1993 Mitsubishi Montero

Routine

Owners filed 14 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › engine. It has been recalled 3 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine6
000
Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar3
000
Tires › Tread/Belt1
000
Steering › Linkages › Tie Rod Assembly1
000
Fuel System, Other › Storage › Tank Assembly1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling1
000

3 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine00V311001
Filed Oct 2, 2000210,000 vehiclesMitsubishi America

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES: MIRAGE MODEL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.5L ENGINES; MONTERO SPORT MODELS EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L ENGINES; AND MONTERO MODELS EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L ENGINES. THE BOLT SECURING THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY CAN BECOME LOOSE AND THE PULLEY COULD FALL OFF THE VEHICLE.

Risk. THE CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. ON THE MIRAGE VEHICLES, THE DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW, IMPROVED CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT ON THE OLDER ENGINES. ON NEW ENGINES WHICH ALREADY HAVE THE IMPROVED BOLT, THE DEALER WILL TIGHTEN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT TO THE CORRECT TORQUE SPECIFICATION. ON THE MONTERO MODELS, DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT TO THE CORRECT TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS. IF THE BOLT IS DAMAGED, IT WILL BE REPLACED.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings96V143002
Filed Aug 12, 199610,000 vehiclesMitsubishi Caribbean

Defect. UNDER CONDITIONS OF FULL LOCK STEERING AND FULL SUSPENSION TRAVEL, THE LEFT OR RIGHT FRONT WHEEL-SIDE BRAKE HOSE CAN CRACK, RESULTING IN BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE.

Risk. BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE WILL CAUSE ILLUMINATION OF THE BRAKE WARNING LAMP AND REDUCTION IN BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT WHEEL-SIDE BRAKE HOSES WITH REVISED HOSE ASSEMBLIES.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings96V143001
Filed Jul 25, 199693,000 vehiclesMitsubishi America

Defect. UNDER CONDITIONS OF FULL LOCK STEERING AND FULL SUSPENSION TRAVEL, THE LEFT OR RIGHT FRONT WHEEL-SIDE BRAKE HOSE CAN CRACK, RESULTING IN BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE.

Risk. BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE WILL CAUSE ILLUMINATION OF THE BRAKE WARNING LAMP AND REDUCTION IN BRAKING EFFICIENCY INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT WHEEL-SIDE BRAKE HOSES WITH REVISED HOSE ASSEMBLIES.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Nov 21, 2006275,000 milesIL

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKED WITH THE ENGINE IDLING, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE PULLEY FOR THE POWER STEERING WAS LOOSE. AS THE CONTACT ALREADY HAD THE RECALL # 00V311001, REGARDING ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE REPAIRS PERFORMED ONCE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE CRANKSHAFT HAD TO BE TIGHTEN AGAIN. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN BECAUSE THE BOLT WAS REPLACED AND TIGHTENED BEFORE AND THE PROBLEM SHOULD NOT HAVE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR A SECOND TIME UNDER THE RECALL.

Steering › Linkages › Tie Rod Assembly
Filed Apr 12, 2005150,000 milesNM

PULLED OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND PROCEEDED FORWARD WHEN THE RIGHT WHEEL DID NOT STEER. DROVE VEHICLE BACK INTO DRIVEWAY. PASSENGER SIDE INNER TIE-ROD PULLED OUT OF THE TREADED TUBE. ORDERED PARTS TO REPLACE BOTH INNER AND OUTER TIE-RODS WITH CONNECTING THREADED TUBE. IT'S A GOOD THING IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AT HIGHWAY SPEED! *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Aug 25, 2004169,000 milesFL

ADDITION TO COMPLAINT 10088338. FTER HAVING THE VEHICLE CHECKED BY MY MECHANIC, THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE BOLT (THE ONE LISTED IN THE ORIGINAL RECALL) BACKED OUT OF THE CRANK SHAFT CAUSING THE PULLY TO WOBBLE (DISTROYING THE PULLEY IN THE PROCESS). ONCE THE BOLT WAS 3/4 OF THE WAY OUT, IT SNAPPED IN TWO.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Aug 22, 200445 milesFL

ON 03/16/01 RECALL WORK WAS DONE AT SERVICE DEALER. ON DATE OF INCIDENT, CRANK BOLT SHEERED OFF OR CAME OUT WHILE DRIVING AT 45M MPH. *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Dec 2, 200379,000 milesPR

ENGINE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO INDEPENDENT SHOP. TECHNICIAN STATED THAT BOLT SECURING THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BROKE. AS A RESULT, ENGINE WAS OVERHAULED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Aug 8, 2002NC

WHILE DRIVING AT 65MPH CRANKSHAFT BOLT SNAPPED, CAUSING MOTOR TO SHUTOFF WITH NO WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Feb 6, 2002CA

CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT CAME LOOSE, CAUSING THE CRANKSHAFT TO STRIP OUT THE GEARING. THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO LOOSE POWER & WAS LESS RESPONSIVE ... & THE HIDEOUS SCREECHING SOUND SCARED THE HECK OUT OF ALL THE DRIVERS & PEDESTRIANS WHO WERE NEARBY AT THE INTERSECTION. REPAIRS ARE ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND $2,500.00 FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS NOT EVEN 10 YEARS OLD YET. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Mar 22, 2001GA

THE CRANKSHAFT BOLTS FAILED WHILE DRIVING CAUSING A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 00V-311, THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM

Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Filed Jan 4, 2001CO

WHILE DRIVING OUT OF PARKING LOT AND WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN, STEERING COLUMN DROPPED DOWN. IT WAS AN ADJUSTED STEERING COLUMN. TRIED TO READJUST IT, WHICH WAS NOT A PROBLEM. DROVE VEHICLE HOME AND PARKED IT. CHECKED UNDER DASH NEAR COLUMN AND NOTICED A BOLT HAD FALLEN OUT, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. BRACKET WAS STILL ATTACHED, AND RIGHT BOLT WAS STILL HOLDING IT. *AK

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Aug 22, 2000KS

ON MITSUBISHI, MONTERO 1993, WITH B.F.GOODRICH TA 30 X 9.5 TIRES, CONSUMER NOTICED A CRACK IN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. CONSUMER FELT TREAD MAY HAVE BEEN SEPARATING.*AK

Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Filed Mar 9, 2000PA

STEERING WHEEL DEVELOPED A 2 TO 3 INCH FRONT TO BACK MOTION. TRUCK WILL NOT PASS PA INSPECTION. A MITSU MASTER MECHANIC SAYS WHOLE STEERING COLUMN MUST BE REPLACED AS BAD BEARING IN COLUMN CAN NOT BE. AS FOR BROKEN MANIFOLD BOLT ON LEFT SIDE OF ENGINE IT ALLOWS A HIGH PRESSURE EXHAUST LEAK INTO ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND INTO VEHICLE. THIS WILL NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION AND I WAS ADVISED THAT ALL BOLTS MUST BE REPLACED ! CAN NOT BE

Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Filed Sep 16, 1999AZ

THE CORROSION WERE RECENTLY DISCOVERED. JUST BELOW THE RIGHTSIDE OF THE MAIN FRAME BY THE FRONT RIGHT DOOR. THE PAINT BLOATED OUT BULGING, BUT INTACT. AS THE RESULT OF THE RUST CRIPPLING UNDERNEATH. WHEREIN THERE IS NO USUAL DINGS NOR SCRATCHES TO THE SURFACE. SUGGESTING A FAILURE OF THE MANUFACTURER WHILE THE ANTI-RUST PROTECTION APPLIED DURING THE PAINTING OF THE SAID BODY FRAME. AS WARRANTED BY THE( DOT NUMBER: N/A TIRE SIZE: 235X75RX15 )

Fuel System, Other › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed Aug 12, 1996IA

ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUISNG THE WIRING TO TO MELT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CUT OFF.*AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed Sep 5, 1995LA

WIRES SHORTED OUT MELTING POST DOWN IN GAS TANK. TT

14 of 14 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2001
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20064000Routine
20051000Routine
20045300Routine
200339210Routine
2002111311Fatalities reported
2001166420Routine
200051210Routine
199940221Fatalities reported
199874400Routine
199763240Routine
199627200Routine
199586202Fatalities reported
199431501Fatalities reported
1993 — this page14300Routine
199212400Routine
199118220Routine
199023120Routine

Compare every Montero year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Oct 2, 2000. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.