IllustrationTHE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND IDLING. I WAS IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT WHEN A FIRE BROKE OUT AND THE FLAMES CAUSED ME SEVERE BURNS TO MY BODY. I WAS NEARLY ASPHYXIATED. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *TR
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
Unknown Or Other complaints
2 reports1 - THIS JUST STARTED HAPPENING, NO ACCIDENT OR MISUSE. 2 - VEHICLE WILL NOT START AT TIMES AND MUST KEEP TURNING IGNITION, EVENTUALLY IT STATS. (CHANGED BATTERY, TERMINALS, WIRES, ETC, WITH NO AFFECT) ALARM GOES OFF SPORADICALLY OR SETS ON IT'S OWN. DOOR LOCKS UNLOCK, THEN IMMEDIATELY LOCK BACK. WINDOWS ARE NOT GOING UP …
Read full complaint
1 - THIS JUST STARTED HAPPENING, NO ACCIDENT OR MISUSE. 2 - VEHICLE WILL NOT START AT TIMES AND MUST KEEP TURNING IGNITION, EVENTUALLY IT STATS. (CHANGED BATTERY, TERMINALS, WIRES, ETC, WITH NO AFFECT) ALARM GOES OFF SPORADICALLY OR SETS ON IT'S OWN. DOOR LOCKS UNLOCK, THEN IMMEDIATELY LOCK BACK. WINDOWS ARE NOT GOING UP CORRECTLY AND ARE TILTING SLIGHTLY CAUSING A SMALL AIR LEAK ON BOTH FRONT WINDOWS. ALL PROBLEMS ARE ANNOYING BUT I CAN STILL GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B. THIS HAPPENS EVERY DAY.*AK
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.