Isuzu Trooper

boxtrooper · April 2004

I had them on my 1995 Trooper, not yet on my 2001 Trooper. The OME's are slightly softer on smooth roads than the Tokico*** aftermarket shocks, but they stiffen up quick to provide good control. The OME shocks have poly bushings to eliminate slop that comes from rubber bushings. I was very pleased with the OME shocks and on smooth roads so was my wife. I expect to get OME shocks and springs in about a year for my 2001 Trooper.
..
OME shocks advertise longer extension range and stronger components for more suspension travel and durability especially for off roading.
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*** I replaced perfectly good ~10K miles aftermarket Tokico shocks, but not the latest Tokico Trek Master which was not available back then, my goal was a matched set of shocks and springs from OME, I wish OME also provided matched torsion bars. I like the description of the TrekMasters, but would go back to OME after having excellent results once before.
..
Paison, please post on how well the OME shocks work with your sway away torsion bars. Thank You, BoxTrooper.

bstone3 · April 2004

Check out usatoday.com for interesting article on Isuzu long term plans and dealer reactions. Turns out GM only owns 12% of Isuzu now. Sad story but some glimmer of light down the far end of the tunnel.

Also, I have Rancho 5000 shocks on our 01 TOD LS. So far they seem fine (45K) - also Mike - did you contact Rancho direct to see if they would replace your shocks? - They should if they knew your influence on our vast purchasing power.

seanreid · April 2004

Thanks very much for the replies so far. I noticed that the SLX had a sound insulation panel mounted on the underside of the hood. I didn't recall that being on my 99, do they all have them? LS/LTD only?

Cheers,

Sean

tkevinblanc · April 2004

My 1998 has sound insulation under the hood.

I find the driver seat in my trooper quite comfortbable despite the lack of lumbar support. In fact, the further I drive it, the more comfortable it is. It ain't a Volvo seat (some of those seats go past comfortable and border on, well, I'm not sure what).

seanreid · April 2004

Thanks very much for the replies so far. I noticed that the SLX had a sound insulation panel mounted on the underside of the hood. I didn't recall that being on my 99, do they all have them? LS/LTD only?

Cheers,

Sean

cwm · April 2004

"Isuzus have scored poorly on influential annual quality surveys by J.D. Power and Associates. In the 2003 Vehicle Dependability Study, a measure of how well vehicles hold up after three years, Isuzu was 32nd of 37 brands.

Another Power survey last year found that just 3.5% of Isuzu owners said they'd buy another Isuzu. That was worst of the 37 brands."

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2004-04-20-isuzu_x.htm

raydahs · April 2004

"the answer is always Ohlins" Just curious, this statement comes from experience in MX or RR? Which by the way I agree 100% (old MXer).

Back in the late 80's, early 90's I used to rebuild MX shocks. One thing to keep in mind, motorcycles have spring preload adjustments, compression dampening & rebound adjustments which can be fine tuned with the shim stack inside (dia & thickness). It's very difficult to get "the perfect ride" in a car without external adjustments.

The dirt road you travel daily, is it washboard type rough or Supercross whooped out rough? If it's Supercross style (High speed G-outs) then go for the stiffer OME's. Otherwise I would call Buddy King at ARB, and ask if the difference between the softer ones vs. the stiffer ones, is the compression shim stack. I have the stiff ones now, If I had it to do over again, I would go soft. The rebound is perfect, the compression is too stiff (for me). Check out the video on Mikes site, that is some high speed compression! http://www.isuzu-suvs.com/ see Airborn Trooper:]

dimist · April 2004

1. What year is your Trooper?
1999 Trooper S with Luxury Package

2. What is your engine/transmission/4WD combination?
3.5L V6, 4-speed auto Torque on Demand 4wd.

3. How many miles are on it?
54,000

4. Does it burn oil, and if so, how much?
I get oil changed every 3-4K, low oil light never went on. I did not take measurements of oil level in between.

