MITSUBISHI MIGHTY MAX · model year

1986 MITSUBISHI MIGHTY MAX

8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1986MITSUBISHIMIGHTY MAX carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1986 MIGHTY MAX is engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe with 3 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (2) and electrical system:ignition:switch (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 1986 MIGHTY MAX. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

8
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

8 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE3
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH1
EQUIPMENT1
ENGINE1

Recent Complaints

20130217ENGINE

THIS ENGINE (1983-1986 - 1997CU.IN./2.0L SOHC L4 G63B) PRODUCED BY MITSUBISHI CORPORATION WAS FITTED WITH EXHAUST MANIFOLDS CREATED WITH INFERIOR MATERIALS. THESE MATERIALS WERE USED TO CREATE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS FOR THESE MOTORS UNDER NORMAL USE, DEVELOP CRACKS. THE CRACKS WOULD EMIT HIGH TEMPERATURE CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) EXHAUST FUMES INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND THE DRIVER & PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE RECALL FOR REPLACEMENT OF THESE DEFECTIVE LIFE THREATENING PARTS WERE REPLACED BY THE MITSUBISHI CORPORATION WITH THE EXACT SAME INFERIOR MATERIAL DESIGN PARTS AND DEVELOPED THE SAME ISSUES AS THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. THESE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS WERE PLACED ON RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE OF CO INHALATION AND FIRE DANGER TO THE PASSENGERS, BUT WERE REMOVED FROM THE GOVERNMENT RECALL LIST FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. BE IT A STATUE OF LIMITATIONS OR FULFILLMENT, THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN SOLVED CORRECTLY AND REOCCURS QUICKLY. I HAVE TRIED TO CONTACT MITSUBISHI CORPORATION ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THOUG

20050203EQUIPMENT

DEVELOPING EXPANSION CRACK IN COLLECTOR OF EXHAUST MANIFOLD OF THE 1986 2.0L MITSUBISHI MIGHT MAX PU. THIS IS DUE TO IMPROPER CASTING OF MATERIALS DURING PRODUCTION AND WHEN REPAIRED, IT IS REPLACED WITH ANOTHER DEFECTIVE UNIT OF THE SAME NATURE.

20050203ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

DEVELOPING EXPANSION CRACK IN COLLECTOR OF EXHAUST MANIFOLD OF THE 1986 2.0L MITSUBISHI MIGHT MAX PU. THIS IS DUE TO IMPROPER CASTING OF MATERIALS DURING PRODUCTION AND WHEN REPAIRED, IT IS REPLACED WITH ANOTHER DEFECTIVE UNIT OF THE SAME NATURE.

20030808ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

86 MITSUBISHI MIGHTY MAX PU:EXHAUST MANIFOLD:CRACKS DEVELOPED IN CASTING. CO INTO ENGINE/PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CAUSES FIRE/CO POISONING TO DRIVER/PASSENGER. COMPLAINT: QUESTION ARE THEY ONLY REQUIRED TO REPAIR ONCE WITH SAME DEFECTIVE PARTS? NOTIFIED BY MITSUBISHI CORP. RECALL ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD ON ABOVE VEHICLE. RECALL STATED DUE TO PROBLEMS IN MANUFACTURING/CASTING OF MATERIALS OF EXHAUST MANIFOLD, CRACKS DEVELOP IN MANIFOLD WHICH RELEASE CO INTO ENGINE/PASSENGER COMPARTMENTS. THIS COULD CAUSE FIRE OR CO POISONING PASSENGERS. VEHICLE SERVICED RECALL AT DEALER, NOT SURE STILL EXIST AUTOWEST MITSUBISHI FREMONT,CA. AFTER TIME, I NOTICED LARGE CRACK OUTSIDE CASTING OF MANIFOLD. ALMOST 360 AROUND COLLECTOR OF 4 EXHAUST TUBES OF MANIFOLD. CRACK IS EMITTING CO BECAUSE A RESIDUE DEVELOPED BY EXHAUST ESCAPING CRACK.(BLACK CARBON). I CALLED DEALER SPOKANE, WA; APPLEWAY MITSUBISHI. ASKED ABOUT REPAIRS FOR MANIFOLD, CONTACT MITSUBISHI CORP. 1-800-222-0037. I CALLED AND TALKED TO 2 P

19990418FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

WHILE TRYING TO START MY TRUCK SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE SOLDER CONNECTION ON THE IGNITION SWITCH MELTED THE SOLDER CONNECTION OF THE WIRE AND THE IGNITION SWITCH. *AK

19961022SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE RECALL REPAIR WORK DONE AND WAS TOLD THEY HAD TO ORDER THE PARTS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. RECALL#95V103004. *AK

19950223SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

(404-941-3893H) DRIVERS SIDE FRONT SEATBELT HARNESS WILL NOT STAY FASTEN INTO LATCH MECHANISM. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

19950109ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

THE EXHAUST SYSTEM; THERE IS BLACK SMOKE FUMES COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST PURCHASE TRUCK USED. TT

Compare 1986MITSUBISHIMIGHTY MAX to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1986 MITSUBISHI MIGHTY MAX have?
The 1986 MITSUBISHI MIGHTY MAX has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 MITSUBISHI MIGHTY MAX?
The most-complained component for the 1986 MITSUBISHI MIGHTY MAX is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH.
Is the 1986 MITSUBISHI MIGHTY MAX safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.