Mitsubishi Montero Sport: common faults & what to check

Which Mitsubishi Montero Sport are you looking at?

3 generation variants documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Engine not documented

3 variants documented

1998–2009K901998–2009K90Engine not documented for this generationEngine not documentedDocumented issues0 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

2009–2015PB2009–2015PBEngine not documented for this generationEngine not documentedDocumented issues3 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Jason Lawrence via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

2015–nowQE2015–nowQEEngine not documented for this generationEngine not documentedDocumented issues2 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Mitsubishi Montero Sport

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Mitsubishi Montero Sport before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Serious issue

  Ask who performed the valve-clearance services and whether new injector seals/washers were fitted each time.

  See why

  4N15 cylinder head cracking around injector ports / injector seat blow-by

  The 2.4 4N15 in the current Pajero Sport (shared with Triton MQ/MR) has documented cases of the cylinder head cracking around the injector bores - the walls are thin, and carbon-stuck injectors that are forced out during the scheduled valve-clearance services (which require injector removal roughly every 40,000 km) can crack the head or leave injectors seating badly. Poor seating lets combustion gas blow past (chuffing noise, carbon 'chimneying' around the injector), and a cracked head means head replacement. Choose a vehicle whose injector work was done by people who knew this engine.

  What you would notice

  • Chuffing/ticking noise from the top of the engine (combustion gas escaping)
  • Black carbon build-up around the base of an injector
  • Coolant loss or white smoke if the head is cracked
  • Rough running after an injector or valve-clearance service

  Typically $800–$8,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Get a scan showing soot load and distance between regenerations before purchase.

  See why

  DPF soot blockage on short-trip driven vehicles (2.4 4N15)

  From around 2017 the Pajero Sport carries a full diesel particulate filter, and DPF trouble is one of the most-reported problems on Australian owner forums and review sites. Suburban-only driving prevents proper regeneration; soot load climbs, regens become more frequent, economy worsens and the filter can block permanently, putting the vehicle in limp mode. A forced regen or professional clean fixes early cases; a destroyed filter is a four-figure part even aftermarket.

  What you would notice

  • DPF light or frequent regeneration cycles
  • Diesel smell and raised idle during regens
  • Increasing fuel consumption
  • Reduced power / limp mode

  Typically $500–$5,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Cold-start it yourself; listen for knock and watch the exhaust under a hard test-drive acceleration.

  See why

  4D56 common-rail injector failure - black smoke, knock and misfires (Challenger PB/PC)

  The Challenger's 2.5 4D56 common-rail diesel relies on precise Denso injectors that wear with age and poor fuel, causing black smoke, diesel knock, misfires (P0201-series codes) and worsening economy. Failed injectors that dribble fuel can wash cylinder bores and dilute the oil, so it is not a fault to sit on. The 4D56 also runs a timing belt (not a chain) - an overdue belt on a neglected example is an engine-destroying risk and a service history question you must ask.

  What you would notice

  • Black smoke under acceleration
  • Loud diesel knock, uneven idle
  • Misfire codes / check engine light
  • Rising oil level or diesel smell in the oil

  Typically $1,200–$4,000 to put right.

• Costly issue

  On a quiet coasting section of the test drive, listen for rear whine that changes when you lift off versus accelerate.

  See why

  Rear differential side-shaft oil leak and diff whine (Challenger, shared Pajero design)

  The Challenger shares Mitsubishi's rear axle design where side-shafts can move slightly outwards on their circlips and let diff oil escape past the seals, spraying the underside. Run dry, the diff howls and eventually fails. Rear diff whine rising with road speed on a Challenger should be treated as bearing or oil-starvation damage, not 'character'. Fixed early it is a seals-and-circlips job; left late it is a diff rebuild or second-hand diff swap.

  What you would notice

  • Whine or howl from the rear rising with speed
  • Oil film sprayed on the rear diff and inner wheels
  • Clunk on drive take-up

  Typically $300–$3,000 to put right.

• Common issue

  Check for EGR-related fault codes with a scan.

  See why

  EGR and inlet manifold carbon build-up choking the 4D56 (Challenger)

  Like most common-rail diesels of its era, the Challenger's 4D56 recirculates sooty exhaust through the EGR valve, and combined with crankcase oil vapour it forms thick carbon sludge in the inlet manifold. The result is sluggish performance, higher fuel use, rough idle and eventually a sticking EGR valve triggering limp mode. A walnut-blast or manual inlet clean plus an EGR service restores it, and it will recur on a truck that only does short urban trips.

  What you would notice

  • Gutless feeling, especially up hills
  • Rough idle and hesitation off boost
  • Check engine light with EGR codes
  • Black soot around the inlet/EGR area

  Typically $400–$1,500 to put right.

• Worth checking

  Test drive at open-road speed in top gear at light throttle for several minutes, including gentle uphill grades.

  See why

  8-speed automatic shudder/missing in top gears (QE/QF)

  Some QE Pajero Sport owners report the 8-speed automatic shuddering or 'missing' at highway speeds in 6th, 7th and 8th gears - typically at light throttle around 90-110 km/h - with the symptom disappearing when 5th is manually selected. Causes reported range from torque converter lock-up shudder to software calibration, and Mitsubishi dealers have addressed cases with fluid changes and TCU updates. It is not universal, but it is exactly the kind of fault a short suburban test drive will never reveal, so get the vehicle to open-road speed before buying.

  What you would notice

  • Shudder or vibration at 90-110 km/h under light throttle
  • Feels like driving over rumble strips in top gears
  • Symptom disappears when manually holding a lower gear

  Typically $400–$3,000 to put right.

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the Mitsubishi Montero Sport’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• DPF Repair and Replacement Cost
• Diesel Injector Replacement Cost
• EGR Valve and Cooler Repair Cost

Other Mitsubishi models