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1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 33.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
35Owner complaints

Model-year median: 33

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 35 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 14 reports
  • Air Bags: 4 reports
  • Electrical System: 4 reports
  • Steering: 4 reports
  • Power Train: 2 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
29
199735
199833
199997
200063
2001
Compare all Montero Sport years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
14Air Bags
4Electrical System
4Steering
4Power Train
2
All reported categories
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2Visibility
2Electronic Stability Control (esc)
1Equipment
1Fuel System, Gasoline
1Parking Brake
1Structure
1Suspension
1Tires
1Unknown Or Other
1Vehicle Speed Control
1

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: 16 of 35 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 →
  • Air Bags. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

4 reports
Clear category filter
307,000 miles · Jun 28, 2011
Electrical System

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE, I-78, AND OTHER HIGHWAYS, THE MITSUBISHI ALTERNATOR INTERMITTENTLY FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND OTHER ELECTRICALLY CONTROL FUNCTIONS. WHAT MAKES THIS NOTABLY IS THAT IT WAS THE 5TH ALTERNATOR THAT FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN 1-1/2 YEARS. EACH TIME WHILE DRIVING…

Read full complaint

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE, I-78, AND OTHER HIGHWAYS, THE MITSUBISHI ALTERNATOR INTERMITTENTLY FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND OTHER ELECTRICALLY CONTROL FUNCTIONS. WHAT MAKES THIS NOTABLY IS THAT IT WAS THE 5TH ALTERNATOR THAT FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN 1-1/2 YEARS. EACH TIME WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS BETWEEN 55 AND 65 MPH THE ALTERNATOR FAILED AND SUDDEN LOSS OF VEHICLE STEERING CONTROL AND OPERATION, OCCURRED WITH NARROW ESCAPES FROM SERIOUS ACCIDENTS WHILE NAVIGATING TO SAFETY.

NHTSA ODI #10409788

Mileage unknown · Jun 20, 2001
Electrical System

BATTERY EXPLODED WHEN CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE, BATTERY ACID SCATTERED OVER THE ENTIRE ENGINE AND THE IMPACT OF THE EXPLODING BATTERY CELLS DENTED THE HOOD CRACKING THE EXTERIOR PAINT, BATTERY WAS A 60 MO MITSUBISHI DIAMOND CARE, SERIAL NO A993FB1X02, 525 CCA GRP 24, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC *ET

NHTSA ODI #561710

Mileage unknown · Nov 13, 2000
Electrical System

WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE WOULD STALL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #874798

Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2000
Electrical System

BATTERY WAS REPLACED 5 TIMES, 2 TIMES ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED & THERE WERE OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. DEALER HAD BEEN SAYING THAT PROBLEM WITH THE BATTERY WAS WEATHER RELATED. THEY SEEMED NOT TO REALLY KNOW WHAT THE REMEDY WAS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #868485

Recall campaigns

1

00V311001 · 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 ↗

Defect investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.