Isuzu Dmax problems; where does it fall short?
I’ve been a Toyota fan for a long time. They make great vehicles, and I’d happily own most of their range.
That said, our replacement 4WD from the 80 Series Land Cruiser was an Isuzu Dmax; a step in a very different direction, and in this post, we’re taking a look at the Isuzu Dmax problems that we know about, and many of which we’ve experienced too.
If you want to know how much the total build cost, you can read about it here – Dmax touring build cost.
I’ve had the Dmax for 6 years now, and clocked up about 118,000km in it. They are a great vehicle, with a solid foundation, great engine and reputable gearbox (if you get the auto) and good quality gear used overall.
If you want the full review after 5 + years, check this out – 2016 Isuzu Dmax review.
Now, of course this means that this information is not necessarily related to the new shape Dmax, which is a totally different beast. In general they seem to be pretty good, but I have heard of a few issues too; nothing is exempt from problems.
However, I’m not brand biased, or so attached to it that I fail to mention its shortcomings, and every single 4WD out there has at least a couple. Sometimes their owners will acknowledge it, but more often than not they don’t!
If you are looking for Isuzu D’max problems, then you’ve come to the right place. Please note most of what is raised here are also Isuzu MUX problems, which are basically a wagon version of the Dmax.
Please note this post is my opinion only, and its up to you to do your own, independent research. I’m more than happy to share my opinion, but don’t base your decisions off them without doing extensive research elsewhere.
Frills and fancy bits
There’s no doubt that the D-max lacks in the fancy bits department. If you want a Ute that has all the bells and whistles, a Dmax is not it. They are a bit agricultural, truck like if you will, and that’s exactly what a select portion of the market wants.
I couldn’t care less about chrome bits, fancy dash boards, leather seats, lights that come on when you unlock the car and the long list of other things that some people find important. I wanted a solid vehicle, with vinyl floors that could be taken away with minimal fuss and relative comfort.
Being the SX version (base model) our Dmax has a similar interior to that of a 15 year old vehicle, and that’s OK with me. It might not be for you.
I will mention that the new shape (2020 onwards) Dmax and MUX have had a major upgrade in the frills and fancy department, which is great to see.
Power
At 130kw at the engine, and 380NM of torque, the Dmax is not leading the market here either. It’s got enough power to be reasonable, and a lot if you are used to some of the older diesel 4WD’s, but its got nothing on other Utes like the Ford Ranger, Ford Raptor or V6 Volkswagen Amarok.
If you are towing anything heavier than 2.5 tonne (which you probably shouldn’t be with a Dmax anyway) you are going to feel it, substantially. You will not be able to sit on 100km/h when there are hills at all around; it just won’t happen.
Our Dmax has tyres that are bigger, a big ute canopy and a fair bit of weight, and you feel it towing a camper trailer around the 1.5 tonne mark. We also went and bought a Lifestyle Reconn R2 Hypercamper which is about 2.3 tonnes loaded and you really notice it!
Whilst there’s been no major Dmax towing problems, it absolutely needs a transmission cooler, and a bit of care on big hills.
It will sit on 100 most of the time, but it has to work hard to do so. Of course, there are lots of options when it comes to improving power and the 4JJ1 motor is extremely popular for getting huge power figures from with reliability remaining largely unchanged.
The 4JJ engine is widely regarded as one of the best on the market today, and is used in a wide range of applications from light trucks through to the Dmax and BT50, boat motors and you can even get conversion kits to put them into Patrols now.
There are limited 4JJ1 engine problems, and they tend to be reasonably cheap to repair as needed.
Weak CV’s
Independent front suspension vehicles are notorious for breaking CV’s, especially when a lift is fitted. Dmax lift kit problems are always going to be accentuated because of this, and you need to be careful going too high.
The Dmax CV’s seem to be at a disadvantage from the factory though, with the differential sitting slightly further back than it other vehicles, and this puts more stress on them to start off with.
Some people have broken CV’s with factory tyres and no lift. Touch wood, I’ve had no issues with bigger tyres and a 30mm lift kit, but I drive it as carefully as possible and have installed a diff drop kit. We’ve done extensive 4WD tracks in Australia, including Billy Goats Bluff, Arkaroola 4WD tracks and plenty in the Glasshouse Mountains.
Ironically, the closest we got to breaking a CV was because of our 3 year old!
The thing to remember is that if your wheel comes off the ground and lands hard when the tyre is spinning your chances of breaking a CV increase hugely. I know a number of people who’ve hammered their vehicles and not broken anything, so maybe its part luck/driver ability too.
That, and don’t hop the vehicle; as soon as it starts to bounce, stop and re-think what you are doing. Keep bouncing the front end and you’ll end up in broken CV territory very quickly.
We also installed a rear locker which has helped hugely in terms of driving up things at a more controlled rate.
Weak tie rods
If you see a broken Dmax on the side of a 4WD track, there’s a pretty high chance the two front wheels are pointing inwards towards each other. This is because the tie rods on the steering rack are not very strong, and have a habit of bending/breaking.
Again, this happens when you are 4WDing and giving it a bit too much. I’ve seen a few cases of this, but again know plenty of people who give them a lot of work and have never had a problem (and neither have I). A bit of mechanical sympathy goes a long way.
I’ve just recently seen much heavier duty options which sleeve the thread to prevent this, and will be keeping an eye out on it, and driving with care.
Early differential failures
I have read of a surprising number of Dmax’s with rear differentials that have failed before 80,000km. Apparently there was a batch of spider gears that were made with poor hardening properties, and the gears essentially chop out and become a pile of metal shavings in the bottom of your differential.
Mine will be getting checked shortly with a camera through the oil fill hole, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see damage.
Not good enough Isuzu; absolutely no leg to stand on in your defence. I don’t know how many of these have been covered by warranty, but often by the time you reach those sort of kilometres the warranty is long gone.
(EDIT – all good so far!), but we have replaced the whole lot with a Harrop Elocker which replaces the unreliable gears.
Cracked inner guards
This point is possibly the most major concern with the Dmax and MUX. A number of Dmax’s and MUX’s (I’ve seen about 200 online) end up with the inner guard cracking, above the front wheels.
This seems to stem from vehicles that spend a lot of time on rough roads, have heavy bull bars and winches mounted and that stick out a long way.
That said, I’ve also seen it on Dmax’s and MUX’s that have no bull bar, or even the factory aluminium or steel bull bar, and those that have done limited, or no off road work.
The repair is not pleasant; it requires the engine to be removed, and the cracks welded up or inner panels replaced, but there’s no guarantee it won’t happen again.
I did read from an Isuzu technician that it is caused by soft Dmax body mounts that wear out and are not replaced often enough, and have seen a number of them cracking at the front, so keep an eye on it. Apparently this is something all dealerships are required to check and rectify on a regular basis now.
Also, I’m told that there was a mishap in the manufacturing facility where high tensile steel was stamped incorrectly for the guard panels, and used anyway. Obviously this is more susceptible to fatigue and is more likely to crack.
We’ve gone with the lightest full size steel bull bar I could find, opted not to install a second battery under the bonnet (which I reckon is a daft place to put one anyway!) and will keep an eye on the body mounts regularly.
I’ve also seen a lot of people installing Colorado body mounts, which are apparently more solid, but as to whether this makes the actual issue any better or not, I couldn’t say.
If the steel is incorrect, its not going to fix that, and Isuzu would certainly have a greater leg to stand on if you did end up with cracking. I also firmly believe that fitting stiffer body mounts isn’t going to help with the cracking issue.
EDIT 1 – we had our Dmax body mounts replaced under warranty at 60,000km after the front two were showing signs of cracking and sagging badly.
EDIT 2 – I’ve just heard that Bannister Law is investigating the Dmax and MUX cracked inner guards.
EDIT 3 – We’ve just noticed some cracking on our battery mount, that is attached to the inner guards (and not a removable part). You can read more about it in the link above, along with an update on the Dmax inner guard cracking.
EDIT 4 – We’ve had the inner guards and radiator support replaced by Isuzu, and it took 7 weeks from first inspection to pickup. You can read more about this at Dmax inner guard repairs.
EDIT 5 – We’ve had our body mounts replaced again at 118,000km after they looked badly cracked. Isuzu warranted the parts, but not the labour.
Leaking rear main seals
Early on, there were a number of Dmax’s that had rear main seals replaced under warranty.
I was told that the robot applying the sealant to the seal was missing a small portion of the seal for a huge number of vehicles. I’ve not had mine leak so far, and hope it stays that way!
Open rear diff
The Isuzu Dmax is one of the few 4WD’s on the market that doesn’t come with a diff lock, or an LSD as a factory fitted install.
Instead, it comes with traction control only (which most vehicles also come with). It works OK, but isn’t as good as some other variants on the market.
A rear diff lock makes a big difference in these, and as mentioned above, we’ve been very pleased with the installation of our Elocker.
The hands free sucks
If there is one thing that is a total and utter flop on my model Dmax (2012 – 2016) its the hands free. It is absolutely useless. You can adjust the settings, but its just terrible.
Who ever has the bad luck of trying to talk to you on the other end of the call will have major issues hearing what you say. Of course, you can rip the dash out and replace the head unit, which is what we will be doing soon.
For me, this is not the biggest issue in the world (and I knew about it when I bought the car) as I don’t use it too often to make or receive calls, but if you were using it for business purposes it’d be the first thing you would rip out and replace.
Turbo failures on DPF Dmax’s
I specifically bought the older version Dmax. I could have paid the same price for a brand new one, but opted for the last of the pre DPF models.
The reasoning was simple; a DPF (or DPD as Isuzu calls them) is just another thing to go wrong, and I know Isuzu have issues with them in their trucks (despite being one of the better DPF’s on the market today). If you have had DPF issues, Bannister Law is looking into it!
At the time of purchase, I’d heard of a couple of turbo’s going on the newer model with the DPF, and since then I have heard of a huge number. Every week there are a couple posted online about turbo’s that start to wail like a police or ambulance siren, or put the vehicle into limp mode.
These are being replaced under warranty, but it takes time and means you are without a car for a while, and some people are on their third or fourth turbo’s!
Isuzu Dmax DPF problems
In terms of engine reliability, an EGR and a DPF are not a great idea. Of course, they’ve come about in order to meet environmental emission regulations, so they are here to stay.
Isuzu have done an amazing job with their DPF’s in general (compared to many other brands), but I am still seeing some DPF (or DPD) problems on Dmax’s and MUX’s. A few people have had theirs replaced (and realistically they are a consumable) earlier than they should have.
