MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT · model year

2004 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT

6 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2004MITSUBISHIMONTERO SPORT carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 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 2004 MONTERO SPORT is fuel/propulsion system with 2 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (1) and seat belts:front:buckle assembly (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. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, 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 2004 MONTERO SPORT. 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.

6
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

6 filings

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

ComponentCount
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM2
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1

Recalls (1)

04V09500020/02/2004

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE VEHICLE CAPACITY WEIGHTS AS STATED ON THE TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATION LABEL ARE IN ERROR.

Recent Complaints

20151119FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FILL SUV WITH GAS AND IT ALL LEAKED OUT UNDER THE SUV.

Mileage: 120,000

20151021FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT. THE CONTACT DETECTED THE ODOR OF FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER TIME. AFTER FULLY REFUELING THE VEHICLE, IT BEGAN TO LEAK FUEL AT APPROXIMATELTY FOUR DROPS PER SECOND. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKED FUEL WHEN PARKED ON INCLINES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

Mileage: 200,000

20141001ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

HEAT GAUGE IS FAULTY AND IT WILL BLOW HOT HEAT ONLY OUT OF DRIVER SIDE VENTS AND BLOWS COLD OUT OF THE REST OF THE VENTS. HEAT GAUGE SAYS ITS RUNNING FINE BUT IT IS REALLY OVERHEATING TO THE BOILING POINT. I AM NOT SURE HOW LONG IT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM AS I JUST BOUGHT IT 2 WEEKS AGO AND HAVE HAD NO USE FOR THE HEAT TILL NOW AND NEVER DROVE IT FAR ENOUGH TILL TODAY WHEN I NOTICED THE HEAT GAUGE AND HEARD IT BOILING OVER WITH STEAM COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. *TR

Mileage: 146,000

20090707POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

2004 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM DRIVETIME AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IMMEDIATELY. IT WENT OFF AFTER I TURNED IT OFF. 2 DAYS LATER THE A/T TEMP LIGHT CAME ON. THE 4H LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. I CALLED THE WARRANTY COMPANY AND I WAS SENT TO A MECHANIC WHO REMOVED ALL THE ELECTRIC CONNECTORS AND PRONOUNCED THE CAR FIXED. 2 DAYS LATER THE A/T TEMP LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN I WAS SENT TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST WHO CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION 2 WEEKS LATER THE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN ANYTIME I DRIVE MORE THAT 40 MILES. *TR

Mileage: 67,000

20060105CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON SLIPPERY ROADS THE CONSUMER HIT A PUDDLE AND ROLLED OVER A FENCE INTO A WATER RESERVE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED. THE SEAT BELT CAME UNLATCHED WHILE THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER THE FENCE. THE SEAT BELT WAS ABLE TO LATCH AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BACK AND NECK INJURIES ALONG WITH LOSS OF MOVEMENT TO THE HAND. DURING THE ACCIDENT, THE CONTACT'S KNEE HIT THE STEERING COLUMN BECAUSE OF THE SEAT BELT FAILURE. THE POLICE DETERMINED THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE WAS 60 MPH AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. *AK UPDATED 01/25/06. *JB

Mileage: 15,000

20060105CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON SLIPPERY ROADS THE CONSUMER HIT A PUDDLE AND ROLLED OVER A FENCE INTO A WATER RESERVE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED. THE SEAT BELT CAME UNLATCHED WHILE THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER THE FENCE. THE SEAT BELT WAS ABLE TO LATCH AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BACK AND NECK INJURIES ALONG WITH LOSS OF MOVEMENT TO THE HAND. DURING THE ACCIDENT, THE CONTACT'S KNEE HIT THE STEERING COLUMN BECAUSE OF THE SEAT BELT FAILURE. THE POLICE DETERMINED THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE WAS 60 MPH AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. *AK UPDATED 01/25/06. *JB

Mileage: 15,000

Compare 2004MITSUBISHIMONTERO SPORT to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2004 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT have?
The 2004 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT has 6 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2004 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT?
Yes, the 2004 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT?
The most-complained component for the 2004 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT is FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.
Is the 2004 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT 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.