Model year record

2004 Isuzu Ascender recalls & problems

The 2004 Isuzu Ascender has 1 safety recall and 64 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is electrical system (36 complaints).

Recalls1safety recalls

Complaints64filed by owners

Crashes · fires0 · 2reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Exterior lightingMay 5, 2005

Turn signal

Recall 05V198000286,478 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: ON CERTAIN TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE DRIVER WISHING TO SIGNAL A TURN BY MOVING THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL LEVER, (UP OR DOWN) MAY CAUSE THE FRONT MARKER/TURN LIGHTS AND REAR TURN LIGHTS TO FLASH IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO HAZARD WARNING, RATHER THAN FLASHING ON THE DESIRED SIDE ONLY.
Risk: THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CLEARLY SIGNAL THEIR INTENTIONS TO TURN, CHANGE TRAVEL LANES, OR POTENTIALLY WARN OTHERS OF AN IMPAIRED VEHICLE OPERATING CONDITION INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SUSPECT FLASHER MODULES WITH A NEW FLASHER MODULE DESIGNED WITH SEALED RELAYS AND MORE DURABLE CONTACT MATERIAL INSIDE OF THE RELAYS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2005. ISUZU BEGAN MAILING OWNER LETTERS ON AUGUST 4, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463, ISUZU AT 1-800-255-6727, BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, AND OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

