Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Mitsubishi Montero problems

Owners filed 174 complaints about the 2002 Mitsubishi Montero with NHTSA between Apr 2002 and Apr 2024. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (55).

Complaints
174
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
24
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
22
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes, hydraulic55
  2. Service brakes25
  3. Air bags19
  4. Engine and engine cooling17
  5. Electrical system14
  6. Structure11
  7. Power train10
  8. Steering6
  9. Fuel/propulsion system5
  10. Exterior lighting5
  11. Tires5
  12. Visibility4
  13. Equipment4
  14. Fuel system, gasoline4

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 12, 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
200218
200313
200412
200515
200618
200716
200811
20094
201010
20116
20121
201314
20145
20157
20169
20176
20183
20191
20200
20212
20222
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

55 reports4 crashes1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY APPLYING FORCE TO THE BRAKES, SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL, AND APPLYING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHO INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH A NHSTA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V254001 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,451....UPDATED 07-10-13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES LOCKED UP, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO FLUID GOING TO THE BRAKES. THE REPAIR SHOP INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE ABS BOOSTER AND HYDRAULIC PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 07/16/13”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2013Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10513370

Service brakes

25 reports2 crashes1 fire
“A/L BRAKE LIGHT GOES OFF EVERYTIME BRAKE PEDALS IS APPLIED ACCOMPANIED WITH AN ABNORMAL NOISE FROM THE DASH. THERE IS A NHTSA CAMPAIGN #01V254002 ABOUT A BRAKE BOOSTER ACCUMULATOR DEFECT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR POSSIBLE RECALL FIX BUT GOT DENIED SINCE ITS NOT PART OF THEIR RECALL CAMPAIGN. SHOULDNT THIS BE PART OF A RECALL CAMPAIGN SINCE ITS A SAFETY ISSUE? DO I NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THE BRAKES FAIL AND GET INTO AN ACCIDENT?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 29, 2018Service brakesODI 11104697

Air bags

19 reports14 crashes
“My horn goes off when I turn the steering wheel or hit bumps when driving and when parked and turned off, if its close to freezing it will go off constantly early in the morning before dawn and I have to disconnect the battery or pull the fuse for the horn under the hood fuse panel to stop it. I can't drive it with a horn fuse in and have tried replacing the steering wheel airbag and it still has the same problem. My neighbor had the same issue on his 04 Jeep and his car was fixed with an airbag actuator recall. No warning lights ever come on. Only my mechanic has looked at the vehicle.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 16, 2024Air bagsODI 11583242

Engine and engine cooling

17 reports1 crash
“2000 MONTERO CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT ON CONTINUOUSLY STEPS TAKEN, REPLACED PLUGS,WIRES, COILS, TIMING BELT, IDLER PULLEY, THERMOSTAT, ENGINE HEAT INDICATOR RISES TO HOT THAN BACK TO NORMAL, ENGINE RUN'S SLUGGISH, NO POWER, SHIFTING IS DELAYED WHEN ON AN INCLINE AND HEAR A MUFFLED BACK FIRE ON OCCASION NO POWER. THIS SUV HAS HAD PROBLEMS SINCE WE BOUGHT IT. NOT A GOOD BUY FOR SURE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 3, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10398763

Electrical system

14 reports
“I checked and there's several recalls on the vehicle and I purchase it last year from the dealership and I never received anything about the recalls and now my vehicle doesn't want to start it lock me out.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 4, 2022Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11482835

Structure

11 reports1 crash
“THE HOOD FLEW UP WHEN SAFETY LATCH FAILED TO HOLD IT,, PLUS BRAKE LINE TROUBLES AS WELL AS GAS TANK FILL PIPE ALL RUSTED OUT,, HOOD WAS ON HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 30MPH AN WRAPPED ARROUND WINDSHIELD,,”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 9, 2017Structure, Service brakes, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11022445
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 12, 2026

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