2003 Mitsubishi Montero Sport: problems, recalls and reliability
0 recalls and 31 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is electrical system (16% of complaints).
Data updated weekly
0
recalls
31
owner complaints
2
fire reports
79,640
typical failure mileage, mi
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
No recall campaigns2 fire reports
Common problems
Computed from 31 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)16% · 5 complaints
Engine And Engine Cooling (engine, radiator, overheating)13% · 4 complaints
Engine (engine mechanics)13% · 4 complaints
Power Train (transmission, axles, driveline)13% · 4 complaints
Air Bags (airbags and crash sensors)10% · 3 complaints
Suspension (shocks, springs, ride quality)6% · 2 complaints
“"takata recall" when a oil leek accor in due time it automatically drips directly on one of the spark plugs.also the emissions control system doesn't function a reading electronic diagnostic when finding issue”Owner report · Electrical System · May 2017
“Plug wires seem to have continual manufacturers mistakes, the oil is forced to direct a path to the plugs caused to misfire”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · May 2017
“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mitsubishi montero sport. While parked, there was a strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle. In addition, fuel was leaking from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 04v319000 (fuel system, propulsion system). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Jun 2015
Show 7 more owner reports
“Tl*the contact owns a 2003 mitsubishi montero sport. The contact was driving at approximately 45 mph while steering abruptly, the vehicle went off road and flipped over three times landing on its roof. The airbags failed to deploy. The driver sustained unknown injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 240,000.”Owner report · Air Bags · Feb 2015
“Pin in the harmonic balancer broke causing vehicle to sling a/c belt and drive belt causing harmonic balancer to seize up. Pin was replaced. Months later the check engine light began to come on showing a code of misfire. As well as harmonic balancer coming loose...**5/5/15**..... Belts come off on high way doing about 70 mph. Harmonic balancer loose again. Crank bolt stuck and un removable.belts came off and got caught in fan...updated 07/30/15 *bf updated 9/29/2015*js”Owner report · Engine · Aug 2014
“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mitsubishi montero sport. The contact stated that while driving various speeds, the engine made a knocking sound. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 150,000.”Owner report · Engine · Apr 2014
“Very cold night , sub zero. Horn started blowing and continued until fuse burnt out. Left strong burnt wiring smell. *tr”Owner report · Electrical System · Dec 2013
“I was pulling in a sheets station and going into a parking space when my accelerator pedal stuck to the floor and when I left go the brake pedal vehicle kept moving and crashed into a red post which stopped the vehicle then I noticed the gas pedal coming back up and was able to ,put in reverse and cruise back in same parking space did damage to motor and radiator and front body my wife claims this has done it to her as well. I was scared. *tr”Owner report · Engine · Nov 2013
“Tl*the contact owns a 2003 mitsubishi montero sport. While driving over 30 mph, the vehicle would jerk backwards and hesitate. Whether the vehicle was idling or in park, the contact smelled a strong odor of burning oil. The dealer stated that the failure may be minor and could not assist because the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The contact intends to take the vehicle in for service soon. The failure and current mileages were less than 96,000.”Owner report · Power Train · Dec 2008
“I rear-ended an suv going about 30-35 mph and my airbags failed to deploy and my seatbelt failed to catch, throwing my upper body forward into the steering wheel. The police at the scene of the accident said they could not believe my airbags did not deploy with the amount of damage to the front end of my vehicle. *tr”Owner report · Air Bags · Aug 2008
When filing, owners marked a crash in 6 of these complaints and injuries in 4 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2003 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
Drive type4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4 · 4x2
Body stylesSport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
How other years compare
Check your exact Montero Sport by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Mitsubishi Montero Sport reliable?
NHTSA has 31 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 2003 Mitsubishi Montero Sport. The most complained-about area is electrical system (16% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2003 Mitsubishi Montero Sport problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 79,640 miles or less.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.