2000 Mitsubishi Montero

Routine

Owners filed 51 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic › antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip5
101
Electrical System4
010
Air Bags4
302
Structure › Body3
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission3
000
Visibility2
000
Vehicle Speed Control2
102
Tires2
000
Suspension › Front2
000
Structure2
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module20V035000
Filed Jan 23, 202018,123 vehiclesMitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.

Defect. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 1998-2000 Montero vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.

Remedy. MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 25, 2021. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-20-001.

Equipment › Other › Labels04V428000
Filed Sep 1, 2004100,432 vehiclesMitsubishi Caribbean

Defect. CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Risk. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Remedy. MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL CURRENT 2000-2004 NATIVA OWNERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG ALERT LABELS FOR THE SUN VISORS. THIS RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH OR APRIL 2005. THE NOTIFICATION TO THE NATIVA OWNERS IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL OR MAY 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-787-251-8715.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Air Bags
Filed Dec 21, 2023OR

Awhile back my horn stopped working as if it was stuck down. I found out this was because of a problem with this cars airbag breaking down that causes this - and that there is a recall because these airbags are dangerous if they go off. I received a letter at one point from Mitsubishi about this. I filled out a form a long time ago when I got that, I also emailed them before, I also have tried calling them a few times. They never get back to me. There is no Mitsubishi dealership in my town so I cannot take the car there unannounced without driving 2 hours to another town. I do not want to do this if the airbags are unsafe, so the car has been sitting for a long time because of this issue. I want it resolved. I do not care if Mitsubishi or a mechanic or whoever does it, I just need it done so I do not get killed by my airbag, I don't want to pay for it since it is covered by recall. Please let me know how to resolve this. Thank you.

Electrical System
Filed Mar 1, 2018NY

I GOT BRAKES CHANGED ON MY MONTERO TWICE IN 3 YEARS HAPPEN AGAIN WHILE DRIVING BRAKE FAIL PADS CAME OUT OF CALIPER BRAKES KEEPS GOING BAD AFTER 1.5 TO TWO YEARS DID CALIPERS CHANGE AS WELL SAME THING CALIPERS WILL GET STUCK AND PADS WILL COME OUT THEY HAVE A RECALL ON 1997 1998 MODELS FOR BRAKES ISSUE NOT 1999 AND 2000

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Oct 24, 2014180,000 milesNJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER, THE VEHICLE SKID AND CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. THE DRIVER FRONTAL AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND RIP OPENED BURNING THE CONTACT'S RIGHT HAND. ALSO, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISING TO THE CHEST, ARMS, AND BACK. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT SUFFERED FROM HEADACHES DUE TO SMOKE INHALATION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

Structure › Body
Filed Jul 8, 2013109,000 milesIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS FRACTURED AND CORRODED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000. *TR

Structure › Body
Filed Feb 5, 2013158,000 milesOH

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE INSPECTING HIS VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE WHEEL WELL WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 168,991.

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Mar 10, 2011100,000 milesTX

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, SHE SWERVED TO AVOID HITTING AN OBJECT ON THE ROADWAY AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES TO BOTH ARMS. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Aug 29, 2009NY

2000 MITSUBISHI MONTERO REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW BUTTON CAUGHT FIRE. *TR

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Mar 10, 2005FL

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS. BUT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. ALSO, DRIVER NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Jul 28, 2004OH

WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER, MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

UnspecifiedCrash3 injured
Filed Jan 16, 2004CA

THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY ON A SUV CLASH TO THE CONCRETE WALL.

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch
Filed Jun 17, 2003VA

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LATCH FELL OFF WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY.*AK

Latches/Locks/Linkages
Filed Jun 9, 2003VA

THE REAR DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE AND THE LATCHES WILL GO UP AND DOWN INTERMITTENTLY. *AK.

Wheels › Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs
Filed Apr 22, 200385,000 milesME

THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL NUT AND SCREW BROKE WHILE DRIVING. *JB TIE ROD ADJUSTMENT NUT AND TIE ROD WERE NO GOOD, HAD TO REPLACE BOTH BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD.

Visibility
Filed Jan 8, 2003WV

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD STOP WORKING. TS

Visibility
Filed Jan 2, 2003WV

CONSUMER STATES WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK WHEN IT SNOWS. TS

Seat Belts
Filed Dec 2, 2002LA

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT. ALSO STATED THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO INSTALL A CAR SEAT AND THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND REPLACED THE BUCKLE. TS

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Jul 30, 2002VA

VEHICLE HAS STALLED 3 TIMES. DEALER STATED IT WAS DUE TO A BLOWN FUSE. FUSE WAS REPLACED, BUT DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

Seats
Filed May 21, 2002CA

THERE IS A PIECE OF METAL STICKING OUT OF PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR SEAT. THESE 2 PIECES OF METAL ARE USED TO HOLD FRAME TOGETHER. WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP METAL HITS CONSUMER IN THE BUTTOCKS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

Steering
Filed Mar 14, 2002MD

KNOCKING IN THE FRONT END BETWEEN THE TWO TIRES, STEERING, BRAKES, KNOCKING AND OTHER NOISE, PULLING TO THE LEFT, TIRES WEARING BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF FRONT TIRES. NOTICED TIRE WERE CUFFED AND ROUND. BOTH REAR WINDOWS STICK WHEN OPERATING IN DOWN MOTION.

Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Filed Mar 4, 2002LA

WITHOUT ANY INDICATION HORN WOULD SOUND OFF. CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TOO PULL HORN FUSE TO STOP. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

20 of 51 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2001
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20064000Routine
20051000Routine
20045300Routine
200339210Routine
2002111311Fatalities reported
2001166420Routine
2000 — this page51210Routine
199940221Fatalities reported
199874400Routine
199763240Routine
199627200Routine
199586202Fatalities reported
199431501Fatalities reported
199314300Routine
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: Jan 23, 2020. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.