2003 Mitsubishi Montero Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Montero years
- Fewer complaints than other years 8th of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 39 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Mitsubishi Montero. That ranks 8th out of 12 Montero model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (7 complaints, 18%), typically at around 100,400 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 1 fire, 4 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 39owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Mitsubishi Montero 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 7 | 18% | 100,400 | — | — |
| Power Train | 6 | 15% | 73,945 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 13% | 145,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 10% | 57,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 10% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 8% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 8% | 37,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 8% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 5% | 19,013 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 5% | 9,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 5% | 10,190 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 5% | 2,500 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 5% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 3% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 3% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 3% | 67,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 3% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 3% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 3% | 16,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 3% | 177,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 3% | 162,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Mitsubishi Montero recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: 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.
Risk: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
Fix: Mitsubishi caribbean will mail a customer notification letter containing a written description and a graphic of the bi-lingual dashboard air bag warning label. In addition, all current 2000-2004 nativa owners will also receive replacement air bag alert labels for the sun visors. This recall is expected to begin during march or april 2005. The notification to the nativa owners is expected to begin during april or may 2005. Owners should contact mitsubishi caribbean at 1-787-251-8715.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage
Problem: 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.
Risk: If the fuel leveling valve does not seal properly, fuel may leak onto the ground. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the leveling valve. The recall began on august 30, 2004. Owners should contact mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037 or mitsubishi caribbean at 1-787-251-8715.
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 2003 mitsubishi montero. The contact stated that the check engine warning light remained illuminated when the vehicle was purchased from the dealer. The contact stated that the vehicle had a strong hesitation as the failure progressed. The vehicle was taken to an independent…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mitsubishi montero. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle started to veer to the left independently. The contact stopped on the shoulder to check the tire pressure. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic. The technician put…
A siren sound came on. My husband proceeded to get of the road. In his attempt, the brakes became very hard to press. The vehicle continued to roll as the brakes were being applied. He the pull the emergency brakes to bring the vehicle to a complete stop. Aaa was called to tow the vehicle to a auto…
The horn goes off by itself the pads where stuck and it cost $1000 to repair since it needs to remove the steering airbag,this should be on a recall.this has a lot of problems who has same model on mitsubishi forums found here…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mitsubishi montero. The contact stated that while driving 5 mph down a slight incline, the brake pedal failed to respond and the vehicle was shifted to neutral in order to stop. The contact also stated that the abs warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed…
Other Mitsubishi Montero years
← 2002 Montero · 2004 Montero →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 Montero | 4 | 0 |
| 2005 Montero | 1 | 0 |
| 2004 Montero | 5 | 3 |
| 2003 | 39 | 2 |
| 2002 Montero | 111 | 3 |
| 2001 Montero | 166 | 4 |
| 2000 Montero | 51 | 2 |
| 1999 Montero | 40 | 2 |
| 1998 Montero | 74 | 4 |
| 1997 Montero | 63 | 2 |
| 1996 Montero | 27 | 2 |
| 1995 Montero | 86 | 2 |
See all Mitsubishi Montero 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 2003 Mitsubishi Montero?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, power train, service brakes problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 7 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Mitsubishi Montero?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Mitsubishi Montero a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Montero model years, the 2003 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.