2004 Isuzu Ascender 5 4-DR.

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	★★★★★
Rollover risk	19.1%

2004 Isuzu Ascender 5 4-DR. w/SAB

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	★★★★★
Rollover risk	19.1%

2004 Isuzu Ascender 7 4-DR.

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

Ascender 2WD

16mpg combined

City / highway	14 / 18 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

5.3 L · 8 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,200/year to fuel

Ascender 5-passenger 2WD

16mpg combined

City / highway	14 / 19 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

4.2 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,200/year to fuel

Ascender 4WD

16mpg combined

City / highway	14 / 19 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

4.2 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $4,200/year to fuel

Ascender 5-passenger 4WD

16mpg combined

City / highway	14 / 19 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

4.2 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $4,200/year to fuel

Ascender 2WD

15mpg combined

City / highway	13 / 18 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

4.2 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,450/year to fuel

Ascender 4WD

14mpg combined

City / highway	13 / 17 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

5.3 L · 8 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $4,800/year to fuel

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Fires	Typical mileage*
Electrical systemInstrument cluster/panel; Ignition	36	1	80,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline	8	0	80,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion system	7	0	100,000 mi
Exterior lightingTail lights	6	0	150,000 mi
VisibilityDefroster/defogger/hvac system › Rear window; Glass, side/rear	4	2	80,000 mi
Engine	4	0	150,000 mi
Seat beltsFront	3	0	—
TiresTread/belt	2	0	—
Engine and engine coolingEngine	2	0	—
Service brakes, hydraulicAntilock/traction control/electronic limited slip	2	0	—
Power train	2	0	—
StructureBody › Door; Body	2	1	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Electrical system
THE GAUGE CLUSTER IS MALFUNCTIONING
Jan 1, 2018
Exterior lighting
THE LOW BEAMS ON MY HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. MY DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ALSO WILL TURN OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND TURN BACK ON BUT THIS IS NOT AS MUCH OF A SAFETY ISSUE AS WHEN IT HAPPENS DURING NIGHTTIME DRIVING. SOMETIMES MY HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT WORK FROM THE MOMENT I START MY CAR BUT MOST OF THE TIME THEY SHUT OFF DURING DRIVING. I CAN SWITCH THE HEADLIGHTS TO HIGH BEAMS AND THEY TYPICALLY WORK FINE. ONLY ONCE HAVE I HAD BOTH HIGH AND LOW BEAMS OUT AT THE SAME TIME. WHEN THAT HAPPENED I PARKED MY CAR AND LET IT SIT. WHEN I STARTED MY CAR AFTER ABOUT 30 MIN TO AN HOUR BOTH HIGH AND LOW BEAMS WERE WORKING AGAIN. MY HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT WHILE I'M DRIVING…
May 4, 2017 · 170,000 miles
Engine
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ISUZU ASCENDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BANK ONE SENSOR WAS RUNNING RICH AND THE BANK TWO SENSOR WAS RUNNING LEAN. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
Nov 3, 2016 · 180,000 miles
Fuel/propulsion system
RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON FAULTY GAS TANK. HAD CAR INSPECTED BY ISUZU FACILITY 2/4/16 AND NEW PART(S) ORDERED. CANNOT GET ANY INFORMATION AS TO WHEN PART WILL BE IN AND MY CAR REPAIRED. IN THE MEANTIME, DRIVING WITH FAULTY, GAS-LEAKING, PROBABLY DANGEROUS CAR. GM APPARENTLY NOT COMMUNICATING WITH ISUZU AND PARTS NOT GETTING PRODUCED.
Feb 4, 2016 · 55,000 miles
Service brakes
WHILE DRIVING MY CARS BRAKELIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE FASTER AND FASTER. PULLLED OVER AS SOON AS I COULD AND STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. THE CHECK GAUGES WARNING LIGHT COMES ON EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS SITTING IDLE OR WHEN I PULL UP AND STOP AT A RED LIGHT IT COMES ON.
Apr 29, 2016 · 144,455 miles
Fuel/propulsion system
FUEL TANK HAS LEAKING SEALS, WHICH IS CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK AND THE SMELL OF FUEL INTO CABIN AREA OF VEHICLE AND VEHICLE REJECTED DURING STATE INSPECTION. PART NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL AFTER MAY.TOOK IT TO REPAIR FACILITY, WAS TOLD IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THEN WAS TOLD TO COME PICK UP THE VEHICLE. ISUZU UNWILLING TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE
Jan 31, 2016 · 99,000 miles
Electrical system
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ISUZU ASCENDER. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS AND THE IGNITION KEY FAILED TO REMOVE FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
Jan 8, 2013 · 70,000 miles
Electrical system
HAD AUTO TOWED TO MIDAS AFTER INABILITY TO START, ATTEMPTED JUMP START, UNSUCCESSFUL. BATTERY REPLACED ON 12/28/15. DROVE AUTO NEXT SEVERAL DAYS AND ON 12/30/15 DROVE TO PICK UP MY HUSBAND, SHUT OFF CAR IN PARK. UNABLE TO START VEHICLE AGAIN, KEYS COULD NOT BE REMOVED. KEYS WERE IN LOCK POSITION IN BATTERY MODE, ABLE TO TURN TO ENGINE ON BUT NOT TURNOVER. BATTERY RUNNING ALL LIGHTS. HAD AUTO TOWED AGAIN TO MIDAS BUT UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE. SPOKE WITH AUTO SHOP AND GIVEN THIS INFO TO CHECK RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE. VIN [XXX]. 2004 ISUZU ASCENDER. WILL REQUIRE ANOTHER TOW TO DIFFERENT FACILITY FOR DIAGNOSTICS PLUS MORE FEES FOR REPAIRS,TOWING. AUTO WAS IN PARK ON SIDE STREET 4PM 12/30/15 AFTER…
Dec 30, 2015 · 129,998 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

Loss of HeadlightsClosed
The subject vehicles are model year (MY) 2002-2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2004-2007 Buick Rainier, 2003-2008 Isuzu Ascender, 2005-2009 Saab 9-7X, 2002-2004 Oldsmobile Bravada, 2003-2006 Chevrolet SSR, 2005-2009 Buick Lacrosse, and 2006-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix. This scope includes the Trailblazer/Envoy variants: 2002-2006 Envoy XL/Trailblazer EXT and 2004-2005 Envoy XUV. The original scope of this investigation was expanded to include all vehicles equipped with the subject Headlight Driver Module (HDM). The focus of the investigation was to determine whether actions performed by General Motors adequately addressed any unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety in the subject vehicles concerning the headlights and the HDM that controls them.Under normal electrical load and environmental conditions, the HDM can overheat inside the Underhood Electrical Center (UEC). This can cause…
RQ17002 · opened Apr 24, 2017 · closed Mar 29, 2021
FUEL PUMP MODULE LEAKS GASOLINEClosed
DURING THE COURSE OF THIS EA INVESTIGATION, ODI OBSERVED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE COMPLAINTS (88%) AND WARRANTY CLAIMS (94%) WERE REPORTED FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE REGISTERED FOR USE IN THE SALT BELT REGION OF THE US.THIS AREA INCLUDES 20 STATES IN THE NORTHEAST, MID ATLANTIC AND THE MIDWEST REGIONS AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.CONSUMERS IN THE SALT BELT REGION REPORTED TO ODI THAT THEY COULD SMELL FUEL VAPORS IN THEIR VEHICLES WHILE DRIVING.UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THEIR VEHICLES, THEY DISCOVERED THAT FUEL VAPORS WERE COMING OUT OF THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THIS CONDITION IS CAUSED BY CORROSION OF THE RETURN AND SENDER LINES OF THE FUEL PUMP MODULE.WATER AND ROAD SALT COLLECT ON TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP LEADING TO SMALL PINHOLES APPEARING ON THE FUEL LINES.FUEL MAY LEAK AND COLLECT ON TOP OF THE MODULE AND/OR SPILL ONTO THE GROUND.THE DATA EVALUATED UNDER THIS INVESTIGATION REFLECT A…
EA07009 · opened Jul 10, 2007 · closed Aug 28, 2008