Model year record

1997 Isuzu Hombre recalls & problems

The 1997 Isuzu Hombre has 3 safety recalls and 25 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is visibility (12 complaints).

Recalls3safety recalls

Complaints25filed by owners

Crashes · fires1 · 1reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths1 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

VisibilityJun 2, 2003

Rear window wiper/washer › Motor

Recall 03V21000014,860 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS WITH CERTAIN MODEL-ENGINE COMBINATIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY FAIL DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL.
Risk: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR DURING BAD WEATHER, DRIVER VISIBILITY WOULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 14, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT ISUZU AT 1-800-255-6727.

Service brakes, hydraulicSep 11, 1997

Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Recall 97V146002684 vehicles

Problem: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PASSENGER PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 4.3L ENGINES. THE FRONT BRAKE LINE CAN CONTACT THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE ENGINE OIL PAN CAUSING THE BRAKE LINE TO WEAR TO THE POINT OF BRAKE FLUID LOSS DURING BRAKE APPLICATION.
Risk: BRAKE FLUID LOSS CAN REDUCE BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS AND INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCES RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE OIL PAN AND THE BRAKE LINE. IF THE CLEARANCE IS 6MM OR LESS, DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL BRAKE LINE CLIP AND IF THERE WAS CONTACT BETWEEN THE OIL PAN AND BRAKE LINE, THE FRONT BRAKE LINE WILL BE REPLACED.

Seat beltsJun 12, 1997

Seat belts

Recall 97V0960023,106 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: EXTENDED CAB PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 60/40 FRONT BENCH SEATS AND EXTENDED CAB PICKUP TRUCKS AND 2-DOOR UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL LOCKING RECLINER BUCKET SEATS. THE OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT WEBBING ON THE DRIVER'S AND/OR PASSENGER'S SEAT CAN SEPARATE DURING A FRONTAL IMPACT.
Risk: IF A SEPARATION OCCURRED AND THERE WERE SECONDARY CRASH EVENTS OR VEHICLE ROLLOVER, THERE WOULD BE NO BELT RESTRAINT OF THE OCCUPANT AND INCREASED INJURIES COULD OCCUR.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE COVER OVER THE RECLINER MECHANISM.

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.

Fuel economy

Hombre Pickup 2WD

23mpg combined

City / highway	20 / 27 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

2.2 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $2,900/year to fuel

Hombre Pickup 2WD

19mpg combined

City / highway	16 / 23 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

4.3 L · 6 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,550/year to fuel

Hombre Pickup 2WD

18mpg combined

City / highway	15 / 21 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

4.3 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,700/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	Crashes	Fires	Injuries	Typical mileage*
VisibilityWindshield wiper/washer; Windshield wiper/washer › Motor	12	0	0	0	46,500 mi
Service brakes, hydraulicAntilock/traction control/electronic limited slip	3	1	0	1	—
Engine and engine coolingEngine › Gasoline; Engine	3	0	0	0	—
Vehicle speed controlAccelerator pedal	2	0	0	0	—
Power trainAutomatic transmission	2	0	0	0	—
Electrical systemWiring	1	0	1	0	—
Suspension	1	0	0	0	—
StructureBody › Tailgate › Hinge and attachments	1	0	0	0	—
Fuel/propulsion system	1	0	0	0	—
Visibility/wiper	1	0	0	0	—

