Mitsubishi Montero Sport Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 347 consumer complaints across the 8 model years of the Mitsubishi Montero Sport (1997–2004) that have at least 5 complaints. 2000 has the most, with 97. Across all years, the part named most often is engine cooling (59 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
Best and worst Montero Sport years →
All Montero Sport model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 5 | 120,000 | 1 | 21 | — | Not enough data |
| 2003 | 31 | 65,000 | 0 | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2002 | 54 | 89,000 | 0 | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2001 | 63 | 66,825 | 1 | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2000 | 97 | 116,350 | 1 | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1999 | 33 | 96,750 | 3 | 14 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1998 | 35 | 151,120 | 1 | 14 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1997 | 29 | 120,000 | 1 | 14 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Engine cooling59 18%
- Brakes58 18%
- Transmission and drivetrain42 13%
- Air bags40 12%
- Electrical system36 11%
- Steering31 9.6%
- Suspension28 8.7%
- Body and structure28 8.7%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2001: “I drove my family to their doctor app. And when I was parked gasoline was dripping down in front of the drivers rear tire onto the pavement upon inspection I saw gasoline running off of the top of the gas tank I then went and told the parking lot attendant what was happening he then had to blockade that area of the parking lot off. I had call to get us a ride home . …”
NHTSA complaint #11075965, filed 2018-03, 187,985 miles2000: “I heard a noise while driving at low speeds while hitting bumps, when I stopped driving and looked under the vehicle I noticed the frame was rusted completely through to the other side, and especially bad where the rear differential bracket is attached to the frame, its so loose it doesn't look safe to drive.”
NHTSA complaint #11154414, filed 2018-11, 200,000 miles2002: “My Mitsubishi montero limited started making a strange noise from under the dash while driving. One day while driving when I applied the brake the pedal went all the way to the floor. I did some research and found a recall for the brake hydraulic booster for this vehicle but my VIN number is not showing a recall. When I contacted Mitsubishi all they would say is it's not covered under the recall. I don't understand”
NHTSA complaint #10968765, filed 2017-03, 175,000 milesOther Mitsubishi models
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861 complaintsMitsubishi Montero
770 complaintsMitsubishi Mirage
689 complaintsMitsubishi Diamante
502 complaintsMitsubishi Outlander Sport
473 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Nov 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology