Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1989 Mitsubishi Montero
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Seat Belts
220.0%
Steering
220.0%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Other & Unspecified
110.0%
Tires
110.0%
Acceleration & Cruise Control
110.0%
Suspension
110.0%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Airbags
110.0%
Median failure at 194,000 miles
Engine & Cooling
110.0%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Feb 1995peak 2Oct 2004
NHTSA investigations into the 1989 Mitsubishi Montero
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
EA95004Opened 10 Mar 1995Closed 1 Aug 1995SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
TAKATA SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE
PE89131Opened 19 Jun 1989Closed 6 Sep 1989VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
FUEL HOSE
===
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Baltimore, MDCrash
SUSPENSION:FRONT
VEHICLE NOT DESIGNED TO TURN CORNERS AS OTHER 2 WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #488337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Baltimore, MDCrash
STEERING
WHEN MAKING LEFT HAND TURNS VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. TT
NHTSA complaint #972417 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 194,000 milesAgoura Hills, CA
AIR BAGS
THE HORN WAS INOPERATIVE. THE CONSUMER HAD TO DISCONNECT THE HORN CONNECTOR TO STOP THE HORN FROM OPERATING. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. *JB
NHTSA complaint #10099055 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Phoenix, AZ
TIRES
FIRST TIRE BLOWOUT JUST AFTER LEAVING PARING LOT AT WORK. SECOND TIRE BLOWOUT WHILE DRIVING TO WORK. THIRD TIRE REPLACED IN PARKING LOT AT WORK WHEN IT STARTED TO VIBRATE AND SHOWED DAMAGE INDICATING A PLY SEPARATION WAS IMMINENT. FOURTH TIRE BLEW OUT AT 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 10 NEAR BENSON, AZ, WITHOUT ANY WARNING. *AK( DOT NUMBER: ELBNCJL495 TIRE SIZE: P235/75 R1 )
NHTSA complaint #731203 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Littleton, CO
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS IN THE PAST YEAR. OUR MECHANIC BELIEVES THAT IT IS A FLAW IN THE DESIGN OF THE PARTS INVOLVED. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT HE WON'T EVEN ATTEMPT TO FIX THE VEHICLE IN THE FUTURE. HE HAS TOLD US TO SELL THE CAR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE HE CAN GIVE US A "WRITTEN GAURANTEE THAT THE SAME PROBLEM WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. WE HAVE SPENT AROUND $900.00 SO FAR ON THIS PROBLEM, AND THE ESTIMATE TO GET IT FIXED AGAIN IS $1400.00. OUR FAMILY HAS BEEN WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR OVER A MONTH BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD THE REPAIR COST.
NHTSA complaint #728774 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Meridian, ID
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE CRANKSHAFT:PULLEY BOLTS BROKE.
NHTSA complaint #535459 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Salt Lake, UT
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
THE TIE ROD BROKE INSIDE THE ADJUSTMENT SLEEVE.
NHTSA complaint #514260 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Garden Grove, CA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. TT
NHTSA complaint #978483 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Baltimore, MDCrash
SUSPENSION:FRONT
VEHICLE NOT DESIGNED TO TURN CORNERS AS OTHER 2 WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #488337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Baltimore, MDCrash
STEERING
WHEN MAKING LEFT HAND TURNS VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. TT
NHTSA complaint #972417 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEA Bright, NJ
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
PLASTIC PRESS RELEASE BUTTON BROKE OFF MAKING SEAT BELT BUCKLE INOPERABLE. OWNER HAS BROKEN PART. TT
NHTSA complaint #960395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Union City, TN
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE MODEL #524 DOES NOT LATCH MOST OF THE TIME. TT
NHTSA complaint #960280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.