IllustrationENGINE STALLED AT STOP LIGHT. MECHANIC FOUND A BUTTERFLY SCREW ON THE PLENUM MANIFOLD CAME OFF AND FELL INTO ENGINE, PART NO MD 3359040, CAUSED $ 4000 DAMAGE. DEALER HAD TO TIGHTEN AND USE LOCK TIGHT SCREWS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. *SLC
1996 Mitsubishi Montero
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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: 2 of 27 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 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. 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.
0 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
27 reportsBACK DOOR HINGES HAVE RUSTED. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND WILL REPLACE HINGES. *AK
ABS BRAKING SYSTEM WAS NOT OPERABLE AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON DASHBOARD. BRAKES MADE GRINDING AND STREAKING NOISES. ALSO, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION. DEALER STATED THAT THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE OF INTERFERENCE IN THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE CAUSED BY CELL PHONE USE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARS TO BE MALFUNCTIONING. AUTO HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT/SRS LIGHT REPEATEDLY. THE COMPUTER READING STATES TO REPLACE VARIOUS SENSORS. SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON. PROBLEM IS PERPLEXING SERVICE MECHANICS -VEHICLE OWNER FEARFUL SRS MAY N…
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ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARS TO BE MALFUNCTIONING. AUTO HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT/SRS LIGHT REPEATEDLY. THE COMPUTER READING STATES TO REPLACE VARIOUS SENSORS. SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON. PROBLEM IS PERPLEXING SERVICE MECHANICS -VEHICLE OWNER FEARFUL SRS MAY NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. VEHICLE IN SERVICE OVER 7 WEEKS.
THERE WERE THREE MANUFACTURER'S RECALLS. IT HAS BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE THEY WERE ISSUED, AND MANUFACTURER HASN'T COMPLIED WITH THEM UP TO THIS DATE. *AK
OUR CENTURY "SMART MOVE" INFANT/TODDLER CARSEAT DID NOT INSTALL SECURELY. IT WOBBLED & DID NOT FIT IN THE MIDDLE BACK SEAT CORRECTLY - IT BLOCKED OUR VIEW OUT OF THE BACK WINDOW. WE ENDED UP EXCHANGING IT FOR THE FISHER PRICE CARSEAT, AND LIKE IT MUCH BETTER. A FRIEND OF MINE ALSO RETURNED HER "SMARTMOVE" FOR THE SAME REASON…
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OUR CENTURY "SMART MOVE" INFANT/TODDLER CARSEAT DID NOT INSTALL SECURELY. IT WOBBLED & DID NOT FIT IN THE MIDDLE BACK SEAT CORRECTLY - IT BLOCKED OUR VIEW OUT OF THE BACK WINDOW. WE ENDED UP EXCHANGING IT FOR THE FISHER PRICE CARSEAT, AND LIKE IT MUCH BETTER. A FRIEND OF MINE ALSO RETURNED HER "SMARTMOVE" FOR THE SAME REASON.
1996 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SEEMS PRONE TO PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR, IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE PADS AT 17,000 MILES, 30,000, AND IT APPEARS REPLACEMENT WILL AGAIN BE NECESSARY AT 40,000 MILES.
TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD. MANUFACTURER SAID IT'S AN EMISSION PROBLEM. INFORMED IT'S NORMAL. TAKES TOO LONG TO WARM UP BEFORE SHIFTING. *AK
WHEN STOPPING THE VEHICLE MAKES A VERY ROUGH STOP. OWNER BELIEVES THAT HE CAN SEE BRAKE FLUID ON THE FRONT WHEELS. THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE WITHIN A TWO YEAR PERIOD. THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR HAS TO BE REPLENISHED EVERY FEW THOUSAND MILES. DEALER NOT ABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM. OWNER CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE BRAKE PROBLE…
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WHEN STOPPING THE VEHICLE MAKES A VERY ROUGH STOP. OWNER BELIEVES THAT HE CAN SEE BRAKE FLUID ON THE FRONT WHEELS. THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE WITHIN A TWO YEAR PERIOD. THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR HAS TO BE REPLENISHED EVERY FEW THOUSAND MILES. DEALER NOT ABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM. OWNER CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE BRAKE PROBLEMS. *AK
Official recalls
200V311001 · 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.
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.