Model year report

1999 Isuzu Rodeo: what breaks, and at what mileage

What breaks on the 1999 Isuzu Rodeo

On the 1999 Isuzu Rodeo, the failure owners report most often is ABS module or sensor failure, and the reports cluster around 55,000 miles. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 74,000 miles. Overall it scores 68 out of 100, high risk for a 1999.

High risk for a 1999 — 101st riskiest of the 303 1999 vehicles we can rate. 735 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.

What owners report breaking

Owners have reported 54 named failure modes on the 1999 Isuzu Rodeo, and the three most-reported carry 39% of everything filed.

ABS module or sensor failure leads with 160 reports, about 3.5 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 40k to 70,000 miles.

Fuel gauge or level sensor failure follows with 75 reports, usually reported between 50k to 70,000 miles.

Other suspension problem follows with 51 reports, usually reported between 125k to 180,000 miles.

By system, the reports fall mostly into brakes (212), fuel (113) and body (90).

The mileage the reports cluster at

341 of the reports on the 1999 Isuzu Rodeo came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 74,000 miles.

Cumulatively, 24% by 50,000 miles, 60% by 100,000 miles and 83% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 21 filed above the top of the chart.

The busiest stretch is between 60,000 and 70,000 miles, which alone holds 14% of the dated reports.

11% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.

In the order they tend to show up: ABS module or sensor failure around 55k, fuel gauge or level sensor failure around 62k, other engine problem around 63k and other speed control problem around 72k.

Median

ABS module or sensor failure

55k
Fuel gauge or level sensor failure

62k
Other suspension problem

145k
Other body or interior problem

139k
Rust or structural corrosion

111k
Other speed control problem

72k
Loss of braking

40k
Other powertrain problem

81k
Other engine problem

63k
Other brake problem

78k
Fuel pump failure

64k
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure

40k

Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens

Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 54. The full list is in the table below.

How reports accumulate

Share of reports filed by each mileage

half by 74.1k

Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 21 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.

Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Dashed the median reported mileage

Severity, and what it costs

Across the named modes, 87 mention a crash, 9 a fire, 26 an injury and 2 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.

The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.73, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.

What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: ABS module or sensor failure at $500–$2,400, fuel gauge or level sensor failure at $300–$1,200, other suspension problem at $350–$2,000 and other body or interior problem at $200–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.

14% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.

Every reported failure mode

Mileage figures are percentiles of owner-reported readings. Click a column to sort.
Failure mode	System	Reports	With reading	25th	Median	75th	Per 1,000	Typical repair	Severity
ABS module or sensor failure	brakes	160	47	40k	55k	69k	3.5	$500–$2,400	High
Fuel gauge or level sensor failure	fuel	75	56	50k	62k	70k	1.7	$300–$1,200	Moderate
Other suspension problem	suspension	51	27	125k	145k	181k	1.1	$350–$2,000	Moderate
Other body or interior problem	body	48	38	116k	139k	164k	1.1	$200–$2,000	Moderate
Rust or structural corrosion	body	42	31	62k	111k	135k	0.9	$500–$6,000	High
Other speed control problem	adas	31	13	41k	72k	128k	0.7	$250–$2,000	Critical
Loss of braking	brakes	27	6	—	40k	—	0.6	$400–$3,000	Critical
Other powertrain problem	transmission	26	8	34k	81k	93k	0.6	$400–$4,500	High
Other engine problem	engine	25	12	51k	63k	69k	0.6	$300–$4,000	High
Other brake problem	brakes	15	5	—	78k	—	0.3	$300–$1,800	High
Fuel pump failure	fuel	14	7	—	64k	—	0.3	$600–$2,600	High
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure	electrical	14	7	—	40k	—	0.3	$700–$3,000	High
Other wheel or tire problem	wheels	14	1	—	102k	—	0.3	$200–$1,500	High
Other fuel system problem	fuel	13	7	—	55k	—	0.3	$300–$2,200	High
Excessive oil consumption	engine	12	6	—	65k	—	0.3	$900–$6,500	High
Other electrical problem	electrical	12	6	—	140k	—	0.3	$250–$2,000	Moderate
Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure	engine	8	2	—	74k	—	0.2	$1,200–$4,500	Critical
Cruise control failure	adas	8	5	—	18k	—	0.2	$200–$1,400	High
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure	suspension	8	6	—	141k	—	0.2	$400–$2,200	High
Head gasket failure	engine	7	5	—	44k	—	0.2	$1,400–$4,000	Critical
Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure	fuel	7	3	—	104k	—	0.2	$250–$1,800	Moderate
Other steering problem	steering	7	4	—	114k	—	0.2	$350–$2,400	High
Stalling while driving	engine	5	0	—	—	—	0.1	$300–$2,500	Critical
Complete transmission failure	transmission	5	1	—	60k	—	0.1	$2,800–$8,000	Critical
Audio or connectivity failure	infotainment	5	0	—	—	—	0.1	$150–$900	Low
Brake line, hose or caliper failure	brakes	5	5	—	121k	—	0.1	$250–$1,600	Critical
Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin	emissions	5	2	—	116k	—	0.1	$250–$2,000	High
Tail light, brake light or signal failure	lighting	5	1	—	40k	—	0.1	$100–$900	Moderate
Other visibility problem	glass	5	1	—	65k	—	0.1	$150–$1,400	Moderate
Fuel leak or fuel odor	fuel	4	4	—	171k	—	0.1	$300–$2,500	Critical
Seat belt or retractor failure	airbag	4	1	—	95k	—	0.1	$200–$900	High
Tire blowout or tread separation	wheels	4	2	—	115k	—	0.1	$200–$1,500	Critical
Wiper or washer failure	glass	4	3	—	39k	—	0.1	$120–$800	Moderate
No-start or intermittent start failure	engine	3	0	—	—	—	0.1	$200–$1,800	Moderate
Radiator or coolant leak	cooling	3	0	—	—	—	0.1	$350–$1,900	High
Thermostat failure	cooling	3	3	—	45k	—	0.1	$250–$900	Moderate
Harsh or jerky shifting	transmission	3	1	—	48k	—	0.1	$600–$4,000	Moderate
Alternator or charging system failure	electrical	3	0	—	—	—	0.1	$450–$1,600	High
Premature brake pad or rotor wear	brakes	3	0	—	—	—	0.1	$300–$1,400	Moderate
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash	airbag	3	0	—	—	—	0.1	$1,000–$5,000	Critical
Air conditioning failure	hvac	3	0	—	—	—	0.1	$400–$2,800	Moderate
Intake carbon buildup	engine	2	2	—	110k	—	0.0	$400–$1,200	Moderate
CV axle or driveshaft failure	drivetrain	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$450–$2,200	High
Wiring harness or short circuit	electrical	2	1	—	150k	—	0.0	$400–$3,500	High
Strut, shock or spring failure	suspension	2	1	—	80k	—	0.0	$500–$2,000	Moderate
Wheel, stud or lug nut failure	wheels	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$150–$1,500	Critical
DPF, EGR or DEF system failure	emissions	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$800–$5,000	High
Complete engine failure or seizure	engine	1	1	—	161k	—	0.0	$4,500–$12,000	Critical
Overheating	cooling	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$400–$3,500	High
Engine sensor failure	electrical	1	1	—	127k	—	0.0	$180–$900	Moderate
Instrument cluster or gauge failure	infotainment	1	1	—	75k	—	0.0	$350–$1,400	Moderate
Master cylinder or brake booster failure	brakes	1	1	—	40k	—	0.0	$450–$2,200	Critical
Parking brake failure	brakes	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$250–$1,300	Moderate
Other driver assistance problem	adas	1	1	—	105k	—	0.0	$250–$1,800	High
Unclassified problem	other	17	6	—	105k	—	0.4	—	Moderate

Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.

How often, against how many were built

Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 1999 Isuzu Rodeo draws about 16 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 90th percentile of complaint rates among 1999 vehicles we can rate.

That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.

