What breaks most · 1990 to 2002 model years
Isuzu Amigo problems by year
Owners have filed 183 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Isuzu Amigo across model years 1990 to 2002. Three years stand out: 1998 for brakes (hydraulic) complaints, 1999 for brakes (hydraulic) complaints and 2000 for engine and cooling complaints. The quietest years are 1993, 1990 and 1991.
- Years to check closely: 1998, 1999, 2000
- Fewest complaints: 1993, 1990, 1991
- Complaints on file
- 1831990 to 2002, all trims
- Worst year
- 199878 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 321 fires · 18 injuries · 1 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 90kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 17Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (1) | |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | Wheels (1) | |
| 6 | 2 | 0 | Electrical system (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Fuel system (1) | |
| 5 | 1 | 2 | Powertrain and transmission (2) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Brakes (hydraulic) (1) | |
| 78 | 13 | 7 | Brakes (hydraulic) (20) | |
| 70 | 13 | 4 | Brakes (hydraulic) (18) | |
| 10 | 1 | 2 | Engine and cooling (4) | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | Air bags (1) |
What fails on the 1998 Isuzu Amigo
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 26% |
20 | 5 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 1998 Isuzu Amigo |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 21% |
16 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 1998 Isuzu Amigo |
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 9% |
7 | 0 | Shop all visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 9% |
7 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 1998 Isuzu Amigo |
| Air bags | 8% |
6 | 6 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Fuel System, Other | 6% |
5 | 0 | — |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 6% |
5 | 0 | Shop body and structure parts for the 1998 Isuzu Amigo |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 5% |
4 | 1 | Shop steering parts for the 1998 Isuzu Amigo |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Brakes release on 1998 isuzu. All 4 brakes release suddenly if one wheel hits bump and skips. Plastic sidewall by gas pedal catches inside shoe and prevents quick moves from gas to brake.*ak
-
While waiting to have the ABS recall 02i002000 repairs performed the vehicle experienced brake failure which resulted in an accident. *ak *nm
-
Fuel sensor failed. One wire wore out on the fuel sensor. The fuel pump had to be replaced costing $660. The isuzu amigo was only 31/2 years old at the time. *ak
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Isuzu Amigo years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 1998, 1999, 2000 carry the most filings on the Isuzu Amigo. The 1998 alone has 78 complaints, led by brakes (hydraulic).
What is the most common Isuzu Amigo problem?
On the 1998 model year, the most-reported component is brakes (hydraulic) with 20 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Isuzu Amigo problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Isuzu Amigo complaints that include mileage is about 90,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.