Isuzu Rodeo

paisan · June 2004

I've offroaded with them at Uwharrie. They were drinking Bud the whole time on the trail while driving, littering with beer cans and overall cocky sobs. Funny thing is there is NO Alchol allowed in any of the National parks!

-mike

gb1 · July 2004

has anyone else experienced a problem with their Rodeo losing oil? I own a '95 that I have to add oil to at least once every two weeks. And last week a major 'ticking' noise could be heard even after I added a quart of oil only two days before. There are no leaks or oil drips on the driveway. Any advice?

md0591 · July 2004

Hi All,

Could anyone please advice whether it's OK to clean the engine with those off-the-shelf engine degreases. It sounds like I just need to spray and wash it off with water. Is there anything that I should pay attention to such as electrical issues?

Thanks!
-Dan

rick2456 · July 2004

I had a 95.5 Rodeo with the same problem. When I changed my spark plugs I saw that several of the spark plug channels were filled with oil. Isuzu's answer to this was to put gaskets on the spark plug connecter assembly to prevent oil from getting down to the spark plug. They said that a little oil leakage was no big deal. I never had any problems, but I did use a bit of oil (2 quarts per 3000 miles). I now have a 2001 rodeo and i use maybe a 1/2 quart every 5000 miles, so he new engine is far better than the old one. At least in my experience. Except for the blown head gasket at 63000 miles of course LOL. Took Isuzu 6 weeks to replace the engine under the powertrain warranty. No cost for the repair, but 1300 for rental car sure hurt. But on the bright side, my Rodeo has a new engine which for some reason, probably better engine programing, gets a couple miles a gallon better mileage. Although, there is that humming noise i need to get check out. LOL Can't win for losing.

caylan · August 2004

I want to trade up from my '01 Rodeo to an '04.

Good idea?
Good deals?
Better SUV out there?

Thanks for any ideas!

cracovian · August 2004

You should be able to get $6500 off the invoice, possibly even $1K more. Direct engine-optioned Rodeos are pricey, not very common, and not much cheaper than a similarly equipped Axiom which I'd personally go for.

I would also look at Mitsubishi Montero Sports. They currently have a $3000 rebate (hopefully, they can up it soon), much more compliant ride, good though thirsty 3.5l 197HP engine, better reliability than the Rodeo and a great powertrain warranty with free 3-year maintenance but... who knows who'll die in the market first.. Isuzu or Mitsubishi :-)

elgarrison · August 2004

I'm having the exact same problem with my 2000 Passport. The shop I took it to stated that I would have to take it to a dealer to have the sending unit replaced and the code updated.

jmorr1 · August 2004

Well I have a 2001 Honda Passport with an Isuzu engine and just today I took it to the dealer for a possible ABS problem. On occasion, especially in the morning, when I leave my house and have to apply the brakes it makes a crunching noise and springs forward like I'm on ice before it will stop then when I accelerate again after a few yards the rear end bumps like the rear wheels are locked or like I ran over a 2x4. The ABS light never comes on that I seen. The dealership is to run diagnostics and call me. I will let you know what they say. Hey If anyone knows what this could be already I would like to hear from you. Thanks.

Boris2 · August 2004

It looks like it's a known issue on Rodeo. I had this problem on my '01 from day one and I've called every single dealer in Colorado. What I've been told is that 1 qt of oil every 1-1.5K miles is within the Isuzu specs. They told me the engines were designed to consume oil for better lubrication. Doesn't make too much sense to me, but I haven't had any problems related to it yet.

As far as spark plugs being dirty from oil, that's something that I wouldn't consider normal. If Isuzu thinks that their engines are supposed to consume oil for better lubrication, that's fine with me. It will result in cleaner oil anyways as you basically add a quarter or two of fresh oil every oil change period. However, oil on the spark plugs is a different story and i'd have them check on it as it might result in some serious engine problems.

Boris2 · August 2004

Anybody changed the serpantine belt on Rodeo? How complicated is it? I've changed it on some older cars, but I haven't done it on Rodeo yet. My truck is on the dealership right now for a different problem and they said the serp. belt is starting to show age (cracks and generally dry). They want $85 for it, but the belt itself can't be more than $15 so I was thinking about doing it myself.

Any input?

jmorr1 · August 2004

Okay I have my 2001 Honda Passport back from the dealer and they said they could find nothing wrong. The ABS pump is working properly, the brake lines are great, the calipers are fine, Rear Drive Shaft has no codes stored. The Sensors are not storing codes. Everything is safe. I picked it up and luckily was not charged for the diagnoisis. I just drive it until a check engine light comes on or the ABS light comes on. Or my brakes fail and I crash. Great!

Boris2 · August 2004

I don't think your brakes will fail because of whatever the reason the ABS light goes off. Sometimes it goes off when you are low on brake fluid, but I'm sure the dealer tested it.

