Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 40 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 Mitsubishi Montero, and it carries 2 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 10 | 25% |
| Power train | 7 | 18% |
| Air bags | 4 | 10% |
| Service brakes | 4 | 10% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 3 | 8% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 5% |
| Air bags | 1 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
| Fuel system | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
IN THE DEALER , I MAKES THE APPOINTMEMT TO 7AM, AND THE DEALER NIMAY MITSUBISHI, AVE. KENNEDY 1011 SAN JUAN, PR NO WORK WITH THE CAR AT THE 200PM. NO WORK WITH THE HOURS APPOINMENT. THE WORK IS HORRIBLE
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
IT HAS BEEN ALMOST A YEAR SINCE THIS RECALL WAS ISSUED AND STILL THERE IS NO REMEDY. I FEEL THAT THIS IS VERY UNREASONABLE CONSIDERING THE DEFECTIVE AIRBAG COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR EVEN DEATH AS STATED IN THE RECALL
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
I WENT TO A MITSUBISHI DEALER AND THEY SAID THERE'S NO PART TO DO OR FIX THE RECALL
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF HER MOTHER, THE DRIVER OF A 1999 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO A MOUNTAIN AT A UNKNOWN SPEED AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. AS
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
TAKATA RECALL # OOV-311 002 CRANSHAFT PULLER BOLT , FUI A LA CAMPAA DEALER MITSUBISHI PARR AUTO EN MAYAGUEZ PUERTO RICO, PARA CAMBIAR EL TORNILLO DEL DAMPER , EL VEHICULO EN MOVIMIENTO EN CARRETERA ME HA BOTADO EL TORNIL
NHTSA complaint: Steering
ALTO RIESGO EN EL TORNILLO DE DAMPER Y CUA , MITSUBISHI MONTERO 199 3,0 LITROS YA A VOTADO YA 4 VECES EL TORNILLO DEL DAMPER Y HA HECHO AVERIAS AL MOTOR Y ME SIENTO INISEGURO EN EL VEHICULO , LA MITSUBISHIEN PR TENEN C
NHTSA complaint: Steering
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MITSUBISHI MONTERO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. SHE ALSO NOTICED A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL LEAKING FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF THE
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system
NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE FOR RECALL#D17 CONCERNING AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING. MASSEY YARDLEY, 772-546-1800. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 1999 Mitsubishi Montero. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
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 NATI
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain 1998-2000 Montero vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may abs
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect t
Fix: MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 25, 2021. Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number
| Reliability raw | 88 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 80 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 70 | good |
| Depreciation | 63 | average |
| Performance | 64 | average |
| Efficiency | 31 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 40 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and suspension is the most reported area with 10 of them (25%). There are 2 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 88/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 80/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1999 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 71/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.