Engine complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Mitsubishi Montero. The contact stated that the check engine warning light remained illuminated when the vehicle was purchased from the dealer. The contact stated that the vehicle had a strong hesitation as the failure progressed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
I was driving my 2003 Mitsubishi to work on February 5,2007, at 6:30 a.m. When, all at once I heard a groaning noise and the oil pressure light came on and the "engine failure" light also came on. The steering wheel became stiffened and just luckily I was close enough to an auto repair station/wrecker service to coast into. I called my boyfriend to come and take me to work,and he then called the Mitsubishi "roadside service" number to tow it to the closest dealership to have it looked at and repaired. Later that day he called to see what the problem was and for the next couple days,they tried to blame us for 1. Low oil 2.oil not changed often enough 3. "bad" oil. When we were able to prove that none of these were true-we even threatened to send the oil to have it "tested"(we use mobil 1) they said that they didn't have the oil anymore. …
I was driving home from work and notice my truck had died while slowing to make a right turn at a light..noticed the brake and battery light came on...I restarted the car then tried to make a quick left on my street and couldn't steer my car...I had to use all my strength to turn the steering wheel...had to make a hard turn because on coming traffic was coming and I couldn't speed up or really brake...luckily I made the turn coasted a bit heard a loud clacking under my hood coasted to side of road where I wouldn't be in middle of road...I lost all power steering...tried to crank it wouldn't start...looked up under hood didn't see anything...called my stepdad and mom we tried to give it a boost with cables didn't work...so looked under the car where the trap is noticed a fairly large bolt sheared in half and what I found out later to be the harmonic balancer and belt to it...pulled all …
I was driving my 2002 Mitsubishi Montero limited through town when out of the blue, the loudest noise started coming from the front of the engine. You could hear the noise from blocks down the road. Took it to a local mechanic who discovered a technical service bulletin that states, "some vehicles May experience a dieseling-type noise when the engine is idling. This May be due to the piston pins contacting the cylinders. Inspect the cylinders walls for evidence of scuffing." if this is the case, I'm looking at a new engine of upwards of $5,000 - plus the cost of towing it to the nearest dealer a five hour one-way drive from where I live. I bought the car at 59,500. It only has 72,000 miles now. I feel like I was sold a lemon! The car is inoperable right now. I still owe $13,000 on it. I'm so screwed!!!
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Mitsubishi Montero. While driving 35 MPH, the battery and brake indicators illuminated. In addition, the steering wheel seized and became difficult to turn. The failure occurred two times on different occasions. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the crank shaft guide pin fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic to be repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 225,000.
Engine replacement at 79K miles. February 04 I noticed a knocking sound coming from under the hood of the car. The Mitsubishi mechanic said it was coming from the engine but that he would just change the oil to see if that helped. The sales ticket said, no problem found . August 04 the knocking came back. On a trip the oil light came on but there was oil in the vehicle. We had the vehicle towed to Mitsubishi. The mechanic then confirmed that it was the engine. The pickup tube was clocked but the engine walls were clean. The result was to replace the engine. Mitsubishi would not cover the charges because it was pass the warranty mileage. No one can determine how the pickup tube was clogged with so much crud. However, Mitsubishi says that it does not matter if it was a defect in the pickup tube it was past the warranty.
In February, 2000, I had pulled up underneath my home. The car was in park when the motor excelled. I thought something must be wrong with the timing. I turned off the car. I didn't think any more about it until 9-20-2000 when the engine did it again. I was picking my child up from football practice I pulled into a parking place. The spaces are close together and you go into the parking area with your foot on the brake. I had pulled straight up in the space and was getting ready to put it in park when the motor excelled again. I braked as hard as I could but the car would not stop. I did not have my foot on the gas as Mitsubishi has suggested I might have done. I ran over a metal fence. I was headed toward a bleacher when I did a 90 degree turn and headed down a path. The only thing that was working was the steering. …
While driving heard noise coming from engine. Then, took vehicle to dealer, they found engine block was cracked. Also, discovered that heater core separated. Took vehicle back to dealer for two other problems. The vehicle was returned to the consumer without properly repairing. While driving, the crank shaft fell off and the conumer lost control of vehicle.
Related 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…
Frequently asked questions
Which Mitsubishi Montero years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1995 (36), 2001 (24), 1997 (17), 1996 (10) and 1998 (10) model years. Engine complaints make up 42% of all complaints for the 1995.
Is there a recall for Mitsubishi Montero engine problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 00V311001 (engine, Oct 2, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Mitsubishi Montero engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 108,000 miles; 21% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (46 mentions), followed by the engine › gasoline (19).
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.