Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Isuzu Trooper owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Isuzu Trooper. While driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled and the check engine warning lights illuminated. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was diagnosed by the owner as a certified mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 152,000.
After maintaining our 2000 Isuzu Trooper by the book and being fully aware of the oil consumption problem, it blew the engine at 103000. I kept very good documentation of all the repairs- and there were a lot of them, Isuzu is not backing their powertrain warranty (120,000 miles)because they found a way to get away with it by saying because I didn't have actual receipts for every oil change even though I did many myself and documented dates and mileage, they are not responsible. I've done some research which was easy because its such a common problem, but didn't find much on any Trooper owners satisfied or fairly treated by Isuzu. The sticker price was $32,000 when I purchased it in 2000 I fully expected to get more than 103,000 out of it. If anyone has any luck with the same problem,please let me know and in the mean time im going to do as much as I can to fight this.
Vehicle uses excessive oil. This is a common problem with the 3.6l in 2000. Check the Isuzu forum online. On highway trips, uses 1 quart every 200 miles. On shorter trips in town, can go 500 to 700 miles before needing a quart. It doesn't leak, and doesn't burn. The problem is caused by the oil not draining down after being pushed on top the cylinders. It eventually has to be burned, or sent through the exhaust, particularly on long trips. On shorter trips, you stop before to much is burned off or pushed out, so it drains back. The oil drain back holes are to small and to few. I'm told there are 4, but on later engines there are 10 per cylinder. Isuzu should be made to own up to the design problem and fix the engines. I bought mine at 22,000 miles, and now have 100,000, and it has always done this, but gotten progressively worse.
Perforation which has caused back bracket underneath to detach. Bolt is in place. Engine light on wbich is csused by the engine an engine cooling system. I have print out from oriellys which has messed up the transmission once again. Papers on new transmission placed. Transmission light on. Smell of gas in engine which is caused by the fuel system. Note this vehicle would not pass epaan or I/m test. I do not know how that make an model are still being sold. Very dangerous. I am 31 years old I do not want to die of defects. Cannot drive on highway, also can't get it leval because it will not pass expection.
2000 Isuzu Trooper with 71,000 miles. Excessive oil lost. I am the second owner of this vehicle. I have always changed the oil at 3000 miles. There are no oil leaks. Yesterday the oil light came on and I added 4 quarts. This brought the oil level to the "add 1 quart mark". In 3000 miles my Trooper consumed 5 quarts of oil. I now have to replace the engine ... $7400. I have spoken to several mechanics and have done research on the web and have discovered that this is a very common problem. I would like to suggest a recall to hold Isuzu responsible for a defective design.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 60 MPH the oil light intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over and the contact checked the level of oil. The oil level was not full, and oil needed to be added. The oil light then stayed off. When the vehicle started again, the light illuminated again and the engine began to knock and would not respond. The vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop which determined the crankshaft had gone bad and the rods and pistons were burned. As a result the engine must be replaced. Updated 3/17/2006 -
I bought the truck in October 2004. Noticed it was using some oil. I took the vehicle on a 900 miles trip after an oil change. I kept track of its oil level and on the final 200 miles of driving it used about a 1/2 quart of oil. The truck has 56,000 miles on it and is in otherwise excellent condition. I have looked at other sites and found this to be a common flaw with the 3.5 liter motor. I would encourage others to write to the NHTSA about this problem to possibly have this remedied. Please let others know.
2000 Isuzu Trooper with apx 53K miles on it, regular oil changes about every 4-5,00 miles (Isuzu owners' manual recommends every 7,500 mi - which would not work it seems). I had checked the oil previously and found it OK a few days before taking trip, had engine rod break lose and punch hole in engine block. Have seen many other examples of similar problems with this engine. Luckily I bought it used with a Honda care extended warranty, and the engine is being replaced under that warranty.
Prior to leaving on trip from minnesota to montana I checked the oil and it was fine. Just outside billings, mt my engine made a loud banging sound followed by engine power loss and finally the warning lights on the dash. Zero oil registered in the engine. Diagnosed as a seized crank by the Isuzu dealership. 70,100 miles and a seized engine out of warranty since I bought the truck used. $6,000 for a new engine does not make fiscal sense given the wholesale value of truck was $7500.
I have owned this SUV fron new. I have changed the oil and filter each and every 3000 miles. I have used fully synthetic oil, mobile, 10w-30. The vehicle uses at varying rates from 1qt of oil per 1000 miles to 1 qt. Per 2000 miles. While it is within "Isuzu guidelines" it is obviously excessive. I have discussed this with the dealer at each service trip and they just chuckle and say your doing better than most.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles equipped with 4-wheel drive and automatic transmissions built with tod (torque-on-demand). In certain high speed, frontal crashes, movement of engine compartment components can cause the potential for fuel leakage.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new, reinforced fuel hose assembly. Note: the fuel leakage issue in this recall campaign is not the same as the one addressed in their previous campaign 00v-253.
Engine complaints in other Trooper years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2000 Isuzu Trooper?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2000 Isuzu Trooper, 51% of the model year's 49 complaints. The component named most often is engine › gasoline (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Isuzu Trooper engine problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 00V-376 (gasoline, Nov 14, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2000 Isuzu Trooper engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 13% before 25,000 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.