Mitsubishi Montero

regala · August 2001

Did anybody already got a notice regarding the brake accumulator recall. I was wondering what's this all about. I called my local dealer and the part isn't available yet.

99trooper · August 2001

Funny you should mention that. I just picked up a 2001 Ltd and I feel that the brakes don't quite work the way they should! They are a bit "grabby" and have little modulation (in comparison to my 99 Trooper which has amazing brake feel). Does anyone else know anything about the brakes being edgey or touchy?

thanks!

viet2 · August 2001

Car and driver has a few sentence about the Montero roll over that I did not understood very well. Basically, they said someone rolled over the Montero with a single wheel parking brake. This must have something to do with CU tests.

dski · August 2001

>>Car and driver has a few sentence about the Montero roll over that I did not understood very well.<<

No, actually they didn't say someone Rolled a Montero over. What they did was Poke Fun at CU. It was purley a Sarcastic comment.

To clarify, here's exactly what was written in the Sept. Car& Driver:

Pg. 34 "Apparantly, somewhere out there someone rolled a Mitsubishi Montero Limited. The next vehicle class to be tested will be the plastic like trike. Early reports say the hand-operated, single-wheel rear brake may cause wicked slides, man."

Their point is that the kids toy (Big Wheels) will slide easily. It's supposed to be fun. CU would dissagree.

In comparison, all SUV's will tip more easily than cars. It's the nature of the beast. You have to remember that these car magazines like to poke fun at absurd and stupid things. That's why I like to read them.

Car & Drive has never been shy about making fun of CU because of the silly ways they evaluate cars sometimes. Not to mention some of CU's absurd conclusions on occassion.

Drew

99trooper · August 2001

Hey all..I had the transmission slip on me one time (I've had the truck less than a week). It happened when going from 2nd to 3rd gear under hard acceleration.

I just called Town North Mitsubishi here in Austin, TX and after explaining the problem to their service guy "Scott" he said he's never heard of it, AND he wouldnt replace any part unless it did it for them. Quite a crappy attitude huh? I asked "why would a customer just make something like that up? Do you think we WANT you taking apart our brand new cars"...he was basically an idiot. I called them the other day as well about a hitch, and they quoted me the highest price of 3 dealers I called. I ALSO tried to buy the car from them originally but their sales magr said "we sell them at sticker and may come off $700"! haha..this was on 8/12/01. I walked, and bought a demo model for 28k at another dealer. Anyway, I'd say avoid doing business with Town North Mitsubishi in Austin at all costs.

To contrast, I called the only other Mitsu dealer here, Gillman Mitsubishi and their service guy said he'd never heard of the transmission problem, but asked me if I could print out what I'd found on Edmunds and he would look into it. Totally diffferent attitude. Gillman's service dept. seems much more interested in helping customers, Town North in ripping you off for every dime they can get!

I will be posting another post about a crappy experience with a Mitsu dealer in Richland Hills, TX, Huggins Mitsubishi...

99trooper · August 2001

Well when I was heading out to buy my Montero, Huggins said they had one that they would sell for the same price, and the salesperson said it was in "great" condition. When I got there, the car had a small chip in the front of the hood that was actually rusting, it had a small dent on top of the hood, the tint on the drivers side window was all scratched up, like someone had put a chemical on it or something, the sunroof didnt work, and there were misc scratches on the sides of the vehicle. I asked them about trade in on my current vehicle and their quote was $3000 yes $3000 less than what i've been offered elsewhere for it, and 4k below "fair" trade value on edmunds and kbb. Anyway, I walked and called them the next morning saying if they fixed the sunroof and came down a bit more I'd buy it cash, no trade..their sales manager told me I should go buy one elsewhere.which I did...:) Nice attitude huh?..anyway, another dealer to avoid, Huggins Mitsubishi in North Richland Hills, TX..

Hopefully these crappy dealers are reading this message board..hopefully they'll be smart enough to change the way they do business (doubtful, they're prolly too stupid to get it, natural selection will work its wonders over time). I think the model for buying cars is changing to a national one and there will be more competition on the dealers.

I will say I have bought new cars from Ford, Toyota and Isuzu and my WORST experiences have been with Mitsubishi so far. Best experience?...Isuzu..twice...

sergio6 · August 2001

Seems like Mitsu's customer service is NO MATCH to their engineering teams.
I had bad experiences at all Mitsubishi dealers. In particular Rockville, MD, Mitsubishi was the worst. The italian salesperson that I had to endure was so aggressive that it felt like the mafia was trying to push the car on me. They were not willing to work with the customer allegedly because "we are not CARMAX". That gave me a great idea and that is where I finally purchased by vehicle. Best car buying experience I have ever had and would recommend CARMAX to any potential Mitsubishi buyer. Avoid Mitsu dealers!

brillmtb · August 2001

Dont feel bad. A friend of mine tried to turn in his 94 montero and buy a 2001 LTD last week. No deals at all. I was able to get a better price then he was offered. It seems that the CU report wont have the effect that we all feared after all.

As far as the brake issue, keep the info coming. I have not had any problems with the brakes and that is even with towing a trailer.

regala · August 2001

Went back to the dealer to have my driveshaft checked due to vibration. I asked about the brake recall. They said that as of today, they have not received formal recall notice from Mitsubishi but they are aware of the accumulator problem. Currently, dealers will only fix the accumulator if you are experiencing the problem. The symptoms are: you can here like a quacking sound everytime you step on the brakes. Once the recall notice is out, all accumulators can be replaced, defective or not. More info is on the NHTSA site under 01V254000 recall notice.

99trooper · August 2001

I don't feel bad at all..just wanted to let people know about particular dealers. On a positive note I took the Montero out tonight to an offroad area where I've played around in my 99 Trooper. Drove up the exact same inclines and was surprised to find that the Montero scaled them much more effortlessly...:)

ibrollinover4u · August 2001

Hey 99 Trooper!...check posts 552,693,694,695,707,710 and 710...give this to your dealer, Hope this helps your cause!

magilla · August 2001

I know I should know what this is and you've all probably covered it before, but here goes anyway. Have '98 Montero. Odd noise. Think it's driveshaft or tranny, but not sure. Let's say you're cruising on the hwy not really torquing anything. Give it a little gas and you hear this noise. Can't really describe it. When you let off the gas, noise goes away. Is that driveshaft out of balance? I've got 45K miles on it. Obviously, the dealer won't take care of this, right? What do you guys think? Overall, love this vehicle.

99trooper · August 2001

ibrollinover4u...thanks for the references on the tranny prob! I have not had the "slip" since that one time it did it..so I'm going to wait a little while to see if it happens again. I know I've been reading a little about the transmission being semi-intelligent and adjusting itself to the driver..does anyone know more specifically what it actually is doing?

regala · August 2001

Our montero's are equipped with INVECS adaptive shift control mechanism where it learns from driver input. Based on what it learned, the transmission will automatically set itself either for economy or more power. Which means, early shifting=lower RPM=economy OR late shift=more power=less economical. If you're the only driver of the montero, the invecs system then shouldn't have any problems learning your driving style. It gets confused if there are 2 different driver inputs which might produce a tranny slip like problem.

patelvijayc · August 2001

Hi guys The brakes in my 01 Montero makes shhhhh
noise every time I hit the brake pedal.
To hear the sound there should be no noise.
Is this accumulator problem? Should I take to
dealer. It has 5k on it.

99trooper · August 2001

for the info regarding INVECS. Since my transmission slip problem happened while the car was less then 4 days old to me, perhaps that explains it...this car was a demo and maybe my driving style is different from the previous driver..it hasnt happened since, so we'll just have to wait and see!

99trooper · August 2001

Hi all..I ordered a factory hitch from the dealer and got it today. Took it to the local UHAUL to have it installed. I was surprised to see that they removed a big plastic piece from the underside of the car as well as what looks like a "sway bar" (which it isnt). Its the bar that went across the bottom that had the two tow hooks for the back of the truck...the hitch replaces where this is mounted too. Can anyone think of any reason for me to keep these two pieces?..or just throw them out?...

phonos · August 2001

The hitch will perform the same secondary function as the bar they removed -- as protection if the rear end drags on a steep departure angle surface . You can toss the bar.

The "plastic" piece, I'm not sure of what it is, but it could be a composite skid plate that should have been replaced to protect the 3rd seat foot-well or something else. Better check with the dealer or someone in the know on that one.

Of course, if you never plan on going off-road, you probably won't ever need it anyway if a skid plate is what it is.

roadie4 · August 2001

Is that a good price? Thanks

brillmtb · August 2001

Your not talking about the black plastic cosmetic piece you can see from the back of the Montero. It sits just below the bumper are you?

That should still be replaced. I put an aftermarket hitch and all that we left off was that metal bar, which is the tow hook bar.

brillmtb · August 2001

Was in the dealer to replace broken fog light (rock damage). Saw my saleman who stated that he had a video that Mitsu has put out but I didnt have time to watch it. He also stated that he felt Mitsu was coming out with something more soon.

I suggested he tell his local rep to forward up a message to get some officail presence here. I dont know about the rest of you but it would be nice if a factory rep cruised the board here and answered various questions we might have.

burger5 · August 2001

I've noticed in my '01 monte when the moonroof is fully open there is a terrible vibrating sound (sometimes ear pearcing)in the vehicle when traveling at least 45 m/h. Has anyone else had this problem?

brillmtb · August 2001

Yes, with the sun roof open and going fairly fast with no other windows open it is common to get an overpressure kind of feel on your ears.

That was really bad on the Lexus 300 with any single window down. Its not so bad on the Monte. You can avoid with with by cracking another window.

dski · August 2001

>>Can anyone think of any reason for me to keep these two pieces?..or just throw them out?...<<

Yeah I can. Send them to me.

Those two parts were damaged on my Montero the first time I went off Road. Front Guard was dented and those two trim parts below the rear bumper where damaged beyond repair.

The dealers just throw them away. My dealer keeps saying he's saving the next ones for me but hasn't had a trailer hitch install since, which is consistant with my luck.

Drew

magilla · August 2001

my post, I'll update it and hopefully someone will benefit from it. Remember, my '98 makes a kind of whining noise when on the gas and no noise when off the gas. If it's tranny should still be under warranty. Anyway, called the service manager today. Explained and he said could be tranny, could be driveshaft (unlikely), could be (and here's the surprise) alternator or AC compressor. Wondering if all of you with models through 2000 notice this noise. Perhaps it just is and isn't a problem at all. Let me know guys...

brillmtb · August 2001

Well, despite CU report and all a brand new review (I forget the name of the mag now but its on the news stand now) ranked the Montero #4 behind the MDX, BMW and Lexus RX.

It is interesting that the leaders were all car based and the limitations of thier off road abilities were pointed out and the strength of the Monteros off road ability pointed out. They complemented the suspensions off road ability and stated what we already know that 40 more horses would put its on road performance with the others.

I guess we will continue to lump the car based SUV with the more capable off road SUV's in reviews. To some extent I guess this helps people who dont already know what they want or what to look for.

Anyway, good article to look at for any of you cruising the sites looking for SUV info.

standaman1 · August 2001

Just to add to the above post, brillmtb is refering to "Car and Driver" magazine

phonos · August 2001

FWIW:

Got the driver's side front finder plastic cladding sideswiped while my wife was putting the gas filling nozzel back on the pump.

Damage was minimal, just about 12-16 inches of paint and the plastic slightly gouged. I thought a little rubbing with sand paper and crocus cloth and some paint was all it needed.

But, no. The body shop (which by the way, does excellent work and is used by all the dealers in the Anaheim Auto Center) ordered new parts.

First, the dealer could not tell from Mitsubishi inventory whether the subject cladding was one piece or two pieces with separate part numbers.

Now, however that part(s) worked out, there is a seal or gasket that apparently goes between either the two parts or between the cladding and the metal work (unclear in talking with body shop where exactly it goes) that is on back order at Mitsubishi.

Driving a 2001 Grand Vitara that is a little small for my 280 lbs fat a** and has virtually no room for all my "stuff" behind the rear seat.

Told the bodyshop I need it by Friday one way or another, as hunting season for doves opens Saturday.

PHOnos, 2001 Montero Limited; Rear A/C; White/Silver; August 2000; July build date; $34,500+TTL; Orange County, CA; 22,000 miles - no real problems

cct1 · August 2001

Man what a cruel irony--last year you go driving on lunar landscapes, rock hopping giant sized boulders with only minor scratches, and someone idiot nails you at a gas station....Bet he was driving a Seqouia....

99trooper · August 2001

sorry...parts already discarded!...

99trooper · August 2001

I just went to the store today and in the September Issue of C&D I couldn't find the article mentioned above?..Anyone know what issue and or mag brill was talking about?...

standaman1 · August 2001

It is Car and Driver Road Test Annual, called "2001 Ultimate Comparisons" Also says on the front cover, "47 vehicles ranked by the pros", and "10 Complete Comparison Tests: Sport Cars, Convertibles, Sport-Utilites, Luxury and Sports Sedans, Minivans." There's an add for Montero Sport on the back.
I'm not sure whether it's September issue or not...not a subscriber, just happen to come across, but it should be on the stand until November 13.

regala · August 2001

http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caranddriver/comparisontests/2000/December/200012_comparisontest_designerutes.xml

99trooper · August 2001

thanks regala and standaman..I already have the original issue where that article appeared!...:)

salthouse · August 2001

We just picked up our 2001 Ltd last night. I'm looking for a class 3 hitch, the Mitsu price of $370+ (not including the $140+ for the wiring harness) seems a bit steep. Has anyone found a good after market product (e.g Draw-tite, etc...) that they like?

bryhogan · August 2001

We installed a Draw-Tite hitch ourselves and paid about $150 w/shipping. If memory serves, we ordered it from www.drawtite.com.

The nice thing with the Draw-Tite is that it's specific to the Montero. Thus, it fits like a glove. Also, no drilling is required. This makes the job pretty easy. The one thing that helps the installation go easy is an l-o-n-g extension to a ratchet wrench AND an "L" adapter. (I doubt this is the technical name for it...)

