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2002 Mitsubishi MonteroProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 111 owner complaints about the 2002 Mitsubishi Montero, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.

2002 Mitsubishi Montero
38
CarFlaw IndexUse caution1.7× the Montero median · #2 of 15 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Free fix at dealersOwner complaints11115 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage74kService brakes, hydraulic, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 16, 2024. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 Mitsubishi Montero has problems

111 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Service brakes, hydraulic462
Service brakes213
Engine and engine cooling80
Air bags74
Electrical system70
Power train50
Structure52
Fuel system, other30
Exterior lighting30
11 other systems212

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2002 Mitsubishi Montero recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Fuel system, gasoline: storage

Recall 04V-319 · Jul 6, 2004 · 44,214 vehicles

Risk. IF THE FUEL LEVELING VALVE DOES NOT SEAL PROPERLY, FUEL MAY LEAK ONTO THE GROUND.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Power assist: vacuum

Recall 01V-254 · Aug 3, 2001 · 39,020 vehicles

Risk. THE LOSS OF THIS GAS PRESSURE COULD RESULT IN AN ABNORMAL NOISE FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH PANEL WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, AND POSSIBLY A DELAYED FIRST…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Mitsubishi.

Mileage at failure

When do service brakes, hydraulic problems start?

74kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 38 service brakes, hydraulic complaints. 84% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
2under 30k miles32under 100k miles6100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Service brakes, hydraulic

8 owners mentioned a cost

$625median

Middle half: $538 – $900

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2002 vs. every other Montero year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Montero median. How we score

'84'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2002 Mitsubishi Montero safety ratings

2002 Mitsubishi Montero w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2002 Mitsubishi Montero, and the recalls they led to.

  1. BRAKE BOOSTER ACCUMULATOR FAILURERQ06007 · closed Oct 12, 2006
    No recall
In owners' words

What Montero owners report

Recent service brakes, hydraulic complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY APPLYING FORCE TO THE BRAKES, SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL, AND APPLYING THE EMERGENCY…
Complaint 10513370 · May 24, 2013 · 105,451 miles
MY MONTERO WAS MAKING A CHIRPING NOISE. I CALLED MITSUBISHI AND TWO DEALERDS AT SAN ANTONIO TEXAS TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE ISSUE. THEY TOLD ME MY VIN DID NOT HAVE ANY RECALLS OR SAFETY RECALLS AT THE TIME. LATER AFTER THE SYSTEM FAILING I CONDUCTED RESEARCH ON THE WWW AND FOUND THE HYDRAULIC…
Complaint 10427554 · Sep 27, 2011 · 64,800 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THEY MADE A SQUEAKING NOISE, THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD VIBRATE AND THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT OF NHTSA…
Complaint 10416951 · Aug 3, 2011 · 121,000 miles

Own a 2002 Montero?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.