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

Recent owner complaints

Fuel/propulsion system
1ODI ID 825115, 2.ODI ID 542133, 3. ODI ID 721936, 4. ODI ID 829011, 5. ODI ID 829780
Jan 14, 2001 · 12,000 miles
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 03V210000, REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 05/02/06. *JB
Apr 3, 2006 · 23,500 miles
Structure › Body › Tailgate › Hinge and attachments
THE RIGHT TAILGATE CABLE ON MY 1997 ISUZU HOMBRE XS PICKUP TRUCK BROKE. THE LEFT TAILGATE CABLE ON MY PICKUP TRUCK BROKE LAST YEAR. LUCKILY, IT DID NOT CAUSE INJURY. THIS MODEL WAS MADE BY CHEVROLET (IT''S SISTER MODEL IS THE CHEVY S-10). I UNDERSTAND THE FULL-SIZE PICKUPS BY CHEVROLET HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
Mar 17, 2004 · 68,000 miles
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
MY ISUZU WINDSHIELD WIPER RECALL. I HAVE GONE TO ISUZU MANY TIMES TO GET THESE WIPERS FIXED CAUSE THEY TURN OFF WHEN I HAVE THEM ON. THESE PEOPLE STATE THAT THEY DIDNT THINK THERE WERE A LOT OF CARS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED SO THEY DIDNT ORDER A LOT OF PARTS. THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND IT STINKS THAT THE WIPERS DONT WORK HALF THE TIME. I WORK AT NIGHT SO IT GETS HARD TO SEE WHEN IT IS RAINING AND THE WIPERS ARE TURNING ON AND OFF. IT IS NOW FEBRUARY AND THEY STILL WONT HELP ME. THIS IS GETTING REDICULUS. IF THIS IS A RECALL BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD THEN WHY ISNT IT FIXED YET?*AK
Oct 1, 2003
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
CONSUMER WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT FANS THAT SPLIT AND BREAK APART. THIS OCCURRED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. FANS WERE BEING REPLACED EVERY 30,000 MILES TO 40,000 MILES. MANUFACTURER REPLACED THE RADIATOR, BUT WOULD NOT REPLACE THE FANS OR THE FAN CLUTCH. *AK 1997 ISUZU HOMBRE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE FAN AND ENGINE FAN CLUTCH. WHEN CONSUMER WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP THE FAN FELL OFF THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE FAN FELL OFF BECAUSE THE TENSION PULLEY BROKE. THE DEALER MADE THE CONSUMER PAY FOR A NEW ONE IN ADDITION TO THE PAYMENT FOR THE FAN THAT WAS PURCHASED AND INSTALLED THE DAY BEFORE. *MR *NM
Mar 11, 2003
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY QUIT WORKING WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM, RESULTING IN POOR VISIBILITY, AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. RECALL 03V210000 WAS ISSUED FOR WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. *AK *MR
Dec 10, 2003 · 110,000 miles
Visibility › Rear window wiper/washer › Motor
THE CONSUMER STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ON RECALL. CONSUMER STATED THAT DEALER WON'T HONOR RECALL. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. AFTER MANY PHONE CALLS, THE DEALER SENT SOMEONE TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE AND HAVE IT REPAIRED. RECALL# 03V210000 *SCC *JB
Jul 15, 2003 · 46,500 miles
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL 03V210000 REPAIRS CONCERNING WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED. CONSUMER HAD CALLED SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE PARTS WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE.*AK
Aug 15, 2003

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

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLYClosed
ON FEBRUARY 18, 2004, ODI OPENED THIS RECALL QUERY (RQ) BASED ON TWO FATALITY REPORTS INVOLVING MY 1997 GM S-10 PICKUP TRUCKS.EACH REPORT ALLEGED THAT THE BELTED DRIVER OCCUPANT WAS EJECTED IN A MULTIPLE-ROTATION ROLLOVER CRASH.THE MY 1997 S/T SERIES PICKUPS USE AN ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP IN THE DRIVER SEAT BELT THAT ALLOWS THE WEBBING TO ELONGATE UP TO 10 INCHES (TO MITIGATE DRIVER INJURY IN FRONTAL CRASHES).GM ALSO USED THIS ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP SEAT BELT DESIGN IN MY1997 S/T SERIES UTILITY VEHICLES (CHEVROLET BLAZER, GMC JIMMY AND OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA).GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN (03V-117) TO REPLACE THE DRIVER SEAT BELT IN THESE UTILITY VEHILCES BASED ON A HIGHER FATALITY RATE OF EJECTED BELTED DRIVERS IN ROLLOVER CRASHES.BOTH FATAL CRASHES ARE SEVERE ROLLOVER CRASHES (MULTIPLE-ROTATION ROLLOVER) AND BOTH VEHICLES SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE ROOF STRUCTURE.ODI REVIEWED THE FIELD…
RQ04002 · opened Feb 18, 2004 · closed May 27, 2004
WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILUREClosedLed to recall 03V159000
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
EA02006 · opened May 31, 2002 · closed Jul 23, 2003
SEAT BELT WEBBING SEPARATIONClosedLed to recall 97V096001
NHTSA'S NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) TESTED A 1997 CHEVROLET S-10 EXTENDED CAB PICKUP EQUIPPED WITH A DRIVER-SIDE AIR BAG.THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT WAS COMPLETELY CUT DURING THE TEST.
EA97004 · opened Feb 28, 1997 · closed Aug 5, 1997