Also, I've noticed that often times, dealer will fix something and won't tell you that they did. I guess they are trying to hide some flaws that they know but the don't feel the consumers need to know.

As far as CE light, whenever it goes off, take it to Autozone or any other parts store that might have a code readers. It takes couple of minutes (you don't need any appointments) and doesn't cost anything. I was glad I did, as my fuel sending unit has failed and whenever I'm next to the dealer, the damn light wouldn't go off. They read the code and when I took it to the dealer, I was able to tell them what the problem was.

paisan · August 2004

It's easy, however costs about $25.

-mike

justin · August 2004

so, this is the last year for the Rodeo. I see the $5500 rebates out there for the 4WD 3.2L models. Do those engines still have oil leak/gasket issues like the 01's?

are they fairly good trucks? someone mentioned the Montero Sport. to me, the Montero seems a little....delicate.....compared to the Isuzu. i guess both makers do really well in commmercial truck sales.

so which is the better vehicle? i personally like the interior of the Rodeo better. but on either one of them, resale has got to be just awful....right?

also, why does the Rodeo have such a low tow rating?

Thanks!

jbkennedy · August 2004

I had mine changed at Detail Lube (Mr. Car Wash) for $49 (Parts & Labor) and it only took them 5-10 minutes, so it must not be difficult. I have a 2001 Rodeo with 37K miles.

squeak6 · August 2004

Hello all...

I have a 2003 Rodeo 2wd V6, I got it 09/2003 with 8 miles on it (I now have 34,055 miles) I do drive a lot. { see my old post under the prizm page. }

My first problem is the bad gas mileage, I only get about 16 mpg ( no matter if its city or hwy ). anything I can do to increase the mileage?

2nd issue, the ABS light came on I noticed that a lot of others have had this problem, what could cause this?, show the dealer fix this ( at no cost to me?)

3rd, anything I can do to keep this Rodeo running well?

*** ( I'm upset that the cost has gone way down on the 2004's I paid a lot for this 2003 )***

Thanks for all the information.

Squeak...

jbkennedy · August 2004

I have a 2001 Rodeo just a few months out of warranty and the intermittent wipers stopped working....anyone else have this problem and is it expensive to fix?

jerzy · August 2004

What's up to all on the board!!! Great info from many about fixes and car endurance. I have a 93 Rodeo w/ 166k. I just got a new alternator and can actually experience the A/C accept that its not blowing cold. It is my understanding that this year may or may not be R-134 already. So here r my 3 ?'s....

1. Where would i find the A/C compressor to locate the fittings?

2. How would i know if its R-12 or R-134?

3. If it is still R-12 what is the best method of doing the conversion from R-12 to R-134 (draining old..installing new) myself?

Thx..Jerzy

brian23 · August 2004

I owned a very reliable '98 Honda Passport for several years. After long and muddy or dusty trips I would take it to the car wash and use the 'engine cleaner/degreaser' and never had a single problem.

When I finally sold the vehicle it had about 110,000 miles on it. The interior was a bit scratched up and dirty but the engine was still clean as a whistle....

nyiles · September 2004

I recently test drove a 2000 LS and loved it. It is fully loaded, everything works and it drives great. THe only problem I see is in the paint. It is black but if you look closely, it looks sought of "crackly" (sorry,this is the only way to describe it). Has anyone ever seen or heard of this? The dealer says he sees it fairly often but can give no explanation.

Thanks!

squeak6 · September 2004

my Isuzu Rodeo had a very close look at another car today. ( they kissed )front end damage. well see what will take place next...

tma3 · September 2004

I have a 1993 Rodeo LS with the 3.2 V6. After installing a Tornado, my MPG is 19-20. I haven't had the ABS light issue yet. Keep it running well by normal maint.(oil changes, tune=ups, timing belt, etc...

jbkennedy · September 2004

I just had some work done last week at my dealership in southwest Houston and they are closing the business! The nearest dealership is over 20 miles away, which I guess is not that bad as many people do go several hundred miles to find an Isuzu dealership.

r0de099 · September 2004

im a having a problem with my car right now. Sometimes my car wont start and sometimes is just one click.when it dont start ill put the gear on neutral and it will start,then 3 days ago it happen again but this time it wont start even i put it in neutral change the fuse just in case its the fuse nothing happen i just heard a click when i turn the key but it started anyway after like ten minutes.What do guys think is the problem here?a starter you think ?I notice that lights are ok it dont seems like its the alternator.maybe you guys can give some tip.THANX....

anthony2n · September 2004

I had the same problem. Dealer replaced the starter and that fixed the problem. Starter would get stuck trying to engage, especially after car had been sitting for some time. After multiple cranking attempts, starter would free up and continue to work until the next time the truck sat for several hours.

