MitsubishiMontero Sport20022.4L/mitsubishi/montero-sport/2002/2-4l/

2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport — 2.4L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2002 Montero Sport 2.4L.

Body SUVEngine 2.4L

The 2002 Mitsubishi Montero Sport 2.4L is an SUV equipped with a 2.4L engine, recording 61 total owner complaints with air bags as the top complaint area and no recalls — a figure that sits well below the 1998-2009 model span's peak of 245 complaints in 2001 but notably above the 2009 low of just one, indicating a mid-range reliability profile within the model's production history.

Model year2002199919981997

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque72-87 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter MZ690116. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Tail / brake / turnHEADOEM · verified
Tire size4WD:P225-75R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterMZ690116
Engine air filterMR571476
Fuel filterMR526974
Spark plugMD372553 alt MD361067
Front wiper bladesMR522387 alt MR361327
Serpentine beltMN183597
Thermostat1305A239

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length181.1 in
Overall width66.5 in
Overall height67.7 in
Wheelbase106.7 in
Curb weight3843 lb
Track (front / rear)57.9 / 58.3 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)55/45

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 72-87 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Power Steering FluidGenuine Mitsubishi PS fluid

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or StudsTighten in 2
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts72-87 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug22.0-25.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug22.0-25.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug21.0-25.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug21.0-25.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub188 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub188 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque15.0-21.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing5, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance3 degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.44-1.50 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type56
Oil Capacity5.70 oz

Service checks

Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)47.0-50.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)38.0 psi
Engine Compression127-171 psi
Engine Compression127-171 psi
Engine Oil Pressure11.4-11.6 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPMIdle rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket32 ft-lbs / 55 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle93 ft-lbs / 65 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket66 ft-lbs / 33 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle83 ft-lbs / 65 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.080; Rear: 0.080 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant at 60,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 60,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect)
At 60,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miFuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (replace) · Timing Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The federal record for this generation shows a significant escalation in issues peaking in 2001, which saw 245 complaints and 6 recalls. The 2002 model year marks a sharp downward trend from this peak, with complaints dropping to 61 and recalls falling to zero. Top complaint areas for 2002 include Air Bags (10), Engine & Engine Cooling (9), and Service Brakes, Hydraulic (6), though the data does not specify the root causes for these reports. Notably, 2002 is the only year in this sequence with a federal investigation and recorded 15 crash complaints. Because it avoids the high volume of recalls and complaints seen in 2001 and 2003, the 2002 model is a good year to buy.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
57
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
61
Owner complaints
15 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 61 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags10
Engine & Engine Cooling9
Service Brakes, Hydraulic6
Structure5
Power Train4
Visibility3
Tires3
Service Brakes2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 57 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
DEALER LETTER2023-07-21EquipmentThis is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has…
TSB-23-00-0042023-04-24StructureThis Technical Service Bulletin provides instructions and material safety data sheets for…
TSB-23-00-0012023-04-24EquipmentThis Technical Service Bulletin reviews the regulations that require a label showing the…
DEALER LETTER2023-04-21EquipmentThis is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has…
TSB-22-54-0032022-04-07Exterior LightingThis Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

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VIN
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Build data
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Recalls
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Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2002 Montero Sport have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.