1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Montero Sport years
- About as many complaints as other years 7th of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 29 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport. That ranks 7th out of 9 Montero Sport model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (14 complaints, 48%), typically at around 120,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 29owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 14 | 48% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 14% | 160,600 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 7% | 116,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 7% | 208,820 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 7% | 137,300 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 7% | 117,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 3% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 3% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 3% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles: mirage model vehicles equipped with 1.5l engines; montero sport models equipped with 3.0l engines; and montero models equipped with 3.0l engines. The bolt securing the crankshaft pulley can become loose and the pulley could fall off the vehicle.
Risk: The condition can result in a loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: On the mirage vehicles, the dealers will install a new, improved crankshaft pulley bolt on the older engines. On new engines which already have the improved bolt, the dealer will tighten the crankshaft pulley bolt to the correct torque specification. On the montero models, dealers will tighten the crankshaft pulley bolt to the correct torque specifications. If the bolt is damaged, it will be replaced.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 mitsubishi montero sport. While driving between 55 and 65 mph, the front end of the vehicle shook violently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the ball joints, wheel bearings, transmission mount, universal bolt, and tires needed to be…
Vehicle lost power steering and stalled. Crankshaft pulley bolt fell out and harmonic balancer fell off.causing loss of control and life threatening situation. *tr
Common problem with these, crank shaft pulley bolt defective should have recalled all of them. *tr
Crankshaft pulley bolt came loose causing loss of steering. Had to steer very hard manually to park car. Dangerous situation. *tr
Steering terminal came off making the vehicle go in danger. *tr
Other Mitsubishi Montero Sport years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 Montero Sport | 1 | 0 |
| 2004 Montero Sport | 5 | 1 |
| 2003 Montero Sport | 31 | 0 |
| 2002 Montero Sport | 54 | 0 |
| 2001 Montero Sport | 63 | 1 |
| 2000 Montero Sport | 97 | 1 |
| 1999 Montero Sport | 33 | 3 |
| 1998 Montero Sport | 35 | 1 |
| 1997 | 29 | 1 |
See all Mitsubishi Montero Sport problems by year, every Mitsubishi model, or the Mitsubishi VIN decoder.
Similar Mitsubishi models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, steering, electrical system problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 14 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Montero Sport model years, the 1997 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.