1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport, and owners have filed 29 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
-
Engine (engine and engine cooling)
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.
Remedy: 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…
29 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport have filed 29 complaints with NHTSA; 2 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 125,818 miles. Complaints peaked in 2001 with 6 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 19, 2016 · Tires
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 15, 2015 · Engine
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport (Montero Sport 2WD, Montero Sport 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 17–21 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 15–20 / 19–23 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Special Purpose Vehicles/2wd, Special Purpose Vehicles/4wd |
| Engine | 4/6 cyl, 2.4/3 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd |
Compare Mitsubishi Montero Sport model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Mitsubishi Montero Sport model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport | 1 | 29 |
| 1998 Mitsubishi Montero Sport | 1 | 35 |
| 1999 Mitsubishi Montero Sport | 3 | 33 |
| 2000 Mitsubishi Montero Sport | 1 | 97 |
| 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport | 1 | 63 |
| 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport | 0 | 54 |
| 2003 Mitsubishi Montero Sport | 0 | 31 |
| 2004 Mitsubishi Montero Sport | 1 | 5 |
| 2009 Mitsubishi Montero Sport | 0 | 1 |
Checking a specific 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport
How do I know if my 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 1997 Mitsubishi Montero Sport; your car may already have been repaired under it.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Mitsubishi dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 00V311001).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Mitsubishi models
- Eclipse2,135 complaints
- Galant1,788 complaints
- Outlander1,322 complaints
- Lancer865 complaints
- Montero783 complaints
- Mirage702 complaints
- Diamante505 complaints
- Outlander Sport476 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.