Used car guide · 1987–2006

Isuzu Trooper common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Isuzu Trooper, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 6,685 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

The 1990 Isuzu Trooper

Too few Isuzu Trooper cars first registered in 1990 had an MOT during 2025 for reliable MOT figures. There are no known faults on record for this year in the UK buying guides we use, so the rest of this page covers the Isuzu Trooper as a whole.

112on the UK register at the end of 2025
Dieselmost common fuel (also petrol)
What to check on a 1990 car
  • MOT history

    Check the reg below: its MOT history shows what has been failed or advised, and whether the mileage adds up.

  • Service history

    Look for regular servicing and receipts for big jobs like a cambelt or clutch.

  • Finance and write-offs

    MOT records don’t show outstanding finance or insurance write-offs. A history check does.

  • Test drive

    Listen for knocks over bumps, check every warning light goes out, and make sure the gears and brakes feel right.

Other years

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

20062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987

What usually goes wrong with an Isuzu Trooper?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Isuzu Trooper in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Isuzu Trooper MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Diesel

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints

    up to 4.2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

  • Chassis rust or damage

    up to 3.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002.

    Rough price £150–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the sills, wheel arches and underneath for rust, and look along the panels for uneven gaps or paint.

  • Wheel bearings

    up to 3.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002.

    Rough price £120–£300 (one bearing) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for a hum or growl that changes as you steer at speed.

  • Ball joint dust cover

    up to 3.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1997, 1998 and 1999.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Shock absorbers

    up to 2.2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1998 and 1999.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

  • Rigid brake pipes

    up to 2.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1997 and 2000.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

Isuzu Trooper MOT pass rate by year

Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
200666%56% +10117 (small sample)
200559%57% +2457 (small sample)
200463%57% +6679
200360%57% +3730
200261%58% +3917
200161%60% +1563
200061%61% +0573
199958%63% -5637
199863%65% -2656
199763%65% -2622
199662%66% -4266 (small sample)
199565%67% -2163 (small sample)
199462%67% -5153 (small sample)
199373%68% +5152 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying an Isuzu Trooper

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the chassis rust or damage? (Flagged at MOT 4.2× as often on the Isuzu Trooper as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the wheel bearings? (Flagged at MOT 3.6× as often on the Isuzu Trooper as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the drive shaft (cv) joints? (Flagged at MOT 4.1× as often on the Isuzu Trooper as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at an Isuzu Trooper?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score