NHTSA — Electrical System Problems

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
66,484 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2001 Isuzu Rodeo electrical problems

electrical problem

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2001 Isuzu Rodeo Owner Comments

problem #15

Jan 202017

Rodeo

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Stationary at park driveway, woke up early morning to go to work as I go to my car my key remote will not work I have to manually key in car to open door.put the key and start the car nothing happened. Found out battery was dead, buy new one still not starting found out the alternator nor working and the main fuse was blown. Replaced new fuse and alternator and try to start, 15amp fuse blown on my panel cluster gauge not working although car start and the battery was not charging. Everytime I put a new 15amp fuse for panel it will blown. I guess there must be something an electrical short or ground that blow fuse on panel and also not charging the batteries. Any help on recall I had my car for 15 years I never been to any recall on this car.

- Chesapeake, VA, USA

problem #14

Sep 092009

Rodeo 4WD 6-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
I own a 2001 Isuzu Rodeo. I noticed the check engine light was on a few days after purchase. Dealer sent us to his mechanic who fixed it. A few weeks later it happened again, he fixed again many times. Eventually he said there was probably a problem with the sensor and not to worry about it, so I didn't. the ABS light came on about a year later and I had it addresses when I had my brakes checked. The guy that did my brakes told me I could have it fixed or just ignore it, that it was not important. The next thing that went out was my air conditioning and heating system. I ended up paying 1300 to get fixed in the summer of 2014. The next thing was the rear wiper stopped working. I still have not replaced that. Shortly after the wiper stopped working I noticed the cruise control & the brake lights would not work when the lights were on, I no longer drive at night. Last year the gas gauge stopped working, I have to keep up with my mileage to figure out if I need to fill up. Just recently experienced the engine starting to stall. I was driving on the freeway going about 70. I had my heater, radio and wipers on for the rain. I decided to turn on the headlights because it was starting to get a little dark and just when I turned them on the dash lights faded and the car started to slow down like it was not getting any power. I quickly turned the lights off and the car went back to normal. This was very scary, I was afraid to turn my lights back on. Once I got off the freeway and was going into the mountains, the fog was to dense to ignore the lights. I turned them on this time without a problem. I know I did not have brake lights, thankfully I was more or less on the road alone. After researching this car I see thousands of people with the same problems. I think we should start a class action law suit.

- Chiloquin, OR, USA

problem #13

Dec 022013

Rodeo 4-cyl

  • 100,000 miles
The instrument panel lights go off, corrosion in 6 months time in odd places and under car, key gets stuck in ignition, key has to to be juggled to start car, emission issues, smell of insecticides, computer issues, if you lay a towel on the dash, or park in front of a mirrored window, or leave the headlights on for less then a minute when the car is off, the car won't start (kills battery). Something appears to be draining the power. Sometimes the car will start back up on it's own, but mostly needs a jump. The battery has tested fine. Fuel gage quit working, check engine light used to go off when you fill the gas tank up, but now it just stays on. The car runs rich when it's down to half a tank. Rear view mirror light would not turn off, had to yank the wire out of it. Help!

- Painesville, OH, USA

problem #12

Mar 142014

Rodeo

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving down the highway my engine shut off, then turned on again, revving the engine up as though I was pressing the gas pedal harder. This happened again about five miles further down the road. Has continued to happen off and on at different intervals. When the instrument panel lights go off I can hit the steering column just below the key and the vehicle will restart and the panel lights come on again.

- Tyler, TX, USA

problem #11

Apr 252013

Rodeo

  • 150,000 miles
My 2001 Isuzu Rodeo that I have had for 9 years has never really given me any problems until this year. This exact incident has occurred on three different occasions now. I will be driving, the speed does not matter, sometimes it is 30, 50, or 80 mph, and the car will just start losing power. First the dash and all my gauges will go out, then the motor will start to sound funny and start losing power. Then as I make it to the side (thankfully every time) it just stops running and everything shuts off. I try to re-crank it and it won't turn over. I will turn my flashers on and even then they run at an extremely reduced rate and sometimes not at all. I have replaced my battery, the wiring to my alternator, my alternator, and my egr valve. I don't know what else to fix and I need the problem diagnosed so I'm not spending money fixing things I don't need and spend money on the actual issue getting fixed.

- Franklin, TN, USA

problem #10

Dec 142012

Rodeo 6-cyl

  • 153,000 miles
We purchased a 2001 Isuzu Rodeo on November 23 2012 we did not drive the vehicle very much and December 14 2012 I turned a corner and the reduced power light came on and I could not go over 40 mph the code showed up for the throttle position sensor and the agr valve we replaced both and this did not correct the problem I looked up online about the problem and found out that there is a known wiring issue and we found the known area (diagram)online and we did find were someone had tried to fix the wires after moving the wires around slightly the reduced power light went off. The car was unusable for the month of December we were able to use it in Jan. Of 2013 but we were using the car in Feb 2013 we were going up an incline and the reduced power light came back on and again we could not go over 40 mph we got home and we moved the wires and the light went off we used the car a twice then the third time we used the car we hit a small pot hole while turning a corner and the reduced power light came back on and again could not go over 40 mph we have not been able to use the car since this. I turned on the vehicle to see if the light went off and while in park it tried to excellerate on its own and we have not been able to find the wiring problem yet.if this is a know problem why has there not been a recall.