Boris2 · October 2004

Did anybody performed a coolant flush on Rodeo? According to the manual, it should fit 11 liters of coolant (about 2.5 gal). However, when I drained it, i only drained about 1 gal (may be a little more) and I was only able to put in less than a gal of water back (in addition to 16 oz of cleaning stuff).

The manual says that when I drain the coolant, I need to do that by using the valve on the radiator as well as through the valve on the cylinder body. I spent a good 20 min under the car, but couldn't find any more valves anywhere. Also, I've never seen a car that required several valves to drain the coolant.

I can understand a little difference in what I drained vs. what I put back in due to the air "plugs" somewhere in the system, but my concern now is that I only drained half of the coolant.

I did run a car for about 5-7 min to make sure there is no more air in the system, but I could only fit a "tea spoon" of water after that.

steinermvlaura · October 2004

You are wrong about that.All the Rodeo V6 engines 98-04(DOHC),are non interference engines.
Actually I don't think Isuzu has ever manufactured an interference type V6.

paisan · October 2004

Debate on interference v. non-interference. We've been debating this for about 5 years or more.

-mike

df2000 · October 2004

On V6 engine there is a 27mm drain plug just above
starter on driver side. I never try to open it.
I usually disconnect small hose from heat exchager where you oil filter screw on. It will
get you another 3/4 gal of coolant from engine block and heater unit. V6 engine sometime have
one drain on radiator and two drains on engine block(one for each bank).

Boris2 · October 2004

Thank you.

That's almost what I ended up doing, except I didn't notice any drain hoses next to the filter (I wasn't really expecting to see anything over there, so I didn't look too careful).

I ended up unpluging a hose from the heat exchanger on the left side of the engine (if you are looking at it). There are two hoses, and I disconnected the top one - it was just easier to get too. After that, I started filling the whole system with water from the garden hose until clean water started flowing from the disconnected hose. When that happened, it meant that the system was free of antifreeze (hopefully) and full with water. After that, I put in about 1.25 gal of antifreeze through the radiator, which pushed 1.25 gal of water out of the system through the disconnected hose. As the result, I should have (theoretically) about 50/50 mix in the system.

I guess the main problem with this approach is that you will have antifreeze on the ground no matter what you do. There is absolutely no way to capture what's draining from the hose on the hood level.

I'll look at the drain hose next to the filter next time.

anthony2n · October 2004

Keep cats away from that antifreeze. Even a drop can be fatal. That's why I have a shop flush my cooling system. It's less messy and ensures that all the old coolant gets out.

mismymts · October 2004

i just purchased a 2001 rodeo v6 2wd (?) and i have this strange problem. when starting from a dead stop ( red light ) if i give it any kind of gas to really get going the back tires spin as if the pavement was wet (and it isn't) and then the engine and tires seem to grab and i mean grab. it's... 1. accelerate, 2.spin, 3.engine jerk, 4.grab and then 5.go, and then all is well. i am not talking of trying to do 0-60 in 5 sec. i just have an area here where 2 lanes go to 1 lane and i have to accelerate to get in front of the pack and this is what happens to me. it is very unnerving. i have tried it a few times now to see if it always happens and yes it does from a complete stop. any suggestions?

cptsesso · October 2004

My first thought would be tires. Even if they are still showing good treads, they may be the problem.

Boris2 · October 2004

Have you ever used any fuel line cleaners? This could be the problem. When I start having problems accelerating from the stop (jerking, not even RPMs, etc) I put in a bottle of BG40 (so similar) into the gas tank and it seems to be fixing the problem for at least 6 month. The bottle of really good cleaner will cost you no more than $20 (you can get pretty decent one for about $10) and it really makes a difference.

cptsesso · October 2004

If you read his post, he states his rear wheels break traction and spin on heavy, dead stop accelerations.

He does not have any engine problems, just traction problems, which makes me think he has poor rear tires.

mismymts · October 2004

your right, you would think of the tires at 1st but the tread is in very good cond. the spinning is similar of spinning tires in neutral and throwing it into 1st gear. it will only grad the gear when i let up and it seems to catch up and grab. it really has excellent acceleration after this. (it is an automatic). i would not think of the tires as being the problem. but maybe i am wrong.

r0de099 · October 2004

What is the symptoms if you have a starter problem?

karman1 · October 2004

Hello guys, I have a question for you.
I have a 98 2WD V6 Rodeo, can anyone recommend any good shocks? I have almost 109k on it and I think I'm still riding on OEM's. If you have any recommendations that would be great.
Thanks

inform_me · October 2004

I have a Isuzu Rodeo, though not reliable as a Honda or Toyota. With the currentt incentives in place and that the company i not going to be in business for not long, is it prudent to buy a Rodeo for around 16K? If it runs for 8 years, I am OK with the purchase..

