Most common 1999 Isuzu Trooper problems
Share of the 81 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Isuzu Trooper complaints by model year
Best Trooper years: 2002, 1997, 2001. Years to avoid: 1999. Compare all years →
What 1999 Isuzu Trooper owners say
Engine & cooling all 58 →
Last 3 weeks - initially seemed like power loss/surge, then heard unusual sound coming from engine compartment 1 week ago, engine started to die while operating on city/residential streets whenever not pushing gas (slowing to turn or stop) Friday, would not even hold idle to start, pushed gas and held RPM's at 1 - 1.5 for a while and finally started. Today, initially would not start. Next time started RPM's at over 2, dropped when shifted to reverse, when shifted to drive vehicle accelerated without use of gas pedal up to steady 35 MPH on city street. …
I get frequent oil changes in my 99 Isuzu Trooper and had just gotten one last month. I had at least 2700 miles before my next one. I was driving down the freeway and I saw smoke coming from my hood and all my dash lights came on like a christmas tree. I pulled over and found out that my engine was on fire. I called the fire dept to put it out and got it towed to my house to later find out that the piston had got thrown from the engine because it locked up due to no oil getting to that piston. So now I have to get a new engine which cost about the same as the car.
Transmission & drivetrain
I bought a 1999 Isuzu Trooper limited edition 1 year ago this month. Since buying it I have had the starter replaced, the alternator replaced twice, the small block was bad because of a failure with the dipstick to read the correct amount of oil. My son was involved in a mva due to the fact that the vehicle would not stop as the engine decided to race while he was coming to a slow stop. Thank god no one was injured in the accident. The car revs up at an idle at a stop or slowing down position, and now the vehicle is in the garage because the transmission is bad and the alternator went again. The front windshield is not properly sealed and the window fogs up if you don't run the defroster. The draft that comes from the floor on the drivers side is unacceptable. I bought this car with less than 30,000 miles on it and it now has less than 50,000. …
Isuzu Trooper 1999 problem after problem, engine burning oil. After the engine was replaced, the engine light illuminated at least 30 times. The dealer gave the consumer all types of excuses until finally they said they didn't know what was causing the light to illuminate. There were other problems such as a hard shift with the transmission, water leaking through the sun roof, difficulty starting the vehicle, uneven tire wear, in just 65,000 the consumer has gone through 3 complete sets of tires. The consumer was told there was a problem with the frame of the vehicle and it could not be aligned. The tie rods were replaced because they were defective. In the past the vehicle lunged forward while the consumer had her foot firmly pressed on the brake. The vehicle intermittently idled high while stopped. The vehicle has rolled backwards while it was in park. …
Speed control & acceleration
Last 3 weeks - initially seemed like power loss/surge, then heard unusual sound coming from engine compartment 1 week ago, engine started to die while operating on city/residential streets whenever not pushing gas (slowing to turn or stop) Friday, would not even hold idle to start, pushed gas and held RPM's at 1 - 1.5 for a while and finally started. Today, initially would not start. Next time started RPM's at over 2, dropped when shifted to reverse, when shifted to drive vehicle accelerated without use of gas pedal up to steady 35 MPH on city street. …
While driving in traffic the accelerator pedal became hard to press then engaged and unable to control speed]. All the while franticly applying the brake an trying to release the accelerator, I had to force the vehicle into gear [park] where the vehicle then revved into the red zone before cutting off. I then tried restarting the vehicle up and again the accelerator remained engaged [stuck] and would not release.
1999 Isuzu Trooper engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Isuzu Trooper a good car?
Based on 81 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 Trooper rates use caution: 1.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the Trooper at the same age. It is one of the Trooper years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Isuzu Trooper?
The engine & cooling — 58 complaints, 72% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (8) and speed control & acceleration (7).
How many recalls does the 1999 Isuzu Trooper have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1999 Isuzu Trooper. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Isuzu Trooper?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2002, 1997 and 2001. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999. See the full Isuzu Trooper years comparison.
At what mileage do 1999 Isuzu Trooper problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 72,000 miles; 18% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.