5. Have you had any problems with the vehicle (excluding routine wear and tear, etc.)?

Faulty bearing in heater fan, shimmying mirror - replaced under warranty
CD changer broke down after 3.5 years
Serpentine belt had a lot of cracks and was replaced at 30K
Replaced battery after 3.5 years
Replaced tires at 45K

6. Can you estimate the total cost of repairs to the vehicle since you've owned it?

Typical for Trooper maintenance costs, no real repairs

Modifications and additions:
- Poly sway bar bushings (a must-have: huge improvement in cornering and overall stability)
- Edelbrock IAS shocks (like them even after 45K)
- Michelin Cross Country tires (a must-have: made a world of difference for handling and ride compared to stock Goodyears)
- K&N Air filter (I don't think it makes a crucial difference)
- Nakamichi MB 75 CD changer (highly recommended, see my review at epinions.com)

seanreid · April 2004

I just read the article. They mention the CU controversy but not the NHTSA's results or Isuzu's successes in the lawsuit. The survey of satisfaction does not at all match what I've read on the net from Trooper owners (I've looked at reviews on many different sites). Maybe owners of other models aren't as happy.

We all know Isuzu is in a weak position and this article (which is a little innacurate) probably just made that situation worse.

Sean

paisan · April 2004

Had the sound deadening/material under the hood as well. I believe the culprit of the adjustors on my racnchos was a combination of road salt/no-adjustment changes for over 8 months.

I will report on the fronts with the sway-aways, currently I have a weird noise when I hit bumps in the front, so hoping a re-index of the torsion bars along with the new shocks fixes that issue.

-mike

Kirstie_H · April 2004

Don't forget tonight's member-to-member chat - it's open mic night, so come and discuss whatever's on your mind.

http://www.edmunds.com/townhall/chat/townhallchat.html

6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET. Drop by for live chat with other members. Hope you can join us!

kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

dnestr · April 2004

Sound insulation? I thought it was a thermos-insulation :-)

98-99 Acura SLX = 98-99 Trooper LTD ,even in smallest details except badges and a cover of airbag on the steering wheel.

I saw here several Troopers LS imported from the US. All they had the panel.

silverghost · April 2004

Yep. My '01 LS has the pad, too. It's the real LS, not the rental fleet LS (S model, plus options).

seanreid · April 2004

My own experience with Ohlins has been with street bikes. I own a motorcycle touring company and so spend a lot of time on motorcycles, near motorcycles, etc. I ride mostly BMWs bu enjoy and appreciate a wide range of bikes. But, as you mention, Ohlins also has a superb reputation within other kinds of motorcycling as well.

Cheers,

Sean

jnggng · April 2004

Will somebody help me, I need change transmission oil,Beside dealer where I can change the TOD or Transfer Case oil. Any reliable service center can offer in Staten Island

cwm · April 2004

I tried the procedure on Paisans website (http://isuzu-suvs.com/howto/index.html) to reprogram the spare keyless device for my 1999 Trooper for my sons 1998 Trooper. We could not get it to work. Anyone have a better procedure or is the keyless device for 1999's not compatible with 1998 models?

bsmart1 · April 2004

they are all the same from 98 - 02' I had success using the instructions to re-program one that had a dead battery.

But, I tried the same instructions on another one that didn't work.

cwm · April 2004

If those instructions work, then it must be my interpretation of the meaning of each step. We tried several times to no avail. Perhaps there is something like the door must be closed where we left it open, etc.

cwm · April 2004

... and we never even got the 1998 Trooper to acknowledge the programming attempt where the door locks and unlocks twice by itself as an acknowledgement.

bsmart1 · April 2004

if the doors never locked and unlocked the program did NOT work. They have to be closed for that function to take place IIRC. If you finish and stop with the door open, I don't think anything will happen.

I need to check this to verify what I'm telling you.

tkevinblanc · April 2004

Is this one of those regional things? You live in Staten Island? :0)

tidester · April 2004

One lives in Staten Island just like one lives in Boston. They both have zip codes.

tidester, host

tkevinblanc · April 2004

But in Maryland, one lives on Kent Island. I'm sure it has it's own zip.

Potato, spud, tater, I guess.

paisan · April 2004

Haaaaaa. We all live "on" earth!

-mike

tidester · April 2004

Potato, spud, tater, I guess.

You missed the point. The Staten Island that was mentioned is a municipality and it wasn't in relation to the island per se. Therefore it is correct to say "live in."

Now back to our regularly scheduled program!

tidester, host

cwm · April 2004

Thanks for checking. Something I'm doing is amiss or the procedure is in error.

seanreid · April 2004

Hi All,

Poly sway bar bushings: Who makes these and where would I find them?

I suspect the SLX I'm looking at needs an exhaust header gasket (erratic idle - near stalling once in awhile). For those of you who've had it done -how much did it cost (parts and labor)?

Thanks,

Sean

cwm · April 2004

My odometer turned 65,000 and the Check Engine light came on (solid not blinking). Is this some sort of service item reminder? How is this light reset without having to find dealer service to do it for me?

bradestokes · April 2004

Saw a 96 Trooper LS 4wd, leather, sunroof for $2950 at the local Land Rover dealership. The bad, it does have 217000 miles. I have an Axiom as well and have always liked Isuzu especially the Trooper...Any recommendations/advice...Anyone have a Trooper with this kind of mileage or above? Things that I should check out due to the age, etc.
Much appreciated..
Brad

paisan · April 2004

Look on my page sean http://Isuzu-suvs.com I belive it's in one of the DIY sections. I did it myself on my truck and it took about 2hrs no knowing what I was doing.

-mike

PS: Cost was like $20 from Whitney

sbcooke · April 2004

I was in NYC for class last week so I am a little behind...I saw 2 beige trooper's...I was looking to see Paisan racing by :-)

I really like my OME shocks. They improved cornering and nose dive (especially after I added my bullbar). They also improved the jarring effect of potholes.

Best feature for me...ability to hold up under extended pounding. When I go fishing in Nantucket, there are several sections where you pound over sand dunes for almost 1/2 hour or more. My truck before and my brothers expedition start to fade and really bounce and not respond well after about 15 minutes. The OMEs never felt like they overheated or lost shocking ability. Once I upgraded everyone in my family wanted to ride with me over the long haul out to the coatue.

tkevinblanc · April 2004

There was once a Trooper on Nantucket...

sbcooke, care to finish? :0)

wildbuc · April 2004

Have any of you guys recorded your gas mileage using 3rd gear? I will be pulling a trailer weighing about 3000 lbs. Several RV types have told me I should be towing in 3rd gear.

paisan · April 2004

I wouldn't recommend it unless you'll be on back-road/non highway. On the highway I tow my 5000lb trailer with ease in D, However I would also suggest keeping it up at or above 65-75mph, found that produced the best towing in D.

-mike

seanreid · April 2004

Mike: Thanks for the bushing info. I've got the JCW page bookmarked and have also made notes from your FAQ. I'll make that change soon after I get a Trooper or an SLX.

OME Shocks: Do these seem to be the current favorites? My daily drive includes about six miles of dirt road which varies from reasonably smooth to muddy gunk to washboard. I'd also prefer a less "tippy" feel than stock on pavement (in corners). VT doesn't have many straight roads (thankfully!).

wildbuc: I own a motorcycle touring company and chase drivers who work for the company have towed many of our trailers with many different tow vehicles (including a 1999 Trooper). What I ask them to do is to pay close attention to how the engine is being loaded under different conditions (including a lot of mountain road driving). If the tow vehicle isn't laboring, seems to have power in reserve, isn't hunting back and forth between 3rd and 4th, etc. then being in "Drive" is fine (that's our SOP at least). This normally applies on fairly flat terrain where the vehicle is at a steady speed. At the slightest sign of engine lugging, gear hunting, etc. then we go down into third and sometimes even second (in the mountains).

I think this depends greatly on the vehicle and one has to go by sound, feel and experience. The strongest tow vehicle I've owned so far was a 1999 Suburban but the Trooper pulled 3000lbs. just fine. The Suburban (which had a 4.11 rear end) could tow pretty easily in 4th. My one-ton conversion van, however, needs 3rd quite often.

Vehicles with a really good transmission cooler obviously have a bit more flexibility. Given the amount of towing we do (usually on paved backroads) I always prefer to use a vehicle rated for a couple thousand pounds more than the actual tow weight. Two full dress bikes in/on a trailer will give a total tow weight of about 2700 - 3500 lbs. so the Trooper's 5000 lb. tow rating works fine for that load.

I'm also a big fan of using electric brakes on any trailer where the loaded weight is over about 1500 lbs. (ie: In my case, any time I'm towing more than one large bike).

Cheers,

Sean

paisan · April 2004

Have to agree with Sean on the towing writeup. That's my SOP for towing my 5000lb car trailer roughly 10K miles a year.

-mike

cwm · April 2004

In case this happens to anyone else, I tightened the gas cap and disconnected the battery for about 5 minutes and the Check Engine light went away. Auto Zone read out code 440 and suggested that a loose gas cap was the culprit and they were right.

bluedevils · April 2004

heard on radio tonight that Isuzu is issuing recall on (73,000?) Troopers due to possible sticking accelerator pedal. Haven't looked into it further yet to see what model years etc.

wildbuc · April 2004

Thanks guys for your very good input. I have towed a 2800 lb. trailer in drive with no problems in flat country and mildly rolling hills. I have downshifted quickly into 3rd and even 2nd in the mountains. By shifting early, I've avoided the tranny hunting for a better gear.

I haven't yet installed a transmission cooler although I'm still considering it. My local Isuzu service manager said a cooler is not needed for a 2800-3000 lb trailer, but others have told me different. I would buy one and put it on myself if I thought I could top off the tranmission fluid correctly. I understand you have to be underneath the vehicle with the engine running--not a place for a novice. A private Trooper shop in Raleigh is wanting $175. for a cooler installation (parts and labor), which seems high to me.

wildbuc · April 2004

You say the Surburan had a rear ratio of 4.11 and pulled well in 4th. I wonder if that 4th gear was 1:1 ratio---or if the 4th is an overdrive like in the Trooper. The Trooper has a 4.33 rear end ratio, with 3rd gear giving 1:1 drive and the 4th being an overdrive.

bluedevils · April 2004

Found some info on the nhtsa.gov site. Looks like 72,905 Troopers from 1992-1995 model years are potentially affected. Below is a paste from the NHTSA site of the info pertaining to the 1992 Trooper. The info for the other years looked to be the same.

Make : ISUZU Model : TROOPER Year : 1993
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 04V199000 Recall Date : APR 19, 2004
Component: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
Potential Number Of Units Affected : 72905
Summary:
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE ACCELERATOR CABLE CAN STICK SO THAT THE ENGINE SPEED WILL NOT IMMEDIATELY DECREASE UPON RELEASE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
Consequence:
THIS CAN CAUSE THE ACCELERATOR THROTTLE CABLE TO DELAY RPM AND VEHICLE SPEED REDUCTION FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED, WHICH IN TURN, CAN LEAD TO A CRASH.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE THROTTLE CABLE RUBBER BOOT. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT ISUZU AT 1-800-255-6727.
Notes:
CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATIONS AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

dan6 · April 2004

I found a 2001 Trooper LS with 34.5K miles that I'm thinking about buying. Carfax says that it was auctioned at 4.7K miles as a fleet vehicle in the Pacific Southwest Region. I often heard that vehicles in CA has 10 to 15 HP less than their counterparts in other states because of stricter CA emission standards. Is this true? Is there a way for me or a mechanic to tell by looking at the Trooper? Thank you for your inputs.

Dan
92 LS

PS. Carfax can only verify up to 4.9K miles, so that's the chance that I have to take.

sdc2 · April 2004

4th gear on my Tahoe is 0.7:1, 3rd is 1:1. This is similar to the Trooper tranny, in fact the trannys are both GM products (Tahoe/Suburban 4L60E vs Trooper 4L30E, assuming a 1/2 ton Suburban).

A Suburban has roughly 50% more torque than a Trooper, and at a lower rpm too. That will make a world of difference when towing.

seanreid · April 2004

There's always a difference, of course, between what one can "get by" with and what might be "best" for a given situation. I'm sure the shop guys are right in saying that you don't need a tranny cooler to pull 3000 lbs. but I do think a tranny lasts longer if its cooled (especially when under load). I always think of that kind of extra cooling as good insurance and thus cheap at twice the price. But as I said before, I err on the conservative side with these things (ie: prefer a 7-8K tow rated vehicle for a 5K trailer, etc.).

Anyone on this list have over 200K on a Trooper? If so, how's it held up?

Cheers,

Sean

raydahs · April 2004

dan6, maybe you should call the guy in the link, he would probably be your best bet. I have the original 99' brochure, with no mention of the HP difference. I know what your talking about, but I hav'nt seen that listed in brochures for a couple of years now. I have several new car brochures on my coffee table now with no mention of it either. http://www.sonic.net/~isuzusuv/

dnestr · April 2004

Wow, you've got it! Congrats on the purchase. Two or four doors? Very very cool truck.

newtroop01 · April 2004

Been looking to replace the stock shocks on my 2001 Trooper and am definately interested in the Rancho RS9000X adjustables. Only problem is that I cannot verify a part number as the Rancho spec sheet only lists compatability up to the 2000 model with no mention of the 2001 or later. Does anyone know if the part number listed for the 2000 model is the same for the 2001?

