170 of the
989 complaints filed about the Mitsubishi Montero
are about the engine —
17% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1995.
THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SOUTHSIDE MITSUBISHI IN ORLANDO AND BECAUSE A MECHANIC NAMED BOB WHO'S BEEN THERE FOR OVER 20 YEARS SAYS IT'S THE ORIGINAL BUT IT'S NOT THE ORIGINAL BOLT THEY DON'T WANT TO HONOR THE RECALL I ARGUED WITH THEM MULTIPLE TIMES.. THE ORIGINAL BOLT IS ME203072, AND THE MONTERO HAS THE SAME BOLT AS THE PAJERO . THIS VEHICLE WITH VIN [XXX] HAD THE BOLT SNAP OFF..IF IT WAS ALREADY FIXED LIKE SOUTHSIDE MITSUBISHI SAID IT SHOULDN'T HAVE SNAPPED. THEY REPEATEDLY DO NOT WANT TO GIVE A STRAIGHT ANSWER AND KEEP TRANSFERRING THE PHONE AROUND. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #11350758 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WE HAVE THE CAR FOR THE PAST 17 YEARS AND WE ALWASY HAVE A ELECTRICAL, ENGINE AND HEAD LIGHTS PROBLEMS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE THEY CAN FIX IT . WE PAID GOOD MONEY FOR THEM TO FIX IT
NHTSA complaint #11234612 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BATTERY AND BRAKE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWO TIMES ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT GUIDE PIN FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 225,000.
NHTSA complaint #11110448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A STRONG HESITATION AS THE FAILURE PROGRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
NHTSA complaint #10881447 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT BOLT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED BECAUSE THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER FOR THE RECALL WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 192,000.
NHTSA complaint #10631653 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
RANDOMLY THE FACTORY ALARM GOES OFF THROUGHOUT THE DAY WITH THE HORN BLARING. AFTER A WHILE, THE ALARM DRAINS THE BATTERY, EVEN IF IT RESETS. FUSES HAVE BEEN CHANGED, RELAYS, AND A RESET BY DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY- TO NO AVAIL.
NHTSA complaint #10599178 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD A STRANGE NOISE AS THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT A SERIES OF WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED TO THE SHOULDER AND LATER TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT HAD FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,000.
NHTSA complaint #10535203 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND NOTICE MY TRUCK HAD DIED WHILE SLOWING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AT A LIGHT..NOTICED THE BRAKE AND BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON...I RESTARTED THE CAR THEN TRIED TO MAKE A QUICK LEFT ON MY STREET AND COULDN'T STEER MY CAR...I HAD TO USE ALL MY STRENGTH TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL...HAD TO MAKE A HARD TURN BECAUSE ON COMING TRAFFIC WAS COMING AND I COULDN'T SPEED UP OR REALLY BRAKE...LUCKILY I MADE THE TURN COASTED A BIT HEARD A LOUD CLACKING UNDER MY HOOD COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD WHERE I WOULDN'T BE IN MIDDLE OF ROAD...I LOST ALL POWER STEERING...TRIED TO CRANK IT WOULDN'T START...LOOKED UP UNDER HOOD DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING...CALLED MY STEPDAD AND MOM WE TRIED TO GIVE IT A BOOST WITH CABLES DIDN'T WORK...SO LOOKED UNDER THE CAR WHERE THE TRAP IS NOTICED A FAIRLY LARGE BOLT SHEARED IN HALF AND WHAT I FOUND OUT LATER TO BE THE HARMONIC BALANCER AND BELT TO IT...PULLED ALL THIS OUT FROM ATOP HOOD...HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND THEY SAID THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT HAD BROKE AND PART OF IT WAS STILL IN THE CRANKSHAFT SAID PRAY I CAN GET THIS BOLT OUT IF NOT YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE MOTOR...
NHTSA complaint #10510149 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #10398763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #10396534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATES WHEN TOWING, ON STEEP GRADES, OR EVEN CONTINUOUSLY. DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) P0125 IS DISPLAYED INDICATING INSUFFICIENT COOLANT TEMPERATURE, EVEN THOUGH ACTUAL COOLANT TEMPERATURE IS WITHIN NORMAL RANGE OF 200 TO 215 DEGREES. REPLACEMENT OF COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSORS (2) AND THERMOSTAT WILL NOT RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM! THIS IS A KNOWN COMPUTER ERROR THAT MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA WILL NOT ADDRESS OR PAY FOR THE REPAIR OF. NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 10001033 MMNA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: 0313001.
NHTSA complaint #10392763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CRANKSHAFT PULLEY PIN/BOLT GETS SHEARED OFF. DASH LIGHTS COME ON AND VEHICLE POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING AS THE PUMP IS NOT TURNING BECAUSE THE PROBLEM AFFECT THE ENTIRE PULLEY SYSTEM. IT ALSO AFFECTS THE TIMING GEAR/BELT/HARMONIC BALANCER. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME IN AS MANY YEARS THIS HAS HAPPENED. THIS IS THE 2ND MECHANIC WHO HAS TOLD ME THAT IT'S AN ENGINE DEFECT BECAUSE THE PIN/BOLT IS TOO SHORT. THERE IS NO WARNING BEFORE IT HAPPENS. IT OCCURS UNDER NORMAL CITY DRIVING CONDITIONS AT LOW OR NO SPEED.
NHTSA complaint #10384572 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1997 MITSUBISHI MONTERO CRANKSHAFT PULLEY CAME LOOSE THREE TIMES WHICH CREATED NO POWER STEERING AND NO CHARGING OF THE BATTERY PURCHASED NEW CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BUT DID NOT HELP THE THIRD TIME INSTALLED A LOCK WASHER ON THE BOLT AND RE TORQUED TO SPEC LAST WEEK.
NHTSA complaint #10320369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MITSUBISHI MONTERO 1992. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID:00V311001 AND 96V143002. DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THAT THE RECALL IS VOID BECAUSE THE BOLT BROKE AND THEY ASSUME THAT IT BROKE NOT BECAUSE OF RECALLED PART BUT IMPROPER REPAIR.
NHTSA complaint #10303459 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 55 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE CONTACT ALMOST STRUCK A PEDESTRIAN. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, HE FOUND THAT A PULLEY FAILED IN THE CRANKSHAFT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS INCLUDED IN A RECALL. DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT HE WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE TIMING BELT REPLACED AT SOME POINT, WHICH WOULD HAVE ALSO TAKEN CARE OF THE RECALL. MITSUBISHI REFUSED TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS WELL WITHIN THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS TO HAVE HIS VEHICLE REPAIRED ACCORDING TO THE RECALL. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V311001. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 215,000. UPDATED 7/9/09 *CN THE BOLT HOLDING THE HARMONIC BALANCER PULLEY ON, FELL OUT WHICH ALLOWED THE PULLEY TO ALSO FALL OFF. UPDATED 07/17/09.
NHTSA complaint #10273557 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. MONTHS LATER, HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE FORMER DEALER DID NOT REINSTALL THE HEAT COVER. WITHOUT THE HEAT COVER, THERE IS NO SAFEGUARD TO THE VARIOUS HOSES AND COMPONENTS IN THE ENGINE, WHICH HAS SEVERAL POTENTIAL SAFETY IMPLICATIONS. HE CALLED THE DEALER AGAIN AND WAS ADVISED BY THE MANAGER, TOM WANSTER, THAT HIS HEAT COVER WAS NOT LEFT THERE; HOWEVER, THEY DID LOCATE OTHER HEAT COVERS FOR SIMILAR MODELS. THE MANAGER WOULD NOT PROVIDE HIM WITH ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,268.
NHTSA complaint #10247688 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1994 MITSUBISHI MONTERO BOLT SECURING CRANKSHAFT PULLEY CAME LOOSE RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. ACCIDENT AVERTED, THANK GOD. AS STATED IN OTHER COMPLAINTS, MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP AND MITSUBISHI AMERICA ABSOLUTELY REFUSE TO REPAIR MY TRUCK BECAUSE MY VIN IS NOT A MATCH FOR THE RECALL ON THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM. MY GUESS IS THAT WHEN SOMEONE DOES HAVE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS MALFUNCTION THEY'LL PAY DEARLY IN LAWSUIT LOSSES WHEN THEY COULD SIMPLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND KEEP THEIR CONSUMERS SAFE! I WILL BEGIN A WRITING CAMPAIGN IN REGARD TO THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT'S CLEAR THAT MITSUBISHI DOESN'T CARE UNTIL SOMEONE DIES. NICE WAY TO RUN YOUR COMPANY. BY THE WAY, THERE ARE NO FIRES/DEATHS/DAMAGE OR POLICE REPORTS BECAUSE THUS FAR, EVERYONE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN LUCKY!
NHTSA complaint #10240787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.
NHTSA complaint #10240750 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.