2002 Isuzu Axiom recalls and problems

The 2002 Isuzu Axiom has 4 recalls and 124 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is power train.

2002 Isuzu Axiom
Photo: 2002 Isuzu Axiom by DestinationFearFan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How the 2002 compares
Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 4 Axiom model years — the most of any year.

4recalls
124complaints
13crashes
1fires
6injuries
80,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

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Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.
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4 recalls

Suspension

Sep 22, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V436000 · 149,992 vehicles

Problem: Isuzu is recalling certain model year 1998-2002 Isuzu rodeo and model year 2002 Isuzu axiom vehicles, and Honda is recalling certain 1998-2002 Honda passport 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. Vehicles that have experienced sustained exposure to highly corrosive materials used in some jurisdictions for road deicing purposes May experience excessive corrosion in the vicinity of the forward mounting point bracket for the left or right rear suspension lower link prior to the time that such corrosion would normally be expected.

Original NHTSA wording

ISUZU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1998-2002 ISUZU RODEO AND MODEL YEAR 2002 ISUZU AXIOM VEHICLES, AND HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN 1998-2002 HONDA PASSPORT 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. VEHICLES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED SUSTAINED EXPOSURE TO HIGHLY CORROSIVE MATERIALS USED IN SOME JURISDICTIONS FOR ROAD DEICING PURPOSES MAY EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE CORROSION IN THE VICINITY OF THE FORWARD MOUNTING POINT BRACKET FOR THE LEFT OR RIGHT REAR SUSPENSION LOWER LINK PRIOR TO THE TIME THAT SUCH CORROSION WOULD NORMALLY BE EXPECTED.

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 potentially cause a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

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 POTENTIALLY CAUSE A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

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, a repurchase offer will be extended to the vehicle's owner. 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, or Honda dealer (as applicable), dealer within 12 months of when owner notifications were issued. The safety recall began on December 10, 2010. Isuzu owners May contact Isuzu at 1-800-255-6727. Honda owners May contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.

Owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Fuel System

Oct 7, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V466000 · 15,515 vehicles

Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles that have been exposed to fuel contaminated with silicon May develop small pin holes in the fuel pump feed port. Silicon has been identified in the fuel systems of affected vehicles and in certain fuel available in the region of tyler, Texas. This recall will be launched for vehicles registered in Texas and the four surrounding states: Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico and Louisiana.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO FUEL CONTAMINATED WITH SILICON MAY DEVELOP SMALL PIN HOLES IN THE FUEL PUMP FEED PORT. SILICON HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE FUEL SYSTEMS OF AFFECTED VEHICLES AND IN CERTAIN FUEL AVAILABLE IN THE REGION OF TYLER, TEXAS. THIS RECALL WILL BE LAUNCHED FOR VEHICLES REGISTERED IN TEXAS AND THE FOUR SURROUNDING STATES: OKLAHOMA, ARKANSAS, NEW MEXICO AND LOUISIANA.

Risk: A fuel leak could lead to a vehicle fire.

Original NHTSA wording

A FUEL LEAK COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy & notes

For vehicles registered in the states identified above, dealers will provide a new cover over the existing feed port on the fuel pump or, if the existing feed port has already been damaged, dealers will install a new fuel pump that is equipped with the new cover. The new cover will be made of a different material. The recall began on November 25, 2005. Owners May contact Isuzu at 1-800-255-6727.

Customers May contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236; (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Structure

Mar 24, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V113000 · 11,855 vehicles

Problem: As a result of information obtained from a head impact test conducted by the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) to evaluate compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact," Isuzu has designed a modification for certain 2002 model year Isuzu axiom vehicles. The purpose of this modification is to enhance head impact crash protection for front seat occupants.

Original NHTSA wording

AS A RESULT OF INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM A HEAD IMPACT TEST CONDUCTED BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) TO EVALUATE COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 201, "OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN INTERIOR IMPACT," ISUZU HAS DESIGNED A MODIFICATION FOR CERTAIN 2002 MODEL YEAR ISUZU AXIOM VEHICLES. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MODIFICATION IS TO ENHANCE HEAD IMPACT CRASH PROTECTION FOR FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS.

Risk: The results of this test indicated a possibility of an increased risk of head injury in a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

THE RESULTS OF THIS TEST INDICATED A POSSIBILITY OF AN INCREASED RISK OF HEAD INJURY IN A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Isuzu will offer owners of the vehicles a free modification of the roof area of the vehicle in which energy absorbing components will be installed. Owner notification began March 11, 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. Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

This action is deemed a safety improvement campaign and is not being conducted under the safety act.the company has informed NHTSA that it will provide the modifications described above free of charge.

Air Bags

Aug 9, 2002 · NHTSA campaign 02V213000 · 15 vehicles

Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, the passenger-side air bag inflator modules were manufactured and shipped without a necessary component known as a check valve pin.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE PASSENGER-SIDE AIR BAG INFLATOR MODULES WERE MANUFACTURED AND SHIPPED WITHOUT A NECESSARY COMPONENT KNOWN AS A CHECK VALVE PIN.

Risk: In the event of a crash, the air bag will not inflate properly or sufficiently resulting in an increased risk of injury to the seat occupant.

Original NHTSA wording

IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE AIR BAG WILL NOT INFLATE PROPERLY OR SUFFICIENTLY RESULTING IN AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the passenger side air bag. Owner notification is expected to begin during August or September 2002. 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 1-800-643-4070.

Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2002: 9 complaints20022003: 16 complaints2004: 11 complaints20042005: 15 complaints2006: 7 complaints20062007: 4 complaints2008: 1 complaints20082009: 7 complaints2010: 22 complaints2010222011: 14 complaints2012: 2 complaints20122013: 1 complaints2014: 5 complaints20142015: 2 complaints2016: 2 complaints20162017: 2 complaints2018: 2 complaints20182019: 1 complaints2026: 1 complaints20261

NHTSA investigations

Fuel Tank Retention Failure

DP18001 · opened May 23, 2018 · closed Mar 5, 2020
Summary

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…

2002 vs. other Isuzu Axiom years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2002. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2002 Isuzu Axiom have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2002 Isuzu Axiom, the latest from Sep 22, 2010 (suspension). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Isuzu Axiom?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention power train (35), structure (31), service brakes (28). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.