jrr2k · April 2004

Here's hoping
More future Isuzu news fanning the rumor flames.
Here's some snipets from
http://www.isuzuperformance.com/isupage/

"2003, Sources within American Isuzu Motors vehicle distribution (US market vehicle distributor) indicate that Isuzu intends to severe all ties with GM by 2007 (this can be confirmed on Isuzu's website in their Three Year Business Plan which states one of its primary recapitalization goal as "Retire GM's shareholding without consideration"), ending all joint ventures, rebadging, parts sharing, and cooperative efforts and purchasing back all of the remaining 12% of stock owned by GM. The Rodeo and Axiom (now made by Subaru at the Lafayette, Indiana plant) will be discontinued at or shortly after the end of the 2004 model year. There will be no serious effort to market the GM made Ascender through the 2005 and 2006 model years, after which Isuzu's contract to sell that vehicle will end. Isuzu plans to introduce at least two completely new models in late 2006, totally designed and manufactured by Isuzu and with no ties to GM."
&
"February 2004, Sources within American Isuzu Motors public relations and vehicle development departments indicate that the replacement for the Isuzu Trooper will be built on the Isuzu D-Max/Colorado platform in Thailand and that model should be introduced as a 2005 1/2 model year vehicle. Work continues on this vehicle within the Ceritos headquarters of AIM where the vehicle is referred to in house simply as "the new Trooper". Current plans are that the concept car for this vehicle will be introduced at the Detroit Auto Show and later displayed at the Chicago Auto Show. Further plans are to introduce the Thailand made D-Max pickup into the US market, also hopefully in 2006.
Isuzu's PR department was very proud to point out that the 250 HP 6VE1 V6 direct injection engine has received accolades and awards from both Popular Science Magazine and Ward's Automotive. Direct injection is seen as the future for gasoline engines to improve economy, emissions, and power output, and Isuzu's engine has been held out as one of the best in the industry. In addition to this, Isuzu plans to push diesel engine powered models in their SUV lineup as an alternative to other manufacturer's hybrid vehicle offerings. Diesel offers the same environmental benefits with power, drivability, range, and cost that is comparable or favorable to gasoline. The problem is that the US market has not been exposed to many of the better diesel powered vehicles which are almost indistinguishable from their gasoline powered equivalents. The US market has seen mostly very tempermental and difficult to drive, and the reputation of diesel powerplants has suffered in this market as a result of this. General Motors, Ford, and Daimler/Chysler have already expanded their SUV and pickup offerings with diesel offerings (to help them meet tightening CAFE standards) and have begun marketing campaigns to improve the reputation of diesel power in the US, and Isuzu plans to reap the benefits of these efforts by following the promotional campaigns of the US manufacturers with their own campaign to reinforce diesel's improved reputation and point out that Isuzu is the oldest, most experiences diesel manufacturer in the world, offering better quality and higher performing diesel products at lower prices than the US makers.
2005 is seen as the transition year between the old GM dominated Isuzu and the new Isuzu that is free to build, sell, and advertise whatever, wherever, whenever, and in whatever quantity they like. Getting past a tight year which their only offerings will be the rebadged, GM made Ascender, will be the challenge, but they are already on track to surpass their needed sales minimum in the US market by 20,000 units in this fiscal year. The only remaining concern is that now that all decisions will be made by Isuzu in Japan, the US office hopes to be allotted a large enough advertising budget to allow for a serious promotional effort for what amounts to a reintroduction of the marque in the US market."

Bring it on!

BTW - Our 2002 just flipped 30k touble-free miles.
Why haven't JD Power Initial Quality survey people contacted me yet?

sdc2 · April 2004

I got a 97 Tahoe 2-door Z-71 Sport LT yada yada yada. I must admit it's fun to have a V8! And it gets about the same gas mileage as my Trooper did...

Only a week until I'll be taking it to Moab as an "Honorary Isuzu" for ZuZoo VII (May 12-15). This will be my 4th year there.

Hopefully the Tahoe is not too big to wheel...not too many trees out there, so I think I'll be fine.

paisan · May 2004

Sorry to hear that.... Leaf springs, Drum Brakes, about as technologically sophisticated as a rock!

What ever happened with your bumpers on your truck? Or any other parts for that matter?

-mike

Isuzu Trooper

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