2002 Mitsubishi MONTERO problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
111 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
84,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 80 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 21 of 111 complaints (18.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 71 | 64.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 7 | 6.3% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 5.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 6 | 5.4% |
| Steering behavior | 6 | 5.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 2.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 21 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 17 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Power Assist:Vacuum | 15 |
| Electrical System | 7 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 6 |
| Air Bags | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 5 |
| Unknown Or Other | 4 |
Service Brakes: 21; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 17; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Power Assist:Vacuum: 15; Electrical System: 7; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 6; Air Bags: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 5; Unknown Or Other: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 6 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 9 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 18 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 19 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 25 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 9; 50,000 to 74,999: 18; 75,000 to 99,999: 19; 100,000 to 149,999: 25; 150,000 and above: 3
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (25). 31 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 7 |
| 2003 | 7 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 9 |
| 2006 | 13 |
| 2007 | 11 |
| 2008 | 9 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2002: 7; 2003: 7; 2004: 5; 2005: 9; 2006: 13; 2007: 11; 2008: 9; 2009: 4; 2010: 4; 2011: 5; 2012: 1; 2013: 10; 2014: 3; 2015: 6; 2016: 9; 2017: 2; 2018: 2; 2019: 1; 2021: 1; 2022: 1; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 71 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 7 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 6 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10033688 · 2003-08-12 (August 12, 2003)
REAR ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR, PER DEALERSHIP.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 33,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10033688 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10075266 · 2004-06-12 (June 12, 2004)
CAR EITHER FAILS TO STOP OR IS SLOW TO STOP RESULTING IN SEVERAL NEAR CRASHES. THIS CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER AND TO LOCAL BRAKES SHOPS NUMEROUS TIMES TO NO AVAIL. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10075266 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10026156 · 2003-06-30 (June 30, 2003)
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED UP HILL AND NO WARNING THE TRANSMISSION WILL DECELERATE EVEN WHEN FOOT IS ON THE ACCELERATOR, AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10026156 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10160458 · 2006-06-22 (June 22, 2006)
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING AN INTERMITTENT SQUEAKING SOUND. THIS WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A VIBRATION IN THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER ACCUMULATOR WAS FAULTY. THE DEALER WAS ALSO CONSULTED, WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE BOOSTER WAS FAULTY, HOWEVER THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL # 01V254001. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUD…
Owner-reported narrative. 73,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10160458 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003369 · 2003-01-25 (January 25, 2003)
THIS CAR HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEM THAT THE DEALER CANNOT RESOLVED OR FIX, IT FIRST STARTED ON NOV 15,2002 WHEN THE CAR STALLED WHEN ON IDLE. I CALLED THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY NOV 16,2002 AND ADDRESS THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY TOLD ME IF THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPEN, BRING IT TO THE NEAREST DEALER. ON JANUARY 1, 2003 THE CAR STALLS AGAIN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, ON JANUARY 2,2003 I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE CAR AND THEY TOLD ME THE PROBLEM IS MISFIRE AND THEY RESET THE LIGHTS AND ADJUST THE IDLE. ON JANUARY 14,2003 THE CAR STALLS AGA…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,142 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003369 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10010812 · 2003-03-20 (March 20, 2003)
ENGINE VIBRATES WHEN AT IDLE, AND ACTS AS IF IT MAY STALL, BUT DOES NOT. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND DEALER SAID IDLE WAS TOO LOW. BUT A WEEK LATER, ENGINE VIBRATED AGAIN AND APPEARED IT WAS GOING TO STALL BUT DID NOT. I CALLED MITSUBISHI REPS IN CALIFORNIA, THEY CAME DOWN TO FLORIDA TO TEST MY CAR. FOR THREE DAYS THEY KEPT IT AND SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM: THEY CHANGED THE SPARK PLUGS AND CABLES AND TOLD ME TO USE PREMIUM FUEL FROM AMOCO. A WEEK LATER THE CAR VIBRATED AGAIN AND APPEARED IT WOULD STALL BUT IT DID NOT. MITSUBISHI SAI…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010812 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10193583 · 2007-06-18 (June 18, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AS NEEDING A NEW ABS SYSTEM. THE IDLE CONTROL VALVE, OXYGEN SENSOR, AND THE ELECTRICAL SWITCH FOR THE TRANSMISSION WERE ALL REPLACED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 62,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 51,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10193583 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10265392 · 2009-04-14 (April 14, 2009)
CAR STALLED DUE TO DRINK (WHICH WAS IN DRINK HOLDER) SPILLING ACROSS SHIFT AREA DURING SUDDEN BRAKING - APPARENTLY LIQUID SHORTED OUT WIRING AND CAR WOULDN'T DRIVE AGAIN UNTIL IT DRIED OUT - IF THESE TWO ITEMS MUST BE CLOSE TOGETHER THEN THE GEAR/SHIFT AREA SHOULD BE WATER TIGHT/PROOF - FOR SURE THIS COULD CAUSE DAMAGE/CRASH/DEATH/INJURY. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 102,933 miles reported. Look up ODI 10265392 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005511 · 2003-02-08 (February 8, 2003)
OUR ACCIDENT OCCURED WHILE TOWING A POP UP TRAILER. WE ARE EXPERIENCED DRIVER'S AND HAVE BEEN TOWING A TRAILER FOR MORE THAN 12 YEARS. WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. WE WERE TRAVELING ON A STRAIGHT SECTION OF HIGHWAY IN THE RIGHT LANE. THE ROAD CONDITIONS AND WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE GOOD. THERE WERE NO TIRE FAILURES ON THE CAR OR THE TRAILER. THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED ROCKING AND SOON WE HAD NO CONTROL OF THE CAR. THE FRONT END FELT AS THOUGH IT WAS NOSE PLOWING. THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 13,388 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005511 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10187246 · 2007-04-07 (April 7, 2007)
I HAVE TAKEN THE MITSUBISHI A NUMBER OF TIMES TO DEALER FOR TWO DIFFERENT PROBLEMS CONCERNING STEERING. CONCORD MITSUBISHI KEPT TELLING US THAT THE PROBLEMS WERE EITHER FIXED OR IT WAS NORMAL, BUT THE PROBLEMS RECURRED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10187246 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10876066 · 2016-06-23 (June 23, 2016)
NHTSA RECALL ID: 04V319000 MITSUBISHI MONTERO 2002 (02) MITSUBISHI RECALL CAMPAIGN NO.: SR-04-009 COMPONENT: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE RECALL DATE (Y/M):2004/07 DEFECT: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS FULL AND THE VEHICLE IS PARKED FORWARD ON AN UPWARD SLOPE, THE FUEL TANK LEVELING VALVE MAY NOT MAINTAIN PROPER SEALING IN THE EVENT THE FUEL EXPANDS FROM THE RISE IN AMBIENT TEMPERATURE. NHTSA RECALL ID: 01V254001 MITSUBISHI MONTERO 2002 (02) MITSUBISHI RECALL CAMPAIGN NO.: COMPONENT: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAU…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10876066 at NHTSA ↗