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1996 Mitsubishi Montero

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Mitsubishi Montero do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 20.5.

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 →
27Owner complaints

Model-year median: 20.5

2Recall 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

1996 Mitsubishi Montero

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 27 owner complaints · 2 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: 10 reports
  • Unknown Or Other: 6 reports
  • Power Train: 4 reports
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 4 reports
  • Steering: 4 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
14
199331
199486
199527
199663
199774
199840
1999
Compare all Montero years →

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

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
10Unknown Or Other
6Power Train
4Service Brakes, Hydraulic
4Steering
4
All reported categories
Equipment
2Structure
2Child Seat
1Electrical System
1Seats
1Vehicle Speed Control
1Visibility
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: 2 of 27 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 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. 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.

0 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Child Seat complaints

1 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 10, 1999
Child Seat

OUR CENTURY "SMART MOVE" INFANT/TODDLER CARSEAT DID NOT INSTALL SECURELY. IT WOBBLED & DID NOT FIT IN THE MIDDLE BACK SEAT CORRECTLY - IT BLOCKED OUR VIEW OUT OF THE BACK WINDOW. WE ENDED UP EXCHANGING IT FOR THE FISHER PRICE CARSEAT, AND LIKE IT MUCH BETTER. A FRIEND OF MINE ALSO RETURNED HER "SMARTMOVE" FOR THE SAME REASON…

Read full complaint

OUR CENTURY "SMART MOVE" INFANT/TODDLER CARSEAT DID NOT INSTALL SECURELY. IT WOBBLED & DID NOT FIT IN THE MIDDLE BACK SEAT CORRECTLY - IT BLOCKED OUR VIEW OUT OF THE BACK WINDOW. WE ENDED UP EXCHANGING IT FOR THE FISHER PRICE CARSEAT, AND LIKE IT MUCH BETTER. A FRIEND OF MINE ALSO RETURNED HER "SMARTMOVE" FOR THE SAME REASON.

NHTSA ODI #704256

Recall campaigns

2

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.

98V205000 · Unknown Or Other

Sep 2, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ACCESSORY CARGO MATS IN THE THIRD-SEAT AND CARGO AREA. THIS CARGO MAT INTERFERES WITH THE LATCHING INTEGRITY OF THE FOLDING THIRD SEATS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, AN OCCUPANT OF THE THIRD SEAT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED AND COULD BE EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE THIRD-SEAT LATCH AND STRIKER. A RECTANGLE WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CARGO MAT AROUND EACH STRIKER TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE STRIKER CLEARANCE AND PROPER LATCHING.

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.