U.S. public vehicle records

2002 Isuzu AXIOM problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

123 owner complaints analyzed

4 distinct recall campaigns

80,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 89 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Structure:Frame And Members is the most frequently named component, appearing in 21 of 123 complaints (17.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	37	30.1%
Transmission and shifting	34	27.6%
Steering behavior	10	8.1%
Fuel system concerns	10	8.1%
Engine operation	4	3.3%
Electrical and battery issues	2	1.6%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Structure:Frame And Members

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Suspension

Power Train

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Structure:Body

Electrical System

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Structure:Frame And Members	21
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	20
Suspension	13
Power Train	10
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor	7
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	6
Structure:Body	6
Electrical System	5

Structure:Frame And Members: 21; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 20; Suspension: 13; Power Train: 10; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 7; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 6; Structure:Body: 6; Electrical System: 5

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 15; 25,000 to 49,999: 16; 50,000 to 74,999: 11; 75,000 to 99,999: 15; 100,000 to 149,999: 26; 150,000 and above: 6

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (26). 34 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2002: 9; 2003: 16; 2004: 11; 2005: 15; 2006: 7; 2007: 4; 2008: 1; 2009: 7; 2010: 22; 2011: 14; 2012: 2; 2013: 1; 2014: 5; 2015: 2; 2016: 2; 2017: 2; 2018: 2; 2019: 1

Pattern summary

Structure:Frame And Members leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 37 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 34 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10001601 · 2002-12-27 (December 27, 2002)

WAS TRAVELING 5MPH & HAD APPLIED THE BRAKES, IN THE RAIN, WHICH FAILED. VEHICLE RAN INTO BACK OF SCHOOL BUS. HAD SEVERE FRONT END DAMAGE. TOOK TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. DEALER REFUSE TO REPAIR BECAUSE OF ACCIDENT. HAD INSURANCE ADJUSTOR COME IN AND TOOK VEHICLE FOR TEST DRIVE. DECLARED NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH BRAKES TO CAUSE ACCIDENT. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001601 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10016910 · 2003-05-02 (May 2, 2003)

FRONT GRILL INSIDE PAINT PEEL. NO INFORMATION AS TO WHEN THIS WILL BE CORRECTED FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE PRODUCES LOTS OF NOISE. REQUIREMENT FOR RE-ALIGNMENT REFUSED BY DEALERSHIP WITH STATEMENT OF "ONLY DONE AT 7500 MILES" COMPANY MAINTAINS THAT THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED AND DEALERSHIP WRONG. ADVISED DEALERSHIP OF REQUIREMENT GOT SHRUG. WILL NOT RESOLVE EXTREME TOE IN OF FRONT TIRES. RIGHT AND LEFT MIRRORS WERE ORDERED. PAINT DOES NOT MATCH VEHICLE. ALSO SCRATCH ON VEHICLE MIRROR. AWAITING REPLACEMENT. HAS BEEN 8 WEEKS SINCE ORDER HAS BEE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10016910 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10044323 · 2005-06-10 (June 10, 2005)

THE ABS LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER AND THEY DEALER REPLACED THE BEARINGS AND HUBS. WHILE TRAVELING AT NORMAL SPEED, THE DRIVER HIT A SLIGHT BUMP AND THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND JUMPED FORWARD. *AK DESCRIPTION OF ALL PROBLEMS ARE AS FOLLOWED: ABS SENSOR/HUB BEARING RIGHT SIDE, ABS GRINDING, CRACKED ARM REST, DOOR PANEL ARM REST CRACKED, THE ABS LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY STAYED ON, BROKEN CARGO COVER HOOKS, LEFT REAR COIL BOOT STUCK, HUB BEARING RIGHT SIDE, WEATHER STRIP TORN, EXTERIOR DOOR TRIM C…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,317 miles reported. Look up ODI 10044323 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10108435 · 2005-02-02 (February 2, 2005)

I BOUGHT MY CAR IN JULY 2004 THE TRANSMISSION KEPT SLIPPING AND I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER AT LEAST 3 TIMES FINALLY IN NOV. 2004 THEY KEPT THE CAR AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE MODE SWITCH WE PAID $400.00 TO HAVE THAT FIXED WE GOT THE CAR BACK AND AS WE WERE DRIVING HOME WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPEN. SO WE TOOK IT BACK AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE SERVICED SO WE FORKED OUT ANOTHER $100.00 TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION SERVICED. THAT DIDN'T WORK. THEY TOLD US THEY WOULD REIMBURSE THE $400.00 FOR THE MODE SWITCH WELL WE STILL …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10108435 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10024432 · 2003-07-25 (July 25, 2003)

WHEN DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE STEERING VIBRATED. THE DRIVESHAFT WAS REPLACED, AND THE PROBLEM STILL RECURRED. *AK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BACKED UP, A THUMP WAS FELT ON EVERY REVOLUTION ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE AXLES WERE REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINED THE SAME. THE CONSUMER FELT A LOSS OF CONTROL WITH THE VEHICLE ON TURNS, AND A SQUEAKING SOUND HAD COME FROM THE TIRES DUE TO PITTED ROTORS. *SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10024432 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10093491 · 2004-10-02 (October 2, 2004)

1. 8,000 MILES TO CURRENT BRAKES INTERMITTENTLY FAIL WHEN TRAVELING AT 30+ MPH. WHEN THE BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED THE VEHICLE LUNGES FORWARD. 2. PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT INTERMITTENTLY ONLY ALLOWS RETRACTION REGARDLESS OF THE BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED OR NOT. 3. 46,539 MILES FUEL GAUGE SHOWS 1/2 TANK ONBOARD COMPUTER SHOWS LOW FUEL AND FUEL LIGHT ILLUMINATES. DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY. PROBLEM CORRECTED. 4. 57321 MILES INTERMITTENT SLUGGISH ACCELERATION (INTERMITTENT SINCE 20,000 MILES) COMBINED WITH INTERMITTENT INCORRECT TIMING SHIFT FROM …

Owner-reported narrative. 57,485 miles reported. Look up ODI 10093491 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10066658 · 2004-04-06 (April 6, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS OUT WITH OUT ANY WARNING. THIS CAUSES THE LOSS OF STEERING, AND BRAKE EQUIPMENT. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED SIX TIMES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. *MR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10066658 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10090205 · 2004-09-01 (September 1, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER RESTRARTED VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE EPLACED, AND REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10090205 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10018859 · 2003-05-17 (May 17, 2003)

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT SEVERAL STOP LIGHTS AND IN A PARKING LOT WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION SWITCH. IT ALMOST CAUSED 3 COLLISIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER (COURTESY ISUZU) WHERE WE BOUGHT IT. YOU CAN CALL ME AT [phone removed] (CELL) OR [phone removed] (HOME) OR CALL FRANK BROZNIK - SERVICE MGR. AT COURTESEY ISUZU 9204 ADAMO DR TAMPA FL. 33619. (813)626-4200. FRANK THINKS WATER HAS GOTTEN INTO THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE ELECTRICAL BOARD AND CAUSED THIS…

Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018859 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10174343 · 2006-11-21 (November 21, 2006)

2002 ISUZU AXIOM REPLACED TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AFTER MECHANIC STATED EVERYTHING WAS RUNNING FINE. *KB ***NAR*** THE CONSUMER HAS ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE'S AIR CONDITIONER AND THE OXYGEN SENSOR. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10174343 at NHTSA ↗