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2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Oct 21, 2015
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
20%
of 54 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
9
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
11

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming airbag

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

AirbagsElectrical
Filed Oct 21, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT. WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED LEFT OR RIGHT AT A CERTAIN ANGLE, THE HORN OF THE VEHICLE ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT AN UNKNOWN MODULE RELATED TO THE AIR BAG AND A RELAY SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE RELAY SWITCH WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.

NHTSA ID
10785008
Incident
Sep 20, 2015
Mileage
155,000 mi
AirbagsElectrical
Filed Dec 21, 2013

2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT; THE CAR HORN/ALARM GOES OFF USUALLY WHEN A DROP OF TEMPERATURE OCCURS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. TO FIX ... HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL OF THE AIR BAG AND THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. VERY EXPENSIVE FOR A MECHANIC, OVER $1200. I HAVE TO UNHOOK MY BATTERY EVERY NIGHT AND ON COLDER DAYS. RESEARCHING ONLINE.....A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE DISABLING THE HORN/ALARM SYSTEM AND DRIVING WITHOUT HORNS. OR THEY ARE TAMPERING WITH THE AIR BAG TO TRY AND FIX. IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM....... TODAY I COULD NOT DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE EVERY TIME I HOOKED THE BATTERY CABLE BACK UP THE HORN STAYED ON. I AM CONSIDERING DISABLING THE HORN ALTOGETHER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10556927
Incident
Jan 19, 2012
Mileage
125,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 29, 2010
Crash reported1 injury reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED IT AND PUSHED IT INTO THREE OTHER VEHICLES. THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG PARTIALLY DEPLOYED BUT THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AT ALL. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MULTIPLE INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 122,785.

NHTSA ID
10368103
Incident
Nov 9, 2010
Mileage
122,785 mi
Airbags
Filed Apr 26, 2010
Crash reported1 injury reported

I WAS IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT AND HIT A CAR IN IT'S SIDE. I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE ALSO ROLLED ON IT'S LEFT SIDE AFTER IMPACT. I WAS THE ONLY FRONT PASSENGER. MY AIRBAG NEVER DEPLOYED. MY HEAD ENDED UP HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10327616
Incident
Nov 14, 2009
Mileage
127,871 mi
Airbags
Filed Aug 21, 2008
Crash reported1 injury reported

I WAS A PASSENGER IN A 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO AND WE WERE HIT HEAD ON DOING 40+ ON THE HIGHWAY. NEITHER FRONT AIRBAG DEPLOYED. I FRACTURED MY HUMOROUS REQUIRING SURGERY FOR THE INSTALLATION OF HARDWARE TO MEND THE BONE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10239122
Incident
Mar 30, 2008
Mileage
50,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 19, 2007
Crash reported2 injuries reported1 death reported

MY HUSBAND AND I WERE IN A SUV ROLLOVER ACCIDENT IN MAY 4, 2006. OUR VEHICLE WAS REAR-ENDED BY ANOTHER SUV AND ULTIMATELY INVOLVED FOUR (4) VEHICLES TOTAL. THE AIRBAGS IN OUR VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY AND MY HUSBAND DIED LATER FROM COMPLICATIONS INDUCED BY INTERNAL BLEEDING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10212380
Incident
May 4, 2006
Airbags
Filed Sep 13, 2007
Crash reported1 injury reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT'S WIFE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT AND SHE LUNGED FORWARD INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. HIS WIFE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO HER ARM, FACE, AND CHEST. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MAJOR FRONT END DAMAGE. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 68,000.

NHTSA ID
10202910
Incident
Sep 12, 2007
Mileage
68,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Feb 12, 2007
Crash reported2 injuries reported

MY FAMILY AND I WERE INVOLVED IN A FOUR-CAR PILE UP. WE REAR-ENDED A 4RUNNER AT 45 MPH AND THE FRONT AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. HUSBAND HAS SEVERE BACK TROUBLE AND I SUFFER NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN. *NM

NHTSA ID
10182309
Incident
Feb 10, 2007
Airbags
Filed Dec 14, 2006
Crash reported1 injury reported

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT IMPACT CRASH, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, BUT MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED TO THE BACK AND NECK. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE POLICE WERE ON THE SCENE, AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.

NHTSA ID
10176137
Incident
Oct 30, 2006
Mileage
100,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Sep 30, 2003
Crash reported1 injury reported

AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA ID
10040988
Incident
Sep 28, 2003
Mileage
28,550 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 31, 2002
Crash reported

I OWN A 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO, IT HAS BEEN IN 2 SEVERE HEAD ON IMPACTS, ONE AT OVER 35MPH.....NEITHER TIME HAS THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE CONTACTED MITSUBISHI, THEY MAINTAIN THE AIRBAGS HAVE WORKED PROPERLY, HOW THEY DETERMINE THIS, I DO NOT KNOW. THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT.

NHTSA ID
10000656
Incident
Oct 21, 2002
Mileage
9,500 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .