MITSUBISHI MONTERO · model year

2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO

132 NHTSA complaints, 11 crash reports, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2002MITSUBISHIMONTERO carries 132 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 11 crashes, 1 fire, 11 injuries, and 2 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 2002 MONTERO is service brakes with 21 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic (17) and service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum (15). 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. This model year has 3 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 2002 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.

132
Complaints
11
Crashes
1
Fires
11
Injuries
2
Deaths

Total Complaints

132 filings

Crashes Reported

11 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES21
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC17
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM15
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM7
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP6
AIR BAGS5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE5
UNKNOWN OR OTHER4
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING3
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE3
STRUCTURE:BODY3
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM3
EXTERIOR LIGHTING3
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2

Recalls (3)

04V31900006/07/2004

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE

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.

01V25400103/08/2001

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE ACCUMULATOR THAT IS INSTALLED ON THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, THIS COULD RESULT IN LEAKAGE OF THE PRESSURIZED NITROGEN GAS FROM INSIDE THE ACCUMULATOR.

04V42800001/09/2004

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

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.

Recent Complaints

20240416AIR BAGS

My horn goes off when I turn the steering wheel or hit bumps when driving and when parked and turned off, if its close to freezing it will go off constantly early in the morning before dawn and I have to disconnect the battery or pull the fuse for the horn under the hood fuse panel to stop it. I can't drive it with a horn fuse in and have tried replacing the steering wheel airbag and it still has the same problem. My neighbor had the same issue on his 04 Jeep and his car was fixed with an airbag actuator recall. No warning lights ever come on. Only my mechanic has looked at the vehicle.

20220306SERVICE BRAKES

I was driving down the highway, without any prior indication the brake light, and break alarm came on and my breaks went out. All at the same.

20211101EXTERIOR LIGHTING

My car has 2 recalls and my local Mitsubishi dealer refused to fix the recalls.

20211101FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

My car has 2 recalls and my local Mitsubishi dealer refused to fix the recalls.

20190724ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WE HAVE THE CAR FOR THE PAST 17 YEARS AND WE ALWASY HAVE A ELECTRICAL, ENGINE AND HEAD LIGHTS PROBLEMS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE THEY CAN FIX IT . WE PAID GOOD MONEY FOR THEM TO FIX IT

20190724ENGINE

WE HAVE THE CAR FOR THE PAST 17 YEARS AND WE ALWASY HAVE A ELECTRICAL, ENGINE AND HEAD LIGHTS PROBLEMS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE THEY CAN FIX IT . WE PAID GOOD MONEY FOR THEM TO FIX IT

20190724EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WE HAVE THE CAR FOR THE PAST 17 YEARS AND WE ALWASY HAVE A ELECTRICAL, ENGINE AND HEAD LIGHTS PROBLEMS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE THEY CAN FIX IT . WE PAID GOOD MONEY FOR THEM TO FIX IT

20180629SERVICE BRAKES

A/L BRAKE LIGHT GOES OFF EVERYTIME BRAKE PEDALS IS APPLIED ACCOMPANIED WITH AN ABNORMAL NOISE FROM THE DASH. THERE IS A NHTSA CAMPAIGN #01V254002 ABOUT A BRAKE BOOSTER ACCUMULATOR DEFECT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR POSSIBLE RECALL FIX BUT GOT DENIED SINCE ITS NOT PART OF THEIR RECALL CAMPAIGN. SHOULDNT THIS BE PART OF A RECALL CAMPAIGN SINCE ITS A SAFETY ISSUE? DO I NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THE BRAKES FAIL AND GET INTO AN ACCIDENT?

Mileage: 135,000

20180118UNKNOWN OR OTHER

TAKATA RECALL I HAVE PROBLEM WITH MY SECURITY ALARM SYSTEM IT GOES OFF FOR NO REASON AND ALSO THE HORN WHEN THE WEATHER DROPS COLD THE HORN GOING OFF CONTINUOUSLY MY MECHANIC CHANGE THE HORN RELAY MORE THAN 3 TIMES BUT THE ISSUE STILL THE SAME. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THESE TWO ISSUES ARE CONNECTED OR NOT BUT I NEED HELP.

