AI Damage1998 Isuzu N-Series: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Isuzu N-Series filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about visibility and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 6
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Visibility 50% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 17% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 17% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 17% of all complaints
- Visibility: 3 complaints (50% of all).
- Air bags: 1 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (17% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 6 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Both airbags failed to deploy and my son was injured with a broken pelvis and huge hemotoma? I believe this happened because all the pressure was on his pelvis with just the seat belt.
Wipers operate intermittently. Exactly like problem in 1996 isuzu hombre recall. At times wipers wont go off once activated. Has not been repaired.
Windshield wipers not working properly on a 1998 izusu hombre, gm reports that their is no problem or recall on my truck (ven#).
Had been to the dealership for lost of heat and burning smell and dealership replaced thermostat but problem was back within 2 weeks and found out it was the head gasket.
Anti-lock braking system. Abs system activates on dry pavement when braking if a slight bump is hit. Unable to stop vehicle safely when system is activated. Antilock brake system warning light stays on periodically.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 13,278 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 36% most complained about).
On average one model year of the N-Series has 1 complaints (18 years in the data). This year has 6, above average.
What to check before buying
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Isuzu N-Series?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: visibility, air bags, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 6. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbags did not deploy (17%), seat belts (17%), smoke, burning smell, fire (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Isuzu N-Series?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1998 Isuzu N-Series from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1998 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.