2003 Mitsubishi Montero problems & reliability
39 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Mitsubishi Montero, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
2 complaints report injuries (4 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2003 Mitsubishi Montero vehicles were involved in 2 fatal crashes with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 7 | 18% |
| Power Train | 6 | 15% |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 13% |
| Electrical System | 4 | 10% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 10% |
| Air Bags | 3 | 8% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 8% |
| Suspension | 3 | 8% |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 5% |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 81,500 miles (middle 50% between 24,250 and 137,500 miles), based on 32 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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 mechanic who…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Jun 29, 2016
“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 the vehicle on the…”
Structure · filed Jun 12, 2015
“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 shop. After a…”
Service Brakes · filed May 8, 2015
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
49 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2003 Mitsubishi Montero. The 10 most recent:
This is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has launched the 3rd quarterly technician quiz for 2023.
DEALER LETTER · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2023
This Technical Service Bulletin provides instructions and material safety data sheets for removal of rap-film adhesive residue.
TSB-23-00-004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2023
This Technical Service Bulletin reviews the regulations that require a label showing the reduction in load carrying capacity be affixed to vehicles when the total net weight of accessories is more than 1.5 percent of…
TSB-23-00-001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2023
This is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has launched the 2nd quarterly technician quiz for 2023.
DEALER LETTER · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 21, 2023
This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between normal dew condensation, which is a natural phenomenon, and water penetration caused by improper sealing or a defective/broken part.
TSB-22-54-003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 7, 2022
This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TT253 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 26, 2019
This is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers. This bulletin supersedes TSB-18-00-003, issued April, 2018, to add updated information for Carrying Capacity Reduced Label.
TSB-19-00-008 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 30, 2019
This is a Technical Information Notice sent to dealers, to inform them that MB991855V (12-13 Pin Reprogramming Adapter) is now available for purchase. To reprogram 2002 - 2006 Montero and 2003 - 2006 Outlander vehicles…
TIN1800009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 8, 2018
This is a message sent to dealers, to inform them that an update for MEDIC will be available.
MEDICUpdate517 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 27, 2018
This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TT237 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 26, 2018
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2003 Mitsubishi Montero has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2003 Mitsubishi Montero?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 81,500 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.