2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport: problems, recalls and reliability
0 recalls and 54 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is air bags (19% of complaints); the 2003 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly
0
recalls
54
owner complaints
0
fire reports
89,000
typical failure mileage, mi
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
No fire reportsNo recall campaignsProblems tend to appear late (median 89,000 mi)
Common problems
Computed from 54 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
Air Bags (airbags and crash sensors)19% · 10 complaints
Service Brakes, Hydraulic (brakes)13% · 7 complaints
Engine And Engine Cooling (engine, radiator, overheating)11% · 6 complaints
Power Train (transmission, axles, driveline)9% · 5 complaints
Structure (body, frame, doors, rust)7% · 4 complaints
Visibility (windshield, wipers, defroster, mirrors)6% · 3 complaints
“I checked and there's several recalls on the vehicle and I purchase it last year from the dealership and I never received anything about the recalls and now my vehicle doesn't want to start it lock me out.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Aug 2022
“I have a 2002 Mitsibishi Montero Sport.I was driving home from work, and all the sudden i couldn't steer. I had no steering, Lost power to vehicle and battery light came on. Wasnt sure what happened, looked under the hood and noticed belts were off. Went and got new ones and noticed when trying to put the mew belts on the bolt on the crankshaft pulley was loose and the pin was broken making that pulley loose.I was lucky that I decided to take a street with less traffic otherwise I could of gotten into an accident.This should definitely be a RECALL.”Owner report · Engine · Aug 2021
“The hood flew up when safety latch failed to hold it,, plus brake line troubles as well as gas tank fill pipe all rusted out,, hood was on highway at about 30mph an wrapped arround windshield,,”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Mar 2017
Show 7 more owner reports
“Both head light beams sometimes disappear when switching to high beam while driving leaving you driving in the dark without any lights.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Mar 2017
“My mitsubishi montero limited started making a strange noise from under the dash while driving. One day while driving when I applied the brake the pedal went all the way to the floor. I did some research and found a recall for the brake hydraulic booster for this vehicle but my VIN number is not showing a recall. When I contacted mitsubishi all they would say is it's not covered under the recall. I don't understand”Owner report · Service Brakes · Nov 2016
“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.”Owner report · Electrical System · Sep 2015
“Frame and undercarriage rot/rust. Was told by one shop about in 2013 that I had alot of rust on the frame when they replaced my rusted brake lines.. This week in october 2014 I had to replace a rusty fill pipe for my gas and the mechanic told me that I had major rust on the frame and undercarriage and that a rear end collision of any kind could potentially total my car. *tr”Owner report · Structure · Oct 2014
“Brought 2002 montero sport for inspection inspector told me the rear frame and undercarriage was rotten vehicle was not to be driven. What do I do with vehicle now that I just paid it off and I cant drive? *tr”Owner report · Structure · Nov 2013
“The rear view mirror changes automatically to night vision you can not change it back. It very difficult to see cars behind you with the way it changes and how close they are to you. My daughter backed into someone because she could not tell they were behind her. I have had problems with this also. I think it is a safety hazard. You should be able to adjust the mirror yourself. And you can't. *tr”Owner report · Visibility · Jul 2013
“Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mitsubishi montero sport. The contact stated that during a routine inspection, the contact was advised that the frame was rotting and there were twenty two inch-long fractures found in the frame. A dealer was notified but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 93,000.”Owner report · Structure · May 2013
When filing, owners marked a crash in 14 of these complaints and injuries in 14 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2002 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
Drive type4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4 · 4x2
How other years compare
Check your exact Montero Sport by VIN
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Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport reliable?
NHTSA has 54 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport. The most complained-about area is air bags (19% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 89,000 miles or less.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.