Selling an old or non-running Isuzu Amigo

That makes a 1998-1999 Amigo with brake or rear-end trouble a familiar story, and an easy one to sell whole. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

Two Amigos, nine years apart

Wikipedia describes two generations of this midsize SUV.

First generation (1989-1998). Built at Isuzu's Fujisawa Plant in Japan, among others, with gasoline fours of 2.0, 2.2 and 2.3 liters (the 2.3 is the 4ZD1) and a 5-speed manual. The short wheelbase is 91.7 inches. These years are quiet in the complaint file: 24 complaints from 1989 through 1994, then 1 on the 1997.

Second generation (1998-2005). Wikipedia lists plants in Fujisawa and in Lafayette, Indiana, a 2.2-liter four, 3.2- and 3.5-liter V6s, a 5-speed manual and two 4-speed automatics. It's related to the Axiom. In the US the Amigo's EPA years end with 2000. The 1998 is the year Wikipedia gives for the start of this generation, and it's where the complaints jump.

What owners reported on the 1998-1999

Each complaint here is a report an Amigo owner sent NHTSA, counted from data we pulled October 10, 2026. That makes them a record of what people noticed, not a grade, and a report may tag several systems at once.

• Brakes: hydraulic service brakes lead both years, 19 on the 1998 and 17 on the 1999. Across all years, it's 41.
• Engine and cooling: 15 on the 1998, second on that year's list.
• Suspension and structure: 16 and 12 on the 1999. Two 1999 complaints report a death.
• Crashes: 13 complaints on each year report one.

The recalls behind those years

Each vehicle total covers an entire campaign, so it may count other models as well.

• 00V058000 (1998-1999): soft, unevenly applied paint on the rear axle could affect the lower link joint at its bolt. Dealers put in a new nut and bolt. 213,736 vehicles in the campaign.
• 12V306000 (1998-2001 in our data): Amigos first sold or now registered in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and other states named in NHTSA's notice have the rear lower link bracket checked. Light rust there gets treated. The campaign also covers 2001-2002 Rodeo Sports.
• 98V111000 (1998): the rear seat belt shoulder anchorage wasn't as strong as specified. Dealers installed new anchor bolts. 3,044 vehicles.
• 98V170000 (1998): a ground terminal in the engine wiring harness wasn't crimped properly. Dealers replaced the harness. 55,475 vehicles.
• 98V260000 (1998): the primer under the sunroof sunshade holders weakened the adhesive. Dealers reattached the holders to the glass. 9,377 vehicles.

The two first-generation campaigns, 96V170002 and 02V281000, both cover the 1994: a front seat belt latch plate that could partly engage.

Amigo complaints and recalls by model year

From the October 10, 2026 pull. The 2000, the last Amigo here, has had the fewest years to draw reports. A recall listed for two years appears in both rows.

Fix the Amigo or sell it?

1. Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall page. It shows which of the seven campaigns apply.
2. On a 1998-2000, check the rear lower link bracket area for corrosion. If the metal is gone, a repair can run past what the truck is worth.
3. Soft pedal or grinding? See bad brakes. Clunks from the back? See broken suspension.
4. Ask a shop to price it on paper, and stack that against listings for running Amigos of the same year.

How to sell your Amigo whole

1. Write down the year, VIN and mileage, and whether it's 2WD or 4WD.
2. Get an offer online or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Describe the top and the body. A ripped soft top or missing panel matters. So does the parking spot: a gravel drive, a back lot, a garage. Pickup is free anywhere in the US.
4. Don't pull parts first. Sell the whole car as it sits.
5. Have the signed title ready for the driver, along with ID. No title? Read selling with no title. The Rodeo and other Isuzu models have pages too.