1997 Mitsubishi Montero Owner Complaints

ON 5/31/14, MY 1997 MITSUBISHI MONTERO WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. WHEN I WENT TO GET INTO THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED A LARGE BURN IN THE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. AFTER CALLING MITSUBISHI, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME SINCE IT WAS STILL SMOLDERING AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. THEY BELIEVED IT TO BE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. AFTER MANY FOLLOW-UP CALLS TO MITSUBISHI, THEY BELIEVE IT WAS CAUSED BY WEAR AND TEAR SINCE THE CAR WAS 17 YEARS OLD. ALL OF THE COST TO FIX THE ISSUE WAS ON ME AS THE OWNER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10597034

Incident

May 31, 2014

Mileage

172,000 mi

1997 MITSUBISH MONTERO 3.5 LITER AUTOMATIC- CRANK SHAFT BOLT HAS COME OUT ON 5 SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND HAS COST OVER $3000 TO HAVE IT REPLACED. THE INSIDE OF THE CRANKSHAFT WHERE THE BOLT GOES IS COMPLETELY STRIPPED TO THE POINT I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE AS THIS APPEARS TO BE AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH ALL YEARS OF MONTEROS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS AND MITSUBISHI SHOULD COVER THE COST FOR THERE NEGLIGENCE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10396534

Incident

Apr 16, 2011

Mileage

270,000 mi

CRANKSHAFT PULLEY PIN/BOLT GETS SHEARED OFF. DASH LIGHTS COME ON AND VEHICLE POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING AS THE PUMP IS NOT TURNING BECAUSE THE PROBLEM AFFECT THE ENTIRE PULLEY SYSTEM. IT ALSO AFFECTS THE TIMING GEAR/BELT/HARMONIC BALANCER. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME IN AS MANY YEARS THIS HAS HAPPENED. THIS IS THE 2ND MECHANIC WHO HAS TOLD ME THAT IT'S AN ENGINE DEFECT BECAUSE THE PIN/BOLT IS TOO SHORT. THERE IS NO WARNING BEFORE IT HAPPENS. IT OCCURS UNDER NORMAL CITY DRIVING CONDITIONS AT LOW OR NO SPEED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10384572

Incident

May 12, 2009

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND IDLING. I WAS IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT WHEN A FIRE BROKE OUT AND THE FLAMES CAUSED ME SEVERE BURNS TO MY BODY. I WAS NEARLY ASPHYXIATED. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10326077

Incident

Jul 15, 2008

Mileage

61,505 mi

1997 MITSUBISHI MONTERO CRANKSHAFT PULLEY CAME LOOSE THREE TIMES WHICH CREATED NO POWER STEERING AND NO CHARGING OF THE BATTERY PURCHASED NEW CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BUT DID NOT HELP THE THIRD TIME INSTALLED A LOCK WASHER ON THE BOLT AND RE TORQUED TO SPEC LAST WEEK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10320369

Incident

Mar 5, 2008

Mileage

156,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

NHTSA ID

10240750

Incident

Jun 15, 2008

Mileage

190,000 mi

STARTED CAR, NOTICED 3 RANDOM LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THEN POWER STEERING WAS INTERMITTENT. THEN A/C WENT OUT AND WOULD NOT COOL DOWN. THEN POWER STEERING FAILED COMPLETELY. CAR WAS DRIVEN TO REPAIR SHOP NEARBY, SINCE NO LOCAL MITSUBISHI DEALER. MECHANIC FOUND CRANKSHAFT BOLT BROKEN THAT LED TO POWER STEERING AND A/C PULLEY NOT WORKING. INCIDENT LED TO NEAR LOSS OF CONTROL DURING TURNING , AS POWER STEERING WOULD "KICK" IN AT TIMES DURING CORNERING AND LEAD TO OVERSTEER. HAD TO CHANGE CRANKSHAFT BOLT, HARMONIC BALANCER, TIMING BELT GEAR, AND SOMETHING ELSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10196657

Incident

Jun 25, 2007

Mileage

134,990 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY AND BOLT BECAME DISCONNECTED. THIS OCCURRED TWICE.

NHTSA ID

10164861

Incident

Sep 26, 2005

Mileage

92,165 mi

1. BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS STAYED ON FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. CAR WAS CHECKED OUT AND ESTIMATED CHARGES FOR REPAIRS TO FRONT BRAKE, INCLUDING NEW ROTOR, WOULD BE $1000. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE RECALL FOR 1997 MONTEROS IN REGARD TO BRAKE LINES. *AK 2. SERVICE ENGINE SOON COMES ON AT RANDOM AND ONLY GOES OFF WHEN THE BATTERY IS UNHOOKED AND REHOOKED OR REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

10090429

Incident

Sep 1, 2004

Mileage

110,500 mi

1 - THIS JUST STARTED HAPPENING, NO ACCIDENT OR MISUSE. 2 - VEHICLE WILL NOT START AT TIMES AND MUST KEEP TURNING IGNITION, EVENTUALLY IT STATS. (CHANGED BATTERY, TERMINALS, WIRES, ETC, WITH NO AFFECT) ALARM GOES OFF SPORADICALLY OR SETS ON IT'S OWN. DOOR LOCKS UNLOCK, THEN IMMEDIATELY LOCK BACK. WINDOWS ARE NOT GOING UP CORRECTLY AND ARE TILTING SLIGHTLY CAUSING A SMALL AIR LEAK ON BOTH FRONT WINDOWS. ALL PROBLEMS ARE ANNOYING BUT I CAN STILL GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B. THIS HAPPENS EVERY DAY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10081177

Incident

Jan 6, 2004

Mileage

75,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING A LOUD CLANKING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT. ALL ELECTRICAL LIGHTS FLASHED ON THE DASHBOARD. STEERING COLUMN FAILED TO MOVE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE MAIN BOLT TO THE PULLEY BELT SHEARED OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID

10082008

Incident

Jul 14, 2004

IN EARLY 2003 I PURCHASED A 1997 MITSUBISHI MONTERO FULL SUV. IN APRIL 2003 MY GIRL FRIEND WAS DRIVING THE CAR ONE DAY , WHEN IT JUST BROKE DOWN ON HER .HEN SHE TURNED THE KEY TO START THE CAR YOU COULD HEAR THE ENGINE, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START.I GOT IT TOWED,AND MY MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT AND SAID ONE OF THE MAIN FUSE (MFI-MULTI FUEL INJECTION) HAD BLOWN.*AK HE REPLACED THE FUSE AND THE CAR WAS FINE, TWO WEEKS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN , SO HE REPLACED THE FUSE AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER CHECKED FOR ANY RECALL THERE WAS NONE.ON 7/8/04 IT HAPPENED AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME WHEN THE FUSE WAS REPLACED I TURNED OVER THE ENGINE AND THE WHOLE CAR WAS SMOKING THROUGH THE HOOD AND INSIDE THE VEHICLE I WAS SO SCARED I RAN AWAY FROM IT UNTIL THE SMOKE WENT AWAY.THE CAR WAS TOWED TO MY HOME AND MY MECHANIC SHOWED ME ALL THE BURNED WIRE IN THE HARNESS, PLEASE LET ME NOW IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM

NHTSA ID

10080813

Incident

Jul 8, 2004

CRANKSHAFT BOLT IS LOOSENING ON VEHICLE CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING.*MR CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WASN'T RECOGNIZED TO BE WITHIN THE RECALL. CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE DEFECT AND HAD TO PAY $1355.56 FOR REPAIRS AND $130.00 FOR TOWING. CONSUMER FEELS MITSUBISHI SHOULD COVER COSTS OF REPAIRS AND TOWING DUE TO THE RECALL THAT WAS CREATED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS EXACT PROBLEM. *PH

NHTSA ID

10044520

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL 00V311002 . THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED. *AK THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT LOOSENED WHICH RESULTED IN A LOST OF POWER STEERING. *TS *PH *NLM

NHTSA ID

10034181

Incident

Aug 11, 2003

WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC, PASSENGER (WIFE) MOVED HER WINDOW VISOR, A FLAME SHOT OUT TOWARDS HER FACE COMING FROM UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF WINDOW VISOR, WHERE WIRE FOR VANITY MIRROR HAD CHAFFED OVER TIME, DUE TO A PLASTIC COVERING EDGE TO HIDE WIRE.*AK FLAME WAS 4-5 INCHES LONG, 1 INCH THICK AND FLAMED FOR 6-8 SECONDS, THEN LARGE AMOUNTS OF THICK GREY SMOKE CAME FROM AREA. WIRE FOR VANITY MIRROR HAD CHAFFED AWAY THE WIRING COVER AND WAS TOUCHING THE METAL ROD USED TO HOLD UP VISOR. FUSE DID NOT BLOW. THIS COULD HAVE EASILY CAUGHT FIRE INSIDE MY HEADLINER, BEHIND DASH, ETC.

NHTSA ID

10037207

Incident

Sep 1, 2003

Mileage

96,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. *TT

NHTSA ID

10021714

Incident

May 25, 2003

PROBLEM WITH FRONT AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP. THEY DID NOTHING TO FIX, JUST RESET CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. 3 WEEKS LATER CAR WAS IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT. DRIVER STEERED SLIGHTLY TO AVOID COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS MAKING AN ILLEGAL LANE CHANGE AND MONTERO WENT OUT OF CONTROL. NEITHER STEERING NOR BRAKING COULD STOP OR AFFECT WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

NHTSA ID

10005704

Incident

Dec 27, 2002

Mileage

62,295 mi

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS LOOSING POWER. CONSUMER STATES' NOW VEHICLE WILL NOT START. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE COMPUTER, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID

8023626

Incident

Feb 1, 2002

AFTER VEHICLE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY WAS IMPACTED AND DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT IT WAS OKAY. WHILE DRIVING THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BROKE. THE DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO FIX THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS TS

NHTSA ID

8023247

Incident

Nov 19, 2002

AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR 49 DAYS THE OIL PLUG CAME OUT, ALL THE OIL FELLOUT OF THE CAR AND ENGINE LOCKED, DEALER SAYS IT IS NOT COVERED MY WARRANTY*AK

NHTSA ID

766528

FAILURE CAUSED ERRATIC OPERATION OF POWER DOOR LOCKS, ALARM AND ALL OTHER ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS. OF SPECIAL CONCERN WAS THE RAPID FAILURE OF DOOR LOCKING COMPONENTS.

NHTSA ID

764308

Incident

Jun 14, 2002

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH HIT AN ELK, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID

886634

Incident

Apr 20, 2001

VEHICLE WAS IN 40 MPH CAR COLLISION, CRASHED INTO A TREE, AND ROOF COLLAPSED. ONTO CONSUMER'S HUSBAND. HAS NOT CONTACTED DEALER YET. *AK

NHTSA ID

883264

Incident

Dec 8, 2000

REAR AXLE LEAF SPRING BROKE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ID

883245

BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR. REGULAR BRAKES WOULD FAIL TO WORK WHENEVER PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND HAD MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED, AND BRAKES BLED. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

880914

Incident

Jan 22, 2001