Total Complaints
25 filings
MITSUBISHI MONTERO · model year
1990 MITSUBISHI MONTERO
25 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990MITSUBISHIMONTERO carries 25 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injury, 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 1990 MONTERO is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 5 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (3) and visibility:rearview mirrors/devices:exterior (2). 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 1990 MONTERO. 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.
25
Complaints
2
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 5 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
| STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT PITMAN | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE) | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080617FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
1990 MITUSBISHI MONTERO STARTED TO SMOKE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO SHOULDER AND VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *NJOHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0206-89. *JB
20041207ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. SUDDENLY CONSUMER LOST POWER STEERING. HOWEVER, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PULLEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
20030425POWER TRAIN
THE TRANSMISSION IN THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN HARD TO SHIFT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, AND I WANT TO KNOW IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSIONS. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH, AND THIS MAY BE A RECALL NUMBER THAT MAY HELP (M9122008000). *****DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS******770805. *AK *JB
20030324ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT BROKE, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND ALL OTHER BELT-DRIVEN COMPONENTS. *JB
Mileage: 194,718
20021204ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE BOLT THAT BROKE WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 25 MPH. TS THERE WAS A FAILURE IN THE VIBRATION DAMPER BOLT WHICH CAUSED THE PULLEY TO FALL OFF. *JG
Mileage: 263,000
20020423ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE BOLT ON THE FRONT OF THE CRANKSHAFT BROKE OFF, CAUSING THE PULLEY AND BELT TO FLY OFF, RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
20010305SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
CONSUMER HAD FOUND A DESIGN FRAUD ON VEHICLE. HAD TAKEN IT TO A TECHNICIAN FOR CHECK UP. FOUND REAR BRAKE HOSE WILL PULL WHEN VEHICLE IS LIFTED. THEN WHEN IS PUT BACK ON GROUND COULD HAVE BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO EXTENSION ON BRAKE HOSE.*AK
20010131TIRES:TREAD/BELT
FIRESTONE WILDERNESS II TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CONSUMER REPLACED TIRES AFTER HAVING ONLY 20000 MILES ON THEM, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC
20010129FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON DRIVEWAY FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES WHEN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE STARTED IN ENGINE. PRIOR TO INCIDENT, CONSUMER HAD A BROKEN THERMOSTAT REPLACED. *AK *SLC
20001201ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
EXHAUST SYSTEM & OIL WERE FULL OF GAS. MECHANIC HAD TO CONTACT SOMEONE IN ORGEON TO GET HELP. NEITHER HAD EVER HEARD OR SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. CONSUMER HAD TO GET A JUMP START, AND JUST FROM SPARKS VEHICLE COULD HAVE BLOWN UP. MECHANIC SAID STILL NO GUARANTEE THAT IT STILL WON'T BLOW UP. *AK
20001201ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
EXHAUST SYSTEM & OIL WERE FULL OF GAS. MECHANIC HAD TO CONTACT SOMEONE IN ORGEON TO GET HELP. NEITHER HAD EVER HEARD OR SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. CONSUMER HAD TO GET A JUMP START, AND JUST FROM SPARKS VEHICLE COULD HAVE BLOWN UP. MECHANIC SAID STILL NO GUARANTEE THAT IT STILL WON'T BLOW UP. *AK
20000608CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
SUDDEN ACCELERATION AFTER ENGAGING VEHICLE INTO GEAR, RESULTED IN CRASH. THERE WAS PROPERTY DAMAGE, AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED BY INSURANCE COMPANY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK *ML
19981022SEAT BELTS
THE CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE SEAT RESTRAINT BELT IN THE MIDDLE REAR SEAT. THE RESTRAINT BUCKLE IS TOO LOOSE AND THE BELT IS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO RESTRAIN CHILD SAFETY SEATS. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
19980205CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
WHILE DRIVING THE THROTTLE STUCK, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO INCREASE SPEED, OWNER PUT VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL, HIT BRAKE AND VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN A VEHICLE ROLLOVER. *AK
19970429POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
WHILE DRIVING, AT APPROXIMATELY 25MPH, SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR, STICK WHICH CONNECTS WITH CLUTCH PLATE BELOW RUBBER GAURD BROKE OFF BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR, CLUTCH NEVER ENGAGED IN 3RD GEAR, DEALER REPLACED CLUTCH, WHICH STICKS INTERMITTENTLY BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR ONLY. *AK
19960814STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT PITMAN
STEERING SHAFT THAT GOES INTO STEERING GEAR GETS PITTEDAND ERODES DUE TO ROAD GRIME AND SALT, THIS ROUGH SHAFT TEARS SEALAND LUBRICATION IS DEPLETED, VEHICLE HARD TO STEER/DOES NOT RETURN TO STRAIGHT WITHOUT MANUAL ASSIST. *AK
19960319SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT RECALL ON THREE OCCASIONS, REPLY--- NO PARTS. *AK
19960318SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
THE FRONT BRAKE HOSE BROKE DOWN. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
19960311VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
OUTER REARVIEW MIRRORS SCREWS STRIPPED, CANNOT BE TIGHTEND; MIRRORS SWAY BACK AND FORTH; DRIVER CANNOT ADJUST TO VIEW TRAFFIC; CAUSES HAZARDOUS DRIVING. *AK
19960311VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
OUTER REARVIEW MIRRORS SCREWS STRIPPED, CANNOT BE TIGHTEND; MIRRORS SWAY BACK AND FORTH; DRIVER CANNOT ADJUST TO VIEW TRAFFIC; CAUSES HAZARDOUS DRIVING. *AK
Compare 1990MITSUBISHIMONTERO to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1990 MITSUBISHI MONTERO have?▼
The 1990 MITSUBISHI MONTERO has 25 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 MITSUBISHI MONTERO?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 MITSUBISHI MONTERO is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR.
Is the 1990 MITSUBISHI MONTERO 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.