2000 Isuzu Rodeo LS 3.2Liter V6

Summary:

Intermittent wiper failure

Faults:

Variable speed function of windshield wipers stopped working, Wipers do not park when shut off, but stop wherever they are on the windshield. Same problem with rear wiper. I wanted to post something useful aside from my other gripes about the oil consumption and clutch failure. I couldn't find a replacement listed as a wiper control module. As it turns out, it's combined with the alarm module, behind and to the right of the glove box on the side wall near the passenger side door pillar.

The glove box removes easily from the front with a few screws. There are two black boxes. It is the larger of the two and is above the smaller one. The smaller one needs to be removed to get to it. Contact points in 2 of 4 relays on the circuit board built up some carbon and made only intermittent contact. The relays are soldered to the circuit board so can't be replaced individually.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 7th January, 2008

2000 Isuzu Rodeo LS

Summary:

Many weird and ghostly symptoms that come and go!

Faults:

Tranny leak x3,radiator smell with no leak, 3 sets of tires, 2 full sets of brakes (rears from dealer prior to purchase related to 1st tranny leak- pads wore out related to fluid on them), CD changer has eaten 4 CDs and won't give them back, no light on clock, no gas guage since 50Kish, check engine light since about 50K as well-it is most alarming when it goes OFF! Window buttons don't work- most recently, yesterday, it became stuck in the down position and won't come up! It actually is a convenience since the drivers door handle stopped working from the outside a few months ago- now instead of reaching across from the passengers side, I can reach in through the open window!It's cold in MA in December! Air spoiler thingy over rear window became loose (lost 2 nuts) and made a horrible squeaky noise until I figured that out! Shake, shimmy and roll over bumps and corners. Scary ride at this point. I was hoping for another year with 'my Joe', I will miss him, but it's time he goes to hospice care- comfort care only- no heroic measures planned here. I just hope that the dealership around the corner runs the "push, pull or tow it in" trade in deal SOON! How do I get the window up so I don't freeze? I don't care about using it- I can deal with it being stationary.

General Comments:

Guess it gave me a good run.

Never stuck in the snow.

Interior is just roomy enough with ease of parking a "girly" SUV.

Cargo area is big enough for 2 large trash cans+ for dump runs.

Way too loose on street bumps-pot holes hurt!

My mechanic says " I'll tell you what to do about the window- run across the street to Toyota..."

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 4th December, 2007

2000 Isuzu Rodeo LSE

Summary:

Not Again!

Faults:

CD player broke about three weeks after I bought it.

Check engine light on at 65000, then mysteriously disappeared. No idea why this happened.

ABS light on/off intermittently. Mechanic unable to diagnose issue with ABS. $200 labor and time.

Check engine lignt on at 85000, running ROUGH and stalling at stops. $500 later-a "tune-up", fuel-injector service, and new air intake manifold helped.

Starting problems-turn key for 8-10 seconds before engine will turn. Starter broke-$200. Replaced starter at 87000. STILL won't start properly. It generally starts OK first thing in the morning, but if I drive to the grocery store and get out for half an hour, it is a nightmare to restart it. Turn key for 8-10 seconds, press on the gas, and finally the engine engages with a giant plume of smoke.

I have been a maintainence freak and gotten all my fluid flushes and tune-ups and oil changes as scheduled. I used to LOVE this car, but now it just makes me sick-not to mention poor.

General Comments:

I love the 60-40 split seating.

Gas mileage sucks.

Great, roomy truck.

Looks cute.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 22nd September, 2007

20th Jun 2009, 21:45

Did you fix the problem with the Rodeo taking 8 to 10 sec to start? If so, what did you fix?

24th Feb 2012, 21:57

Hard to start with a warm engine (with no misfire code) and black smoke after it starts, means there's a leaking fuel injector(s). It can be so bad as to hydro-lock the engine so that it won't turn over. If you think your truck has this problem, pull the spark plugs to see which one is wet and smells like gas. Then you'll know which fuel injector to replace.