1995 Mitsubishi Montero

WHILE DRIVING MY 1995 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SR, THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT SEAT RECLINING BRACKET BROKE CAUSING ME TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE ROAD. AS A RESULT, I WAS FORCED TO SWERVE THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. UPON INSPECTION I NOTICED THE BRACKET HAD BROKEN COMPLETELY AWAY FROM THE FRAME OF THE SEAT. *JB

THE MECHANIC THE OWNER OF AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, COMPLETED A TUNE UP OF THE 3.0 LITER ENGINE, THAT WAS RUNNING FINE WHEN BROUGHT TO HIM. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND THEN THE ENGINE HAD A LOUD GRINDING AND SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS BLOWING UP. THE MECHANIC TOOK THE SPARK PLUGS OUT AND USED A LIGHT TO DETERMINE THE CYLINDER HEAD WAS CRACKED AND RUINED FROM A LOOSE PIECE OF METAL THE SIZE OF A MANS TOE NAIL. THE ENGINE IS COMPLETELY RUINED AND MUST BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC DISPUTES THE FACT HE DID ANYTHING TO CAUSE THE DAMAGE BUT WAS WILLING TO INSTALL ANOTHER ENGINE IF I PURCHASED IT. THIS IS THE THIRD ENGINE THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED ON AND THE LAST TIME WAS WHILE I OWNED THE VEHICLE TOO. I HAD THE VEHICLE INTO A REPUTABLE MECHANIC FOR A TUNE UP. THEY DID A TUNE UP FOR $625, WHICH THEY FIRST CALLED AND QUOTED $350 THEN CALLED BACK AND CHANGED IT TO THE $625. THEY COMPLETED THE TUNE UP MOVED THE CAR OUT TO SEE HOW IT RAN. THE VEHICLE RAN FINE BUT ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AFTER IDLING THAT LENGTH OF TIME A PIECE OF METAL THE SIZE OF A SPARK PLUG ELECTRODE WAS LOOSE IN A CYLINDER AND RUINED THE ENGINE. THE SHOP DID NOT WANT TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BECAUSE THEY INSIST THE FAILURE IS NOT THEIR FAULT, BUT SINCE IT HAPPENED UNDER THEIR CARE THEY ACTUALLY FOUND A WRECKED MONTERO WITH A60,000 MILE ENGINE AND INSTALLED IT FOR THE PRICE OF THE TUNE UP. THE CAR WAS OUT OF COMMISSION FOR THREE WEEKS AND WE WERE NOT REIMBURSED FOR TIME AND EXPENSE BUT THE SHOP DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF REPLACING. THE ENGINE BLOCK OF THE OLD ENGINE WAS SITTING ON THE FLOOR OF THE SHOP WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR. THE CYLINDER THAT WAS RUINED WAS SCRATCHED AND SCOURED COMPLETELY OVER THE WHOLE THING. SHOULD I FIND AND INSTALL AN ENGINE IT WILL BE NUMBER FOUR, THE ORIGINAL OWNER HAD TO REPLACE AN ENGINE WHEN HE OWNED IT. *JB

FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEAT FAILURE: ATTACHMENT OF SEAT BACK FRAME TO SEAT BRACKET FOR RECLINING BROKE ON RIGHT SIDE OF SEAT(SIDE NEAR SHIFTER) - LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED IN THE DRIVE WAY WHEN GETTING IN THE CAR. IF IT HAD HAPPENED DURING TRAFFIC OR REAR-END COLLISION COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. I AM NOT FAT EITHER 6'2" - 210 POUNDS. CAR NOW UNDRIVABLE DUE TO LACK OF BACK SUPPORT. *JB

DT: THE CALLER SAID SMOKE CAME OUT OF TAIL PIPE WHEN VEHICLE FIRST ACCELERATED. HE HAD TO PUT OIL IN THE VEHICLE MORE OFTEN THAN NORMAL. DEALER TOLD HIM VEHICLE IDLED TOO SLOWLY, AND THAT OIL WAS GETTING ON THE VALVES, CAUSING THE SMOKE. HE WAS TOLD THE GUIDES WERE DROPPING TOO LOW, AND THAT WAS LETTING THE OIL LEAK ONTO THE VALVES. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO HELP FOR FREE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING A 1995 MITUBISHI MONTERO A POSSIBLY FATAL FAILURE OCCURRED. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A DRIVEWAY THE BRACKET OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BACK FAILED CAUSING THE SEAT TO RECLINE ALL THE WAY BACK UNTIL IT WAS COMPLETELY HORIZONTAL. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE ROAD AND LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE MONTERO JERKED TO THE RIGHT AND WENT OFF THE ROAD. *JB

CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT BROKE OFF INSIDE THE CRANK SHAFT. PULLEY BEGAN WOBBLING AND SHREDDING THE BELTS CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VEHICLE TOWED 130 MILES BACK TO DEALER LOCATION. TOLD BY DEALER THE DEFECTIVE BOLT WAS DUE TO RECENT HEAD GASKET WORK AND HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THIS BOLT FAILING OR THE SAFETY RECALL THAT HAD BEEN ISSUED. *LA

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING . CONSUMER HAD NO CONTROL OVER VEHICLE. AFTER COMING TO A STOP CONSUMER NOTICED THAT PULLEY FELL OFF. DEALER DETERMINED THAT CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT DETACHED, CAUSING $900.00 DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER STATED THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED BY THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BOLT RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK