Mitsubishi›Montero›1996›3.5L/mitsubishi/montero/1996/3-5l/

1996 Mitsubishi Montero — 3.5L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 Montero 3.5L.

Engine 3.5LTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1996 Mitsubishi Montero 3.5L utilizes a 3.5L engine paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission, yielding an EPA-rated 13/17/14 mpg. This powertrain requires 4.5 quarts of 20W-40, 10W-30, or 5W-30 API viscosity oil. Positioned within a model history spanning 1990-2006—which saw complaints peak at 174 in 2002 and drop to one in 2005—the 1996 model recorded two recalls and 29 total owner complaints, primarily centered on the engine and engine cooling.

Model year2003 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type20W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque72-87 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy13/17/14 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24 · 490 CCA battery, OE oil filter MD136790. 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.

Battery groupBCI 24 · 490 CCAOEM · verified

Tire size4WD:P225-75R15OEM · verified

Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	MD136790
Engine air filter	MR571473
Fuel filter	MB868452
Spark plug	MS851336 alt MS851501
Front wiper blades	MB683949
Serpentine belt	MD199224 alt MD308925
Thermostat	1305A191 alt MD184011

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	13 / 17 / 14 mpg
Drivetrain	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Premium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent published road-test results.

10.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 10.50 sec — 1996 SR

200 hpHorsepower (as tested)

228 lb-ftTorque (as tested)

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1996	SR 3.5L V6	10.50 sec	17.80 sec	200 hp	4x4
1995	SR 3.5L V6	9.90 sec	17.40 sec	200 hp	4x4
2001	Limited 3.5L V6	9.10 sec	16.90 sec	200 hp	4x4
2001	Limited 3.5L V6	10.30 sec	17.60 sec	200 hp	4x4
2001	Limited 3.5L V6	11.80 sec	18.60 sec	200 hp	4x4

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 20W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, 85W-90 · 80W-90 in the differential, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 72-87 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3 · DOT 4
Differential Gear Oil	85W-90 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	5.3 Pints,
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	20W-40 · API · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt
Power Steering Fluid	Use Mitsubishi PS fluid

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs	Tighten in 2
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	136 ft-lbs
Cylinder Head Steps	3 steps in sequence: Final torque; 80 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts	54 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	10 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	33 ft-lbs
Main Bearings	54 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	72-87 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug	22.0-25.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug	22.0-25.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)	700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)	100 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance	.67-.81 DOHC ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	11,300-15,300 ohms
Spark Plug Gap	0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque	15.0-21.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing	15, Not adjustable degrees

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.31-1.44 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	56
Oil Capacity	2.70 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	24
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	490 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	23 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	177-183 °F
Engine Compression	139 PSI minimum. 14 Maximum variation PSI.
Engine Compression	127-171 psi
Engine Compression	127-171 psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	54 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	65 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket	32 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	65 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.080; Rear: 0.080 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness	0.039 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.0039 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

25 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90

25 ft. lbs

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.

Every 7,500 mi	Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 60,000 mi	Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	EGR Valve (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 1996 Mitsubishi Montero presents a mixed picture within its generation: complaints dropped sharply to 29 from the 1995 spike of 99, and they remain well below the subsequent spikes in 1997 (98) and 1998 (80), placing 1996 near the low point of the generation's complaint arc. However, TSBs rose to 54 (up from 36 in 1995), indicating dealers were issuing more technical service bulletins—suggesting known issues were being addressed but not necessarily resolved. The top complaint areas centered on engine/cooling (6), service brakes (4), and steering (3), with zero crash and zero fire complaints recorded. Compared to the volatile early-generation years and the sharp escalation that followed in 1997–1998, 1996 appears to represent a relatively stable production year within this generation. The concrete takeaway: 1996 is among the better years to target within this generation due to its lower complaint volume and absence of crash/fire incidents, though the elevated TSB count signals that certain mechanical concerns were already emerging at the dealer level.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95’96’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’02 ’04 ’05 ’06

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 29 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling6

Service Brakes, Hydraulic4

Steering3

Engine & Engine Cooling,Unknown Or Other2

Power Train2

Steering,Engine & Engine Cooling1

Seats1

Steering,Structure,Equipment1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

00V311001Engine And Engine Cooling:EngineReported 02/10/2000

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… Remedy: ON THE MIRAGE VEHICLES, THE DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW, IMPROVED CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT ON THE OLDER ENGINES. ON NEW ENGINES WHICH ALREADY HAVE THE IMPROVED BOLT, THE DEALER WILL…

98V205000Unknown Or OtherReported 02/09/1998

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. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE THIRD-SEAT LATCH AND STRIKER. A RECTANGLE WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CARGO MAT AROUND EACH STRIKER TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE STRIKER CLEARANCE AND PROPER LATCHING.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 54 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
TSB-22-54-003	2022-04-07	Exterior Lighting	This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between…
TT253	2019-11-26	Equipment	This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TSB-19-00-008	2019-07-30	Equipment	This is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers. This bulletin supersedes…
TT237	2018-02-26	Equipment	This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TT218	2015-08-28	Engine And Engine Cooling	This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.

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

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Montero. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

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

Group 24 battery Vehicles taking 4.5 qt Engine oil filter MD136790 Engine air filter MR571473 Fuel filter MB868452 Spark plug MS851336

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1996 Montero 3.5L take?

4.5 qt of ABOVE 32 degrees F: 20W-40 API, ABOVE -10 degrees F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 60 degrees F 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1996 Montero have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 3.5L get?

EPA figures are 13 city / 17 highway / 14 combined mpg.