"How reliable is the 1996 Mitsubishi Montero?"

"Based on 40 NHTSA complaints, the 1996 Mitsubishi Montero has a median complaint mileage of 0 miles. The most common issue is Unknown Or Other."

"What are common problems with the 1996 Mitsubishi Montero?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 1996 Mitsubishi Montero is Unknown Or Other, accounting for a significant portion of the 40 total complaints filed."

1996 Mitsubishi Montero: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 40 complaints

Total Complaints

Unknown Or Other

Top Issue

Crash Reports

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Unknown Or Other

Engine

Rotor

Foundation Components

Hinge And Attachments

Automatic Transmission

Belts And Associated Pulleys

Hydraulic Power Assist System

Exterior

Vehicle Speed Control

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"REAR VIEW MIRRORS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY."

"TRANSMISSION OVERDRIVE DEFECTIVE."

"WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED TRAVELING ABOUT 55 MPH, AND UPON DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THE DASHBOARD. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *AK"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

CA: 15 TX: 5 VA: 3 IL: 3 OH: 2 NJ: 2 PA: 2 GA: 2 MA: 2 NC: 2

Who Files Complaints?

37.5%

Original Owners

62.5%

Second+ Owners

Mitsubishi Montero — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

Year	Complaints	Median Mileage	Top Issue	Crashes
1990	25	-	Buckle Assembly	2
1991	22	-	Engine	0
1994	35	185,000	Engine	3
1995	106	143,000	Engine	8
1997	85	110,500	Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	7
1998	91	89,500	Front	13
1999	47	84,000	Automatic Transmission	4
2000	68	109,000	Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	8
2001	213	103,530	Vacuum	16
2002	132	84,000	Service Brakes	11
2003	53	67,000	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	6

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28