2000 Rodeo keeps stalling

I just bought a used 2000 Rodeo, and it has 47,000 miles. Every two weeks my car will just idle very low, then stall. I then start it up again, and it will drive fine for another two weeks before the same thing happens. I brought it in to the dealer, and they said they could not find anything wrong with the car, and said they couldn’t duplicate the problem. So I had them change the fuel filter, hoping that would resolve my stalling issue. But it hasn’t, and again every two weeks or so it will just die, and I don’t know who to take it to to fix the problem, because if the dealer can’t fix it, who can? Any suggestions as to what it is and where I should take it? I live in Orange County California. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Cheers.

Perhaps your intake manifold gaskets are on their way out?? I had a similar problem with mine, it would stall and I started it back up and it drove fine.

Perhaps your intake manifold gaskets are on their way out?? I had a similar problem with mine, it would stall and I started it back up and it drove fine.

How much would it cost to replace manifold gaskets?

It might be covered under warranty. If you still have powertrain warranty on your rodeo it is covered for sure. I forget what the used warranty covers, try doing a search I know this has been covered before here.

I think the used warranty is good for 5 years/60 000 miles.

you would have thought a dealership would have seen this problem, instead of telling me they could find nothing wrong. thanks for your help. you're a wee star!

your problem is most likely in the wiring harness near the front of the drivers side valve cover. Start the vehicle and wiggle the harness if it acts up or dies out you have a bad wire in there

what you describe seems to be the same problem i recently had...it was my intake manifold gasket...i would start my rodeo, than all the sudden it would die...start it back up, than it was fine...for a while. do you have a check engine light, are there any codes thrown...the dealer replaced my intake gaskets and it has run fine ever since...

let me know

luke

strange that an intake manifold gasket going bad would cause the syptoms described. Can anybody explain why?

I think its because the engine sucks in extra air where the leak is. Since the sensors dont detect this they dont add fuel to compensate for the extra air. Then the mixture gets way too lean and stalls.

Thats what I would think anyways.

then why would it run fine after re-starting?

Because the hole in the gasket isnt very big and probably doesnt always effect the engine enough to stall it.

then why would it run fine after re-starting? The cylinder heads & intake expand slightly once the truck starts to warm & partially re-seal the leak. That's the problem with our lower intake gasket design. It cant take the expansion & contraction cycles of an all alumium engine & seems to fail every 30K miles or so.
G/luck
Joel

Havent they made a gasket to fix this yet???

I havent had this problem yet anyway, is it only on the 98 and ups?

I havent had this problem yet anyway, is it only on the 98 and ups?
Yes. Only on 1998+ 3.2 & 3.5. As far as I know, it's the same old phenolic/plastic gasket.
G/luck
Joel

My 3.5 2000 is stalling out on the start up as well. However, it only happens on the start up and if I give it gas it will not stall. It will take about 3 starts usually. When it is running, though, it runs beautifully. I have noticed the RPM's drop from 750 to 500 every once in a while. Is it worth taking to Isuzu or will anyone do when it comes to replacing the intake manifold gasket? They quoted me at $267 to replace the head gasket. Is it something an amatuer can do with directions? Will it stall due to a dirty EGR or fuel filter. I have replaced the PCV as well. Any advice or directions on replacing the head gasket would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.

They quoted me at $267 to replace the head gasket...
You'd have major problems if you had a bad head gasket on your 3.5. They are probably referring to the intake manifold gasket. IMG replacement is about a $300 dealer job. Will be a freebie on a 2000 for 10yrs/120K miles original owner, or 5yrs 60K miles subsequent owners. It is a DIY job with normal tools & basic skill level, there is a procedure floating around this and other isuzu sites.
G/luck
Joel

That was my bad quote on the head gasket...I meant the IMG. I asked Lou Sobh Isuzu in N. Atl and they said it should be covered by warranty (I'm not the original owner). I'm real curious about doing it myself though. From what I've read I need an intake gasket kit and some small bungee cords. Sounds like a blast if I can find what I need. I'm gonna see if they will fix it for free...My car is a 2000 with 55k miles. I hope it is covered.

I'm glad I found this forum and that the 2000 Rodeo stalling is not just my problem.

It is actually my son's car and it stalled when he got about 20 miles away from home on the interstate coming back from college for Thanksgiving. (It got further complicated when as he was pushing it further off of the road, the door shut and locked him out (with the lights on)). By the time the tow truck arrived, got the car open, it was dead and we had it towed to a dealer. They said it needed a new battery, a new alternator, and a new positive battery cable. (all repairs made) $1,057

I picked it up and it stalled on me the next day. (Son went back to school with my car). Got it back to the dealer and they said they couldn't find anything wrong with it (no codes) and couldn't get it to stall. Later they said it could be the main computer or the catalytic converter.

I drove it for a while without any problems. Then one morning I it stalled every time I stopped at a red light. I got it to a local guy who said the wiring to the MAF sensor needed repair. (repair made) I drove it another week without incident, then it stalled on me a couple of more times while at a stop sign or when I took my foot off of the accelerator. Took it back to the local guy; he drove it for two days and it didn't stall. I picked it up, stalled on the way by to my job; stalled on my way home; didn't stall on my way to work the next day but did stall on my way home. It restarts after turning everything off for about a minute; but the stalling is getting dangerous.

Glad I found all of these suggestions, I'm printing them out and taking them to my local guy and will repost my progress. (My son loves his Rodeo and wants it back).

Thanks for having such a great forum and information.