If you are finding the DPF burns are happening much closer together, you may have a problem. One of the most important things to get right with a motor running a DPF is the right oil; if you run non DPF suitable oil it will block the DPF in no time, and you’ll have all sorts of issues.
Limit the number of short trips you do and the DPF will be much happier too.
As these get a bit older, I’m seeing more complaints about the DPF in Isuzu Dmax and MUX vehicles. Sometimes its the DPF itself, an other times its the DPF sensor. Realistically, if you have a DPF you should consider it a consumable, which is a shame as they aren’t cheap.
We’ve still steered away from doing an EGR delete, although they are incredibly common today.
Aircon failures
The 2012 – 2020 Isuzu Dmax’s have a very bad habit of cracking the evaporator at the end of a rigid pipe that goes through your firewall, which releases the cooling gas, and results in you needing to have the entire dash removed, and the evaporator replaced.
I’m told that the new evaporators being fitted are a different design, but there are a number of people who are onto their 4th evaporator, which is pretty poor.
I have seen people installing P clamps onto the firewall to stop the pipe from moving and cracking, and there seems to be a relationship with extensive off road use.
These are also damaged easily by anyone working in the engine bay with a number of people saying during battery changes, or even if someone just leans on it the pipe will crack and leak your gas out.
Our Dmax had the aircon fail just recently, and cost $1400 to be fixed (which I did get covered by warranty). Keen to know more? Check this out – Dmax Evaporator Failure.
EDIT – We’ve lost aircon again, which ended up being our third Dmax evaporator, and this lasted just three days due to incorrect fitment, and then we had it replaced again. Yes, we’re onto our 4th evaporator, including the original one the vehicle came with.
You can read more about this at our Isuzu Aircon and Mechanical woes post.
What’s gone wrong with our Dmax?
Up until our major inner guard cracking, I was reasonably pleased with my Dmax. That said, its only done around 120,000km its not really a complete form of evidence just yet.
It’s certainly not been trouble free, and it would be interesting to compare this to a Hilux to see if they are actually any better.
Before we start with the list, you can read about our Isuzu Dmax Warranty Claims here, which are extensive and cost a lot of money.
The Dmax turbo was replaced when it was first delivered to me (faulty waste gate actuator), and I had the transfer case seal on the rear weep, which was replaced under warranty, and kept leaking (we are on seal #4 now, which seems to be holding).
I’m fairly confident the first 3 seals that were installed were not done properly (pushed too far in). You can read more about that here; Dmax leaking transfer case seal.
I’ve had the rear differential pinion seal replaced under warranty as it was leaking, and the 4 front body mounts that were cracking and deforming.
The next issue was a leak from the front differential, in the 4WD actuator assembly, and its booked to go in to be repaired.
EDIT – this has stopped leaking, is still full and will be monitored. If its leaked, and is still full without being topped up it must have originally been over filled?!
Our next issue was the aircon failure, which resulted in the evaporator being replaced for about $1400.
We then had our inner guards fail in a big way, and it was repaired by Isuzu under warranty, with the whole process taking 7 weeks, and 3 weeks without the vehicle.
We’ve had our body mounts replaced again at 120k, and we’ve lost our aircon again around the same time.
The Isuzu Dmax is a solid vehicle, in many ways, but it certainly has its weaknesses too. I’ve been on various Facebook pages of different makes and models, and the Isuzu 4WD pages seems to have less little issues than other brands, but its always hard to quantify.
Those that are made a point of are not major (like Ford Ranger engine failures, for example, which are posted on the Facebook page just about every week!).
We’ve also fitted a transmission cooler to care for our Automatic Transmission, after the temperatures were getting a bit too hot for my happiness, but this is not uncommon for a lot of new 4WD’s that are working hard.
The Isuzu Dmax Automatic Transmission prior to 2017 seems to be bullet proof, with the 6 speed ones (prior to the new shape in 2021) having a few more issues, but still being reasonable overall.
Overall
If this post comes across as saying the Dmax’s are not a good vehicle, I apologise. This is not the case; they are good vehicles with a some flaws (on the whole) that can be easily worked around.
There’s no perfect vehicle out there, and plenty of other rigs have a lot more, worse issues. Overall I’m not unhappy with the Isuzu Dmax (but not raving about it either!), and hope to get a few more years of travelling on our Big Lap of Australia before I consider upgrading.
I feel that there’s a lot of people who don’t share the issues they have with their 4WD’s, and when its put together openly and honestly it probably looks a bit daunting, but there are many other vehicles with much worse runs than this!
Would I buy another one? Sure. Would I look at alternatives? Absolutely. The game is always changing, and there’s no perfect 4WD for everyone out there.
Overall though, I’m fairly pleased with the vehicle, and it is serving us well. We will have this for at least another 5 years, so lets see how it goes by the end of it.
EDIT – I’m getting quite frustrated by the issues we’ve had so far, and I’ll continue updating this! We’ve looked at upgrading from the Dmax, but it doesn’t make sense just yet.
Have you got a Dmax? Have you had any issues with it? Let me know below!
Hey Harland,
Thanks for your kind words. Yep, it’d be nice to hear from the engineers!
I’ll have a watch of the video. Thanks for the link
All the best
Aaron
Hi Aaron, thanks for documenting and sharing your experiences with the dmax.
It would be good if Isuzu engineers gave more attention to engaging with key ‘reference’ operators like yourself towards gaining a better understanding of problem areas and weaknesses and addressing these as part of a program of continued product improvement.
I thought that you’d find the following video by a South African overlander on his experiences after 90,000 km of mostly overlanding use.
https://youtu.be/a3SmaAV0aU8?si=P31aTD95NN9kAM9F
regards
Harland
South Africa
Hey Peter,
Cheers for the thoughts. Shame you had to cough up the money for the issues. Was it the DPD sensor?
The driveshaft seal should be fine, as long as its put in the correct amount; have you confirmed this?
Cheers again, and all the best!
Aaron
I would agree with your overall views I have 2017 lsu love it turbo under warranty DPF or DPD issues I had to resolve my self $3600 even though it should have been under warranty from 100000 klm and at 182000klm then I bit the bullet an got it resolved now done 204000klm all is good but still struggling with rear drive shaft seal wondering if anyone has tried 2 seal with success have my own bio directional scan tool and carry spare maf map dpf pressure sensors that I have checked in the car running as emergency backup and all seems good body mounts have been replaced no cracking yet done about 80000klm in outback with 2 ton camp trailer fully loaded that code issues with trailer plug I have experienced thanks for all the tips regards Peter
Hey Jules,
Thanks, and you’re very welcome. The new Dmax seems to be quite good from what I’ve seen and heard so far.
All the best with it!
Aaron
Hi Aaron, thanks for you honest review, I just signed up for a 2023 maxxie, so all of this is great information.
hopefully we haven’t got a Fri car like our previous vehicle.
Hey Roy,
Modern vehicles are certainly far more complicated, and the environmental requirements that the manufacturer has to meet do not help this one bit.
Hopefully yours just needs a new DPD sensor, which I have heard is quite common.
We had an older vehicle, and whilst they’re good in some ways they also have their own drawbacks.
All the best!
Aaron
Thanks for the honest evaluation Denis,
I purchased a 2020 BT50 [ on the basis it was a Dmax ] 2.5 yrs ago, its done a well pampered 30,000km bitumen road use from new, fitted with some sensible mods eg. tranny cooler, secondary fuel filter, provent catch can, the catch can is taking 200mil of oil every 10,000kms and its currently back at the dealers after going into limp mode with what appears to be a common DPF issue ! the temptation to resort back to an old school 4wd that I’m 90% sure of fixing at the side if the road is becoming overwhelming rather than relying on sat phones and teams of factory techs.
Gutting Dpf’s and blocking egr’s to simplify a flawed design is the only way forward, in my humble opinion. thanks Roy.
Hey Denis,
Thanks mate, and you’re very welcome.
I think in todays world, the Dmax is pretty reliable, but if you are happy with an older vehicle that is reliable, I wouldn’t bother changing either.
I feel the level of mechanical aptitude has declined with the modernisation of vehicles, as you elude to.
The change in vehicles over the years has certainly been interesting, and I feel that the safety requirements, along with emissions (plus power, towing capacity etc) have made it very hard to make a reliable vehicle. The OEM builds what customers want though, and the trend towards more complicated gear isn’t always a good thing long term.
All the best with your Disco, and take care
Aaron
Aaron,
Am pleased that I read your DMax evaluation – the frankness is appreciated.
While trying to resolve a couple of long-standing issues with my Series 1 Disco braking (ABS) and some other quite minor problems, the most frequent response from so-called professionals was to “get rid of it and get a DMax…..they are bullet proof”. Really? The Disco has 320,000 km on the clock and I solved the ‘unfixable’ LandRover problems myself after wasting heaps on the clowns who rely on an electronic reader instead of applying basic mechanical knowledge. As for dealerships, The LR mob won’t even acknowledge anything older than five years. It’s all about sales!
Your observations about owners hiding true history and expenses for their pet drives are correct. We parade about with manufacturers’ idents painted, decaled and even stamped into bodywork, so when the product fails the marque must accept liability. The bottom line is that modern (post 2000) vehicles are far too complex and fragile because ‘gee whiz’ technology like ABS and a zillion sensors are supposed to substitute for fundamental good design with durability and repairability. I am with you on the essentials – most vehicle brands provide exactly the same functions and performance as their early predecessors – you know, wheels, steering, braking, and motive power. It’s the manufacturers’ perception of customer desires which has loaded the market with $60,000 – $100,000+ pieces of complex motoring bling with early-failing motors, gearboxes, etc. Strewth, even Mahindra have followed the trend. Frankly, the public have screwed themselves. I suspect that this will be more evident when/if a severe recession kills off the service industries and self-reliance becomes the order of the day.
Keep up the good work, Mate.
Hey Barry,
The oil weeping is very common, and still happens on some vehicles with catch cans. We run a Provent 200, and I’m happy with it, but they do cost money to replace the filters and are more likely to cause issues with leaks if they aren’t well maintained. If you are happy with the vehicle, I’d probably just keep driving it as is. You could clean the oil up, and make sure the hoses can’t pop off due to being lubricated on the barbs.
You could consider a mechanical inlet clean, where they pull the manifold off and clean out any gunk from the EGR and oil mixing, but up to you.
All the best
Aaron
Hi , my 15 Dmax tows a 5th wheeler , its right on max cvm, 105 thou kms , I find oil weeping fron the inlet hose half way between intercooler and inlet . its not that uncommon , maybe a catch can is a good idea , what are your thoughts.? regards Barry Gold Coast.
Hey Paul,
Good to hear you are happy with it overall. The automatic transmission sounds dodgy, especially if its only just started after being serviced. Perhaps they put the wrong fluid in, or not enough?
I would be very wary of any damage that might have happened internally.
All the best!
Aaron
Hi i purchased a D-Max in 2017 and have been very happy with it until recently since ive had the auto-trans serviced for the 3rd time and its now started not responding when D or R is engaged, it takes about 5 seconds so its going back to fix this problem, and i get it serviced every 10K not 15K as the book says, overall i’m very happy with the performance
Hey Stephen,
Cheers for that. Interesting about the reduced temps with the valve body upgrade. I’ll look into it.
I’ve thought about the free wheeling hubs but haven’t committed to anything yet.
Thanks again, and all the best
Aaron
Hi Aaron.
Just a thought mate. I had a Valve Body upgrade done to my 2016 Dmax for towing. My Caravan weighs in at 1800kg. This has reduced my auto temps and also makes a big difference on hills etc. I also fitted free wheeling hubs for reversing the caravan into tight spots in Low range on formed roads. I enjoyed your post mate and wish you many years of great off roading.
Hey Peter,
What a pain! Car problems are always annoying to find.
I only have two suggestions; make a post on the Facebook Dmax groups, and see what the guru’s on there recommend, or take it to a really good diesel mechanic.
I have heard of issues with the suction control valve, but not sure if its the same on your model Dmax.
Best of luck getting it sorted!
Aaron
Hi Aaron I have a 2009 d-max that just regularly cuts out, and then will only restart after 5-10 minutes. The only fault that showed was a faulty EGR which I replaced. That was not the problem. About 2 or 3 years ago I had the same problem it was diagnosed as the fuel rail pressure valve which was replaced at a cost of around $800 and that did not fix the problem. I turned out it was just a faulty sensor. It has a new filter, good fuel flow. No faults show up on a test. Do you have any ideas, I’ve heard of a banjo bolt that has a filter in it, could that have something to do with it? Surely it couldn’t be the fuel rail pressure valve again after such a short time. After it stops the first time it will only go for a short time before it happens again.
Thanks Peter.
Hi Ken,
When you say nothing happens, does it crank and just not start? Does it crank over at a normal rate? I’d get the code scanned and see what the engine light means. Maybe its just time for a new battery?
All the best
Aaron
Some times it won’t start turn it off try again it starts engine light stays on drive it to the shops turn off start again every thing is normal 2017 Isuzu dmax twin cab just reached 70000km the is like new looking forward to your reply thanks mate
Hello champ I have a 2017 model Isuzu dmax twin cab just clocked 70000km every now and then when you go to start it nothing happens turn the key off wait a couple of minutes she starts engine light stays on hope in later all is normal could it be a sensor appreciate your view thanks mate
Hey Michael,
Cheers for your honest feedback, and I know exactly how good the older Rodeo’s and Dmax’s were. We’re pretty happy with our Dmax overall. We’ve had several things go wrong, but nothing that was overly unexpected, or not related to a modification that we did.
Sorry to hear about your Ranger. There’s a lot of them on the road, but they’re also a mechanics bread and butter unfortunately.
Our most recent problem with the Dmax panel cracking has been dealt with really well by Isuzu, and although its not been repaired yet, I’m pretty impressed so far.
All the best
Aaron
Hi Aaron
I’ve got a 2009 dmax just about to hit 400000k’s and had no real problems apart from the expected wear and tear, injectors a couple of thousand k’s ago took me from 9.2 litres/ 100 to just just under 8 litres/ 100.
Previous car was an 1997 rodeo, did 440000 hard, (sometimes overloaded)k’s.
Having had a 2013 ranger for a short time, with all the heart ache and money in repairs it cost me, I can only say, long live the dmax, cause in my experience they do.
Thanks for the great site.
P. S.
Yeah, with the millions of parts being put together in a car manufacturing plant you will get problems. It’s up to the dealers to do the right thing and support their product and customers and we’ll keep coming back.
Don’t do what Ford did to me.
Hey Andrew,
The post is still live, and has not disappeared (nor will it). I just haven’t gotten around to updating this list of problems. I’ll do it now, but you can read the post here – https://www.4wdingaustralia.com/4×4/dmax-inner-guard-cracking/
All the best
Aaron
Not long ago you posted that inner guard cracking has just started near the battery mount. This post seems to have disappeared. Can you please let us know why. Thanks
Hey Michael,
315,000km is a fair old chunk of driving! I’ve heard of the compressors failing, but the alternator and crank battery says something isn’t right with your battery setup. Have you had a decent auto electrician look at it?
The wheel bearings also sounds strange; if they are done properly, you should have no issues for a lot longer than every couple of services.
All the best
Aaron
I have a 2012 (start of the batch in the article) starting from new and with 315,000km on it now, doing a combination of on/off road. The stereo clapped out under warranty, and the diff seal was leaking from the factory. Other issues is that I seem to got through crank batteries and alternators, I am currently on my 6th alternator and 8th crank battery, but this may also be related to the dual battery system. The air con compressor packed up at about 200k. The front wheel bearings keep having problems and need re-packing every couple of services. Apart from that it has been quite good.
Hey Don,
Cheers for the comment. Yep, we’re happy with Amaron. 4.5 years out of the first one, and we’ve gone for another identical one.
Sounds like you’ve had a good run with the Rodeo; they are a great vehicle too.
Interesting about the Alphatech piggyback; I’d heard of them before and might give our Dmax a tickle at some stage in the future
All the best
Aaron
I noticed that you have an Amaron battery under the bonnet. Excellent choice.
Have a 2008 Rodeo space cab, manual, 270,000 klm’s. Replaced EGR under warranty, clutch at 200k, 2 transfer case actuators (water ingress),otherwise excellent.
You comments re the Bushman fridge are spot on.
Have recently had installed an Alphatech Superstorm piggyback computer to the ECU, including dyno tune. Has made the world of difference.
All the best, Don.
Hey Karen,
That is a shocking story, and one that you should be rightfully upset about. How did the chassis bend? I’ve never heard of the crank snapping unless its running serious power, but I assume its all standard.
You can ring Isuzu directly and speak to them; it might be worth doing that
All the best
Aaron
Hi
we bought a D-Max in 2013. we have had nothing but problems. It is a manual first up gear box was replaced under warranty. then the clutch then rack and rack ends a bent chassis and now the crank has snapped and stuffed the block. it has done a total off 126,000 km. We purchased with intentions off travel due to work commitments we have not done much. Looks like we wont be until the vehicle is sorted. Would I buy another Isuzu or recommend possibly not. I have sent emails to Isuzu and have not heard a work back that is very disapointing to us. no aftersale service
Karen and Tony McAlister
Hey Fless,
Good to hear mate, and the story everyone wants to have with their vehicle. All things considered, the Dmax is a seriously solid vehicle, and is one of the better in its class.
Happy motoring
Aaron
Good article!
My 2017 D -Max tray-back has done 177,000 km. Zero problems.
Steel bullbar, Aluminium canopy, rear battery, fridge, free wheeling hubs (my CV’s will last forever!).
Done Simpson Desert, Plenty Highway, Birdsville Track, Oodnadatta Track, Cape York, Savannah Way, Cape Tribulation Track, Fraser and Moreton Islands. I tow a boat and sometimes a caravan.
No problems with cracking guards, body mounts, turbo, diffs, gearbox (manual), transfer case, oil leaks, tie-rod ends, DPF…nothing!
However – YES – that hands-free microphone for the phone is absolutely hopeless!
Fless
Hey Craig,
Good to hear you’ve had a great run. They generally do really well. Interesting about the nolathane body mounts; have you had any issues with body cracking?
All the best
Aaron
I have a manual 2014 SX space cab. 401 000kms. cab mounts were replaced every 40 000kms. set of nolathane cab mounts fixed this. uses no oil blow no smoke. nothing done to injectors or fuel pump. religious services of CASTROL full synthetic 5w30 to 300 000kms now using Nulon 10W40 diesel. awesome reliable vehicle.
Hi Dane,
That’s a fair chunk of kilometres, but if its got a full service history and has been well cared for it could be a good option. These motors are supposed to do 500,000km without any issues according to their sales spiel. There will be wear and tear on other items as well though, but if its done a lot of long distance driving and less 4WDing it might be limited.
In regards to the Bull Bar, I’m not entirely convinced that they have any bearing on the cracking, but it certainly won’t help. I would get the front weighed first though, as any heavy bull bar is likely to put you over the front axle weights, especially if you have bash plates or a winch as well. I’d suggest you get something light and strong if you can, and monitor the body mounts carefully, and look for any cracks appearing.
I guess it all comes down to what you want, and whether its a good deal. 4WD’s are incredible expensive now, but is a bit extra worth paying for something newer/less kilometres? Only you can answer that!
All the best
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
A 2018 Isuzu D-MAX SX TF MY17 has recently come up for sale, 1 owner and clocked up 277,000 km, looks in quite good condition from the video, it looks exactly like the ones in the pics above. I’m almost persuaded especially as it has the canopy already. Any big issue with that mileage? I also want to put on a heavy duty bull bar but I could be asking for trouble in terms of the cracking as mentioned above.
BTW Fantastic Blog, useful and entertaining!
Hey John,
It shouldn’t block that quickly. I’d take it to a diesel mechanic and see what they reckon
All the best
Aaron
I have a 2010 Colorado 3l with around 140k, started running rough, mechanic thought was injectors, fitted new ones, didn’t fix, found inlet manifold clogged so acid bathed manifold. All good but smoke just visible, 12 months later manifold blocked again . Mechanic suggesting blanking egr. Doesn’t know why running rich, any idea’s please, john
Hey Terry,
You are right, it is quite the list of shortcomings. I haven’t experienced them all, but am completely honest about revealing anything that has gone wrong. A lot of people don’t do this.
Vehicle reliability is quite hard to compare; ours has seen a fair bit of off road work, but perhaps yours has too. Ironically, several of the problems we have had have been the result of aftermarket gear.
I can’t say I’m unhappy with the performance of our vehicle, but its not been perfect either. I just share my experiences so others can use them to make their own choices.
Hopefully your Hilux keeps going strong; they seem to be reasonable asides from the well known issues
All the best
Aaron
I have always been interested in the dmax as I am not brand loyal either, so have seriously considered buying one. However thats a long list of shortcomings? We have a 2016 Hilux at the moment and can honestly say nothing has gone wrong with her to date except the dpf. At the 20,000k service we were told that their was a problem with the dpf and we were told the ECU would be reprogrammed by Toyota to maximise the dpfs life. The DPF was recently replaced at no cost to us and when the vehicle had done 140,000km. She does a mix of town and country driving and is our caravan tow vehicle. Hope we can get another 140,000 trouble free kms out of her!! Fingers crossed!!
Hey Bill,
Keep a keen eye on it, and I hope it works out well. I don’t actually know what the normal distance between DPD regenerations are. They can get a good idea of the condition of the DPD fairly easily.
Doing those sort of drives it should be pristine, but maybe its not!
Take care
Aaron
Hi,
I’ve had my 2017 LS 2WD Manual D-max for nearly a year now and got it as an ex-lease vehicle with only 27,000 k on the clock.
One thing I have noticed since I got it was regular DPD regens so I started to make a list of the mileage at each one and discovered that happened as often as 140k’s and as long as 420k’s with an average of 265 k’s.
I asked my local dealer about this and they were about as helpful as you would expect.
I do approx. 50,000 k’s a year as it’s my work ute doing technical work in the engineering industry so gets almost daily long drives, it’s rare for it to do less than 100k a day.
I’m going to keep an eye on the class action lawsuit and see what the outcome is. It goes in for a service tomorrow so will get the mechanic to check out to see if there are any cracks in the inner guards as well.
Thanks.
Hey Ziggy,
I’m sure they do deny it. It’s the most reasonable explanation though, and I’m sure I heard about it from someone who went to Isuzu outside of Australia. It will be interesting to see where Bannister Law takes this.
I assume the coolant leak was something to do with the EGR, and at least one of the oil leaks would have been a rear main?
All the best
Aaron
Re the cracks…
IUA flatly denies that the vehicles got substandard steel as part of supplier fraud.
Cracks have shown on vehicles of various ages, with and without rough driving and bull bars.
Apart from those faults, my 2013 MUX has had 3 engine oil leaks – fixed under warranty – and one coolant leak that cost me $1700.
Hey Ron,
Interesting! Have you had it back to Isuzu to see what they say?
Take care
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
I have a 2019 Isuzu Dmax Auto SX model. The dash has a loud audible clicking noise coming from inside on the passenger side when in drive with the foot on the brake and the air conditioner switch wont stay on unless continually pressed in. Apart from that i’ve had a good run so far, only 41,000kms.
Hey Michael,
Interesting feedback, and not what I’ve heard from the majority of owners of these models. I’ve never really had much to do with them, but always appreciate comments from all walks of life, and you’ve certainly done a comprehensive job listing them down.
Take it easy!
Aaron
Hi pal,
I have a 2021 extra cab 4×2, 15000km from new.
It is the most poorly built car i have ever owned. I can’t wait to get rid of it. I’d happily drive around in an old hilux workmate instead. I do not know how someone could justify spending 70K on an X Terrain these days and be happy departing this that amount of cash.
From a cosmetic view.
Squeeks and rattles in the dash and both doors, exterior paint scratches easily, interior plastics scratch easily, rust spots on the drivers side door sill from a leaking door, car mat snapped off the first time i hopped in it, vinyl floor covering is loose, glove box latch does not open the glove box, driver side door sits 5mm proud compared to the rear door.
From a hardware point of view.
Factory internal wiring is horribly put together, bonnets wobbles because the metal is so thin, i can visibly see the cab move and stretch where the doors mount to the cab, i would not be surprised if the door rips out of the frame one day, fancy looking l.e.d lights aren’t that crash hot, i periodically smell oil fumes in the cabin even when the A/C is on recirculate.
Engine/gearbox point of view.
During low speed acceleration the car takes 0.5 seconds to decide what to do, then an added 0.5 seconds of low end lag then a surge of power which makes low speed driveability not very enjoyable. Compare this to my 3.0 litre work Hi Ace has instant response, i find this car fast enough and drive ability is great, i don’t need a powerhouse.
The gearbox tries to use the torque converter lockup like it’s a 10 speed gearbox, if i sit on 80km’s/hr on the flat highway it goes from 5th locked down to 5th unlocked to 4th unlocked and back up and down we go. Then it sits in 5th locked doing 60km’s/hr so little acceleration and then give it a little bit more and it takes off instead of calmly accelerating. It does sit on 110-120km/hr very nicely though.
I test drove a manual with my heart set on buying one but the lag was even worse.
I have no issues with the safety systems, they are annoying and i’d rather do without but once you adjust your driving style a little bit you get used to them.
The only things i like about this car are
1. The very comfortable seat.
2. The light steering.
3. Great turning circle for a ute.
But without a doubt my favorite thing about the car is
1. It fills its own windscreen wiper reservoir up when it rains.
But the car is so poorly built i wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a hole in the reservoir somewhere.
I live with most of the issues (although i will sell it), they bother me but i live with it, so this is just my honest opinion of the car/driving experience i have.
Hi Mr G,
I don’t know much about the 1.9L engine unfortunately, and it really depends on what you want to do with the vehicle.
All the best
Aaron
Hey Trout,
If you keep it light weight, and don’t change the tyre size to anything bigger you should be able to do it all legally and reasonably well. If you are loading it up or changing tyre sizes it will struggle, and potentially have issues with overloading.
Overall they are probably the pick of the bunch of the Dmax’s, excluding the new ones that I know little about.
All the best
Aaron
What do you think about dmax 2022? Still have such issues (1.9 European engine). Or should I go to Toyota Hilux ?
What are your thoughts on the 2016 Dmax MY15.5 extra cab for towing 2500kg caravan?
Hey Pina,
Yep, the 2WD Toyota’s have a great reputation. We’ve had a number in the past. That said, I don’t think its fair to compare a 2WD vehicle to a 4WD one, especially considering the differences in the way they are used.
All the best with your vehicle!
Aaron
2013 Camry Atara SX, 200ks replaced park brake shoes and……well that’s it!
Hey Frank,
Sounds rough. The turbo thing is a known issue, and I don’t think there’s a single vehicle out there with a DPF that has improved reliability because of it.
Our aircon just failed the other day too, so I’ll add that to the list!
All the best!
Aaron
I have had the same problems with my Dmax 2018 LS the inner guard cracked but that was before i had the bullbar fitted the turbo has failed isuzu have come to the party and are covering the costs to repair my car, my car had travelled 160000 klms the dealer repeatly told my that there was no problem with the PDF until the car went into limp mode.
Hi Aaron
Many thanks for the reply and apologies for my late one.
2018 Dmax
Catch can also approx 250ml
Oil used – Castrol Vectron 10W40
So my consumption goes down in increments of about 5mm every 3000km from the dot below the top yellow indicator.
during one period it was down to the tip of the bottom yellow indicator at 11750km with some med boat towing and mild beach 4x4ing.
Isuzu keep trying to say this is with in normal spec and I have done this 3000km test 4 or 5 times now. This last one they slightly over filled onto the yellow so when I took it back it was down to the full dot and they said it hadn’t used and is fine then wanted to close the case until I said no and did another 3000km and its dropped 5mm from the dot. It sounds like I am whining but feel people need to be made aware. They not cheap.
Anyone else experiencing the same issues and what other oils are being used?
Cheers
Led
Hi John,
I’ve seen a couple of front differentials blow up off road and puncture the actual diff, and a few DPF issues, but for the most part they seem to have made a significant improvement. That said, I don’t own one and haven’t been following too closely, and they really haven’t been out long enough to identify how they go.
It’s ordered now; you’ll get a great car and I’m sure you’ll have fun with it.
All the best
Aaron
I’ve got a 22 dmax x terrain on order.
Are these new Dmax’s having all the same issues from what you know or have they been rectified?
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks John
Hey Mike,
Sounds like you’ve had a rough run, and are understandably annoyed about it. I would be too!
Unfortunately the turbo issue is huge, and even on this very post some people are on their 4th!
Is the vehicle still drivable? I assume it’s auto? They generally have a decent reputation, but stranger things have happened.
Getting anything from overseas is a disaster at the moment, and Isuzu will be caught up in it like everyone else. It’s just bad timing!
I hope they sort it for you ASAP
All the best
Aaron
Maybe look at almost anything else.
I have a 2018 DMAX dual cab 4×4 with a full Isuzu dealer service history, Turbo went at 1600km (yes, 1600), with a month to repair under warranty (and 3 visits to the dealer to “collect” additional details to authorise the warranty – BUT – at least I could still drive it). Gearbox noises at 83K, has taken OVER 6 weeks so far just to get the warranty “approval” (they needed to be sure what type of transmission oil was used in the 60km Isuzu dealer service which isn’t on the receipt and I had to produce for them to consider it). No car, no loan car, and I had to go direct to Isuzu to get it approved. Anyway, 6 weeks later, the parts have now been ordered, ex-Thailand and no idea how long that will take (I am hoping they don’t strap them to the back of a mule with a life vest and push them across the ocean, but with my experience with Isuzu warranty so far, I wouldn’t be surprised).
Bluetooth hands-free phone is really poor, I just use headphones – it is what it is.
While I hear good stories about the Dmax, I am afraid that mine is destined for a trade – if only I had it to do that!. Maybe 2023 I will have it back (on the upside, I have learnt that public transport isn’t as bad as I thought).
I understand that things go wrong, nothing is faultless, but that’s why I pay for dealer servicing, I shouldn’t be without a car for over 6 weeks and counting.
Unhappy Jan but glad to get it out and hopefully help someone else out.
Hi Bear,
Thanks for the comment, and the chuckles.
In terms of the dual cab Utes on the market today, the Dmax is one of the best in terms of reliability. Yes, they have their issues, as I’ve shared, but most are relatively minor (although still unacceptable) compared to the major gearbox failures, injector replacements, DPF failures, engine failures and so forth that happen on a regular basis to other brands.
Isuzu are certainly not perfect, but their 4JJ1 motor is well known to be one of the best common rail diesels out there. The fact that its been running in 4WD’s and trucks since 2002 speaks volumes.
I would absolutely disagree with them being cheap and nasty, and there are thousands of happy owners; you don’t have to look too far to find them either. They aren’t perfect, but we are actually happy with ours overall.
I appreciate your comment, and your opinion, but we’ll be sticking with the Dmax for some time yet.
Will the next 4WD be a Toyota? Maybe. I’ll weigh it all up again when that time comes
Take care
Aaron
I have never owned a Toyota 4WD and wont ever. Like all Toyotas they are as reliable as Sunrise. I have great respect for them. Its not that I dont like them, I just prefer Range Rovers. Dont bother with the jokes, I have owned Rangies & Discovery’s since 1983 and never found them to be any worse than the miriad of Holdens & Fords I have owned…..and far more capable offroad than many of these cheap Asian twincab reproductions of a 1982 Hilux now sold.
Therefore I was surprised you bought one of these crates of shite over a Toyota.
Every bloke I know who had a D max hated it and said the same thing. Cheap quality, nasty interior and poor performance. Unreliable.
Your review seems to bear this out.
Isuzu made the diesel Gemini, a mobile smoke machine of the 70’s.
Seems they havent moved on much since.
Any car maker that knows of a production problem yet lets cars get built & sold with so many defective diffs, front ends and gearboxes anyway is a joke. Might as well buy a 1984 Lada Niva.
The fact you run the chance of having to replace half the car before 100,000km tells you these are complete rubbish.
It takes more than a cover version of a Fleetwood Mac song to build a tough 4WD.
I’d recommend going back to Toyota.
Hey Dale,
Thanks so much for your comment, and sounds like you’ve had an awesome experience. Great economy, does what you need it to and no issues!
I reckon it will do you proud for a few more years yet!
All the best
Aaron
Just to chipping in with my experience. Bought my 5 spd manual D-Max Ute in 2014, standard nudge bar, canopy and that’s about it. I’m not a real 4×4 buff, just wanted a vehicle that could handle bush tracks, sandy beach access points for a bit of fishing and such. I’ve towed a A-Van Aspire 499 (H/T), and while it is a light-weight unit, I always new it was on the back of the car, however I was never in a hurry to get to where I was going. All that said, I now have 227,000km on the clock, original brakes and shoes and, believe it or not, original wiper blades (lol), although they coming close to wanting to be replaced. Consistently returning 8.4l/km (not towing of course) and if I take my racks off, that usually drops below 8.
Recently returning to NSW from Queensland, I had to obtain a Blue Slip for registration and the guy that did it (Isuzu Dealer) said the only thing wrong with my car, was that there was nothing all wrong with it. All services, bar one, have been undertaken by Isuzu Dealerships and I have been very lucky to have had good servicing, well, in the main.
All that said, I take on board the comments re the inner guard issue as this is not the first report of the issue that I have heard, and I will ensure this is inspected at the 230k service. Oh, I did have the main seal issue although Isuzu didn’t wait until it started leaking. At the 40k service the ‘wetness’ was observed, they ordered in the parts and at the 50k service it was corrected. No charge of course and no problems since.
I’m probably not as hard on the vehicle as most off-roaders and am therefore happy with the vehicle and not in a hurry to replace it, particularly with those pesky DPFs (DPD).
Maybe I’ve just been lucky, but I love it!
Regards.
Hey Ian,
You can replace them yourself, but it will be at your cost, and then Isuzu doesn’t get the feedback that they really need.
I think the replacements on mine were about $800 including labour, and they covered it, as they should on yours as well.
If your dealer is close I’d be asking them about it and getting it done, so you don’t have issues with cracked guards in the future
All the best
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
I have a 2018 SX duel cab with a steel tray and just the basic mods, Bull bar, 2″ suspension up grade, larger tires and a catch can also 60k on the clock. Great vehicle no major problems so far.
I have just noticed that my front body mount rubbers have cracked. Do these need to be replaced under warranty or is it ok to replace them yourself.
Ian.
Hi Steve,
Good to hear you’ve had a great run so far. Not sure if you are implying our Dmax has been abused, but it certainly hasn’t. There are some design flaws, and manufacturing flaws on these from the factory, like there is for every single vehicle out there. I am a mechanical fitter by trade, and am very familiar with the difference between hard work and abuse.
All the best
Aaron
I have a 2017 d max. Rear main seal was replaced under warranty no other problems to date . Machinery will take a lot of hard use but will not take abuse.
Hey Harry,
No wonder you got another Dmax; its awesome when you feel comfortable with a previous vehicle to just buy the next model up. I think most dealers these days are well aware of the turbo issues, and will simply listen and make a judgement call. Of course, if its causing fault codes then you have a whole different leg to stand on.
Hopefully your local dealer is helpful. Ours has been pretty good overall
Thanks for your comments, and all the best
Aaron
Aaron,
This is my second dmax (MY2019), after my 2010 gave me 200,000km with pretty close to zero headaches.
No issues yet at 45,000, but the turbo noise is now noticeable but not alarming.
Just pondering now how I take advantage of any warranty claim, without there being a glaring fault.
I will definitely now keep an eye on the four front body mounts, and will swap them for Colorado if necessary.
Above all, I just want to thank you for your contribution and honesty. I think I speak for many to say thanks for making the effort.
Harry.
Hey guys,
Thanks for the comment. You’ve probably already realised that everything has its drawbacks, and you have to make a compromise somewhere. Do you not think you could get a van under 2500kg that would tick the boxes? If the Prado has been reliable, and you think it will continue to be so, maybe that’s not a bad option.
Otherwise, you can’t go too wrong with the Dmax’s, if you set them up well, maintain them properly and keep an eye out for the common faults. The 2017 model onwards had turbo issues, but seem to be pretty similar to the 2012 – 2016 models in terms of reliability (turbo aside).
You might already know that cars and vans are super expensive and have long lead times right now. I don’t know what the future holds, but I have no doubt that at some point in time when things open up internationally there is going to be a huge flood of 4WD’s, campers, caravans, boats and every other leisure toy on the market, and they will have no choice but to offload them at a lower price.
Lots to think about, but take your time, drive the vehicles you are keen on and make the best decisions you can with what you pick up
All the best!
Aaron
Hi Aaron, fantastic information over numerous pages and subject matters. We live in Perth (no longer working since 2017 – yippee!!) & have a 2009 Prado (since 2012) and a light non-offroad caravan ( tare 1450 kg, fully loaded 1800 kg) since 2018. We really appreciate the freedom that we have had to explore Australia & more recently WA in particular. We prefer going off-grid in national parks & free camping in the bush over caravan parks. We now want to travel to more remote locations with our rig eg Kennedy Ranges, Great Central Road etc. We absolutely love our set up but we acknowledge that our set up has some shortcomings ( caravan is not off road rated & Prado has towing limit of 2500 kg) & are looking to sell both the car and caravan. Our goal is to buy a semi-offroad caravan with more powerful vehicle, not necessarily brand new. We are looking for a very small “no frills” hard top caravan (not interested in shower, washing machine, microwave). Friends have suggested buying an Isuzu Dmax which brought me to you. We are getting on a bit – mid 60’s, so we need to get this decision right first time ( well… as much as we can) so we are looking for advice on how to achieve our goal. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, Many Thanks, Marion & Ian Cash
Hey Stephen,
Rough run mate. Not good. I’ve heard of the CV’s and tie rods. Touch wood, no issues for me in that regard so far.
I will be looking at a rear locker though; might avoid the front one! I’m also waiting for my aircon to fail, but no issues so far.
New car ownership shouldn’t suffer the issues you have; not much fun!
All the best
Aaron
Great review and truthful comments. I have a 2018 DMax and have a love hate relationship.
The front end is total crap and after putting a lokka in the front, I broke 3 CVs and finally the whole front diff (https://youtu.be/-YDLrn1trEs). I run a e-locker in the back which is excellent.
I have now broken 4 tie rods, and the rear locker will push the front forward and bend them. Often they snap in the worse possible position on a track. The solution is stainless steel tie road sleaves from RR Products. I’ve also bent sway bar links and have replaced them with performance ones.
The turbo has been replaced and the air conditioner piping replaced under warranty. My dmax is covered in dents from sticks and twigs and it makes me laugh because the sales moto is built tough..
Cheers
Stephen
Hey Lewis,
Any lights on the dash? I assume it starts and behaves normally? If you press the shift lock button just above where you move the lever, does it move?
I had mine get stuck in park when I blew a fuse, but there were check engine lights too
All the best
Aaron
G`day Aaron I have a Dmax 2015 dual cab, diesel, auto, no mods, 13K. Took it out for a drive, stopped on the road and put it P then when I went to put in D it went to N and now i cant get it out of N. Its a mystery to me. Do you know anything about this problem or maybe point me in the right direction to fix this. I ended up getting towed home, luckily it was only about 5 k`s. I am hoping this is a simple fix. Great article on the Isuzu.
Hey David,
Fair enough. If it does what you need it to, you have the right vehicle.
All the best
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
I absolutely loved driving the y62 , a fantastic vehicle, but for me, I really missed the murmur of a diesel, the y62 is a scram jet on wheels, also I can spend months in the bush, and I found the y62 being a little narrower than a hummer, sustained lots of scratches, deep ones,,have now bought 09 DMax, want to go light on weight, simple, dry, dust proof, but need a winch, I use twice a year, maybe just carry a Telfer Cheers David
Hey David,
How come you sold the Y62? I’ve always liked them.
I think you’ll find bad points about every vehicle, and the MY15 model Dmax and MUX’s are a decent vehicle. You don’t hear of the good reviews, but its worth weighing it all up. I’d join some of the Isuzu pages and get first hand feedback from other owners. The large majority of owners are very happy, and we fall into this category for the most part too.
There is something nice about an old, simple vehicle, but we found that the age of components just kept resulting in things going wrong.
The Hilux is also a good vehicle, and as long as you keep on top of the injectors they are a great motor.
All the best with whatever you decide
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
Very interesting articles, I’ve just about sold my Nissan y62, and was keen to buy a Isuzu MY15, July onwards, but on reading the brassed of owners, 2nd choice was 2014 hilux, but really I’m just about gone full circle, GQ1988swb, non turbo, good old plugger and even spend $10,000 total recon motor, seems ok
Cheers David
Thanks Aaron,
I appreciate it.
Fingers crossed.
Take care,
Emma 🙂
Hey Emma,
You are very welcome. Just keep pushing. I would say 55,000km is not how long a clutch should last for.
All the best
Aaron
Thank you Aaron,
I appreciate your response.
The Ute has only done 55,000kms.
I hope Isuzu will stand by their claim that they are the best farm Ute’s around, which is why we decided on purchasing it over others models.
Cheers, Emma
Hi Emma,
Firstly, sorry to hear you are having issues. The clutch is an interesting one, because it falls under the wear and tear category. If you are confident that it is driven correctly, then you can push back. By law, the vehicle you purchase (and anything else too) must perform as the consumer would expect it to. You wouldn’t expect your microwave to stop working after 6 months of use, and likewise having to replace a clutch on a 4WD that is only a couple of years old seems excessive.
I have heard of others towing things having to replace the clutches too. How many km’s has it done?
Either way, a new clutch shouldn’t be a hugely expensive bill, and hopefully Isuzu share some of the responsibility
All the best
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
We have a 2018 DMax. It is our on-farm vehicle. Everything was fine with the vehicle until Saturday gone when the same thing started happening as Kim Goldfinch mentioned in their comment September 30, 2021. Unfortunately on our way to the dealer, an hour and a half drive, Tuesday gone, the car completely died and we had to get it towed to the dealer. The dealer is putting in a warranty claim for us but was hesitant to say it will be accepted. Her tone of voice when she mentioned that this kind of thing happens when one rides the clutch left me very worried that we are going to be blamed for this. She stated the “clutch disc is completely warn and burnt out. All fibres are worn off.” We can only assure them we don’t ride the clutch. We use low 4×4 to avoid such situations when moving animals etc. I an quite stressed we are going to be left with the blame and a hefty bill.
He Emann,
Sorry to hear. We don’t have those motors over here, but the rear main isn’t exactly uncommon on the 4JJ1 either
I assume they’ll sort it under warranty?
Aaron
2020 dmax 1.9L rz4e – less than 5,000km on the clock, the rear main seal is leaking. Very disappointing.
Hey Led,
What oil are you running? Mine seems to catch around 250ml per 10k but doesn’t seem to drop much on the dipstick.
All the best
Aaron
Hi,
Is anyone having issue with oil consumption? I have a 2018 Dmax and by 10k after service its dropped to half on the dip stick, and about a third quarter of a plastic 600ml water bottle caught in catch can. Isuzu say this is normal…. Cheers
Hey Tom,
Thanks for the comment, and the story. What a truly terrible experience that I’m sure has put you off buying another Isuzu. I must say I am worried about mine cracking too, and have been keeping a keen eye on it. I might suggest you look into the types of steel used; I’m told that during the manufacturing process some sheet metal was mislabelled and some of the panels that crack were made from much harder steel than they should have been, and are not a suitable material for their location and application.
All the best in your battle for a fair outcome
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
I own a 2017 dual cab Dmax LS-U 4×4. Set up for touring.
I want to warn anyone out there considering this generation to stay well clear and I’ll explain my story.
I bought it from new and I’ve done 125,000km now. The evaporator has cracked it due to dodgy lines apparently. About to attempt to get it fixed under warranty tomorrow hopefully. The drivers door window constantly plays up, I’ve had the touchscreen replaced under warranty, have switched to ARB locking diffs as I know the OE one crack it early on plus the traction control is sub standard to rely on for a modern 4×4. The inner guards cracked around 90,000km. They were welded back up under insurance as they thought it might have to do with an accident in 2018. Neither I or insurance at the time knew it was a common issue. So, I noticed at 115,000km the cracks are back. So naturally I speak to Isuzu. They knocked back the warranty claim saying it was from my cord Bullbar. When I pointed out that the dealer had fitted it under finance they backtracked and blamed it on the Pedders GVM upgrade. I pointed out that the GVM upgrade was done in Nov 2019 after the initial cracks. They then said the car has too many modifications including lockers… (their words) and that Pedders re-manufactured my vechicle and to take it up with them. This has been an extremely stressful time. I started the application in May. Luckily my previous insurer involved with the initial repair paid me a cash settlement of $10k to pay for the repairs luckily. The insurer said they believe it’s a manufacturing defect also hence the cash settlement as opposed to authorising the repairs and giving a lifetime warranty on them. We are taking Isuzu to VCAT and I have spent thousands of my own dollars getting an engineers report. I have almost no savings now and after all this trying to move my family from Tennant Creek NT back to Victoria with no Air conditioning. I have serviced this vehicle accordingly, (every 10,000km) it’s 4 and a half years old and a total lemon. Not to mention being lied to by Isuzu. The new panels are different parts. The panel beater in Alice told me he deals with the cracked inner guards once a month and said it will happen again and get rid of it. I overheard an employee at the Isuzu dealer mention to one of their colleagues that they had heard it happen to (x) family twice.
Really disappointed and I hope this post saves at least one other person from this fate. Feel free to contact me as there’s more to the story I just can’t fit it and I’m probably boring everyone to death!
Thanks for reading
Tom
Hi Kim,
If its doing this while you are in gear, and driving along, it can only really be the clutch slipping. You can confirm this quite easily by putting it in third gear when stopped, and trying to take off. If it stalls, you might be OK. If it doesn’t, the clutch is slipping and you probably need a new one.
This shouldn’t be unique to the Dmax; its just a wear and tear item
All the best
Aaron
I’ll have to check it out but I think our Dmax is about a 2016, it’s a manual and has just started revving up while driving, the rev counter goes up and the motor starts over revving while just driving along, any ideas would be helpful, cheers
Hey Mark,
Thanks for the comment. Good to hear its treating you well. I believe their has been a firmware update for the safety side of things on the BT50/Dmax which makes it react a little less harshly, and I’ve heard good things about it so far.
All the best with your new vehicle!
Aaron
Hi Aaron, have bought a 2021 2wd dmax, mostly loving it .
One thing was the DPF burn off light came on, and me being me, didn’t know what it was, i traveled a few k’s to home , looked in the book and it told me i should of kept driving till it stopped flashing, when i drove it next it wouldn’t come out of 1st gear rang isuzu dealer got it towed they rang back next day…. it turned out to be a fault which after being plugged into their computer was re programmed, all good have since had the light come on and it did its burn as it should have, now the main complaint i have is some of the nannies …pulling on the steering wheel applying the brakes when i get to close to a vehicle, they are working as they should ,but if you turn them off which isn’t as easy as it should be , you have to turn them off again when you restart , having said that it has saved me from running up the back of a car in Sydney traffic , and the other day saved us from a bad situation where a loaded trailer got way out of control,…. between me and the feature in the stability control ,..was able to save it, so what can i say, it pulls like a train, and the economy could be a little better, but so far i am happy.
Thanks for your very informative site.
Mark
Hi Lindsay,
I would speak to an automatic transmission specialist, and probably get an OBD2 reader to monitor the temperatures. Perhaps you wont need one, which solves your issue altogether.
If the temperatures get hot, an automatic transmission specialist will be able to advise your options, and any mechanic can install one.
They only way they can decline warranty is if the transmission cooler caused an issue, which it wont if its correctly suited to the vehicle and recommended + fitted by a specialist.
All the best
Aaron
Hi Arron great article.
I have a 2020 everest that I bought to tow a 2.6t van.
Like you did for your D Max I wanted a trans cooler.
Ford dont offer a cooler and the dealer won’t fit an after market one. If I go and get one fitted and I have issues with the 10 speed trans I am worried about my warranty.
Any thoughts on what I should do.?
Linds.
Hey Darron,
That sucks mate. Sorry to hear. Unfortunately its not the first time I’ve heard this, but they seem to be far and few between. Have you got quotes to repair it? Might be worth considering a second hand motor too
All the best
Aaron
Hi Aaron I have a 2015 dmax diesel ute has being a great ute no problems at all but 2 weeks ago it decided to blow the coolant out the header tank a long story short it had never being hot and didn’t get hot until it let go temp got to 3/4 on gauge, head gasket blown put in 2 spots between cylinders head cracked as well 190,000 on clock only ran in must be a fault there somewhere for that to happen never being hot and no leaks.
Hey mate,
Doesn’t sound like you’ve had a good run. What issues have you had with the Dmax, and what model was it?
Engine failures in the Rangers have been very common. Sorry if that upsets you. Regarding the statement, I can only go off what I see regularly posted, and from what mechanics have to say about them. To be fair, there are more on the road too, so its somewhat expected.
I might suggest that your comment doesn’t have any facts in it either, so perhaps you should take your own advice? More reliable than Toyota is most certainly an interesting opinion, of which a majority of those in the know would disagree with. What facts can you back that up with?
All the best
Aaron
Dmax are a rubbish car as you have just pointed out in this article. Ive had numerous problems with mine so got rid of it. Waste of money it was so bad.
Your comment about weekly failures with the motors of Ford Rangers is false and misleading. If your going to make a statement like that back it up with facts not BS. In fact they are more reliable than Toyotas.
I’d never buy another Dmax, what a total piece of garbage!
Hey mate,
Great to hear you’ve had such a good run from the 2010 Dmax. They’ve certainly proven themselves to be reliable. The 21 will be a giant change, but all the best with it!
Aaron
Hi Aaron
I have a 2010 Dmax which I bought new. No dramas except the egr which was done earlier this year at 240000ks and seals on the gear box, it’s now at 270000ks and still on the original clutch. I’m looking to buy a new 21 model and give the 10 to the missus but you are so right there isn’t a perfect 4wd out there but these are a great bus.
Regards
Mick
Hi Murf,
Sorry to hear you are going through that. $5500 for a head gasket seems insanely expensive; you can get a second hand motor for that.
Who did the log book servicing?
All the best
Aaron
Have a 2015 MUX with 146000 ks owned from new currently having a new head gasket replacement at a cost of 5,500 not happy about that ; this car has never towed or missed a beat , out of warranty by 18 months this vehicle was regularly log book serviced after that but ISUZU say I cant prove it had coolant change when it was due, seems a poor excuse as I cant get a proper answer to how it would blow on such low ks it is a diesel 4×4 has anybody had similar issues , and wonder what kind of warranty Iwill get when fixed .
Hey Shaun,
Sorry to hear mate. Not what you expect from a new Ute. Unfortunately all of the 2017 – 2020 models (until the new shape) have the same turbo, and they must have changed thousands of them by now. Not good.
All the best
Aaron
Auckland nz here. Had a 2017 dmax that was a friday built ute. Turbo went in under 10,000km had a strange noise from motor that head office couldnt explain and loads of other issues. Sold after 30,000km. Got into a 2019 dmax and am at 29,000 km turbo going on this one aswell, starting the nice siren noise. Not overly happy about this. Lucky its still under waranty.
Hey Warren,
Sounds like you’ve had a few issues! I’d be keeping an eye on the cold motor rattle, and the loosing of coolant. What has Isuzu had to say about it?
All the best
Aaron
2013 dmax replaced a clutch at 30000 ,rattle in motor when cold from new for 4 seconds ,squeel in front wheel oil seals from new a bit of wd40 once a week looks after that left hand front tyre chops put suspension all checked out ok, loose radiator fluid since new 1lt month car has 100000 on it now still goes good had a roos ECU remap plenty of towing power now
Hey Tim,
Thanks for the update. I believe the hardfacing was not done correctly on these, which is why they chew out. Regular oil changes probably would prolong it though.
All the best
Aaron
Hi Aaron, parts can be hard to find, we are lucky in a way down here, that we have in excess of 100,000 4wd’s on the road, very good people in the know IE, mechanics and dealer’s ,only took two phone calls. I am thinking to check and change diff oil in conjunction with normal service (10,000km) just to be on the safe side. Oil is cheap. All going well the vehicle should take us on our grey nomad adventure later this year. Cheers Tim from Tassie .
Hey Tim,
There must be hundreds of these that have failed by now. How did you get on finding a second hand unit? I hear they are quite hard to come by. The alternative is a torqueworm drive, which some people are doing.
I agree that its annoying, and it shouldn’t be acceptable. I need to check mine too; thanks for the reminder.
All the best
Aaron
Hi Aaron, great reading from people that know and understand. I have an SX spacecab 2013. I had unusual cracking noise in rear, thought to be brake lining binding up. How wrong was I ? Turned out to be diff. First idea was fit locker, eliminate problem. Unfortunately, was to late, crown wheel and pinion not healthy. So, now going for 2nd hand centre and if no issues will do the locker at a later date. Either way it is still annoying and expensive. At 175k and 95% highway running only. Thankfully no other issues have come up and i had trouble free 16k trip around big island in 2019. Fingers crossed it stays that way. Regards Tim from Tassie.
Hi Ben,
Thanks for your delightful comment. If you took the time to read a bit more carefully, you’d see that I clearly mentioned the body mounts, in the paragraph right underneath.
FYI, I’ve been a qualified mechanical fitter for many years, so your comment is rather amusing.
Have a great night
Aaron
Saying that guards are cracking due to bullbars and winches shows how little you really know. Both of these are mounted to the chassis. The guards crack due to the body flexing and vibrating. This is caused by poor body rubbers, especially the front ones. A well known fix is to fit colorado front rubbers as they are much more solid and reduce the vibration greatly. Gotta love how yet again another so called expert writing a blog claims something mounted to a chassis can crack the guards. Perhaps its time to retire or go back to something mechanical that you understand a bit better
Hey Roy,
Sorry to hear of your issues. At the end of the day it really comes down to how hard you are prepare to lean on them. If you can prove the paint wasn’t done right from the factory they should have no leg to stand on.
This is the same with the gearbox; if it had an issue under warranty and you took it there, and they did nothing, they are still liable for the repairs. Sometimes It’s not worth the effort though!
All the best
Aaron
Have a 2014 dmax, 200,000k on it. Purchased new.
Paint issue in one area, you can see fingerprints, they wouldn’t look at it. Blamed me as i didn’t show them early enough. Mate of mine in the industry showed me the finger spacing and the fact that the marks were under the duco. I literally would have had to lift the paint, make the mark and then respray.
Second issue was manual gearbox, they looked at it, told me nothing wrong while well under warranty and then of course a few months out of warranty wouldn’t’ look at it. They also indicted they knew what the problem was which is what really annoys me. Having spoken with a few gearbox guys of late the problem is now quite well known.
Handsfree was bad as noted.
Hi Paul,
I’ve heard of a few people with this issue. Touch wood ours has only had one alignment, and that wasn’t because it needed it. No major tyre wear issues.
Who’s doing the alignments? It might pay to take it somewhere that spends more time, and charges more for a better result. Are you looking at the figures after each alignment? I would suggest Pedders as an option, if you have one nearby
All the best
Aaron
Hi Leo,
Sorry to hear of your experience. From what I’ve heard, you are not alone in your beliefs. It’s a real shame. Have you spoken to Isuzu about it? Any useful feedback from them?
All the best
Aaron
Hi I have a 2018 dmax and seem to be having continuous wheel alignment issues, only just clocked over 50k and had multiple wheel alignments and still scrubbing out the insides, factory fitted tyres lasted 35k ish? Not happy. Thanks Paul
I have a 2015 DMax LSX and have also purchased a new 2021 XTerrain. Great looking vehicle with added creature comforts, …..but, it is turning into the worst driving experience in over 50 years of motoring.
Harsh ride shudders on 80% of road surfaces, computer cuts throttle when rounding a corner, which on dirt is the opposite to what I want, constant beeps and alarms for no reason, steering feels loose with lane keeper assist wanting to either drive off the road or change lanes. Driving with a cross wind is a constant battle against steering feedback. Emergency brakes are applied prematurely. Headlights are very poor and there is no genuine option yet.
I am an Engineer with a passion for technology, however in my view the computer intervention creates dangerous situations. Apart from the steering and brake overrides, the trip computer is cluttered with information and the navigator constantly needs screen intervention. Let us realise that at 110kph, we are covering 30 m/sec, relative to on coming traffic this is 60 m/sec. The systems are causing driver distraction. It is nearly impossible to follow the 808 page manual.
Am I alone with the above concerns?
Leo
Hey Steve,
I’ve seen your comments a few times online; you’ve built up quite the rig. It’s similar in many ways to mine, and it sounds like you’ve put plenty of thought into making something that will do what you need it to.
I’ll get a locker too eventually.
Keep an eye on the body mounts; they are the primary cause of the body cracking issues.
All the best
Aaron
MY18 SX 4×4 space cab chassis tourer build. Alloy Isuzu tray(Triple M) canvas canopy in sail track with engineered load bearing alloy roof and rails. Lovells GVM GCM upgrade. 2nd battery behind driver in cab. Fridge behind passenger in cab. 200watt solar panel up on cab roof. 270 awning. Shower awning. Tray of Drifta drawers as our bed base. Canopy 150mm higher than standard as we sleep in canopy. TJM bullbar and winch, side rails and side steps. Nil issues. I have braced bullbar by getting scrub rails incase bullbar causing inner guard cracking. Support strap of inner battery clamp to outer guard incase battery rocking causing inner guard cracking. Fwh incase CV breaks. I have a spare CV. Have sleeves to place on tie rod ends that are weak. Superior Engineering diff drop re poor cv angles. Some thought has gone into avoiding issues as best I can. There are a few areas of concern that we all hear about. So far so good. 28,000 ks only on her though. Catchcan from Flashlube. Donaldson 10 micron prefilter. I attached long evap pipe for aircon to firewall with clamp to try and avoid evap failure from cracking. Will go elocker in rear one day because of known diff issues. I keep GVM 400kg down from maximum of 3600kg. No towing. Hayman Reese Xbar.
Hey Graham,
The Gturbo certainly does make a big difference in power. I had one on my 80 series for a while. You can get similar results with a good remap too, and the factory turbo.
You can get an LSD. However, you’ll have a hard time getting one, they don’t really work that well and they are actually illegal in these Dmax’s as it interferes with the electronic stability control.
You’d be much better off with a proper locker, like the ARB, or Electric locker from Harrop
All the best
Aaron
I have a 2015 Dmax 160k on the clock, I have been towing a 3t caravan since I purchased the ute. put a 2″ lift on it a bull bar, canopy and so on, it has been great. I change the auto oil ever 30 to 40k and had a cooler fitted. On thing i did do and am blown away with, is a new Gturbo fitted, not because the factory one was playing up. I wanted more power and it certainly delivers. I have been around Australian, across the simpson, through the high country ans up the cape with mates from the 4×4 club and it has not missed a beat. Would i buy another one yes, would i look at anything else yes but it would need tobe really good if i decided to change. One more thing i am looking to do is put a LSD in it. Has anyone got any thoughts on this.
Hey Brian,
I’ve heard some sketchy things about these safety features, and people are using blacked out business cards to stop the sensors from working to overcome it. It doesn’t sound good at all. Keep us updated with the dash cam footage, and how Isuzu react. I’m all for improving safety, but it sounds like Isuzu haven’t quite got this right.
Not good regarding the fuel economy either; it will be interesting to see if it improves. Hopefully your run so far improves!
Take care
Aaron
Recently purchased a Cx space cab trading in a 2016 model, the new vehicle is causing major problems related to the sensors breaking at shadows on the road travelling at speed o the highway. Breaking when a car is in a left turn lane turning off, not allowing the vehicle to return to the left lane while overtaking on a duel carriage. The fuel consumption is 10/100 klm on a 1000 klm trip where my old one got 7.7/100 and when I complained they said it wasn’t run in ?, my old one got 7.7 at 5000klm so that’s bs and they were unable to replicate the electronic sensor problems so I have installed a dash cam to record the actions as this feature has the potential to cause a major accident with the vehicle doing unexpected things. I also found the lane control totally unreliable
Hey Neil,
Sorry to hear you are having a bad run. I haven’t heard of the U0100 and U0101 errors, but looking online it seems common across all makes and models and can be anything from a wiring fault to a dodgy fuse or communication issues. Not ideal to fault find. I would ask on the various Dmax and MUX pages on Facebook; there is some good information shared on their from a technical perspective.
Asides from that, you have purchased a vehicle that isn’t doing what it should. The ACCC makes it very clear that any product purchased in Australia must do what a reasonable person would expect it to. Yours clearly isn’t. I would tell them they can keep the vehicle for as long as they need, providing they give you a loan car. Otherwise, ask them to take it back, as its not fit for purpose.
Isuzu, nor any other manufacturer have zero grounds to palm a warranty issue off on any modifications unless they can prove that the modification caused the problem. Sometimes this is easy to do, but if you haven’t changed anything significant (especially motor/wiring/chip/OBD scanner related) I can’t see how they can argue it.
All the best mate
Aaron
I’ve got a 2017 duel cab 4×4 Dmax.
Only after add ons are towbar, bullbar, roof rack and Peddlers suspension.
Have had the EGR, TURBO, REAR SEAL x3, AIR-CONDITIONING replaced (as mentioned in the previous comments) all fine and well now. However I have an new issue that the Isuzu dealership is stuck on. I’ll be driving along and just go into limp mode. Once the car is turned off and back on the warning light disappears (traction control light) and I can drive away no problem.
Code errors U0100 and U0101.
My ute is still under warranty. This has been happening for almost 18mths/50,000km and can happen anywhere from 2km or 10,000km apart. It can happen during an 8hr drive or 2min into a school pick up run and doing any speed. There are no consistency to cause the error.
Are you familiar with this issue as my local mechanic has the same issue with their RACV call out vehicle. Their frequency of the issue is now 3-4x a day.
Head Office has been good and opened a case for me and contacted the dealer. Surely we can’t be the only 2 with a 2017 Dmax that has this issue?
The dealer said the issue is that small that they can’t get a good read on the issue and said I just have to drive it until it breaks down.
I wouldn’t mind so much if I didn’t depend on my vehicle for work and for the long weekend trips into Central NSW to visit family. That is the last thing anyone needs is to be broken down 700km away from home.
The latest visit to the dealership they requested to have my vehicle for a week to drive it around with their drive recorder attached, my ute never faulted for them but my mates ute did a couple of times.
Instead of coming back to us with answers they are saying we have voided warranty. Saying have a Chip in my ute, so I got them to have a look before I took my ute back and low and behold I don’t have one which left the service manager scratching his head.
