Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport problems

Owners filed 242 complaints about the 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport with NHTSA between Sep 2000 and Aug 2024. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (73).

Complaints
242
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
26
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
26
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes, hydraulic73
  2. Electrical system33
  3. Engine and engine cooling29
  4. Power train23
  5. Air bags23
  6. Service brakes19
  7. Suspension15
  8. Steering14
  9. Visibility10
  10. Equipment9
  11. Structure7
  12. Exterior lighting6
  13. Vehicle speed control5
  14. Engine3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20002
200135
200223
200316
200430
200515
200611
200714
200812
20095
201012
201115
20128
20137
201411
20156
20166
20173
20182
20191
20202
20212
20223
20230
20241

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Service brakes, hydraulic

73 reports5 crashes1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2001 Mitsubishi Montero. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal felt sticky. Additionally, the contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal twice, the brake pedal vibrated and shuddered. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the ABS system had failed due a faulty hydraulic pump and accumulator. The vehicle was not repaired. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 01V254002 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,600.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 20, 2022Service brakes, hydraulicODI 11490224

Electrical system

33 reports
“THIS WEEK I HAVE HAD TWO OCCURRENCES WHERE THE HORN JUST STARTS BLARING AND WON'T STOP. ONCE WAS IN THE AFTERNOON, AND THE OTHER WAS AT 5:00 AM. MY ONLY DIY ALTERNATIVES ARE TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY (OBVIOUSLY CAN'T USE THE VEHICLE), OR REMOVE THE FUSE (VERY UNSAFE). THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, NO WEATHER PROBLEMS, TEMPERATURE WAS MILD (AROUND 70 DEGREES). PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING, THE HORN RARELY WORKED AT ALL; AT LEAST NOT WHEN I WANTED IT TO WORK. I GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AND IT APPEAR TO BE VERY WIDESPREAD ON THIS VEHICLE. FROM WHAT I HAVE FOUND OUT, IT INVOLVES REMOVING THE AIRBAG ASSEMBLY, SO GETTING IT FIXED IS VERY COSTLY (OVER $1000). I EXPECT TO SPEND SOME MONEY ON A FEW ITEMS HERE & THERE ON A 16 YEAR OLD VEHICLE, BUT I DON'T EXPECT TO SPEND OVER $ 1000 ON A VEHICLE JUST TO MAKE THE HORN WORK RIGHT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 29, 2017Steering, Electrical system, Air bagsODI 10969265

Engine and engine cooling

29 reports1 fire
“MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATES WHEN TOWING, ON STEEP GRADES, OR EVEN CONTINUOUSLY. DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) P0125 IS DISPLAYED INDICATING INSUFFICIENT COOLANT TEMPERATURE, EVEN THOUGH ACTUAL COOLANT TEMPERATURE IS WITHIN NORMAL RANGE OF 200 TO 215 DEGREES. REPLACEMENT OF COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSORS (2) AND THERMOSTAT WILL NOT RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM! THIS IS A KNOWN COMPUTER ERROR THAT MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA WILL NOT ADDRESS OR PAY FOR THE REPAIR OF. NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 10001033 MMNA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: 0313001. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 24, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10392763

Power train

23 reports1 crash3 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WARNING SENSOR ILLUMINATED AND FLASHED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. WHILE DECELERATING, THE CONTACT HEARD A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE TRANSFER CASE ENGAGED ERRONEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 11, 2014Power trainODI 10621483

Air bags

23 reports17 crashes
“I HAVE HAD AN ISSUE WITH MY TRUCK BECAUSE THE HORN QUIT WORKING SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES THAT THE AIRBAG HAS A METAL RING INSIDE OF IT THAT MAKES CONTACT TO ACTIVATE THE HORN WHEN PRESSED. THEY CLAIMED THE RING HAS EITHER DETERIORATED OR BROKEN INTERNALLY AND THAT IS WHY THE HORN DOESN'T WORK AND IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE FOR YEARS WITH THESE TRUCKS. BASED ON THE CURRENT RECALLS I AM WONDERING IF THAT ALSO EFFECTS THE AIRBAGS AND IF THEY WILL WORK PROPERLY OR IF THERE COULD BE METAL SHARDS IN THERE THAT WHEN DEPLOYED COULD POSE A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 24, 2014Electrical system, Air bagsODI 10649572

Service brakes

19 reports1 crash
“Brake lines completely rusted through and I lost all brakes while heading to work, thankfully I was able to pull the emergency brake to slow down and I coasted through a red light blowing my horn so I was not hit. I bought this vehicle brand new with only 3 miles on it and ever since I initially got it , it began to rust. Clearly it was not rust treated as everything under the body and alot under the hood is rusted. There is even metal inside of the vehicle cabin that is rusted, like the gas cap lever. This vehicle should have been recalled many years ago like the Outlander due to all of the rust the vehicle gets under it causing thing to fail while its being driven. My vehicle just has a little over 100,000 miles on it and it now sits after that brake incident as I am afraid to drive it seeing all of the rust under it. Even the running boards are all rusted underneath. I am sure that everyone with this model vehicle has experienced the same problem but these vehicles are dangerous on the roads due to everything on them rusting .”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 16, 2021Unknown or other, Service brakesODI 11437025
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.