2003 Isuzu Ascender Problems

SERVICE BULLETIN OR RECALL 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER. PROBLEM KEY STUCK IN THE IGNITION CAN NOT REMOVE SEEMS TO BE NORMAL PROBLEM FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL . L HAVE BEEN READING THROUGH FORUM COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET. I AM CURIOUS IF THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL AND IF NOT WHY NOT. CAR COULD BE CAR JACK OR STOLEN BY NOT ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THIS HAS BEEN A INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *TR

HEATER/AC FAN KEPT GOING OUT. WAS TOLD IT WAS RELAY SWITCH. AFTER SEVERAL REPLACEMENTS, WAS TOLD IT WAS A FAULT IN THE IGNITION. IGNITION WAS REPLACED. FAN NOW WORKS. NOW HEADLIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY. TECH'S CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY. *TR

HEATER/AC FAN KEPT GOING OUT. WAS TOLD IT WAS RELAY SWITCH. AFTER SEVERAL REPLACEMENTS, WAS TOLD IT WAS A FAULT IN THE IGNITION. IGNITION WAS REPLACED. FAN NOW WORKS. NOW HEADLIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY. TECH'S CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY. *TR

AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING THE LOW BEAMS HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES TURN BACK ON. THE HIGH BEAMS WORK WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT AND WE HAVE TO TURN THEM ON TO HAVE HEADLAMPS. THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS DON'T SEEM TO BE AFFECTED BY THE PROBLEM DURING THE DAY. PROBLEM HAPPENS ONLY AT NIGHT. *TR

SMELL OF GASOLINE AND DRIPPING UNDERNEATH REAR BENEATH FUEL TANK (DRIVER'S SIDE), WHEN STARTING. PROBLEM WAS FOUND TO BE THE FUEL PUMP MODULE AT THE LINE :OUTPUT SIDE OF PUMP. REPLACED FUEL PUMP MODULE AND RING. PARTS AND PICS AVAILABLE. *TR

GAS ODOR AND GASOLINE DRIPPING BENEATH FUEL TANK WHEN PARKED. *TR

WHILE TRYING TO RELEASE THE FULL-SIZED SPARE TIRE, THE CABLE HOLDING IT UP BROKE CAUSING THE TIRE TO UNEXPECTEDLY FALL. *TR

GAS GAUGE DOES NOT ACCURATELY REPORT THE AMOUNT OF GAS IN TANK. HAD PROBLEM REPAIRED BUT CONTINUES TO BE INACCURATE. REAR HATCHBACK WINDOW OPENS WHEN BUMP IS HIT. TOOK TO DEALER, AND DEALER COULD FIND NO PTOBLEM. KEY OFTEN DOES NOT REMOVE FROM COLUMN WHEN PLACED IN PARK. CAR MUST BE CYCLED THROUGH ON/OFF AND PLACEED IN REVERSE AND THEN INTO DRIVE AGAIN TO REMOVE KEY.*AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS PERFORATED DUE TO RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

DT: DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BECAME STUCK, IT WAS JAMMED ON THE INSIDE. WILL NOT COME OUT AT ALL. IT HAS DONE THIS BEFORE BUT WAS ABLE AT THAT TIME TO GET IT OUT. ALSO, WHEN PUSHING DOWN ON THE BRAKES CONSUMER COULD HEAR A CLANKING NOISE.*AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER. HE STATED THAT INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE "SES" AND "CHECK ENGINE" WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE RISK FOR A VEHICLE CRASH WAS INCREASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND REPAIRED TEN TIMES; HOWEVER, THE REPAIRS HAVE NOT REMEDIED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DROVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE PREMISES AND IT STALLED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE STALLING. *NM

REAR PASSENGER DOORS WILL NOT LATCH CLOSE. REMOVED AND REPLACED BOTH RUSTY LATCHES. *TR

THE 3RD ROLL BENCH SEAT COULD NOT BE REMOVED, THE HEADREST BLOCKED THE DRIVERS VISION. *JB THE 3RD ROW WAS ALSO RAISED HIGHER THAN THE FRONT AND SECOND ROW SEATS. ONE THIRD OF THE WINDOW WAS BLOCKED. *SCC *JB

THE 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER IS THE SAME VEHICLE AS A CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER AND GMC ENVOY. AT APPROXIMATELY 51,000 MILES AND OUT OF WARRANTY. THE FAN CLUTCH MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. I HAD TO ASSUME FULL PAYMENT TO REPLACE IT. NOW, THE TRUCK SOUNDED LIKE THE UNDERCARRIAGEWAS RATTLING. HAD IT TO A MECHANIC, AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT I MUST HAVE BEEN THE SWAY BAR LINKS REPLACED IN THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER DISCUSSION THE MECHANIC DETERMINE D THAT HE HAD TO REPLACE THEM ON THE TRAILBLAZER , AND THE SERVICE MANAGER HAD TO HAVE THEM REPLACED ON THE ENVOY, BOTH WITH THE SAME PLATFORM. THIS SEEMED TO BE A DESIGN PROBLEM THAT GM AND ITS AFFILIATES SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING. *AK

