IllustrationON JULY 2002, AT 65,378 MILES DEALER REPLACED THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION. 2 YEAR LATER, DEALERSHIP INDICATED TO THE CONSUMER THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *AK
1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 33.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Montero Sport 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: 16 of 35 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 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. 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.
5 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
35 reportsWHILE DRIVING 70 MPH HARMONIC BALANCE ASSEMBLY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BOLT BROKE WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH LEFT FRONT WHEEL WOULD LOCK. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC INDICATED THAT ROTORS/PADS P AND CALIPERS NEEDED REPLACING. HAD PADS/CALIPERS AND ROTOR REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED.*AK
WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE DOOR MADE A LOUD ROARING NOISE AS IF THE DOOR WAS SLIGHTLY OPEN. *JB
MAKE: MITSUBISHI MODEL: MONTERO SPORT XLS YEAR: 1998 SUV WAS TOTAL LOSS DUE TO OUT OF CONTROL AND ROLLED OVER. *N LM
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…
Read full complaint
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. *AK
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. *SLC *ET
SINCE THE STEREO IS LOCATED BELOW THE CUP HOLDER INSERT, IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO ADJUST SAFELY. THE 2000 MODEL TAKES CARE OF THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER 1990 VEHICLES ARE UNABLE TO GET THIS ITEM REPLACED. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAD THIS OPTION TO REVISE FOR CUSTOMER'S WANTING THE REPLACEMENT. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE ON FREEWAY HEARD A BANG THEN CAR STARTED RUNNING ROUGH, LOSING POWER STEERING, AND ENGINE DIED. MECHANIC SAID THAT CRANKSHAFT/ PULLEY FELL OFF , BOLT HAD SHEARED IN HALF. *AK
Official recalls
100V311001 · 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.
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.