RoadVitals

1991 Isuzu Impulse Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
25
Latest Apr 19, 2004
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jun 14, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 25 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1991 Isuzu Impulse. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 25

Electrical
Filed Apr 19, 2004

I HAVE A 1991 ISUZU IMPULSE AND IT'S HAVING ECU PROBLEMS. MY MECHANIC SAYS IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I SEE THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS, AND IT SHOULDN'T FALL ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE CONSUMERS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10066469
Incident
Mar 10, 2004
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 28, 2002

CAR RACES ENGINE BADLY IN THE SUMMER WHEN TEMP OVER 80 DEGREES-WONT IDLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
763608
Incident
Jun 6, 1994
Electrical
Filed Jan 31, 2002

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME IDLE CONTROL PROBLEMS AS STATED IN PREVIOUS RECALL REGARDING THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT. *YH

NHTSA ID
564213
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 26, 2001

THE SYMPTOMS OF THIS FAULT ARE MOST NOTABLY ERRATIC IDLE, IDLE REVVING AND DROPPING, IDLE DIPPING OFTEN WITH ENGINE DYING, IDLE HANGING HIGH ABOVE 2,000 RPM, AND ENGINE DYING OR STALLING FOR NO REASON WITH NO TROUBLE CODES. THESE SYMPTOMS WILL OFTEN ONLY OCCUR IN WARMER WEATHER AS THE METAL CIRCUITS OF THE CIRCUIT BOARD SEEM MOST VULNERABLE TO SHORT CIRCUITS AT SOLDER CRACKS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE CAR IS ABOVE 80 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. IN TEMPERATE CLIMATES, THE SYMPTOMS MAY FIRST SHOW THEMSELVES AS SOON AS THE WEATHER WARMS AND PLAGUE THE OWNER ALL SUMMER LONG, ONLY TO SUBSIDE IN THE FALL WITH THE COOLER WEATHER AND THEN REAPPEAR THE NEXT SPRING.

NHTSA ID
756046
Engine
Filed Oct 9, 2001

THIS IS A REOCCURRING MANUFACTURER DEFECT. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE ENGINE CONTROL MODULES. *AK

NHTSA ID
752999
Incident
Sep 29, 2001
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jul 4, 2001

AS THE WEATHER IS GETTING WARMER THE ENGINE REVS AND DROPS UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CAR ALSO STALLS AT ANY SPEED. I HAVE HAD IT EVEN STALL ON THE HIGHWAY. I HEAR THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF ECM UNIT, PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS FOR ME. IF I HADN'T TAKEN A DEFENSIVE DRIVING COURSE I COULD BE DEAD RIGHT NOW. *AK

NHTSA ID
747780
Incident
May 15, 2001
Electrical
Filed Jun 28, 2001

THE DEFECTS ARE DUE TO THE IMPROPER MANUFACTURING OF THE ECM MODULE OF THIS VEHICLE. THE SYMPTOMS INCLUDE AN ERRATIC IDLE WITH THE IDLE REVVING UP AND DROPPING TO THE POINT WHERE THE ENGINE DIES. THE IDLING WILL JUMP UP TO 2000 RPM, LINGER THERE UNTIL I BLIP THE THROTTLE, SOMETIMES UP TO 3 OR 4 TIMES. ON ONE OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65MPH, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO STALL WITH THE IDLING MOVING ERRATICALLY, AND THEN SUDDENLY THE CAR WENT COMPLETELY DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. LUCKILY, I MANAGED TO COAST OFF TO THE SHOULDER WHERE I REMAINED STRANDED FOR OVER FOUR HOURS. WHEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER, THERE ARE NO TROUBLE CODES PRESENT. IT WAS SUGGESTED TO ME TO REPLACE THE IGNITION MODULE, PLUGS, WIRES, COIL PACKS, CAM ANGLE SENSOR, AND VARIOUS OTHER COMPONENTS DUE TO THE REASON THAT THEY WERE THE ONES CAUSING THE PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY, THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED AND MY WALLET WAS LIGHTENED BY ABOUT $500. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS "NORMAL" FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. I DON'T SEE ANYTHING "NORMAL" ABOUT HAVING YOU CAR COMPLETELY GO DEAD ON YOU ON THE FREEWAY. I NEED TO GET THIS DEFECT FIXED BECAUSE THIS PUTS THE DRIVER IN AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE SITUATION. WITH THE FREEWAYS BEING AS DANGEROUS AS THEY ARE, THE LESS THINGS YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, THE BETTER ATTENTION YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PAY TO THE ROAD AHEAD OF YOU. THANKYOU FOR YOUR TIME. I REALLY HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME.*AK

