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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.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 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

What owners actually said

35 reports
Mileage unknown · Aug 31, 2021
Air Bags

On Tuesday August 31st I pulled up to Alexandra tire shop to get a tire. I got out of the truck to inquire if the tire that I needed was available. The mechanic informed me that they had the tire I needed. My wife sat in the car on the passenger side as I inquired with the mechanic. Once he informed me that they had the tire, my…

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On Tuesday August 31st I pulled up to Alexandra tire shop to get a tire. I got out of the truck to inquire if the tire that I needed was available. The mechanic informed me that they had the tire I needed. My wife sat in the car on the passenger side as I inquired with the mechanic. Once he informed me that they had the tire, my wife got out of the passenger side to take a seat while the tire was being changed. The mechanic instructed me to get in the truck and pull It forward. I got in on the driver side, crank the truck up , and the airbag exploded, cracking my windshield and my dashboard. Prior to this incident there were no warning indication on my dashboard concerning a default. My wife was put at terrible risk. Had she not exited the truck 2 minutes before the airbag exploded. she would have been injured.

NHTSA ODI #11431281

150,240 miles · Jun 8, 2012
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Fire

I TURNED MY AC ON AND SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND MY CAR BATTERY LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT AS WELL AS MY AT LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN MY RADIO, AC,DOME LIGHT AND MOON ROOF WONT CLOSE I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY WANTED 400$ JUST TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE FIXING IT I TOOK IT TO PEPBOYS AND THEY TOLD ME I…

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I TURNED MY AC ON AND SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND MY CAR BATTERY LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT AS WELL AS MY AT LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN MY RADIO, AC,DOME LIGHT AND MOON ROOF WONT CLOSE I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY WANTED 400$ JUST TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE FIXING IT I TOOK IT TO PEPBOYS AND THEY TOLD ME I COULD OF HAD FIRE WITH A BAD MALFUNCTION. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10460979

180,000 miles · Aug 8, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. SUDDENLY, WITHIN THIRTY SECONDS THE STEERING WHEEL UNSEIZED ON ITS OWN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SPORADICLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, W…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. SUDDENLY, WITHIN THIRTY SECONDS THE STEERING WHEEL UNSEIZED ON ITS OWN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SPORADICLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT A FAULTY CRANK SHAFT PULLEY CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT OF A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V311001 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE). THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

NHTSA ODI #10417892

309,000 miles · Jun 28, 2011
Air BagsCrashInjury

WHILE TRAVELING ON ROUTE 632, ANOTHER VEHICLE FAILED TO YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY, ENTERED AND STOPPED IN THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTE 632 & ROUTE 645 IN NEW JERSEY; CAUSING MY SUV TO BROAD SIDED THEIR PICK-UP TRUCK. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO FATALITIES. HOWEVER, NEITHER THE MITSUBISHI DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMP…

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WHILE TRAVELING ON ROUTE 632, ANOTHER VEHICLE FAILED TO YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY, ENTERED AND STOPPED IN THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTE 632 & ROUTE 645 IN NEW JERSEY; CAUSING MY SUV TO BROAD SIDED THEIR PICK-UP TRUCK. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO FATALITIES. HOWEVER, NEITHER THE MITSUBISHI DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT.

NHTSA ODI #10409789

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…

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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

198,500 miles · Apr 27, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling

I WAS DRIVING ALONG I-17 NEAR PHOENIX, AZ MERGING ONTO I-10 WEST - WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN I COULDN'T STEER THE VEHICLE. ALL WHILE GOING 65 MPH. IT TOOK EVERY BIT OF MY STRENGTH TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE SAFELY OFF THE HIGHWAY TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I HAD IT TOWED TO MARK MITSUBISHI IN AVONDALE, AZ FOR REPAIRS. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS TH…

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I WAS DRIVING ALONG I-17 NEAR PHOENIX, AZ MERGING ONTO I-10 WEST - WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN I COULDN'T STEER THE VEHICLE. ALL WHILE GOING 65 MPH. IT TOOK EVERY BIT OF MY STRENGTH TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE SAFELY OFF THE HIGHWAY TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I HAD IT TOWED TO MARK MITSUBISHI IN AVONDALE, AZ FOR REPAIRS. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS THE "REPAIRS" WERE DONE. THE DAMAGE WAS DUE TO THE BOLT - CRANK SHAFT PULLEY - I PAID NEARLY $600 FOR REPAIRS. FOUR AND A HALF WEEKS LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED, THIS TIME I WAS DRIVING AN HOUR FROM MY HOME ON 202 IN CHANDLER WHEN I WAS GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY, AS SOON AS I GOT ON THE OFF RAMP, I HEARD METAL HIT AND SAW SOMETHING FLY ACROSS THE OFF-RAMP. AGAIN, I HAD MY VEHICLE TO TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR YET ANOTHER REPAIR OF THE SAME PROBLEM. THEN APRIL 8TH, AGAIN IT APPEARS TO BE THE SAME PROBLEM, THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY CAN'T FIX IT A THIRD TIME. THEY REFUNDED MY MONEY FROM THE FIRST REPAIR. A LOCAL MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO GET THE BOLT BACK IN, FOR IT TO COME OUT AGAIN TODAY, APRIL 26TH. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE, THAT DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE. NOW I HAVE A TRUCK THAT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT WORK ON IT. I WAS IN TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS WITH THIS VEHICLE AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED AND WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT I WAS NOT INJURED AND THAT I DID NOT GET INTO ACCIDENT INJURING ANYONE ELSE. THIS IS A MANUFACTURER ISSUE THAT MITSUBISHI NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED OR PERMANENTLY INJURED.