- Sour Lake, TX, USA

problem #9

Apr 112012

Rodeo 6-cyl

  • 143,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I purchased my 2001 Isuzu Rodeo used in April 2012, about a week after I had the vehicle it started stalling out while I was driving, loosing complete power for a few moments then would jerk and continue going. I also noticed when I would hit a small bump and try to apply the brakes I heard a grinding noise and it would not stop for a few feet, even with the brake all the way to the floor. Also when I stop I hear a popping noise in the rear, everytime I stop. Now the vehicle is completely dying at random times. It will die when I am on the interstate going a steady speed, or accelerating. Also when I come close to a complete stop to turn the vehicle will die. I put it in neutral and it starts right back up and jerks while speeding up. I have almost T-boned someone due to the car dying and the loss of power steering. Also I have almost been rear ended numerous times because of the car stalling out and also dying. Also after having the car a couple weeks the speedometer and odometer quit working and the light for the speedometer will not work either.

- Mustang, OK, USA

problem #8

Feb 232009

Rodeo

  • 131,000 miles
2001 Isuzu Rodeo - reduced power light came on and car would not go over 5 miles per hour.

- Burnam, IL, USA

problem #7

Jul 032006

Rodeo 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 40,150 miles
On several occasions my Rodeo has lost lights, power, ac. This has caused the vehicle to stop and not start.

- Whittier, CA, USA

problem #6

Dec 272005

Rodeo 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 70,000 miles
On 12/27/2005, our 2001 Isuzu Rodeo stalled in the middle of an intersection. After towing it to crest Isuzu in plano, tx, the service representative informed me there was a short in the wiring harness. The cost of repair (labor included) is $1,300. After speaking with the repair technician (mechanic), he informed me this is a common problem with Isuzu and they have yet placed a recall. He informed me the wiring harness controls the electronic throttle control, which tells the engine how much gas/acceleration is needed. In other words, the throttle control can tell the engine to "gun it" when the driver is braking. According to alldatapro.com, bulletin #IB00-04-S006 refers to the electronic throttle control, however, with no mention of the wiring harness. As stated earlier, however, the technician stated this is a common problem that Isuzu will continue to ignore unless enough affected consumers come forward to register their complaints. Per additional research, this is a known design defect. Prior to this final incident on 12/27, we have had several other issues with the acceleration; however, it quickly disappeared and we thought nothing of it.

- St Paul, TX, USA

problem #5

Dec 182005

Rodeo 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 88,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact stated while the vehicle was at a certified dealership the ABS brakes failed. The mechanic was backing the contact's vehicle out of the garage and the ABS light illuminated. When the ABS light illuminated the mechanic depressed the brake pedal. However, the ABS did not engage. The vehicle crossed the road and ran through a garage door of another business. After the crash the ignition was turned off and restarted. Once the vehicle was restarted the ABS light was not illuminating and the vehicle operated normally. The certified service dealer stated tissues an electrical problem, and will be performing diagnostic testing on the vehicle. No repairs have been made at this time. A police a report was taken at the scene. Vehicle sustained minimum damage.

- Mechanicsville, MD, USA

problem #4

Nov 282005

Rodeo 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
The incidents all happened on or before November 28th, 2005. The situation had gotten worse and that is when I took it in to the dealership. When traveling down the road the SUV would either stall out when slowing down to a stop or die when you are trying to turn into a parking space. We had family in the Rodeo on numerous occasions when the vehicle would stall out when hitting the brakes hard when someone would pull out in front of you. The engine would die while traffic was coming towards us. It would idle roughly and when you would let it warm up for a good ten minutes, trying to place it in gear will kill the engine. I took it to crest Isuzu thinking it was the fuel pump that was replaced not too long ago since it was acting the same way. The service advisor told me it was the wire harness that runs from the engine to the gas pedal. Phil explained this to me after he gotten the report from the service technician. He even told me that Isuzu knew that the way the system was designed (the wiring harness was laid out) that when the vehicle goes over a bump or hits a pot hole, it would cut the wiring, causing it to short out. I went for the repairs, which cost me over 400 dollars. The vehicle is doing the same thing again. As consumers, we shouldn't have to put up with something like this. They knew it was a design flaw. We are continuing to have this problem. It's a safety issue because the vehicle dies in traffic and you don't know when it will do it again. There is no telling how many consumers have been raked over the coals on this issue and have not spoken up on this.

- Carrollton, TX, USA

problem #3

Jun 012005

Rodeo 6-cyl

  • 42,103 miles
2001 Isuzu Rodeo developed problems with stalling.** answer required***. each time the vehicle was taken to the dealer they claimed it was a sensor problem and replaced it. This correct the problem for a few month but eventually the vehicle began to stall again. The dealer was finally about to determine that the computer was defective and had burned out the wiring harness. The consumer believes the dealer knew what the problem was all along but didn't want to repair it while the vehicle was still under warranty.

- Martinez, CA, USA

problem #2

Jan 082003

Rodeo

  • miles
I'm having the following electrical issues with my Rodeo. Intermitently, the cruise light button turns on, then the cruise light indicator turns on, then the check transmission light turns on. At that same time all the indicators are on the truck hesitates as if the transmission is slipping. This most frequently occurs after coming to a complete stop, however has occured while crusing. Thus far the technicians have replaced

- Chandler, AZ, USA

problem #1

Jul 182002

Rodeo

  • miles
While in motion and with out any warning, the vehicle suddenly slowed down and stopped in the highway. Consumer had to push the vehicle off onto the shoulder to avoid an accident. The vehicle was towed to a service shop where it was diagnosed as a poor connection at H-7, and the connector was replaced. The mechanic informed consumer that this was a factory defect.

- Plano, TX, USA

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