What breaks most · 1996 to 2000 model years
Isuzu Hombre problems by year
Owners have filed 122 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Isuzu Hombre across model years 1996 to 2000. Three years stand out: 1998 for visibility complaints, 1996 for visibility complaints and 1997 for visibility complaints.
- Years to check closely: 1998, 1996, 1997
- Complaints on file
- 1221996 to 2000, all trims
- Worst year
- 199853 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 122 fires · 9 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 60kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 9Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | 4 | 4 | Visibility (20) | |
| 25 | 1 | 3 | Visibility (12) | |
| 53 | 5 | 1 | Visibility (23) | |
| 7 | 2 | 1 | Air bags (2) |
What fails on the 1998 Isuzu Hombre
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 43% |
23 | 0 | Shop all visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 15% |
8 | 1 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 1998 Isuzu Hombre |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 8% |
4 | 1 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 1998 Isuzu Hombre |
| Parking Brake | 6% |
3 | 1 | — |
| Air bags | 6% |
3 | 3 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Equipment and infotainment | 6% |
3 | 0 | — |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 6% |
3 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 1998 Isuzu Hombre |
| Seats | 4% |
2 | 0 | — |
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.
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Dt*: the contact stated the windshield wipers on the vehicle worked intermittently, then stopped functioning. The vehicle was not taken in for service. There was a NHTSA recall# 03v210000, which pertained to the windshield washer/wiper motor. The vehicle was not included in the recall due to the VIN.
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Recall notice regarding windshield wiper motor. *mr the consumer requested reimbursement. The windshield wiper motor was replaced. *sc
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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
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 Hombre years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 1998, 1996, 1997 carry the most filings on the Isuzu Hombre. The 1998 alone has 53 complaints, led by visibility.
What is the most common Isuzu Hombre problem?
On the 1998 model year, the most-reported component is visibility with 23 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Isuzu Hombre problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Isuzu Hombre complaints that include mileage is about 60,000 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.