What do you all think of buying a ROdeo for 17 K vs a Camry for 18 K?

atlgaxt · October 2004

How can you be cross shopping these two vehicles? They are completely different. If a car will take care of your needs, do not get an SUV. They roll over, do not ride as well, and burn more gas. The SUV is safer argument is bogus.

If you really need an SUV, a car is not an option. Needing an SUV means you tow or have a need to go off road, which are two things a car will not do. If you are only concerned with cargo capability, get a wagon or a crossover. The bottom line is that if you are asking this question, you really do not need an SUV, so get a Camry, or an Accord, Mazda 6, or some other car.

sbcooke · October 2004

OME - Old Man Emu...www.arbusa.com is where you can research. rocky-road.com or 4x4connection.com is were you can order.

I got a set for my Trooper and love them.

cracovian · October 2004

I got my loaded Trooper back in 2002 because it was cheap. It replaced our Corolla. My other options were Camry or Accord V6s and they would have been more expensive. They are all vehicles that will get you from A to B and I happen to like to sit up high to see over the vans and Explorers and have lots of cargo space for weekends at Costco or at the beach. I don't tow or go off-road, our roads are straight and even, and we all dream of driving earth-shattering 75MPH while sitting in traffic. That's the reality.

I'd get the Rodeo for 16K. Any other full-size wagon or crossover would be in a different (much higher) price category. You get the decent 3.2 V6 engine, auto, ABS, tires and suspension that will outlast those on any regular car. Plus you can load it up to the roof if you need to.

Some of us are flexible about what we drive and it mostly comes down to price. I'm actually eyeing a red Camry SE-V6 to replace my old compact... pickup truck. I also am tempted by a loaded Mazda6 wagon for $21K but it's a Ford though it looks nice... If GM sends me that additional $2,000 rebate like they did last December then I might even get the Aztec - that's how flexible I am :-)

stever · October 2004

idahodoug "Toyota Land Cruiser" Feb 10, 2003 9:24pm

Steve, Host

sbcooke · October 2004

I somewhat agree with the posters opinions, however some manufacturers don't always put the best/longest life shocks in a car, so while may perfect for a cars suspension, may just be bad overall. Also, just adding "performance" shocks isn't perfect either. OME specifically designs its shocks for each vehicle and spring rates, etc. Which in my opinion makes them much better than say Rancho's or other "upgrades". I did the OME shocks alone and not springs in my Trooper and got much improved performance over stock. Onroad was good, offroad performance was great.

paisan · October 2004

OMEs are great. I did the Rancho thing on my Trooper for the first go around, changed over to the OMEs on my 2nd shot. Much better IMHO.

-mike

paisan · October 2004

Cross shopping is fine with me.

Depends on how long you want to keep it. In the long run the Camary is gonna cost more to keep up than a 2wd Rodeo due to the fact that it's not going to take abuse nearly as well, which is fine for 50-100k but once you push past that 100K mark, the rodeo will withstand harsh roads.

Just my take on it, long term the Rodeo will cost less and hold up better IMHO.

-mike

Boris2 · November 2004

Have a question to everybody. About 6 month ago or so, I noticed that my Rodeo is making a terrible squeaking noise when I back up. It sounds just like when your brakes are worn to the metal and you slowly slow down before the traffic light. However, it ONLY happens when you back up and is especially bad when you turn the wheels ton the right or left at the same time.

I know that my brakes are somewhat worn - it shakes when I brake at high speed - but they are silent when I brake. It's when I accelerate backwards is when that noise comes up.

Somebody suggested that it could still be brakes since when I back up, the wheels turn in to different direction and if the pads are not worn evenly, they'd start squeaking. This doesn't make too much sense to me as the sound never comes up when I brake.

I am planning to take it to the brake inspection in a week or so, but I'll need to replace the pads and machine the rotors soon anyways (61K+ miles on original brakes). However, this doesn't sound right.

oh, also, at first, the sound would come when it was wet outside. Now, it is mostly noticeable when its dry and not very cold. Go figure...

anthony2n · November 2004

It's your rear brakes. Have it checked out. It's a common problem on Isuzus. If brake pads need to be replaced, OEM pads are highly recommended.

kat6 · November 2004

I have a 98 Rodeo. The transmission light will come on and flash for several hundred miles then will stop for a while then start again. Had the codes read at autozone and got the P1870 Transmission Component slipping code. the tranny seems to be functioning fine. Anyone know anything about this problem.

Boris2 · November 2004

Rear brakes??? That surprises me - usually front brakes are the ones to go first, not the rear ones. And I'm pretty easy on brakes too.

I kind of thought of brakes (even though I wasn't blaming it on rears), as the sound is very similar to brakes sounds when they are worn. However, the sound never comes up when I brake. It is only there when I back up with the wheels turn and disappear when I slow down after backing up.

I'll definitely have them checked, but I'm just curious about the physics of the problem.

Isuzu Rodeo

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