1998 Isuzu Amigo S 4WD Review

Summary: ISUZU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1998-2000 AMIGO AND MODEL YEAR 2001-2002 RODEO SPORT 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. THESE VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE CORROSION IN THE VICINITY OF THE FORWARD MOUNTING POINT BRACKET FOR THE LEFT OR RIGHT REAR SUSPENSION LOWER LINK.

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 INCREASE THE RISK OF 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, ISUZU WILL OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE VEHICLE FOR AN AMOUNT BASED ON THE KELLEY BLUE BOOK ¿PRIVATE PARTY¿ PRICE. ALL INSPECTIONS AND REMEDIES WILL BE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE 10 YEARS OLD OR LESS. FOR VEHICLES OLDER THAN 10 YEARS, ISUZU WILL OFFER A FREE REMEDY, BUT ONLY IF THE VEHICLE IS PRESENTED TO AN ISUZU SERVICE FACILITY DEALER WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF WHEN OWNER NOTIFICATIONS WERE ISSUED. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING JULY 2012. ISUZU OWNERS MAY CONTACT ISUZU AT 1-800-255-6727.

Notes: CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION¿S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-423(TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Summary: 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.

Notes: CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Summary: 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.

Summary: 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.

Notes: OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH 2000. 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, EXT. 343.ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Summary: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A SUNROOF SUNSHADE. THE PRIMER APPLIED TO PREPARE THE SURFACE PRIOR TO BONDING THE SUNSHADE HOLDERS TO THE SUNROOF WEAKENED THE BONDING STRENGTH OF THE ADHESIVE, RESULTING IN AN UNSATISFACTORY BOND OF THE HOLDER TO THE SUNROOF.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE HOLDER, CAUSING THE SUNSHADE TO FALL, POSSIBLY STRIKING A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE ALL FOUR SUNSHADE HOLDERS AND RE-BOND THEM TO THE SUNROOF GLASS.

Notes: OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 9, 1998. 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 1-800-382-2238.ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Summary: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. A GROUND CONNECTION TERMINAL WAS NOT PROPERLY CRIMPED IN THE SUPPLIER'S ENGINE WIRING HARNESS MANUFACTURING LINE. THIS IMPROPER CRIMPING PROCESS CAN LEAVE AN IMPRESSION ON THE TERMINAL THAT WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE A STRESS FRACTURE. S

Consequence: IF A TERMINAL IS FRACTURED, THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) CAN RECEIVE AN ERRONEOUS SIGNAL INDICATING A HIGH VEHICLE SPEED, THEREBY CAUSING THE PCM TO CUT THE FUEL, CAUSING A 'NO-START' CONDITION, OR A POSSIBLE ENGINE STALL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS ON THESE VEHICLES.

Notes: OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN AUGUST 24, 1998.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 1-800-255-6727 OR HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009.ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Summary: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE STRENGTH OF THE REAR SEAT BELT SHOULDER ANCHORAGE IS NOT TO DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS AND DOES NOT FULLY COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES."

Consequence: THE REAR SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW RIGHT AND LEFT REAR SEAT BELT ANCHOR BOLTS.

Notes: OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN JUNE 15, 1998.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, EXTENSION 256.ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).