AI Damage1986 Mitsubishi Montero: common problems
Owners of the 1986 Mitsubishi Montero filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 50% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 25% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel system 25% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 25% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 25% of all complaints
- 7 Tires 25% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (50% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.6 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: AWD
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Vehicle hasdthree recalls,manufacturer failed to fix,emissions failure,/subsystems/carburator fails smog as result.
The rear lap belt is to short for an adult to use. Please describe.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Montero has 36 complaints (22 years in the data). This year has 4, below average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
- Montero 19873 sources
- Montero 198910 sources
- Montero 199023 sources
- Montero 199118 sources
- Montero 199212 sources
- Montero 199314 sources
- Montero 199431 sources
- Montero 199586 sources
- Montero 199627 sources
- Montero 199763 sources
- Montero 199874 sources
- Montero 199940 sources
- Montero 200051 sources
- Montero 2001166 sources
- Montero 2002111 sources
- Montero 200339 sources
- Montero 20045 sources
- Montero 20064 sources
- Montero 99993 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1986 Mitsubishi Montero?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, electrical system, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (25%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1986 Mitsubishi Montero?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1986 Mitsubishi Montero from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1986 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.