1998 Isuzu Amigo Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Amigo years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 78 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Isuzu Amigo. That is the most of any Amigo model year in the database (6 years). The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (20 complaints, 26%), typically at around 2,866 miles. Complaints mention 13 crashes, 9 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 78owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 13complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Isuzu Amigo problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 20 | 26% | 2,866 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 16 | 21% | 101,660 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 7 | 9% | 77,882 | — | — |
| Visibility | 7 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 5 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 6% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 5% | 55,300 | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 5% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 4% | 107,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 3% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 3% | 173,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Isuzu Amigo recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:rear
Problem: Isuzu is recalling certain model year 1998-2000 amigo and model year 2001-2002 rodeo sport vehicles, that were originally sold, or are currently registered, in the states of maine, new hampshire, vermont, massachusetts, rhode island, connecticut, new york, new jersey, pennsylvania, delaware, maryland, the district of columbia, west virginia, ohio, indiana, michigan, illinois, wisconsin, minnesota, iowa, missouri, and kentucky. These vehicles may experience excessive corrosion in the vicinity of the forward mounting point bracket for the left or right rear suspension lower link.
Risk: Excessive corrosion may result in the left or right rear suspension lower link bracket becoming detached from the frame, which can affect vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rear suspension lower link bracket area. For vehicles in which little or no corrosion is found, the area will be treated with an anti-corrosive compound. For vehicles in which corrosion has damaged the rear suspension lower link bracket and affected its connection to the vehicle frame, a reinforcement bracket will be installed. In the rare event the corrosion is so severe that the reinforcement bracket remedy would not be appropriate, isuzu will offer to repurchase the vehicle for an amount based on the kelley blue book âprivate partyâ price. All inspections and remedies will be provided free of charge for vehicles that are 10 years old or less. For vehicles older than 10 years, isuzu will offer a free remedy, but only if the vehicle is presented to an isuzu service facility dealer within 12 months of when owner notifications were issued. The recall began during july 2012. Isuzu owners may contact isuzu at 1-800-255-6727.
Suspension:rear
Problem: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. Paint was applied unevenly on the rear axles, resulting in insufficient paint hardness. Should this occur on the surface that contacts the rear axle lower link bracket bolt head and/or nut, the nut may loosen.
Risk: The bolt could detach fully, causing separation of the lower link from the rear axle, increasing the risk of loss of vehicle control.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rear axle lower link joint nut and bolt.
Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with a sunroof sunshade. The primer applied to prepare the surface prior to bonding the sunshade holders to the sunroof weakened the bonding strength of the adhesive, resulting in an unsatisfactory bond of the holder to the sunroof.
Risk: This condition can result in separation of the holder, causing the sunshade to fall, possibly striking a vehicle occupant.
Fix: Dealers will remove all four sunshade holders and re-bond them to the sunroof glass.
Electrical system:wiring:front underhood
Problem: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. A ground connection terminal was not properly crimped in the supplier's engine wiring harness manufacturing line. This improper crimping process can leave an impression on the terminal that will eventually cause a stress fracture. S
Risk: If a terminal is fractured, the powertrain control module (pcm) can receive an erroneous signal indicating a high vehicle speed, thereby causing the pcm to cut the fuel, causing a 'no-start' condition, or a possible engine stall.
Fix: Dealers will replace the wiring harness on these vehicles.
Seat belts:front:anchorage
Problem: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The strength of the rear seat belt shoulder anchorage is not to design specifications and does not fully comply with requirements of fmvss no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages."
Risk: The rear seat belts would not provide adequate protection in the event of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will install new right and left rear seat belt anchor bolts.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Braking system/abs (EA99008) — opened Mar 31, 1999, closed Jul 31, 2002, led to recall 02I002000.
- Sunshade retainer failure (PE98046) — opened Aug 19, 1998, closed Oct 28, 1998, led to recall 98V260000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Rear trailing arms of vehicle ripped off from the frame and caused the rear axle to drive up under the vehicle. Lost control of vehicle and drove into the center median of highway. Failure due to corrosion and insufficient weld of control arm bracket.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 isuzu amigo. The contact stated that the radius arm brackets, cross members, and brake lines were completely corroded. The contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 12v306000 (suspension). The manufacturer was contacted and the dealer refused to…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 isuzu amigo. The contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 12v306000 (suspension) and stated that the manufacturer was notified and advised that the recall had expired on august 3, 2013. The manufacturer refused to honor the recall even though it had only been one…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 isuzu amigo. The contact stated the rear end swayed while accelerating. The failure recurred while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to have the failure diagnosed, but the contact noticed that the rear lower link bracket was fractured…
My 1998 isuzu amigo (which i bought brand new) is no longer drivable. The rear end of the frame is rusted out so bad that the rear suspension lower link detached from the frame. I am told it is not fixable. When i accelerate the back end of the truck has a mind of its own and i can't control it. I…
Other Isuzu Amigo years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 Amigo | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 Amigo | 0 | 1 |
| 2000 Amigo | 10 | 1 |
| 1999 Amigo | 70 | 2 |
| 1998 | 78 | 5 |
| 1997 Amigo | 1 | 0 |
See all Isuzu Amigo problems by year, every Isuzu model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Isuzu models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Isuzu Amigo?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, engine and engine cooling, fuel system, gasoline problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 20 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Isuzu Amigo?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 Isuzu Amigo a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Amigo model years, the 1998 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.