The working figure is 45,252 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 1999 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.

What owners wrote

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.

ABS module or sensor failure

When I try to stop my 99 rodeo about 1 out of 5 times the brake pedal will pulsate very fast accompanied by a sound (like a quiet machine gun) coming from the engine compartment. This is the ABS kicking in. Dealer says I'm not covered. Have contacted isuzu but only get answering machine. Reading on an isuzu forum (not sponsored by isuzu), this seems to be a known and common problem with rodeo's that isuzu doesn't want to address if your out of warranty. My 99 has 29,000 miles on it but it is over 3 years. I bought it new. *jb

28,000 miles NHTSA complaint 396593 filed 2003-03-05

In august of 2002 , I was driving my 1999 rodeo that I had leased new in 2002 and this running noise continued after I turned off the engine. It was the ABS module. It had to be unplugged to keep the battery from being run down. The repair is about $500.00 and isuzu wants to ignore that there is a problem with this component. Before the noise started,the stopping distance was very long and there was a popping feeling in the brake pedal. I took it in to the dealer and was told "nothing was wrong and that was the way anti-lock brakes felt" the ABS light came on. All of this started with 40,000 miles on the vehicle. There is a problem with the rodeo that needs to be addressed and recalled by isuzu without the cost of life or money to the consumer. *jb

40,000 miles NHTSA complaint 398318 filed 2003-03-17

Fuel gauge or level sensor failure

I have a 99 rodeo ls w/63k on it. Fuel gauge goes wacky when I fill it up and sometimes when ever it feels like it. I have to use the trip meter to gauge how much fuel I have left. The gauge usually starts to work again when I have 3/4 tank left.starting may take several times. I turn the key and hear a click then nothing. I usually have to press on the brakes or shift into drive and then back into park and it may start. Wiper blades stop in mid windshield when using the intermittent setting. *ak I have printed the other complaints and found them useful. I will bring them to my dealer and complain to get them fixed.

60,000 miles NHTSA complaint 420507 filed 2003-07-25

I have a 99 rodeo ls w/63k on it. Fuel gauge goes wacky when I fill it up and sometimes when ever it feels like it. I have to use the trip meter to gauge how much fuel I have left. The gauge usually starts to work again when I have 3/4 tank left.starting may take several times. I turn the key and hear a click then nothing. I usually have to press on the brakes or shift into drive and then back into park and it may start. Wiper blades stop in mid windshield when using the intermittent setting. *ak I have printed the other complaints and found them useful. I will bring them to my dealer and complain to get them fixed.

60,000 miles NHTSA complaint 420508 filed 2003-07-25

Recalls on the 1999 model year

NHTSA has issued 5 recall campaigns covering the 1999 Isuzu Rodeo, affecting an estimated 134,990 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.

The campaigns cover suspension:rear, service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electron, engine and engine cooling:engine and structure:body. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.

One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.

10V436000

SUSPENSION:REAR

149,992 vehicles 2010-09-22

Defect: Isuzu is recalling certain model year 1998-2002 isuzu rodeo and model year 2002 isuzu axiom vehicles, and honda is recalling certain 1998-2002 honda passport vehicles, that were originally sold, or are currently registered, in the states of maine, new hampshire, vermont, massachusetts, rhode island, connecticut, new york, new jersey, pennsylvania, delaware, maryland, the district of columbia, west virginia, ohio, indiana, michigan, illinois, wisconsin, minnesota, iowa, missouri, and kentucky. Vehicles that have experienced sustained exposure to highly corrosive materials…
Consequence: Excessive corrosion may result in the left or right rear suspension lower link bracket becoming detached from the frame, which can affect vehicle handling and potentially cause a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear suspension lower link bracket area. For vehicles in which little or no corrosion is found, the area will be treated with an anti-corrosive compound. For vehicles in which corrosion has damaged the rear suspension lower link bracket and affected its connection to the vehicle frame, a reinforcement bracket will be installed. In the rare event the corrosion is so severe that the reinforcement bracket remedy would not be appropriate, a repurchase offer will be extended to the vehicle's owner. All inspections and remedies will be provided free of…

