Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Mitsubishi Montero, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic46
- Service brakes21
- Engine and engine cooling8
- Air bags7
- Electrical system7
- Power train5
- Structure5
- Unknown or other4
- Steering3
- Fuel system, other3
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 8 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 3 2002 Montero vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 2 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2002 Mitsubishi Montero failed the safety check 0.53% of the time — 74% less often than the average 2002 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 134,048 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 2002 Mitsubishi Montero.
| 2004255 19 Jul 2004 | Fuel System On certain vehicles, when the fuel tank is full and the vehicle is parked forward on an upward slope, the fuel tank leveling valve may not maintain proper seali… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE ACCUMULATOR THAT IS INSTALLED ON THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, THIS COULD RESULT IN LEAKAGE OF THE PRESSURIZED NITROGEN GAS FROM INSIDE THE ACCUMULATOR.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Mitsubishi told its dealers about the 2002 Mitsubishi Montero: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637156 | BULLETIN REVIEW REGARDING TSB-02-52A-001 CONTAINING HEATED / POWER SEAT CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS AND DESCRIPTIONS - SERVICE MANUAL REVISION. *T |
| 637148 | BULLETIN REVIEW REGARDING TSB-02-35-002 ADDING REAR BRAKE PAD SHIMS TO SERVICE PROCEDURES. *TT |
| 637141 | BULLETIN REVIEW REGARDING TSB-02-13-004 CORRECTING THE BACKUP POWER SUPPLY CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS FOR THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM). *TT |
| 637126 | SUBJECT REGARDING INOPERATIVE SPEEDOMETER AFTER REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 637118 | INFORMATION REGARDING SUNROOF OPERATION.*TT |
| 637078 | BRIEF INFORMATION ON DIAGNOSING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0441. *TT |
| 636978 | BULLETIN REVIEW TSB-02-55-004 REGARDING AIR CONDITIONER REFRIGERANT QUANTITY - SERIVCE MANUAL REVISION. *TT |
| 636960 | BULLETIN REVIEW TSB-02-13-011 REGARDING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0441 DIAGNOSIS - SERVICE MANUAL REVISION. *TT |
| 636861 | BULLETIN REVIEW REGARDING TSB-02-52A-002 - PROVIDES INSTRUCTIONS FOR ELIMINATING INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE SIDE DOOR TRIM AND AIR VENT TRIM WHICH CAUSES SCUFFING OF THE TRIM PIECES. *TT |
| 636851 | SERVICE REVIEW REGARDING TSB-02-13-014 - FUEL TANK DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE SENSOR - SERVICE MANUAL REVISION. *TT |
| 636849 | SERVICE REVIEW REGARDING TSB-02-11-004 - ENGINE DIESEL NOISE AT IDLE. *TT |
| 636825 | ON SOME VEHICLES, CUSTOMERS MAY FIND THAT WHEN PROGRAMMING THE RKE ANSWERBACK FUNCTION THE DESIRED FUNCTION CHANGE MAY NOT TAKE PLACE. *TT |
| 635131 | SUBJECT REGARDING AIR CONDITIONER REFRIGERANT QUANTITY - SERVICE MANUAL REVISION. *TT |
| 635121 | SUBJECT REGARDING BALL JOINT END PLAY CHECK PROCEDURES - SERVICE MANUAL REVISION. *TT |
| 635113 | SUBJECT REGARDING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0441 EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL INCORRECT PURGE FLOW DIAGNOSIS - SERVICE MANUAL REVISION. *TT |
| 635103 | ON SOME VEHICLES THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR TRIM MAY INTEFERE WITH THE AIR VENT TRIM WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED. *TT |
| 635101 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF A TRANSMISSION WHIRLING / WHINING AND / OR EXHAUST NOISE THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS COMING FROM THE FRONT FLOOR CONSOLE AREA OR THE CENTER DASH VENTS NEAR THE RADIO. *TT |
| 635092 | SUBJECT REGARDING FUEL TANK DIFFERENTIALPRESSURE SENSOR - SERVICE MANUAL REVISION. *TT |
| 634745 | SUBJECT REGARDING ENGINE DIESEL NOISE AT IDLE. *JG |
| 634614 | SUBJECT REGARDING IMMOBILIZER KEY CHECK. *JG |
| 634586 | SUBJECT REGARDING SPARE TIRE AND COVER INSTALLATION AND PRE DELIVERY INSPECTION UPDATE. *JG |
| 634579 | SUBJECT REGARDING ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT CONNECTOR IDENTIFICATION. *JG |
| 634572 | SUBJECT REGARDING CORRECTED POWER WINDOW MOTOR INSTALLATION INFORMATION. *JG |
| 634556 | SUBJECT REGARDING CORRECTED WHEEL NUT TIGHTENING TORQUE AND SPARE TIRE MOUNT INSTRUCTIONS. *JG |
| 632195 | SUBJECT REGARDING REAR BRAKE PAD SHIMS. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
BRAKE BOOSTER ACCUMULATOR FAILURE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation