2001 Isuzu Rodeo Recalls

On April 10, 2018, NHTSA received a petition from Mr. Kevin Byrne (the Petitioner) requesting that the Agency ?undertake a defects investigation? of ?rust-related detachment of Isuzu Rodeo fuel tanks? (NHTSA ID 11091788). The Petitioner experienced a partial fuel tank detachment in his model year (MY) 2004 Isuzu Rodeo in July 2017. On May 23, 2018, ODI opened DP18-001 to evaluate the Petitioner?s request for a defect investigation. ODI sent information request letters to Isuzu and Honda requesting production, design history and field data related to fuel tank retention failures in MY 2001-2004 Isuzu Rodeo, MY 2002-2004 Isuzu Axiom and MY 2001-2002 Honda Passport vehicles equipped with the same fuel tank shield part number as the Petitioner?s vehicle (the ?subject vehicles?). ODI notes that Isuzu manufactured the subject Passport vehicles for Honda. Isuzu implemented a change to the tank shield corrosion protection system as a running change in early MY 2002 production. Isuzu and Honda sold approximately 172,000 subject vehicles in the United States. Fifty-eight (58) percent of the subject vehicles were produced prior to the shield change (99,000) and 42 percent after the change (73,000).ODI?s analysis of field data identified 19 incidents of partial fuel tank detachments in the subject vehicles. The incidents all occurred in states with high road salt usage in winter months (Salt States) and involved older vehicles beyond 10-years in service. On average, the failures occurred in the vehicle?s 13th year-in-service. Evidence of severe general corrosion in multiple undercarriage components was also noted in 13 of the 19 vehicles that experienced partial fuel tank detachments. None of the incidents resulted in fuel leakage or fire. Aside from the petitioner?s vehicle, ODI has not identified any other incidents of complete or partial fuel tank detachment in the MY 2002-2004 subject vehicles equipped with the modified retention shield.In addition, ODI reviewed 24 NHTSA complaints alleging corrosion concerns with the fuel tank retention system in the subject vehicles that did not result in fuel tank detachment. Twenty-three (23) of these complaints involve subject vehicles built prior to the shield change. Like the vehicles reporting fuel tank detachments, these vehicles are also all from Salt States and, in most cases (20 of the 24 complaints), the vehicles also experienced severe corrosion concerns in other undercarriage components. Half (12 of the 24 complaints) of the vehicles show prior accident damage in their service histories.Based on these analyses, ODI has not identified evidence of a defect trend for premature corrosion-related fuel tank detachments in the MY 2004 Isuzu Rodeo or similarly equipped vehicles. The damage that may result in tank retention concerns appears to occur progressively over many years with ample opportunity for detection and repair. Furthermore, ODI has not identified any crashes, fires, injuries, or fuel leaks associated with fuel tank retention failures in a population of vehicles that currently range from 16 to 19 years old.Accordingly, the Agency is denying the petition.A summary of ODI?s analysis of this petition will be published in the Federal Register and is also available in the investigative file for this action.The NHTSA consumer complaints counted in the closing resume for DP18-001 can be reviewed at www.nhtsa.gov under the following ODI identification numbers (VOQs in parentheses denote duplicate records): Allegations of fuel tank retention failure: 11084098 (11091788), 10532845, 10486109. Allegations of fuel tank retention component corrosion: 11138931, 10992150, 10845523,

On September 22, 2010, Isuzu Manufacturing Services of America, Inc (Isuzu) submitted a Defect Information Report (NHTSA Recall 10V-436) to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration affecting approximately 120,000 model year (MY) 1998-2002 Isuzu Rodeo and Honda Passport vehicles and MY 2002 Isuzu Axiom vehicles originally sold, or currently operated, in the following states:Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin. All vehicle owners will receive the recall notification.Vehicles 10 years of age or younger will be provided with a free remedy.For vehicles older than 10 years, Isuzu will offer a free remedy provided the vehicle is presented to an Isuzu service facility or a Honda dealer (as applicable) no later than twelve (12) months after the date of mailing of the notification letter to the owner.The report describes a condition where vehicles operated in states using certain road deicing materials may exhibit excessive corrosion which may result in the left or right rear suspension lower link bracket becoming detached from the frame.According to Isuzu a detached lower link may affect vehicle handling and potentially cause a crash.The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) analyzed complaint data and found that 114 of the 115 (99%) alleged complete lower link separations from the frame occurred in vehicles originally sold or operated in a state covered by the recall. Of these complaints 2 involved alleged crashes and 21 involved alleged loss of control incidents.The alleged crashes and loss of control incidents all occurred in vehicles operated in a state covered by the safety recall.Isuzu's recall instructs dealers to inspect the rear suspension lower link bracket area to determine if corrosion is present.For vehicles in which corrosion has damaged the lower link bracket area and affected its connection to the vehicle frame, a reinforcement bracket will be installed.For vehicles with no visible signs of corrosion, dealers with apply anti-corrosion material to reduce the likelihood of corrosion developing in the future. Based on Isuzu's safety recall, this Engineering Analysis is closed.A copy of the recall may be assessed on NHTSA's website using the reference number above.

DURING PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE09-030, ISUZU MOTORS AMERICA, INC (ISUZU) NOTED TWO PRIMARY DIFFERENCES ONCE THE REAR SUSPENSION LOWER LINK SEPARATION OCCURS BETWEEN THE ALLEGED DEFECT (SEPARATION OF THE LOWER LINK FROM THE FRAME) OF THIS INVESTIGATION AND A SAFETY DEFECT INVOLVING LOWER LINK SEPARATION FROM THE REAR AXLE ADDRESSED BY ISUZU IN SAFETY RECALL 00V-058.IN THE CASE OF THE DEFECT CONDITION IDENTIFIED IN RECALL 00V-058, ISUZU STATED THAT THE ATTACHMENT BOLT COULD DETACH FULLY, CAUSING SEPARATION OF THE LOWER LINK FROM THE REAR AXLE POSSIBLY CREATING A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. ISUZU ALSO STATED THAT THIS CONDITION OCCURS EARLY IN THE SERVICE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.IN THIS INVESTIGATION ISUZU NOTED LOWER LINK SEPARATION FROM THE FRAME IS A PROGRESSIVE CORROSION ISSUE WITH PRIOR WARNING TO CONSUMERS.ISUZU ALSO STATED THAT IN THE EVENT OF A LOWER LINK SEPARATION FROM THE FRAME, THE VEHICLE IS STILL CONTROLLABLE AND CAN BE SAFELY STOPPED. THE OFFICE OF DEFECT INVESTIGATION (ODI) ANALYZED COMPLAINT DATA PROVIDED BY ISUZU AND AMERICA HONDA MOTOR COMPANY, INC (HONDA), AS WELL AS VEHICLE OWNER QUESTIONNAIRES SUBMITTED TO ODI FROM CONSUMERS.IN TOTAL, THERE WERE 60 UNIQUE REPORTS OF LOWER LINK SEPARATIONS FROM THE FRAME INCLUDING 1 ALLEGED CRASH AND 7 LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL INCIDENTS THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT.MOST OF THESE COMPLAINTS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE LINK SEPARATION.THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA09-018) TO FURTHER ASSESS THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY AND RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.