02I002000

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

161,927 vehicles 2002-06-03

Defect: On certain sport utility vehicles that are equipped with an anti-lock braking system (ABS), the vehicles can experience extended stopping distances in certain types of braking events.
Consequence: Extended stopping distance could result, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will provide a replacement computer algorithm for the ABS that is based on the algorithm used in isuzu's my 2000 and 2001 vehicles, which have not had the problem. This campaign will be conducted in phases, with the my 1998 2wd vehicles covered first, since they have experienced the most problems. Owner notification began march 20, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact isuzu at 1-800-643-4070.

01I002000

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

0 vehicles 2001-05-29

Defect: This is not a safety recall in accordance with the safety act. However, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency. Vehicle description: 1998-2000 rodeo (ue) and amigo (ua) models equipped with 2.2l 4-cylinder engines. The timing belt could break before the recommended scheduled maintenance.
Consequence: This condition could cause the engine to crank but will not start or the engine could stall while driving and will not restart.
Remedy: Dealer will inspect the vehicle to determine the condition of the timing belt and tensioner. The dealer will replace the timing belt. Depending on the condition or model of the timing belt tensioner, the tensioner may also be replaced. Isuzu has decided to conduct a service campaign to replace the timing belt. Owner notification began june 22, 2001. Owners can contact isuzu at 1-800-643-4070, ext. 426, concerning this program.

00V121001

STRUCTURE:BODY

45,252 vehicles 2000-04-28

Defect: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. These vehicles fail to comply with the performance requirements of fmvss no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact."
Consequence: In the event of a crash, personal injury could occur.
Remedy: Dealers will modify the interior of your vehicle.

00V058000

SUSPENSION:REAR

213,736 vehicles 2000-03-02

Defect: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. Paint was applied unevenly on the rear axles, resulting in insufficient paint hardness. Should this occur on the surface that contacts the rear axle lower link bracket bolt head and/or nut, the nut may loosen.
Consequence: The bolt could detach fully, causing separation of the lower link from the rear axle, increasing the risk of loss of vehicle control.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear axle lower link joint nut and bolt.

Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.

How it ranks in the 1999 field

The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.

Risk score against the rest of the 1999 field

Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.

Left fewer and less serious reports
Right more, or worse
Marker this vehicle

Where 1999 sits in the model line

High risk for a 1999 — 101st riskiest of the 303 1999 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.

Across the 9 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2001 comes out best at 64 and 2003 worst at 71, with 1999 itself at 68.

If the model year is negotiable, 2001 scores lower than 1999 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.

Within the 1996–2001 generation specifically, 2001 is the strongest year at 64 and 1996 the weakest at 69.

Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.

Risk score by model year, out of 100

Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.

Within the 1996-2001 generation, 2001 Isuzu Rodeo scores best at 64 and 1996 Isuzu Rodeo worst at 69.

What to look at before buying one

The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other powertrain problem from about 34k, ABS module or sensor failure from about 40k, other speed control problem from about 41k and fuel gauge or level sensor failure from about 50k.

On a 1999 Isuzu Rodeo with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other powertrain problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.

Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.

The limits of complaint data

735 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.

Of those 735 reports, 341 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 46% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".

The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.

And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.

Questions this page answers

What are the most common problems with the 1999 Isuzu Rodeo?

The most-reported failures are abs module or sensor failure (160 reports, median 55,000 miles), fuel gauge or level sensor failure (75 reports, median 62,500 miles) and other suspension problem (51 reports, median 145,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.

At what mileage do 1999 Isuzu Rodeo problems start?

Abs module or sensor failure is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 55,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 40,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 74,000 miles.

Is the 1999 Isuzu Rodeo reliable?

It scores 68 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 101st riskiest of the 303 1999 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 1999 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.

Which year of the Isuzu Rodeo is best?

Within the 1996–2001 generation, 2001 scores best at 64 out of 100 and 1996 worst at 69. Same body, same engines, different luck.

Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.

What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car

Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt 20 August 2026 Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed