Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Isuzu Rodeo owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My friend [redacted] and I were returning home from shopping in town. Hit a small pothole on spring street in vernon, ct about 5 pm. Took a left turn down a hill and heard scraping sound outside the car.I pulled over and stopped the vehicle, engaged the emergency brake and examined the wheels. The rear left tire was scraping against the mud guard. I was within .2 mi. From home and drove there slowly and carefully and parked the vehicle. On closer inspection we discovered that the shock/strut had separated from the frame, and that both parts were badly rusted. Since the left rear wheel is not safely connected to the frame, my steering was affected, especially when braking. Thank god this did not happen at high speed on the highway or involve injuries or an accident. My blind wife and I are both disabled on ssd and do not have the means to fix or replace this vehicle. …
Tl contact owns a 2001 Isuzu Rodeo. The contact stated that while traveling at speeds of 15 MPH, the front wheels folded inward and the vehicle began to turn sideways hitting a guardrail. The contact didn't state if there were any injuries or a police report was filed. The contact stated that the sway bars were rusted and fell off of the vehicle while driving causing the front tires to fold inward. The contact stated that the failure was a safety concern. There were no warnings preceding the failure. The vehicle had not been driven since the failure occurred. The failure and current mileages were 120,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Isuzu Rodeo. While the vehicle was undergoing routine service, the contact noticed that the rear frame was rusted. The manufacturer was contacted and kept referring the contact to dealers that no longer serviced Isuzu vehicles. The manufacturer provided a case number. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 155,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Isuzu Rodeo. While driving 30 MPH, the vehicle suddenly swerved out of control. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed severe corrosion on the passenger side subframe and that the rear suspension link bracket failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact did not alert the manufacturer or the dealer. The failure mileage was 100,712.
While driving on dry pavement approx.20 MPH vehicle abruptly swerved left with acceleration then swerved right with deceleration and almost rolled over. Upon investigation the left trailing arm was found to be unattached to the frame due to severe corrosion. Further investigation revealed multiple areas of severe frame rot and the vehicle is not repairable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Isuzu Rodeo. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle jerked. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the subframe had severely rusted and caused the rear of the frame to separate. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 142,169.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Isuzu Rodeo. The contact stated that the vehicle back frame was completely corroded. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician deemed the vehicle unsafe. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.
Returning home from work, stopped at intersection, when my turn to go I pulled out on road and noticed that vehicle felt like I had a flat tire. Steering was very strange and felt like vehicle was all over road. I was only going approximately 10-15 MPH maximum as I was going from stop light to stop light. When I accelerated from initial stop light I heard a crack and loud scraping sound. I went approx 1/10 mile till I could pull off road on shoulder then into parking lot. When I got out to see if I could see anything wrong I noticed under car in front of rear wheels that what appeared to be stabilizer bars for rear wheels were hanging down under car and that the frame on both sides was broken in half . I had no previous indication that this was breaking. …
I drive a 2001 Isuzu Rodeo 4x4. It has approximately 111,000 miles on it and is in great shape. It is garaged year-round in taunton massachusetts. On Monday June 21, 2010 I was driving home from work on route 44 in rehoboth massachusetts. I started hearing a grinding noise and pulled over to the side of the road. Upon looking under my vehicle I was shocked to find the shield that covers the plastic gas tank was rotted through. The entire bottom of the gas tank is now visible and the shield is the part that holds it in place. I went to a mechanic immediately and had the car looked at. When the mechanic put the car on the lift he saw extensive rust and some rot under the vehicle on the frame. He stated that I would be lucky to get 2 more years of use out of the Rodeo before it would be totally rotted out. As of right now it is unsafe to drive due to the gas tanks shield being rotted out. …
My car is a 2001 Isuzu Rodeo. I am its 2nd owner and I purchased it from the estate of a deceased woman. It had very low mileage. A few days ago I noticed a jarring sound coming from the left rear side of metal making contact. I planned to take it to my mechanic for inspection early this week as I was intending to go on a long trip. On Saturday, August 28, my car swerved and I could tell that there was a major problem. I pulled into a parking lot and saw that a large flange attached to a rear axle stabilizer had completely disconnected from the frame. As I was not at all far from home I returned my car to my driveway. Upon closer inspection I saw that the metal of the left side frame of my car was like paper - completely disintegrating. My car is in great mechanical condition. I had my transmission rebuilt last year. …
Body complaints in other Rodeo years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2001 Isuzu Rodeo?
NHTSA has 214 complaints about the body & structure of the 2001 Isuzu Rodeo, 55% of the model year's 389 complaints. The component named most often is frame and members (161 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Isuzu Rodeo body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2001 Isuzu Rodeo, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Isuzu Rodeo body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 114,000 miles, and 2% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.