light was about a year ago. I've very recently started having the same issue with my 05 Ascender. Were you able to find a resolution? Thanks ~Lily

d2cranch · May 2011

The check engine light on my '06 Isuzu Ascender and the guys at AutoZone waved their magic wand and said that it's the "Idle Control Sensor: RPM Low". I want to repair this myself, but can't find information about it on the internet. Anyone have any ideas? What do I need to buy, where can I find instructions, etc.

spuzin · October 2011

I had a 98 Isuzu Rodeo and LOVED it. When it came time to get a new car, I bought a 2005 Ascender brand new off the lot. Only had 24 miles on it. The thing has had nothing but problems since I brought it home. Peeling paint, one window constantly goes off track, the radio runs hot even though I've had it replaced twice, the heating and air does not work if I turn it up to 4 or 5, the gas sensor has already been replaced once and now it needs to be replaced again and I've had to have the drive shaft replaced.

My car is no longer under warranty and I'm just going to replace the gas sensor myself. I've googled how to do it and it seems easy enough, I just need to find where the floor panel is.

Sorry I couldn't be any help and I wish you the BEST of luck with your Ascender. I hope you don't get to hate it as much as I hate mine.

reneewh · November 2011

I have a 2006 Ascendar that is becoming more problematic by the DAY!.

I've had the Idle Sensor issue, brake lights that won't stay lit, the truck idles strangely when I am not actively driving, the check engine light has been on for almost a year (nothing we have tried works), and tonight the check engine light is blinking. Tires have slow leaks, and when all the doors are shut, and the windows are shut it sounds like a window is open. Mine could be possessed by some car demon (I hadn't thought about that).

Isuzu, please stop selling trucks. My problems started the exact month my warranty expired...coincidence, or good timing on Isuzu's part.

Glad to have the opportunity to vent... I might be on here tomorrow; because my truck probably won't start tomorrow - which means I won't have a way to work. Yay!

orchiddj · November 2011

We bought our 2005 ascender with 10K + or- in 2006. Have about 60K. All and all has been a decent ride. Have had a few problems. The fan clutch went (I changed myself). Had another bearing go (was one of the pulleys to do with the fan belt)

Our check engine light also has been on for a year or so. our mechanic checks it and says dont worry about it, Some sensor. It does come and go but seems to come on more when the gas gauge is ¼ or less. By the way we have a great mechanic and I trust him and then some.

As for engine light I drive an 2005 Chevy Colorado pickup and the light has been on for 2 + years.

Good luck.

callalily70 · December 2011

I have found out some information on the gas light sensor issue with Ascenders. I took mine to a Chevy dealership to have it looked at. He told me that GM has issued a repair order for the same sensor in the GMC Envoy, Chevy Trailblazer, Buick Rainier, and the other vehicle that I can't think of at the moment, that is similar to the Ascender. All the same build as the Ascender, but for some reason they have NOT issued the same repair for the Isuzu. Why? no idea, he couldn't find a reason. And said that with the Ascender being the same mechanically as the other 4 it would make sense to issue the same repair for the Ascender.
He did tell me that this is NOT an at-no-cost repair (or a warranty repair), but that GM is footing part of the bill for the repair/replace provided the vehicle is less than 10 yrs old and under 130K miles. He recommended that I call and ask Isuzu/GM what the deal is and whether or not they will help me pay for the same repairs on their red-headed step-child vehicle brand. (And that if that doesn't work to have a temper-tantrum/ hissy-fit until I get them to help me pay for part of the repairs to my vehicle.)

I have been fortunate with my 05 Ascender, I bought it brand new and I haven't had any major issues with it, one warranty recall repair in the first six months I owned it. It now has just over 100k miles. I've been very pleased with it.

orchiddj · December 2013

Hi all,

My 05 ascender 7 passenger recently developed a clicking from rear passenger side cargo area. Click starts when I turn on rear air and does for a minuet or so. Does not happen every time rear a/c is turned on. Now the front dash blower is working intermittently. Could the rear clicking be causing dash fan problem? Also how do you access the rear right cargo area where clicking is coming from. Looks like the whole inside panel needs to come off.

Thanks
Jim

Isuzu Ascender

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