NHTSA ID
747508
Incident
Oct 24, 2000
Engine
Filed Sep 21, 2000
Crash reported

THE CAR WILL FOR NO REASON STALL, EVEN AT HIGH SPEEDS RESULTING IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. THIS IS THE SECOND ONE THAT I HAVE OWNED, AND THE OTHER ONE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, WHEN THE CALL STALLED, AND CAUSED A LOSS OF STEERING. A PEDESTRIAN WAS WALKING ON THE STREET CORNER, WHEN MY CAR SMASHED AGAINST THE CURB, JUST BARELY MISSING HIM. IT'S REALLY SCARY WHEN THIS HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS TOLD THAT THE ECU IS DEFECTIVE IN EVERY IMPULSE/STORM EVER MADE. WHY WASN'T THERE EVER A RECALL? ARE WE WAITING FOR SOMEBODY TO BE KILLED FIRST?

NHTSA ID
732129
Incident
May 1, 2000
Electrical
Filed Jul 30, 2000

WHEN CAR WARMS UP YOU CANT DRIVE OR IT WILL STALL. ONCE WARMED UP IT WILL NOT START. I SAW AN ARTICLE ON THE ISUZUPERFORMANCE WEB SITE THAT SAID OTHER VEHICLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IT ALSO STATED THE REASON FOR THIS PROBLEM IS A FAULTY ECU COMPUTER MADE AND INSTALLED BY AC DELCO. I WISH I WOULD HAVE HAD THIS INFORMATION BEFORE I WENT OUT A BOUGHT PARTS TO TRY TO FIX THE PROBLEM MYSELF. IF ITS THE COMPUTER, THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT THAT ON MY OWN. A RESPONSE ON THIS ISSUE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. *AK

NHTSA ID
726225
Filed Jun 14, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
724023
Incident
Jan 15, 2000
Engine
Filed Jun 9, 2000

THIS IS THE 2ND IMPULSE THAT I HAVE OWNED, AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD ONLY HAPPEN TO MY FIRST ONE, BUT THIS ONE IS THE SAME WAY. WHEN IT GETS WARM OUT, THE ENGINE HAS IDLING PROBLEMS. THEN OTHER IMPULSE I HAD (1990) DID IT FROM DAY 1 AT 55000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID
723786
Incident
Apr 1, 2000
Filed Apr 21, 2000

NO SUMMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
721783
Incident
Jan 1, 2000
Electrical
Filed Mar 20, 2000

THE VEHICLE FAILS TO RUN AFTER IS WARMS UP. I HAVE CONTACTED SEVERAL MECHANICS AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THE MANUFACTURER USES AN INSULATING SPRAY ON THE ECU THAT CAUSES IT TO SHRINK AND BRAKE CONTACTS IN THE UNIT ITSELF. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IN THAT IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ONCE ALREADY AND WITH LOOSE CONTACT IT MY CAUSE A FIRE. I DO NOT EXPECT THE MANUFACTURER TO REPLACE THE UNIT FOR FREE. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED SO THEY DID NOT MAKE ANY MONEY OFF OF ME BUT SOME HELP WOULD BE NICE. I FIND THEM RESPONSIBLE SO THEY SHOULD LIVE UP TO THERE REPUTATION OF QUALITY. *AK

NHTSA ID
720403
Incident
Mar 18, 2000
Filed Mar 8, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
719849
Incident
Feb 26, 2000
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Dec 19, 1999

