IllustrationTHE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER WAS NOT OPERATING ON THE DRIVER SIDE. *JB
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.
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
80–25K
325–50K
450–75K
475–100K
6100–150K
7150K+
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
What owners actually said
39 reportsTHE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOP LIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE IT SOMETIMES ROLLS BACKWARDS AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL. *AK *NM
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE REAR RIGHT WINDOW BROKE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINEDTHAT HEAT CAUSED THE WINDOW TO BREAK. *AK
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
WHILE DRIVING AND COMING TO COMPLETE STOP AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SHIFT PROPERLY FROM THE FIRST TO THE SECOND GEAR. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE SIDE WALL. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *NLM WHEN THE TIRE WAS TAKEN TO FIRESTONE THEY DETERMINED THAT THE TIRE HAD A FLAT BUT THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS NOT A FLAT TIRE BECAUSE IT EXPLODED. *CB *JB
MY VEHICLE IS LEAKING RAW FUEL IN MY DRIVEWAY.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT THE VEHICLE ALWAYS SWAYED TO THE RIGHT. THE DEALER REPLACED MANY PARTS BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK THE VEHICLE ALSO MADE NOISE WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPS AND WHILE MAKING TURNS. WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT PASSENGER AXLE AND WHEEL HU…
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WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT THE VEHICLE ALWAYS SWAYED TO THE RIGHT. THE DEALER REPLACED MANY PARTS BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK THE VEHICLE ALSO MADE NOISE WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPS AND WHILE MAKING TURNS. WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT PASSENGER AXLE AND WHEEL HUB BROKE. THE 4X4 HI LIGHT WAS FLASHING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SHIFTER SWITCH. *NLM
AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE WAS CAUSING ALL ELECTRICAL OPERATED COMPONENTS TO MALFUNCTION OR INOPERATIVE. FOR EXAMPLE, AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS/INTERIOR LIGHTS/RADIO AND ETC. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED ALTHOUGH VEHICLE HAD BEEN SERVICED SEVERAL TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM.*AK
Official recalls
204V428000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.