IllustrationCRANKSHAFT/PULLEY RECALL WAS DONE IN JANUARY 2002. RECENTLY VEHICLE LOST POWERS TEERING AT 45 MPH. DEALER STATED CRANKSHAFT/ PULLEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK
1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 33.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Montero Sport years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 17 of 29 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
29 reportsFUEL FITTING AND PUMP ASSY. RUBBED AGAINST BODY TO CAUSE A RUPTURE RESULTING IN A SERIOUS FUEL LEAK. *AK
WHEN OPENING THE HATCH DOOR, THE SHOCK ARM BROKE CAUSING THE DOOR TO SLAM DOWN, BEND THE FRAME OF THE BACK DOOR AND BREAK THE REAR WINDOW OF THE VEHICLE.THIS LOOKS LIKE A DEFECT TO ME. MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. IF I HAD BEEN UNDER THE DOOR, IT WOULD HAVE KNOCKED ME OUT.*AK
EVERYTIME CONSUMER STARTS UP VEHICLE THERE IS A LOUD NOISE DUE TO BACK PRESSURE IN ENGINE. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER SEVERAL TIME, BUT CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE.*AK CONSUMER HAS ALSO HAD AC REPAIRED ON THREE OCCASSIONS.*JB
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH VEHICLE STARTING "THUMPING AND SQUEALING". CONSUMER STOPPED VEHICLE, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, WHO DETERMINED THAT CRANKSHAFT/ PULLEY BOLT BROKE, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO ENGINE. THERE IS A RECALL 00V311000 DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE HAS A 4.0 CYLI…
Read full complaint
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH VEHICLE STARTING "THUMPING AND SQUEALING". CONSUMER STOPPED VEHICLE, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, WHO DETERMINED THAT CRANKSHAFT/ PULLEY BOLT BROKE, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO ENGINE. THERE IS A RECALL 00V311000 DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE HAS A 4.0 CYLINDER ENGINE AND WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN THAT CAMPAIGN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
I AM INQUIRING ON WHETHER OR NOT OTHER OTHER MONTERO SPORT ES OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE BOLT SNAPPING AND WHETHER MITSUBISHI IS DOING ANOTHER ONE OF ITS COVER UPS. MITSUBISHI HAS AGREED TO PAYING FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF PARTS AND I HAVE TO COVER LABOR. I WANT TO SEE IF I HAVE A CASE TO GET THEM TO PAY FOR THE TO…
Read full complaint
I AM INQUIRING ON WHETHER OR NOT OTHER OTHER MONTERO SPORT ES OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE BOLT SNAPPING AND WHETHER MITSUBISHI IS DOING ANOTHER ONE OF ITS COVER UPS. MITSUBISHI HAS AGREED TO PAYING FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF PARTS AND I HAVE TO COVER LABOR. I WANT TO SEE IF I HAVE A CASE TO GET THEM TO PAY FOR THE TOTAL COST.*AK
WHEN DRIVING OVER 50 MPH A VERY LOUD WIND NOISE HAS BEEN COMING INTO PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT THROUGH WINDOWS. NOISE IS SO LOUD THAT IT IS DROWNING OUT RADIO. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER HAS NOT DETERMINED CAUSE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY ON FRONT IMPACT OF APPROX. 30 MPH SUSTAINING $10K IN DAMAGE. *AK
SPRING ON DRINK HOLDER JUST FLIES OFF, AND THE LITTLE HANDLE COMES OFF.*AK
Official recalls
100V311001 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
Oct 2, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES: MIRAGE MODEL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.5L ENGINES; MONTERO SPORT MODELS EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L ENGINES; AND MONTERO MODELS EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L ENGINES. THE BOLT SECURING THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY CAN BECOME LOOSE AND THE PULLEY COULD FALL OFF THE VEHICLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: ON THE MIRAGE VEHICLES, THE DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW, IMPROVED CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT ON THE OLDER ENGINES. ON NEW ENGINES WHICH ALREADY HAVE THE IMPROVED BOLT, THE DEALER WILL TIGHTEN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT TO THE CORRECT TORQUE SPECIFICATION. ON THE MONTERO MODELS, DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT TO THE CORRECT TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS. IF THE BOLT IS DAMAGED, IT WILL BE REPLACED.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.