NHTSA ODI #10398920

152,000 miles · Apr 30, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE CONTACT HAD TROUBLE TURNING TO THE RIGHT AND NOTICED VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT THE DRIVING BELTS WERE DISLODGED AND THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT WAS HANGING OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE CONTACT HAD TROUBLE TURNING TO THE RIGHT AND NOTICED VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT THE DRIVING BELTS WERE DISLODGED AND THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT WAS HANGING OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 152,000.

NHTSA ODI #10328188

Mileage unknown · Oct 27, 2009
TiresCrash

I PURCHASED A USED TIRE AT BJ TIRE SHOP IN BRYAN, TX ON JULY 16, 2009. THE TIRE PURCHASED (BF GOODRICH RADIAL LONG TRAIL T/A 265 70R) TURNED OUT TO BE DEFECTIVE WITH THE TREAD SEPARATING FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE, CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO FLIP OVER CAUSING $9000 IN DAMAGES TO MY VEHICLE. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT NO ONE GOT HURT …

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I PURCHASED A USED TIRE AT BJ TIRE SHOP IN BRYAN, TX ON JULY 16, 2009. THE TIRE PURCHASED (BF GOODRICH RADIAL LONG TRAIL T/A 265 70R) TURNED OUT TO BE DEFECTIVE WITH THE TREAD SEPARATING FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE, CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO FLIP OVER CAUSING $9000 IN DAMAGES TO MY VEHICLE. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT NO ONE GOT HURT OR KILLED. I AM AFRAID THAT THIS TIRE SHOP MAYBE SELLING MORE OF THESE DEFECTIVE TIRES AND COULD CAUSE SOMEONE TO BE KILLED OR CAUSE MORE ACCIDENTS. HOW CAN I MAKE SURE THAT MORE OF THESE TIRES ARE NOT BEING SOLD. BJ'S TIRE SHOP BOBBY DURON - OWNER - ANTHONY DURON 1305 SAN JACINTO BRYAN, TEXAS 77803 THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION AND RESOLUTION OF THIS MATTER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10289973

183,114 miles · Mar 2, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

I BOUGHT A 1998 MITSUBITSHI MONTERO SPORT LS APPROX. 9 MONTHS AGO AND WHILE IT RAN GREAT ABOUT A MONTH AGO I STARTED NOTICING WHEN I WOULD GO TO START IT UP IT WOULD ACT LIKE THE BATTERY WAS GOING DEAD. SO I REPLACED THE BATTERY. THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. THEN ABOUT 4 DAYS AFTER THAT OUT OF NO WHERE THE ENGINE WOULD START SQUE…

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I BOUGHT A 1998 MITSUBITSHI MONTERO SPORT LS APPROX. 9 MONTHS AGO AND WHILE IT RAN GREAT ABOUT A MONTH AGO I STARTED NOTICING WHEN I WOULD GO TO START IT UP IT WOULD ACT LIKE THE BATTERY WAS GOING DEAD. SO I REPLACED THE BATTERY. THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. THEN ABOUT 4 DAYS AFTER THAT OUT OF NO WHERE THE ENGINE WOULD START SQUEALING. BUT THAT WOULD ONLY LAST FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS. AND STOP UNTIL THE TURN WOULD BE OFF LONG ENOUGH FOR THE ENGINE TO GET COLD. WELL I WAS ON MY WAY OUT OF TOWN TO SEE A MEDICAL SPECIALIST FOR MY DAUGHTER'S CONTINUING MEDICAL CONDITION AND THE TRUCK JUST SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY LUCKILY WE WERE NOT HIT BY ANY OTHER MOTOR VEHICLES. AFTER GETTING THE TRUCK OFF THE ROAD I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD, SEEN AND PICKED UP A PULLEY OFF THE GROUND WITH A LONG BOLT STILL INSIDE OF IT, I LATER LEARNED THAT IT WAS A CRANK SHAFT PULLEY WHICH HAD CAUSED ME TO THROW THE TIMING IN THE TRUCK. I LOST MY JOB, MISSED THE DOCTORS APPT FOR MY DAUGHTER AND HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A VEHICLE EVERY SINCE THAT INCIDENT ON JANUARY 28,2009. NOW I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE TRUCK IS APPROX 11 YEARS OLD BUT BEFORE I BOUGHT IT I TOOK IT TO THE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP AND HAD THEM INSPECT IT AND HOOK IT UP TO A MACHINE. THEY TOLD ME THAT FOR AN OLDER TRUCK IT IS IN GREAT CONDITION. AND THAT NOTHING WAS WORK THAT THEY SEEN OFF FOUND ON THE COMPUTER, WITH THE TRUCK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10260427

Mileage unknown · Mar 30, 2008
Vehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR JUST BEGIN TO ACCELERATE THE MORE I TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES THE FASTER THE CAR RAN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10222734

Official recalls

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 ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.