Best of luck!

regala · August 2001

If you still prefer the OEM style but don't want to get ripped off by the dealer, there are 2 sites that I know of that sells OEM parts. They are significantly less than dealers price.

http://www.mitsubishi-accessories.com

http://www.magauto.com

brillmtb · September 2001

I am so sorry I could not remember which mag and I am heading out for a long vacation. If I remember when I get back perhaps I can get it in here before it goes off the newstand.

I will be checking at the airport on my way out.

beazle · September 2001

At 5200 miles, average=16.9 mpg, best=21.4 mpg, worst=14.4 mpg..using mid-grade gas..... Also I have purchased a vehicle recovery strap, but directions on connecting to vehicles is vague at best. Can anyone direct me to a site that gives detailed instructions?

phonos · September 2001

Picked the Monte up Wednesday, without the backordered cladding, to use over the weekend.

Body shop called Thursday, cladding part came in.

Back to body shop Friday afternoon. Part installed, everything good as new.

Went home, parked Monte in garage, front end out, started loading gear for trip.

Wife came home, pushed wrong button on garage door opener, garage door came down on Monte roof. Door reversed as it was supposed to, but . . ..

Now have 1/2 inch deep dent and scratched roof.

99trooper · September 2001

ack! sorry to hear about your Monty troubles!..ouch!

brillmtb · September 2001

I think that was the article I was referring to.

It is interesting that despite the MDX being too loud, "feeling fragile" off road and looking like a mini van that Car and Driver rated it #1.

Can we say, money for advertising talks?

pinoy44 · September 2001

I have a 4 months old Montero Limited with 4,300 miles and recently I drove it to Canada and back to Illinois for 1,400 miles which I am very impressed with the truck overall performance except for one thing. When I reach the speed range of 72-78 mph, I hear an intermittent humming noise coming from the engine. Outside that speed range the noise disappears and also when the gas pedal is release. I am going to call the dealership about this but I wanted to know if anyone out there had experienced the same situation.
Thanks!

ibrollinover4u · September 2001

Maybe your monte was humming because it didnt know the words?

Mine used to whistle around 65-70 mph... now I here a tapping at idle...
Musical Montes... what will these [non-permissible content removed] think of next!

vetmed3 · September 2001

When I was crawling around under my 2001XLS I noticed several drops of clear heavy oil on the skid plate close to the center of the support frame.
I took it to the Monte dealer and he found that a differential switch on the front of the pumkin was leaking. Since the oil was so heavy, it took awhile for the drip to be noticed. It was replaced under warranty but it would have caused major problems if I hadn't found it.
I might suggest that youse guys check yours once in awhile. I was told that it has been happening with other ones.

Any body buy a bull bar for their Monte? Where? The brush guards are too expensive and I wanted to install some PIAA fogs. Also the brush bars may interfere with the Montero wind deflector.

Any owner ever put on after market fogs?

dski · September 2001

>>Wife came home, pushed wrong button on garage door opener, garage door came down on Monte roof. Door reversed as it was supposed to, but . . ..

Now have 1/2 inch deep dent and scratched roof.<<

I've had some bad luck with that kind of damage several time in the last year. Kids used a toy to take out some frustration on wifes Saab.

Check out some of the Paintless Repair guys in your area like Dent Doctors, etc. I have one that I've been using and he's done an EXCELLANT job. I have a big dent waiting to get repaired now. A good detailer can usually get the scratches buffed out as well. I've been amazed at what magic they can work.

Good Luck
Drew

cct1 · September 2001

Thanks for the post--I have the exact same problem, and was wondering what the heck it was--gonna get it in ASAP.

How long was your Monte in the shop??

regala · September 2001

I have mine done at 26K miles. It is called the freewheel engage switch.

CCT1, call the dealer first if they have it in stock. They had to order mine and it took 1 week for them to get it. Once they have it, it's less than an hour job to replace it. Also, once you have it replaced, make sure they wipe your skid plates dry, or else, you're gonna go crazy thinking that it is still leaking.

vetmed3 · September 2001

Dealer had mine in stock. Less than a hour as regala stated. Everything looked good last night.
Saw 2002 Montie. Minor changes. Redesigned name plate. Some more money.
There is a 2001 limited here that the dealer must have had 7 months(Red). Salesman said he turned down $30,00 for it. There are rebates now for Mitsu.

Last winter here in upper Pa. we had over 10 feet of snow. Some 4x4's should sell since we are to have another "old fashioned winter".

Saw new Ford Excursion with lifts and large tires. It was huge! The license plate said,"2 Big".

Antbody have anything to offer about fogs and mounts?

counselor2 · September 2001

vetmed3 and regala, what are the build dates of your trucks? Do you know whether the problem is limited to vehicles built within a certain time period? I just saw your posts and haven't checked my 2001 Ltd yet (12/00 build date) but will do so tonight when I get home. Thanks for the tips!

Mitsubishi Montero

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