Sell your 1998 Mitsubishi Montero for cash

The 1998 Mitsubishi Montero is a vehicle that came with a choice of 3.0L 6-cyl and 3.5L 6-cyl engines. At 28 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.

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MitsubishiMONTERO1998

1998 Mitsubishi Montero at a glance

Body style	Special Purpose Vehicle 4WD
Engines	3.0L 6-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl
Transmissions	Automatic 4-spd, Manual 5-spd
Drive	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Fuel	Regular Gasoline
Fuel economy	14–15 city / 17–18 highway / 15–16 combined MPG
EPA annual fuel cost	$4,200–$4,450 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles)
Tailpipe CO₂	555–592 grams per mile
Versions tested by EPA	3 configurations
Age	28 years

Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.

What affects its junk value

Age: at 28 years old, most of a 1998 Montero's value comes from reusable parts and scrap metal, not resale.
Weight: as a vehicle, it weighs less than a truck or SUV, so its value leans more on parts than on scrap weight. See how scrap prices by weight work.
Catalytic converter: like all gas and diesel cars, it has a catalytic converter containing precious metals, one of the most valuable parts on a junk car. An offer assumes it's still in place. More on catalytic converters.
Recalls: NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 1998 Montero. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking it.
Known problems: owners reported the most issues with the air bags, typically around 309,000 miles. If that's what failed on yours, it can still be sold as-is.

How junk car offers are calculated

1998 Mitsubishi Montero recalls

NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls covering the 1998 Mitsubishi Montero. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.

Air BagsJan 2020 · NHTSA campaign 20V035000

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 absorb moisture, causing the inflators…

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 the occupant. These scenarios increase the

EquipmentSep 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V428000

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.

Engine and Engine CoolingOct 2000 · NHTSA campaign 00V311001

Vehicle description: passenger vehicles: mirage model vehicles equipped with 1.5l engines; Montero sport models equipped with 3.0l engines; and Montero models equipped with 3.0l engines. The bolt securing the crankshaft pulley can become loose and the pulley could fall off the vehicle.

Risk: The condition can result in a loss of power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.

Service Brakes, HydraulicSep 1998 · NHTSA campaign 98V220000

Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The front brake lines can develop pin holes due to chaffing against the edge of the pass-through hole in the inner fender.

Risk: Brake fluid can leak resulting in deteriorated braking performance and illumination of the brake indicator lamp.

Unknown or OtherSep 1998 · NHTSA campaign 98V205000

Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with accessory cargo mats in the third-seat and cargo area. This cargo mat interferes with the latching integrity of the folding third seats.

Risk: In the event of a crash, an occupant of the third seat may not be properly restrained and could be ejected from the vehicle.

Common 1998 Montero problems

Owners have filed 109 complaints about the 1998 Mitsubishi Montero with NHTSA. 14 reports involved a crash and 1 report involved a fire. Owners reported 16 injuries.

Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.

Most-reported components

Air Bags8
Suspension8
Engine and Engine Cooling7
Suspension6
Engine and Engine Cooling5
Unknown or Other5

Typical mileage when problems were reported

Air Bags309,000 mi
Engine and Engine Cooling183,000 mi
Suspension68,000 mi
Engine and Engine Cooling180,000 mi

1998 Mitsubishi Montero service bulletins

Manufacturers have filed 77 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 1998 Mitsubishi Montero. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.

Most common bulletin topics

Engine and Engine Cooling8
Equipment6
Structure6
Fuel System5
Unknown or Other5
Equipment4

Recent bulletins

Service Bulletin/Repair InstructionsJun 2023 · SR-20-001REV3
This is a revised Safety Recall bulletin sent to dealers informing them of new Takata inflator return procedures.
Service Bulletin/Repair InstructionsApr 2022 · TSB-22-54-003
This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between normal dew condensation, which is a natural phenomenon, and water penetration caused
Service Bulletin/Repair InstructionsNov 2019 · TT253
This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
Service Bulletin/Repair InstructionsJul 2019 · TSB-19-00-008
This is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers. This bulletin supersedes TSB-18-00-003, issued April, 2018, to add updated information for Carrying Capacity Reduced
Service Bulletin/Repair InstructionsFeb 2018 · TT237
This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA opened 1 defect investigation covering the 1998 Mitsubishi Montero.

SeatsPE98042 · opened Jul 1998, closed Sep 1998Led to recall 98V205000

Rear folding seat disengagement

A police report received by odi alleged that disengagement of the right rear folding seat during a single vehicle rollover incident permitted its occupant to be ejected

Other Mitsubishi Montero years

‹ Sell a 1997 Montero · Sell a 1999 Montero › · All Mitsubishi Montero years

Other 1998 Mitsubishi models

Selling a 1998 Montero: questions

How much is a 1998 Mitsubishi Montero worth for junk?

It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.

Can I junk a 1998 Montero that doesn't run?

Yes. We buy 1998 Monteros that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.

Can I sell a 1998 Montero with open recalls?

Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 1998 Mitsubishi Montero; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What paperwork do I need to sell my 1998 Montero?

Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.

Before you sell

Sources

EPA fuel economy data (specs and MPG)fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA recallsnhtsa.gov
NHTSA complaints, service bulletins and investigationsnhtsa.gov

Data retrieved October 2026.

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