IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 30 MPH DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS. BUT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. ALSO, DRIVER NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK
2000 Mitsubishi Montero
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2000 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: 5 of 51 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports1 fire reports5 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
5 reportsVEHICLE HAS STALLED 3 TIMES. DEALER STATED IT WAS DUE TO A BLOWN FUSE. FUSE WAS REPLACED, BUT DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK
CONSUMER HEARD CHATTERING NOISES, DEALER FOUND TIMING BELT AND IDLER, AND TENSIONER PULLEY WERE CAUSE OF NOISE, DEALER REPLACED ALL THREE COMPONENTS. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *YH
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.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONSUMER WITHOUT PROPERLY REPAIRING. WHILE DRIVING, THE CRANK SHAFT FELL OFF AN…
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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.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONSUMER WITHOUT PROPERLY REPAIRING. WHILE DRIVING, THE CRANK SHAFT FELL OFF AND THE CONUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *YH
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…
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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. I HEARD A CLICK AND THE MOTOR DIED DOWN AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR. I HAVE A NUMBER OF WITNESSES WHO SAW ME PULL IN. I HAVE A VERY GOOD DRIVING RECORD AND I AM 49 YEARS OLD. BY THE POLICE SUGGESTIONS I HAD THE VECHILDE TOWED TO A TOWING PLACE UNTIL I COULD CONTACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY. I CONTACTED LIBERTY MUTUAL. I ASKED THEM TO HAVE THE CAR INSPECTED BEFORE THEY TOWED IT TO MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP IN CHARLESTON.THEY WERE ON AN OFF ABOUT THIS FOR SEVERAL DAYS THEN THEY SAID IT HAD TO GO TO THE DEALERSHIP, THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE A PLACE THAT COULD CHECK IT OUT. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WENT OVER IT. I WAS TOLD BY THE MANAGER IT COULD BE MANY THINGS BUT WHEN THEY CHECKED IT OUT, EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. THE MANGER SAID IT COULD BE AIR FLOW FROM THE COMPUTER THAT IS SHOT INTO DIFFFERENT SYSYTEMS, BUT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE. LIBERTY MUTUAL THEN SENT SOMEONE OUT. WHY THEY DIDN'T DO THIS BEFORE, I DON'T KNOW. THEIR ENGINEER LOOKED OVER EVERYTHING WITH MITSUBISHI AND GUESS WHAT NOTHING IS WRONG WITH IT. WRONG! 7 MONTHS BETWEEN THE INCIDENCES. WHEN WILL BE THE NEXT TIME??? MITSUBISHI SAYS I HAVE TO TAKE A LEASED CAR BAC
Official recalls
220V035000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
Jan 23, 2020
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 1998-2000 Montero vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Remedy: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 25, 2021. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-20-001.
04V428000 · Equipment:other:labels
Sep 1, 2004
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Remedy: MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL CURRENT 2000-2004 NATIVA OWNERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG ALERT LABELS FOR THE SUN VISORS. THIS RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH OR APRIL 2005. THE NOTIFICATION TO THE NATIVA OWNERS IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL OR MAY 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-787-251-8715.
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.