20170501SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A CHIRPING SOUND. THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE BOTH MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V254002 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Mileage: 140,000

20170103POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TRANSFER CASE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT TRANSFER CASE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

Mileage: 170,000

20161129ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE CLUSTER WAS REPAIRED IN THE MONTERO BUT IT ONLY WORKS ONCE IN AWHILE. THE PANEL WILL TELL ME EVERY NOW AND THEN IF I HAVE FUEL OR NOT. ALSO, WE HAD TO PAY TO HAVE AN ISSUE RESOLVED THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE COST US ANYTHING BECAUSE IT WAS SHOWN HERE AS A DEFECT FOR OUR MAKE AND MODEL. OUR CAR WAS LEAKING GAS, AND MITSUBISHI REFUSED TO FIX IT, AT THEIR EXPENSE, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS LISTED HERE AND THERE WERE VERY MANY COMPLAINTS FILED. WE HAD TO TOW THE CAR IN BECAUSE OF THE LEAK, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. AMAZING THAT SO LITTLE CARE WAS SHOWN BY MITSUBISHI FOR SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS WAS THE COMPLAINT AND THE RECALL (NHTSA RECALL ID 01V254001) ABOUT THE CAR BEING PARKED AT AN UPWARD SLOPE, THE FUEL TANK LEVELING VALVE NOT MAINTAINING PROPER SEALING IN THE EVEN THAT THE FUEL EXPANDS FROM THE RISE IN AMBIENT TEMP. LEAKAGE OF PRESSURIZED NITROGEN GAS FROM INSIDE THE ACCUMULATOR, ETC. PLEASE CHECK THE RECALL NOTICE.

Mileage: 79,654

20161129FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

THE CLUSTER WAS REPAIRED IN THE MONTERO BUT IT ONLY WORKS ONCE IN AWHILE. THE PANEL WILL TELL ME EVERY NOW AND THEN IF I HAVE FUEL OR NOT. ALSO, WE HAD TO PAY TO HAVE AN ISSUE RESOLVED THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE COST US ANYTHING BECAUSE IT WAS SHOWN HERE AS A DEFECT FOR OUR MAKE AND MODEL. OUR CAR WAS LEAKING GAS, AND MITSUBISHI REFUSED TO FIX IT, AT THEIR EXPENSE, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS LISTED HERE AND THERE WERE VERY MANY COMPLAINTS FILED. WE HAD TO TOW THE CAR IN BECAUSE OF THE LEAK, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. AMAZING THAT SO LITTLE CARE WAS SHOWN BY MITSUBISHI FOR SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS WAS THE COMPLAINT AND THE RECALL (NHTSA RECALL ID 01V254001) ABOUT THE CAR BEING PARKED AT AN UPWARD SLOPE, THE FUEL TANK LEVELING VALVE NOT MAINTAINING PROPER SEALING IN THE EVEN THAT THE FUEL EXPANDS FROM THE RISE IN AMBIENT TEMP. LEAKAGE OF PRESSURIZED NITROGEN GAS FROM INSIDE THE ACCUMULATOR, ETC. PLEASE CHECK THE RECALL NOTICE.

Mileage: 79,654

20161024SERVICE BRAKES

WHILE DRIVING ON CENTRAL STREET IN HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL THE BRAKE LIGHT & ABS LIGHT CAME ON. ALSO AN ALARM SOUNDED. LOSS ALL BRAKES. WE WERE JUST GOING TO GO ON THE HIGHWAY 90. THIS COULD OF ENDED UP DEADLY. UPON INSPECTION BY PEP BOYS, IT WAS THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER HAS FAILED. THE SUV CAN NOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL THIS PART IS REPLACED. I HAVE NEW BRAKES ON THE SUV. *TR

Mileage: 120,000

20160920SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM ACCUMULATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V254001 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

Mileage: 180,000

20160907SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, AN ABNORMAL SCREECHING NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V254001 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000.

Mileage: 105,000

20160822SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE ABS DELAYED TO ENGAGE AND THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AXLE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE CONTACT ALSO HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE BRAKE ACCUMULATOR FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ADVISED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V254001 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Mileage: 140,000

20160623FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

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, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM RECALL DATE (Y/M):2001/08 DEFECT: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE ACCUMULATOR THAT IS INSTALLED ON THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, THIS COULD RESULT IN LEAKAGE OF THE PRESSURIZED NITROGEN GAS FROM INSIDE THE ACCUMULATOR.

20160623EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM RECALL DATE (Y/M):2001/08 DEFECT: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE ACCUMULATOR THAT IS INSTALLED ON THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, THIS COULD RESULT IN LEAKAGE OF THE PRESSURIZED NITROGEN GAS FROM INSIDE THE ACCUMULATOR.

20160413SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A LOUD GRINDING SOUND EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WHILE REVERSING FROM A PARKING SPACE. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, A SQUEALING SOUND WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER ACCUMULATOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V254001 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

Mileage: 68,000

Compare 2002MITSUBISHIMONTERO to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO have?
The 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO has 132 NHTSA complaints, 11 crashes, 1 fires, 11 injuries, and 2 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO?
Yes, the 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO?
The most-complained component for the 2002 MITSUBISHI MONTERO is SERVICE BRAKES with 21 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM.
Is the 2002 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.