The Lemon IndexAll cars · Mitsubishi Montero · 2003
2003 Mitsubishi Montero. Advanced data.
The raw numbers: engines, recall campaign numbers, failure mileage and manufacturer communications.
Failure mileage by system
Half of owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 11,000 and 40,000 miles. Median 19,000, from 13 complaints with a mileage.
Mileage owners typed into their NHTSA complaint, all complaints for this model year. People report some problems late, so read it as a range.
Complaints by system
| System | Share of complaints |
|---|---|
| Transmission & drivetrain | 21% |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 21% |
| Electrical | 11% |
| Suspension | 11% |
| Tires | 11% |
One complaint can name more than one system, so shares can add to more than 100%.
Severity, all complaints
| Total | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths | Tows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
As reported by owners to NHTSA. Not verified.
Recall campaigns 2
04V428000 Sep 2004 Equipment / Other / Labels
Defect. CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Risk. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Remedy. MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL CURRENT 2000-2004 NATIVA OWNERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG ALERT LABELS FOR THE SUN VISORS. THIS RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH OR APRIL 2005. THE NOTIFICATION TO THE NATIVA OWNERS IS EXPECTED TO BEG
04V319000 Jul 2004 Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage
Defect. ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS FULL AND THE VEHICLE IS PARKED FACING FORWARD ON AN UPWARD SLOPE, THE FUEL TANK LEVELING VALVE MAY NOT MAINTAIN PROPER SEALING IN THE EVENT THE FUEL EXPANDS FROM A RISE IN THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE.
Risk. IF THE FUEL LEVELING VALVE DOES NOT SEAL PROPERLY, FUEL MAY LEAK ONTO THE GROUND. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEVELING VALVE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 30, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-800-222-0037 OR MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-787-251-8715.
Manufacturer communications 49
Mitsubishi filed 49 service communications for this car with NHTSA.
- Rear axle shaft flange coming loose
- Noise from front wheel hub bearing - improvements
- Torque converter shudder, surge, and/or vibration (possibly intermittent) when driving 35-50…
Engines and drivetrains 6
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / hwy / combined | Fuel | Fuel cost/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | Auto 4-spd | RWD | 16 / 21 / 18 | Regular | $3,450 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | Auto 4-spd | 4Wheel or AWD | 15 / 19 / 17 | Regular | $3,650 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | Auto 4-spd | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 | Regular | $3,650 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | Auto 4-spd | 4Wheel or AWD | 14 / 17 / 15 | Regular | $4,150 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | Auto 4-spd | RWD | 14 / 18 / 15 | Premium | $5,150 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | Auto (S5) | RWD | 13 / 18 / 15 | Premium | $5,150 |
EPA test versions for this model year. Fuel cost is the EPA's current estimate, not the price in that year.
YouTube repair topics
200 videos about the 2001–2006 Mitsubishi Montero, 3.9M views.
| Topic | Videos | Views |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes & ABS | 4 | 209K |
| Infotainment, battery & electrical | 2 | 154K |
| Oil leaks & gaskets | 4 | 98K |
| Cooling system | 3 | 72K |
| Fuel pump, filter & tank | 1 | 61K |
| Timing chain & engine | 2 | 54K |
| Windows, doors & mirrors | 3 | 19K |
| Heat, A/C & blend door | 1 | 15K |
Nearby model years
Sources: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications; EPA fuel economy data; YouTube video titles. Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Updated · Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com)
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