2001 Mitsubishi MONTERO SPORT: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
63 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
66,825 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 36 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 7 of 63 complaints (11.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 20 | 31.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 9.5% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 6.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 6.3% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 6.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 4.8% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 7 |
| Steering | 6 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 5 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 5 |
| Electrical System:Horn | 4 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 3 |
Electrical System: 7; Steering: 6; Air Bags:Frontal: 5; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 5; Electrical System:Horn: 4; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 4; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 3
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 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 6 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 8 |
| 150,000 and above | 4 |
Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 9; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 8; 150,000 and above: 4
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 27 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 |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 12 |
| 2002 | 9 |
| 2003 | 7 |
| 2004 | 9 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2001: 12; 2002: 9; 2003: 7; 2004: 9; 2005: 2; 2006: 3; 2007: 1; 2008: 3; 2009: 1; 2010: 5; 2011: 1; 2012: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 1; 2016: 1; 2017: 1; 2018: 1; 2021: 1; 2022: 1; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 20 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 6 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 4 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10001103 · 2002-12-17 (December 17, 2002)
WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THIS PROBLEM OCCURED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS *JG
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001103 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10010932 · 2003-03-24 (March 24, 2003)
MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED A 2001 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT 3.5XS JUNE OF 2001. IT NOW HAS 37,000 MILES ON IT AND DURING THOSE 37,000 MILES I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE ROTORS TURNED TWICE AND HAVE THE BRAKES PADS REPLACED THREE TIME SINCE JUNE OF 2001. I AM NOT A HARD DRIVER NOR DO I DRIVE RECKLESSLY. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR A BRAND NEW CAR. I ALSO KNOW SOMEONE WHO OWNS A 2001 MONTERO SPORT ES WHO HAS ALSO HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. WONDERING IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. OR IF THIS IS NORMAL FOR A MITSUBISHI PRODUCT BEC…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,022 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010932 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10020611 · 2003-05-28 (May 28, 2003)
THE ROTORS AND BRAKING SYSTEM ON THE 2001 MONTERO SPORT ARE UNDERSIZED FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. AT 4217 MIIES, THE REAR ROTORS HAD TO BE TURNED. THEY WARP BADLY, MAKING IT VERY HARD TO CONTOL WHEN BREAKING. NOW AT 37K THEY NEED TURNING AGAIN, IF POSSIBLE, OR REPLACEMENT.
Owner-reported narrative. 4,217 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020611 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10026937 · 2003-07-10 (July 10, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10026937 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10038563 · 2003-09-09 (September 9, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE. BOTH FRONT TIRE TREADS BUBBLED UP. KELLY, SAFARI TIRE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10038563 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10038966 · 2003-09-16 (September 16, 2003)
I HAVE A 2001 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT LS 2WD, WHICH I PURCHASED NEW AND APPROXIMATELY 14 MONTH AFTER I PURCHASED WITH ONLY 7000 MILE'S AT THE TIME, I STARTED HEARING SOME WIRED NOISE EVERY TIME I HIT THE BRAKE, AND THE WHOLE VEHICLE VIBRATES AT THE SAME TIME, MAINLY WHEN GETTING OFF THE FREEWAY, AND I WANT TO REDUCE SPEED FROM HIGHWAY TO CITY SPEED, AT FIRST I THOUGH IT WAS THE ABS, SO THAT WAS WHY I NEVER PAID ATTENTION TO IT, BUT AS I KEPT DRIVING IT, THE NOISE AND VIBRATION WAS GETTING WORSE, SO , I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER,ON AUGUST 16 03, W…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10038966 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10043642 · 2003-10-27 (October 27, 2003)
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SO I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER RIGHT AWAY. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS AN 89$ CHARGE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. LATER THAT DAY I WAS CALLED TO BE TOLD THAT IT WOULD NOW COST ME 192$ BECAUSE THEY HAD TO DOWNLOAD INFORMATION TO THE COMPUTOR. THIS DEFINATLY SOUNDS LIKE A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM AND THEY ARE CHARGING THERE CUSTOMERS TO FIX IT. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER MITSUBISHI AGAIN. I INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP HOW I FELT BUT THEY COULD CARE LESS SO BE IT BUT I WILL TELL EVERYONE I KNOW HOW I WAS TREATED AND LET THEM MAKE …
Owner-reported narrative. 52,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10043642 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10050667 · 2003-12-17 (December 17, 2003)
2001 MONTER SPORT XLS 2WD 46,000 MILES. WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AT ANY RATE OF SPEED THE STEERING FEELS LOOSE AND IS ALSO RATTLING. CAUSES EXTRA EFFORT IN STABILIZING VEHICLE IN A SINGLE DIRECTION. WAS TAKEN TO TWO SAN ANTONIO BASED DEALERS GILLMAN MITSUBISHI SAN ANTONIO AND NORTHPOINT MITSUBISHI. NORTHPOINT MITSUBISHI DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ALTHOUGH MITSUBISHI PROVIDES POWERTRAIN WARRANTY WHICH INCLUDES SUSPENSION, DRIVETRAIN TO 60,000 MILES MITSUBISHI CORP DENIED WARRANTY COVERAGE STATING THAT IT IS NO…
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10050667 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
01V027000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
Reported: 2001-02-05 (February 5, 2001)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.5L ENGINES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 106, "BRAKE HOSES." THESE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH NONCOMPLIANT BRAKE VACUUM HOSES.
Consequence: THESE HOSES COULD BURST CAUSING FLUID LEAKAGE, INCREASING THE BRAKING CAPABILITY OF THE VEHICLE AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE VACUUM HOSE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 15, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-800-222-0037.
NHTSA campaign record ↗