Most common 1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport problems
Share of the 35 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mitsubishi Montero Sport complaints by model year
Best Montero Sport years: 2004, 1997, 2003. Years to avoid: 2000, 2001, 2002. Compare all years →
1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
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.
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…
What 1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport owners say
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 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. …
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. …
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 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.
Battery exploded when consumer started vehicle, battery acid scattered over the entire engine and the impact of the exploding battery cells dented the hood cracking the exterior paint, battery was a 60 mo Mitsubishi diamond care, serial no a993fb1x02, 525 cca grp 24, consumer is requesting reimbursement.
Steering
During my drive to work at esm marketing, I was driving on i95 in broward county florida, and got off on cypress creek road and I was attempting to make a left hand turn and when I turned my steering wheel, the wheels did not move. The front end of the steering left me unble to control or manipulate my vehicle. I landed on a median strip, magically back out of the median and made my way to a shell gas station. I had the gentlemen look at the car and he stated to me that "you must have a guardian angel cause I don't know how you suvived the stop". I had my mechanic come to my car and repair this damage and he stated that same thing. " in all the 16 years as a mechanic he never say anything like this before. He repair the front end. Apparently, the Mitsubishi front end streering wheel part where the part twisted into the sleeve of the front end was stripped. …
00 v 311 001/crankshaft pulley: recall repairs failure from schaefer, strohminger Dodge; fallston, md; phone # 410/893-6343. Repairs made on February 22, 2001, and on above incident date vehicle lost power steering assist while driving due to pulley failure. Dealer was notified. Feel free to provide any further information on this matter.
1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 20 / 23 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 20 / 18 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 19 / 17 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 19 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport a good car?
Based on 35 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Montero Sport rates average: 19% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Montero Sport at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport?
The engine & cooling — 14 complaints, 40% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the electrical system (4) and steering (4).
How many recalls does the 1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport have?
There is 1 recall for the 1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport, the most recent from October 2, 2000 (engine). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mitsubishi Montero Sport?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2004, 1997 and 2003. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000, 2001 and 2002. See the full Mitsubishi Montero Sport years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 152,000 miles; 0% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.