2001 Rodeo Problems

My wife's 2001 Rodeo was just serviced at 30k miles and the following two problems were found. I'm just wondering if anyone else has had either of the following two problems.

Our mechanic (who we've used for almost 20 years and wouldn't go anywhere else except for warranty items) found a cracked bracket under the automatic transmission at the cross member. As a courtesy, they welded it for us (no charge) and just told us about it so we'd know.

I also had them repack the wheel bearings, as per the maintenance schedule. They found that there was almost no grease left in one of the front bearings, and that what was there was largely pretty much liquified. He said that we'd probably have bought a new bearing in as little as a few hundred miles. His explanation was that either (less likely) the wrong grade of grease was used for the factory pack, or else an inadequate amount was packed in there in the first place, from the factory.

My wife has not driven her Rodeo through high standing water, nor has the done Hollywood-style airborne jumps with the vehicle. This thing only has 31k miles on it over 4 years, and she doesn't even drive fast over railroad tracks. So the cracked bracket holding the transmission on the bottom just makes no sense at all (they welded it in two places). And the idea that 30,000 mile wheel bearing repacking means that if you don't, you'll buy a new bearing at 32,000 miles is just absurd. The dealer (of course) said there were no known problems with either the transmission bracket or wheel bearings failing at low mileages - in fact, he said they don't even automatically do the bearings at 30,000 miles at the dealership!!! They generally only do them if the brakes need to be redone because "those bearings just seem to last forever. I've never even seen one go out," he said. (And they wonder why I won't have my Isuzu's serviced at the dealership ....)

Anyone else aware of similar situations with the 2001 Rodeo (4 cyl. automatic)?

C.R.

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keyes04
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