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2003 Mitsubishi Montero

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2003 Mitsubishi Montero do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 20.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

32 reports with mileage · 7 unknown

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 →
  • Power Train. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

Fuel System, Gasoline complaints

4 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 1, 2005
Fuel System, GasolineFire

PREVIOUSLY REPORTED SIMILAR PROBLEM IN NOV. 2004 (REFERENCE NO. 10101312) FUEL LEAKAGE, ACCELERATION/POWER LOSS AT CRITICAL TIMES OF HIGHWAY TRAVEL. SUV IS NOW PARKED DUE FUELING SYSTEM PROBLEMS AND UNRELIABILITY. SUV WAS REPAIRED AT FAZELI MISUBISHI 11/2004. EVEN AFTER KNOW RECALL (PURPORTED) CORRECTLY VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SAM…

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PREVIOUSLY REPORTED SIMILAR PROBLEM IN NOV. 2004 (REFERENCE NO. 10101312) FUEL LEAKAGE, ACCELERATION/POWER LOSS AT CRITICAL TIMES OF HIGHWAY TRAVEL. SUV IS NOW PARKED DUE FUELING SYSTEM PROBLEMS AND UNRELIABILITY. SUV WAS REPAIRED AT FAZELI MISUBISHI 11/2004. EVEN AFTER KNOW RECALL (PURPORTED) CORRECTLY VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SAME PROBLEM. SUV FAILED AGAIN WHILE ON FAMILY VACATION, LOSS OF ACCELERATION AND POWER BEGAN TO OCCUR, ENGINE BEGAN TO COUGH AND SPUTTER (EVEN WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS), GAS GAUGE AND DIGITAL FUEL MILEAGE INDICATOR MALFUNCTIONED. SUV WAS EVENTUALLY PARKED AT A LOCATION, WHILE PARKED FUEL APPARENTLY HAD LEAKED FROM THE FUEL TANK OR OTHER COMPARTMENT... FIRE ERUPTED WHILE WE WERE PARKED ON SIDE OF (HWY 10- ALABAMA) I WAS ATTEMPTING TO LIGHT A FLARE TO INDICATE TO PASSING MOTORIST THAT WE WERE STRANDED IN THE ROAD. DESTROYED BY THE FLAMES WERE CLOTHING, LAP TOP COMPUTER, MEDICATION, CHILDREN TOYS AND ELECTRONIC GAMES, AND RELIGIOUS EFFECTS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10130868

Mileage unknown · Nov 18, 2004
Fuel System, Gasoline

CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT NEAREST DEALER FOR SERVICE ON RECALL. WHEN DEALER WAS CONTACTED, THEY REFERRED HIM BACK TO THE MANUFACTURER. WHEN CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER HE WAS TOLD TO CALL BACK, THEY AGAIN REFERRED CONSUMER TO DEALER. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER STILL DID NOT HAVE VEHICLE REPAIRE…

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CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT NEAREST DEALER FOR SERVICE ON RECALL. WHEN DEALER WAS CONTACTED, THEY REFERRED HIM BACK TO THE MANUFACTURER. WHEN CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER HE WAS TOLD TO CALL BACK, THEY AGAIN REFERRED CONSUMER TO DEALER. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER STILL DID NOT HAVE VEHICLE REPAIRED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10101312

Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 2004
Fuel System, Gasoline

IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL NOTIFICATION: SR-04-008 *BF THE CONSUMER TOOK HIS VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE ON THE RECALL ISSUE AND WAS TOLD IT COULD NOT BE SERVICED AT THE ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP LOCATION BUT HAD TO BE TAKEN TWO HOURS AWAY TO AN UNRELATED DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE AND TIME. RECALL ISSUE DEALS WITH THE FU…

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IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL NOTIFICATION: SR-04-008 *BF THE CONSUMER TOOK HIS VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE ON THE RECALL ISSUE AND WAS TOLD IT COULD NOT BE SERVICED AT THE ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP LOCATION BUT HAD TO BE TAKEN TWO HOURS AWAY TO AN UNRELATED DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE AND TIME. RECALL ISSUE DEALS WITH THE FUEL TANK LEVELING VALVE NOT MAINTAINING PROPER SEALING. FUEL MAY LEAK TO THE GROUND WHEN TANK IS ON FULL. THE RECALL STATED THAT GASOLINE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE. *TC *SC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10095315

26,000 miles · Jul 12, 2004
Fuel System, GasolineFuel System, Other

HESITATION AND STALLING BETWEEN 0-45 MPH AT SLIGHTLY ABOVE 3/4 FULL TANK OF GAS. VEHICLE LEAKS SUBSTANTIAL QUANTITY OF FUEL WHEN PARKED ON INCLINE AT SLIGHTLY ABOVE 3/4 TANK OF GAS. IN ADDITION, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT FILLING PROPERLY AT THE GAS PUMP (PUMP CONTINUALLY SHUT OFF AS IF TANK WERE FULL EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT). THESE…

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HESITATION AND STALLING BETWEEN 0-45 MPH AT SLIGHTLY ABOVE 3/4 FULL TANK OF GAS. VEHICLE LEAKS SUBSTANTIAL QUANTITY OF FUEL WHEN PARKED ON INCLINE AT SLIGHTLY ABOVE 3/4 TANK OF GAS. IN ADDITION, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT FILLING PROPERLY AT THE GAS PUMP (PUMP CONTINUALLY SHUT OFF AS IF TANK WERE FULL EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT). THESE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH OUR 2002 MONTERO WHICH WAS RETURNED TO MITSUBISHI THROUGH THE LEMON LAW. THESE PROBLEMS BEGAN AT 26,000 MILES, PROBLEMS OCCURRED WITH OTHER VEHICLE STARTING AT 9,000 MILES. IN THE 2003, THEY HAVE REPLACED THE ROLLOVER VALVE (CRACKED). *LA

NHTSA ODI #10080910

Official recalls

2

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.

04V319000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage

Jul 6, 2004

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS FULL AND THE VEHICLE IS PARKED FACING FORWARD ON AN UPWARD SLOPE, THE FUEL TANK LEVELING VALVE MAY NOT MAINTAIN PROPER SEALING IN THE EVENT THE FUEL EXPANDS FROM A RISE IN THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE FUEL LEVELING VALVE DOES NOT SEAL PROPERLY, FUEL MAY LEAK ONTO THE GROUND. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEVELING VALVE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 30, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-800-222-0037 OR 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.