Now they are telling my mate that the amber lights on the roof could void warranty. In my opinion they sound desperate to get rid of us.
Cheers Neil.
Hey Stephen,
I wouldn’t say its pathetic, especially seeing as a huge number of people have no issues with them. Usually failure is from being unlucky, pushing the limits of the vehicle or poor driving practices.
He’s running an auto locka, and installed 2 aftermarket ones, which are basically made of cheese.
All the best
Aaron
The front end is pathetic…
https://youtu.be/-YDLrn1trEs
Hey Ken,
Sounds like you bought one for the same reason as me. They are a great vehicle.
I would get a locker instead of the LSD. If you go through your manual, you’ll find fitting an LSD is not legal on these as they interfere with the electronic stability control.
All the best with your Dmax
Aaron
Hi, I really enjoyed your fair and balanced assesment of the D-Max. I bought mine mid 2016. It is the pre DPF model. I also was looking for a simple, strong and reliable 4wd. We tow a fair bit, (2.5tonnes) and it seems realy comfortable at aprox 95 to 100klms. Best fuel economy at 90klms. At 65,000ks The only two faults that I have had with the D-Max is the evaporator leaked, and was replaced under warranty, and the open diff is a royal P.I.T.A. when 4 wheel driving. The ute will be out of warranty soon, and will get a LSD as a upgrade. I really like the D-Max, and hope to get a long run out of it. Ken.
Hi A. Wills,
I have heard of a significant number of these being done. I would speak to your local dealer, and if you have no luck with them, consider trying Isuzu Ute Australia head office on 07 3151 5888
All the best
Aaron
Husband bought a D-Max Single Cab 4×4 Tray Back. The Evaporator failed on the Air Conditioning Unit (our Auto Electrician says this is quite common with the Isuzu D-Max). Isuzu says we have to take it to the nearest dealer which is over 400klms away. Surely we can have it done by our fellow and send them the bill. Has anyone else had this problem?
Hey Belinda,
You’ve had a rough start to what should have been a great experience. Hopefully its al sorted now, and you get to enjoy a few years of trouble free motoring!
All the best
Aaron
Thanks for the comprehensive post!
Just collected my 2019 MUX from the dealer after returning it on a tow truck!
17 months old, 65,000km -traction control and engine light come on, won’t change up to 4th gear, same in seq shift!
Stop vehicle, start again… stuck in second gear…
Turbo has gone ?
Has had the Bluetooth unit swapped over in the first month, apparently it had an issue but replacement only marginally better so I am returning to earbuds…
I do love my MUX and it’s bells and whistles … but gee I hope that’s all that is going to go wrong this early in the piece!
Feel like I need to move away from dealership services so I can actually speak to a mechanic and not read a technician report!
I am going to have all these things kept under a watchful eye… This vehicle is my bread and butter and can’t afford it to be off the road unsechelued!
Cheers to all those submitting comments also ?
Very helpful to keep in mind.
Hi Gavin,
The first seal was done under warranty, but it was leaking when I picked it up. The seal itself is cheap (from memory about $15) each, and doesn’t take more than 30 minutes to replace. It should be under $100 on its own.
The rear main is a much bigger job, and to be honest, if its not lifted (this only affects the transfer case seal, not the rear main), I would be pushing for both to go through under warranty. I’m told that the robot which applies sealant around the seal on the rear mains was not doing its job properly for some time, and this is a common fault. At only 5 years old it has not lived up to ‘reasonable expectation’ and should be done free of charge.
If they say its out of warranty, I would argue that 5 years is not a reasonable life span especially when its a known problem, and despite it being out of warranty it should be covered. The ACC has some great information about warranties that is worth a read.
All the best
Aaron
Hey mate. Thanks for the article; your stuff is really informative. I understand you had the transfer case seal repaired under warranty, but I was wondering if you had any idea how much it would cost out of warranty? I have a 2015 Manual Mu-x, and I need to replace the rear main seal and the transfer case seal, and I’m hoping not to be taken for a ride on cost. At this stage I’m having it done at Isuzu Pakenham.
Thanks
Gavin
Hey Alan,
Unfortunately all modern vehicles have a lot of electronics. Have you been towing a trailer by any chance? Never heard of any issues with the timing chain adjusters; what happened?
All the best
Aaron
I have a 2016 D-Max and having a lot of problems with all the fuses there is far to many I blew a auto transmission fuse and the reverse lights don,t work it is confusing, now I have to replace the timing chain adjuster the chain looks ok.I hope others don,t have problems and good motoring.
Hey Brendan,
Very nice mate, and quite a few km’s to do in 6 years! All the best with the 2021 model; I hear they are quite the improvement.
Aaron
I have just updated my 2014 Isuzu d max with 256000kms on it to the latest 2021 model. I had 2 petrol v6 Toyota Utes prior to these. Both makes are great reliable Utes. I have a love affair for the Isuzu because it’s frugal on fuel and reliable to the max
Hi Andrew,
The new model is different in many ways, and I’m sure will have its own set of problems. How big they are, and how much it will affect you depends on what you want it for, and how well Isuzu did. No one will know for sure without a few more km’s being put on them. I would imagine most of the problems I listed will have been rectified.
My last piece of advice would be to wait a few more months to ensure that there are no issues the first owners are having. When the first model comes out, they often update it and correct issues in the next version.
All the best
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
I’ve been looking at a DMax for a number of years now to replace my 2010 Hilux due to its limited towing capacity. I’ve held off for various reasons, but am now looking to get one.
I’m looking at the brand new 2020 model. Which of your shortcomings above do you think this would resolve? I understand the towing capacity and power on the new model is far superior?
Thanks
Andrew
Hey Tim,
Yep, this is a pretty well known issue. I believe the hardfacing was not done well on many of the differentials. Its actually getting quite hard to get second hand ones now because of this. A lot of people fit older model diffs with the same ratio, but they have an LSD and technically make your vehicle illegal. The better option is to get a locker, and replace it with something better, that will be useful off road.
All the best
Aaron
Just bought a 2nd hand dmax. 116k on the clock. after 1k i serviced it and found chunks of metal in the diff. casting looks very strange almost all the teeth where missing chunks and the cast looked flakey
Hi Edward,
That’s fantastic. Lots of people have trouble free Dmax’s too. However, they are the most common issues people face in this model range
All the best
Aaron
i owned an isuzu dmax 2.5 2014 for about 7 years till now, running well over 169,000 km without any problem, only minor and major services along the way.
to me, its a solid and well build truck.
so far, i do not have problem like you wrote above.
Hey Rob,
Good to hear you had a great run from the Rodeo. I think you’ll do just as well with the new rig. They are a great vehicle, but not perfect.
All the best
Aaron
Interesting over view, i jumped from a 2002 2.8 izuzu turbo rodeo 400000 km, which by the way never let me down into a 2018 d max 4×2 , had 2 factory recall, the last being the rear springs replacement, now completed 80,000 km no issues , about to trick the ute up a bit and take it where most would not venture in a 2 wheel drive so will be interesting to see if i have issues
Hey Steve,
A single cab would certainly be amazing for room! Yep, the solution to the hands free is to swap it out. Still terrible you have to do that though.
All the best
Aaron
i have the 2017 dmax sx single cab.
love the 2550 tray
hands free sucks so bad. its bad when i use it to call people and they answer with their mobile its rubbish.
when you call from hands free on a dmax to hands free on another dmax you surely going to both be pissed off with how crap the sound quality is
Hey Andrew,
Congratulations on the new to you vehicle. The old Jackaroo’s were a fantastic vehicle, and you are right; Isuzu know how to make a vehicle.
I had a chuckle about your comments regarding the nut behind the wheel. I’ve long since learned reliability and a slow journey are far better than a fast journey and not making it there!
All the best
Aaron
Aaron, Thanks for your precise & v. comprehensive analysis. I have just purchased a 2008 D-Max with 200K km on it. Over the previous 20 years I have had 3 x Jackaroos (the last being a Diesel). Isuzu make a solid, simple, and low-frills 4WD as you point out – and we bought them for ‘truck’ reliability. Only Holden’s incompetence with common rail diesel injection destroyed an otherwise perfect vehicle. (thank God for Holden’s demise, and welcome in the MUX). Like you, I compared Isuzu from a grounding of Toyota engineering.
One point you touched on repeatedly in your analysis – many drivers have this ‘thing’ about indestructabity, coupled with urgency and the need to drive fast & hard. A competent working diesel towing up hill gives you more time to soak in the magic wide, brown land, or give wildlife time to escape collision. As a passenger, a fast thoughtless driver off road is a precursor for head & back aches.
I hope our D-Max goes the distance – another 200,000 km is expected. As I paw over it now checking, tightening, etc, I compare it to a stable of Subarus we have had in the last 10 years.
3 have done in excess of 400K km – all down to the driver as a driver, & not a wrecker. It’s all about the nut behind the wheel.
Hey Anthony,
Given people have had inner guards crack on vehicles with heavy aftermarket bull bars, as well as the Isuzu aluminium ones and even without bull bars, I think its safe to say the bull bar doesn’t cause the cracking. That said, even though they mount to different points they are still attached together. I’m told that the body mounts are too soft and wear/fail too quickly and if they aren’t replaced then you end up with the cracking. Either way, its a massive shortfall on Isuzu’s part with no real fix.
I agree with the drive train sympathy. The hands free is the same model, and it was one of the most common complains earlier on across all models. Absolute garbage, unless you managed to get a good one.
All the best mate
Aaron
i dont understand how anyone can say the cracked inner guards are caused by a bullbar when it is mounted to the chassis not the body.
i have the same 16 model as i didnt want dpf either, the only problem i have had was a weeping transfer case seal fixed under warranty twice.
now on over 90k kms and about 20k of that was on some pretty rough roads touring N.T. loaded up and towing a boat.
drivetrain sympathy is a must with most IFS rigs, mine has spent a fair amount of time offroad with no real problems.
also my handsfree is fine, i have heard people complain about it but i have never had that problem in a lsu, i am beginning to think its the different unit in the sx that is the issue here.
Hey Richard,
Sounds like you’ve had a bit of a rough run to start with. A lot of the process revolves around how good the service and mechanics are, and sadly they don’t always back the product up the way they could.
Good to hear you are happy with it overall; hopefully it gives you years of further trouble free service!
Aaron
Early on had a head gasket blow, fixed under warranty. Then EGR stuffed up. Then after numerous returns to dealer with concerns head still leaking (using half bottle of coolant/800km) it was finally identified that the EGR cooler had a leak, again fixed under warranty. Now sitting on 165k and the vehicle is awesome. Bog standard too.