2010 Isuzu Rodeo 3.0L Diesel · LL60 OBK

A clear pattern of chronic front suspension and wheel bearing wear dominates the mechanical profile of this 2010 Isuzu Rodeo, with the same components flagged year after year rather than isolated one-off defects. Across six recorded tests from 2020 through 2025, both front wheel bearings have carried slight play advisories repeatedly, and the nearside front lower suspension arm ball joint has appeared as an advisory in 2022, 2023, and again in 2025. The rear upper shock absorber bushes have likewise been a persistent item, first noted in 2022 and recurring through every subsequent test on both sides. The most recent examination on 19 November 2025 produced both a pass and a fail recorded on the same date, suggesting a retest following rectification, with the recurring advisories still listed alongside a minor headlamp lens defect and a rear tyre worn close to the legal limit. The trend is not one of deterioration into outright failure but of unaddressed wear items that have simply been carried forward at each annual test, which for a buyer means the underlying components have had at least three further years of service since first being flagged. At 170,446 miles over roughly sixteen years, this Rodeo is accumulating around 10,600 miles annually, which sits comfortably within normal parameters for its age and use class, and there are no significant gaps or unexplained jumps in the mileage progression visible across the recorded tests. The relatively consistent annual accumulation suggests the vehicle has been in regular service rather than laid up for extended periods, which removes some of the concerns around seized brakes, perished cooling system hoses, and degraded fuel that can accompany long stationary spells on older vehicles. However, the steady accumulation also means that consumable wear on suspension, bearings, and braking components has been continuous, and the mileage figure itself places the drivetrain well into the bracket where clutches, gearbox mountings, propshaft universal joints, and rear differential components on a vehicle of this type are subject to natural fatigue. The mileage history provides no obvious red flags but equally offers no reassurance beyond the fact that the vehicle has clearly been used as intended. For a prospective buyer, the priority on inspection is to physically evaluate the components that the MOT record has flagged repeatedly, beginning with the front wheel bearings. With slight play recorded on both sides since at least 2020, it is reasonable to expect the situation may now have progressed, and a test drive should specifically listen for a humming or droning noise that rises and falls with road speed and may change when cornering under load, indicating bearing wear beyond the advisory threshold. Similarly, the nearside front lower suspension arm ball joint has been an advisory for three consecutive tests, and on the road this can manifest as a clonking or knocking noise from the front suspension over uneven surfaces, vague or imprecise steering response, uneven front tyre wear on the inner or outer shoulder, or a discernible shunt when braking sharply from low speed. The rear upper shock absorber bushes, having been flagged since 2022, should be checked by hand for any lateral movement at the top mounting point when the vehicle is rocked, and any worsening of ride quality, excessive body roll through corners, or rear-end instability over bumps would suggest the dampers themselves may also be fatigued given the mileage. The braking system warrants specific attention given that front brake pads were noted as wearing thin in 2020, and a Rodeo of this age and mileage will have seen multiple pad and disc changes since. The current state of the discs should be checked for lipping at the outer edge, corrosion pitting on the friction surface, and runout through the wheel, as warped or excessively worn discs will produce pedal judder under braking. The rear tyre flagged as worn close to the legal limit in the most recent test should be inspected for uneven shoulder wear, which would point toward a suspension geometry or bearing issue rather than simple age-related wear. Finally, given the vehicle's age, a thorough examination underneath for corrosion on the rear chassis rails, suspension mounting points, and brake pipes is worthwhile, as sixteen years of service life and the recorded use pattern make structural surface corrosion a realistic possibility even though no such items have yet been captured in the MOT record.