ECU HAS ERRATIC PROBLEM. WILL PUT THE CAR INTO HIGH IDLE AT ANY GIVEN SPEED AND WILL NOT RESET UNLESS CAR IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. REPLACE ACCELERATOR CABLE AND RESEATED ECM SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL. TRY RESETTING THE ECM TO GET THE CAR OFF OF HIGH IDLE WHILE YOU ARE IN TRAFFIC. *AK

NHTSA ID
716230
Incident
Mar 29, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 11, 1999

MY ADDRESS IS IN ONTARIO,CANADA POSTAL CODE L5J-3N5. THE SYMPTOMS OF THIS FAULT ARE MOST NOTABLY ERRATIC IDLE, IDLE REVVING AND DROPPING, IDLE DIPPING OFTEN WITH ENGINE DYING, IDLE HANGING HIGH ABOVE 2,000 RPM, AND ENGINE DYING OR STALLING FOR NO REASON WITH NO TROUBLE CODES. THESE SYMPTOMS WILL OFTEN ONLY OCCUR IN WARMER WEATHER AS THE METAL CIRCUITS OF THE CIRCUIT BOARD SEEM MOST VULNERABLE TO SHORT CIRCUITS AT SOLDER CRACKS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE CAR IS ABOVE 80 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. IN TEMPERATE CLIMATES, THE SYMPTOMS MAY FIRST SHOW THEMSELVES AS SOON AS THE WEATHER WARMS AND PLAGUE THE OWNER ALL SUMMER LONG, ONLY TO SUBSIDE IN THE FALL WITH THE COOLER WEATHER AND THEN REAPPEAR THE NEXT SPRING. *AK

NHTSA ID
715941
Incident
Aug 12, 1999
Engine
Filed Nov 24, 1999

WHILE MAKEING A STOP ENGINE WOULD STALL OR IDLE. EALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ,CAN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *AK

NHTSA ID
853329
Engine
Filed Oct 14, 1999

ENGINE IDLES VERY HIGH, WILL SURGE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON COMPLAINT ON THESE CARS.

NHTSA ID
713307
Electrical
Filed Oct 7, 1999

FAILURE OF INTERNAL CPU CONNECTIONS CREATES FAULTY IDLE AND DRIVEABILITY.

NHTSA ID
712958
Filed Aug 21, 1999

FAILURES INDICATES NUMBER OF FAILURES PER WEEK, NOT REPLACEMENT PER SE.

NHTSA ID
710305
Incident
Feb 28, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 21, 1999

THE NUMBER OF FAILURES IS RELATIVE TO THE NUMBER OF TIMES THE CAR SURGES ON ME PER WEEK, BUT NOT HOW MANY TIME THE ACTUAL EQUIPMENT HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID
710304
Incident
Apr 30, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 14, 1999

I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM ONE TOO MANY TIMES, AND IT IS STARTING TO GET ANNOYING. I CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY ANOTHER CAR RIGHT NOW AND I WOULD'NT WANT ANYONE ELSE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH A CAR. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS. MY CAR CAN TAKE OFF AT ANY TIME IT WANTS TO. IT ALMOST MADE ME GET IN AN ACCIDENT IN A TRAFFIC JAM. THE DEALER WON'T COVER THE DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ID
708619
Incident
Jul 22, 1997
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 31, 1999

RIGHT TAIL LIGHT SOCKET FAILED.

NHTSA ID
544728
Electrical
Filed May 5, 1998
Fire reported

AFTER VEHICLE HAD BEEN SITTING ALL NIGHT, EARLY MORNING IT BURSTED INTO FLAMES, NEAR THE BATTERY. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE FIRE MARSHALL IT APPEARED TO BE A SHORT CIRCUIT NEAR THE BATTERY. *AK

NHTSA ID
823096
Incident
Mar 8, 1998
Interior & seats
Filed Jun 14, 1995

DRIVING ALONG WHEN HOOD LATCH RELEASED AND FLEW UP. TT

NHTSA ID
966883
Incident
Jun 13, 1995

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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