IllustrationAFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR 49 DAYS THE OIL PLUG CAME OUT, ALL THE OIL FELLOUT OF THE CAR AND ENGINE LOCKED, DEALER SAYS IT IS NOT COVERED MY WARRANTY*AK
1997 Mitsubishi Montero
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Mitsubishi Montero do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 20.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Montero 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: 11 of 63 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 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports4 fire reports4 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
17 reportsENGINE LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED AND NEVER GOES OFF, ON ONE OCCASION WHEN THE BATTERY WAS FAILED, THE LIGHT WENT OFF. *SLC
MY SUV ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS HAS STALLED WHEN VEHICLE COMES TO STOP. ON ONE OCCASION, MY WIFE WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STANDSTILL-WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. ON EACH OCCASION, WE WERE ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WITHOUT PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, WITH THE VEHICLE STALLING UPON ACCELERATING FROM STANDSTILL IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTIO…
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MY SUV ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS HAS STALLED WHEN VEHICLE COMES TO STOP. ON ONE OCCASION, MY WIFE WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STANDSTILL-WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. ON EACH OCCASION, WE WERE ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WITHOUT PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, WITH THE VEHICLE STALLING UPON ACCELERATING FROM STANDSTILL IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION COULD PROVE TO BE VERY DANGEROUL!!!!!!!!!!!
ENTIRE FAN AND CLUTCH ASSEMBLY. SHEARED OFF WHILE I WAS TRAVELING IN INTER CITY TRAFFIC, IF THIS FAILURE WOULD HAVE OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY THIS ASSEMBLY COULD HAVE DAMAGED EITHER THE STEERING, FUEL OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE LOCAL DEALER AND FACTORY REPRESENTATIVES HAVE REVIEWED AND COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THI…
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ENTIRE FAN AND CLUTCH ASSEMBLY. SHEARED OFF WHILE I WAS TRAVELING IN INTER CITY TRAFFIC, IF THIS FAILURE WOULD HAVE OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY THIS ASSEMBLY COULD HAVE DAMAGED EITHER THE STEERING, FUEL OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE LOCAL DEALER AND FACTORY REPRESENTATIVES HAVE REVIEWED AND COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS IS JUST A FAILURE DUE TO MILEAGE. IF THIS IS THE CASE THERE POTENTIALLY ARE MANY VEHICLES OF THIS TYPE THAT MAY EXPERIENCE THE SAME FAILURE. *AK
ON CERTAIN OCCASIONS WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, ENGINE STALLS, AND VEHICLE HAS TO SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES IN ORDER TO BE STARTED AGAIN. DEALER CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 17 TIMES WITHIN A YEAR. IT WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW. THE MAJOR PROBLEMS WE HAVE WITH IT ARE THE WHEEN BEARING, AIRCONDITIONING AND THE ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN WITH NO WARNING. WHEN WE TAKE IT IN EITHER THEY SAY THEY CANT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. WITH THE WHEEL BEARING, THEY FIXED IT THE FIRST TIME. IT S…
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THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 17 TIMES WITHIN A YEAR. IT WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW. THE MAJOR PROBLEMS WE HAVE WITH IT ARE THE WHEEN BEARING, AIRCONDITIONING AND THE ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN WITH NO WARNING. WHEN WE TAKE IT IN EITHER THEY SAY THEY CANT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. WITH THE WHEEL BEARING, THEY FIXED IT THE FIRST TIME. IT STARTED TO LEAK AGAIN AND THEY SAID THAT IT WASNT THE WHEEL BEARING.
BRAKES/EXHAUST/CRANCASE EMISSION CONTROL DEVICES AND CUP HOLDER FAILED.
Official recalls
298V220000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Sep 9, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE FRONT BRAKE LINES CAN DEVELOP PIN HOLES DUE TO CHAFFING AGAINST THE EDGE OF THE PASS-THROUGH HOLE IN THE INNER FENDER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: BRAKE FLUID CAN LEAK RESULTING IN DETERIORATED BRAKING PERFORMANCE AND ILLUMINATION OF THE BRAKE INDICATOR LAMP.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FRONT BRAKE LINES FOR SIGNS OF WEAR AND ROUTING. IF THE LINES ARE NOT CORRECTLY CENTERED IN THE PASS-THROUGH HOLE, THE LINES WILL BE REPOSITIONED BY BENDING SLIGHTLY TO CORRECT. IF THERE IS EVIDENCE OF BRAKE LINE WEAR, THE BRAKE LINE 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 ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.