Problems · NHTSA complaints

2000 Mitsubishi Montero problems

Owners filed 50 complaints about the 2000 Mitsubishi Montero with NHTSA between Jan 2000 and Dec 2023. The most-cited component is structure (7).

Complaints
50
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure7
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic7
  3. Electrical system6
  4. Suspension6
  5. Air bags5
  6. Engine and engine cooling4
  7. Power train4
  8. Vehicle speed control3
  9. Visibility3
  10. Tires3
  11. Fuel system, gasoline3
  12. Latches/locks/linkages2
  13. Steering2
  14. Wheels1

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
200016
200115
20025
20035
20041
20051
20060
20070
20080
20091
20100
20111
20120
20132
20141
20150
20160
20170
20181
20190
20200
20210
20220
20231

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

Structure

7 reports
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 8, 2013StructureODI 10523736

Service brakes, hydraulic

7 reports1 crash
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 14, 2002Steering, Service brakes, hydraulic, TiresODI 9005438

Electrical system

6 reports1 fire
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 1, 2018Electrical system, Unknown or otherODI 11075657

Suspension

6 reports
“THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED TWICE BY MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP MECHANICS. FIRST TIME BY "COURTESY MITSUBISHI" ON STEVENS CREEK BLVD., SAN JOSE CA. THE SECOND ATTEMPT TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED WAS AGAIN AT COURTESY MITSU WITH NO COOPERATION FROM THE SERVICE DEPT. THEY CLAIMED THAT THE ERATIC STEERING AND THE LOW GRUMBLING SOUND WAS EMINATING FROM THE FRONT TIRES. AND THEY FURTHER CLAIMED THAT THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM DUE TO "TREAD SEPARATION" ON THE FRONT TIRES. THIS WAS CONFIRMED AT A LATER DATE TO BE FALSE AS I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A YOKOHAMA DEALERSHIP AND HAD THE OWNER INSPECT THE TIRES. HE FOUND NO DEFECTS. I HAD THE TIRES ROTATED AND BALANCED TO ELIMINATE ANY DOUBT AS TO THE TIRES CONDITION. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO PROGRESSIVELY GET WORSE. LOUD CLUNKING NOISES, WHEEL BEARING GROWL, AND EXTREMELY ERRATIC STEERING BEHAVIOR AT ALL SPEEDS. I AM NOT ABLE TO TAKE MY FAMILY OUT ON THE FREEWAY IN THIS VEHICLE AS I AM AFRAID FOR THEIR SAFETY. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO ANOTHER, LARGER DEALER, "CAPITOL MITSUBISHI". THEY KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR 48 HRS AND CONCLUDED THAT THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS WERE INDEED LOOSE AGAIN. HOWEVER THEY REFUSED TO ADMIT THAT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 12, 2001SuspensionODI 750266

Air bags

5 reports4 crashes1 related recall
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 21, 2023Air bagsODI 11561352

Engine and engine cooling

4 reports1 crash
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 10, 2005Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10114959
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.