Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Mitsubishi Montero problems

Owners filed 97 complaints about the 1997 Mitsubishi Montero with NHTSA between Jun 1997 and May 2016. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (33).

Complaints
97
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling33
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic16
  3. Electrical system10
  4. Suspension8
  5. Steering7
  6. Power train6
  7. Equipment6
  8. Structure6
  9. Air bags6
  10. Visibility4
  11. Seat belts3
  12. Tires2
  13. Engine2
  14. Seats2

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 Nov 11, 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
19975
199814
199915
20005
200112
20028
20036
20048
20055
20061
20073
20085
20091
20102
20112
20120
20130
20142
20152
20161

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

Engine and engine cooling

33 reports
“1997 MITSUBISH MONTERO 3.5 LITER AUTOMATIC- CRANK SHAFT BOLT HAS COME OUT ON 5 SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND HAS COST OVER $3000 TO HAVE IT REPLACED. THE INSIDE OF THE CRANKSHAFT WHERE THE BOLT GOES IS COMPLETELY STRIPPED TO THE POINT I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE AS THIS APPEARS TO BE AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH ALL YEARS OF MONTEROS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS AND MITSUBISHI SHOULD COVER THE COST FOR THERE NEGLIGENCE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 16, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10396534

Service brakes, hydraulic

16 reports1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT. HER VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO RECALL #00V311001 AFFECTING THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE THE MECHANIC TIGHTENED THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT. AFTER SIX MONTHS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH THE ENGINE, OIL, AND BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE STEERING COLUMN ALSO BEGAN TO TIGHTEN UP. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE SHE NOTICED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FELL OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER SINCE HER VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER THE RECALL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS. THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY WAS REPLACED. TWO MONTHS LATER THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD SHUTTER THEN THE PULLEY FELL OUT OF THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PROVIDE HER WITH ANY ASSISTANCE. SHE HAS PICTURES OF THE FAILED COMPONENT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 149,000. UPDATED 02-11-08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR REPAIRS $1,300.00 AND RECEIVED A DISCOUNT OF $200 FROM THE DEALER. THE CONSUMER FURTHER STATED THE DEALER ALSO FOUND ANOTHER DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE IN WHICH THE CONSUMER ALSO HAD TO PAY OUT OF…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 16, 2008Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine coolingODI 10215166

Electrical system

10 reports4 fires
“ON 5/31/14, MY 1997 MITSUBISHI MONTERO WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. WHEN I WENT TO GET INTO THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED A LARGE BURN IN THE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. AFTER CALLING MITSUBISHI, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME SINCE IT WAS STILL SMOLDERING AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. THEY BELIEVED IT TO BE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. AFTER MANY FOLLOW-UP CALLS TO MITSUBISHI, THEY BELIEVE IT WAS CAUSED BY WEAR AND TEAR SINCE THE CAR WAS 17 YEARS OLD. ALL OF THE COST TO FIX THE ISSUE WAS ON ME AS THE OWNER. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 9, 2014Electrical system, SeatsFire reportedODI 10597034

Suspension

8 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 55 AND 65 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALL JOINTS, WHEEL BEARINGS, TRANSMISSION MOUNT, UNIVERSAL BOLT, AND TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V311001 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), BUT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 114,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 19, 2016Suspension, Power train, TiresODI 10865807

Steering

7 reports
“VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING ASSIST, AND THE ENGINE OVERHEATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT SHEARING OFF. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 5, 2005Steering, Engine and engine coolingODI 10106874

Power train

6 reports1 crash
“PROBLEM WITH FRONT AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP. THEY DID NOTHING TO FIX, JUST RESET CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. 3 WEEKS LATER CAR WAS IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT. DRIVER STEERED SLIGHTLY TO AVOID COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS MAKING AN ILLEGAL LANE CHANGE AND MONTERO WENT OUT OF CONTROL. NEITHER STEERING NOR BRAKING COULD STOP OR AFFECT WHAT WAS HAPPENING.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 11, 2003Power trainCrash reportedODI 10005704
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

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