I PURCHASED A 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER IN FEBRUARY 2004. IN AROUND MARCH 2006, THE TRANSMISSION BEGIN SLIPPING. AT THE TIME THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 74,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, WHICH MEANT IS WAS STILL COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS NOT INFORMED BY THE DEALER AT CLAY COOLEY MOTORS THAT THE WARRANTY WAS NOT TRANSFERABLE. THEREFORE, I HAVE BEEN STUCK WITH TRYING TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION. I CONTACTED THE ISUZU COMPANY AND THEY COULD NOT OFFER ANY HELP AND STATED THAT THEY DO NOT REGULATE THE DEALERSHIPS THAT CARRY AND SELL THEIR BRAND VEHICLE. *JB

I WAS DRIVING ON 1-88W BOUND ON 2-1-2008, MY CAR STARTED TO MAKE SQUEAKING NOISE AND VERY HARD TO DRIVE. LUCKILY, 2 BLOCKS FROM RT 31 EXIT, THERE WAS A FIRESTONE AUTO CARE, THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT AXEL BROKE AND IT IS AFFECTING THE DIFFERENTIAL. THE CAR WAS THEN TOWED TO ISUZU DEALER IN ELGIN THE NEXT DAY.THE MECHANIC FROM BIGGER ISUZU CALLED MONDAY, 2-5-07, CLAIMING THAT THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL NEED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF LACK OF GEAR OIL. COST--$4,800 TO BE REPAIRED. THE CAR MILEAGE WAS 77,000 MILES. I CALLED ISUZU TO COMPLAINED AND THEY SAID, THEY WON'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. I WENT TO NHTSA, THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER POWER TRAIN-DRIVE DIFFERENTIAL. NHTSA ITEM #10016589 AND SERVICE BULLETIN #0507002. DATE OF BULLETIN 08/01/2005. *TR

VIBRATION IN DRIVE TRAIN

POWER STEERING LINES FROM THE PUMP (HIGH PRESSURE AND RETURN LINES) ARE CORRODING AND NOW LEAKING. *TR

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED IN HIS VEHICLE WHILE TURNING THE CORNER IN THE MOUNTAINS. THE POWER WOULD WORK, BUT NOT WHEN HE WOULD SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP HAS BEEN ORDERED. THEY DID NOT TELL HIM WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING. THIS HAPPENED JUNE 28, 2005. IT HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 6 TIMES THAT DAY. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN THAT DAY, AND HE HAS NOT HAD THE PROBLEM SINCE. THE VEHICLE IS MAKING A WHIRRING NOISE AT THIS TIME. *NM

PASSENGER SIDE STAIONARY WINDOW FLEW OFF AT 65 MPH.*AK

DT: DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BECAME STUCK, IT WAS JAMMED ON THE INSIDE. WILL NOT COME OUT AT ALL. IT HAS DONE THIS BEFORE BUT WAS ABLE AT THAT TIME TO GET IT OUT. ALSO, WHEN PUSHING DOWN ON THE BRAKES CONSUMER COULD HEAR A CLANKING NOISE.*AK

THE 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER IS THE SAME VEHICLE AS A CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER AND GMC ENVOY. AT APPROXIMATELY 51,000 MILES AND OUT OF WARRANTY. THE FAN CLUTCH MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. I HAD TO ASSUME FULL PAYMENT TO REPLACE IT. NOW, THE TRUCK SOUNDED LIKE THE UNDERCARRIAGEWAS RATTLING. HAD IT TO A MECHANIC, AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT I MUST HAVE BEEN THE SWAY BAR LINKS REPLACED IN THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER DISCUSSION THE MECHANIC DETERMINE D THAT HE HAD TO REPLACE THEM ON THE TRAILBLAZER , AND THE SERVICE MANAGER HAD TO HAVE THEM REPLACED ON THE ENVOY, BOTH WITH THE SAME PLATFORM. THIS SEEMED TO BE A DESIGN PROBLEM THAT GM AND ITS AFFILIATES SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING. *AK

WHILE TRYING TO RELEASE THE FULL-SIZED SPARE TIRE, THE CABLE HOLDING IT UP BROKE CAUSING THE TIRE TO UNEXPECTEDLY FALL. *TR

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE DURING RUSH HOUR AT 55 MPH, A VEHICLE HIT THE WALL AND TAIL SPINNED IN FRONT OF CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HIT THE VEHICLE WITH A FRONTAL IMPACT CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE. UPON IMPACT, THE NONE OF THE CONTACT'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEATBELT HOWEVER INJURIES WERE SUSTAIN TO THE SHOULDERS, BACK AND NECK. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING PROPERLY HOWEVER THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AT THE SCENE.