1988 Mitsubishi Montero — 2.6L

The 1988 Mitsubishi Montero falls outside the provided federal complaint and recall data, which begins in 1990, making direct year-to-year comparisons impossible. However, the available record reveals a clear trend: complaints and recalls for this generation rise sharply in the mid-1990s, peaking in 1995 and 2002, while technical service bulletins (TSBs) escalate steadily from 1992 onward. The lone 1988 complaint—an engine-related issue—suggests potential early powertrain concerns, though the absence of crash or fire reports is notable. Without recall data for 1988, it’s difficult to assess whether systemic issues were addressed proactively, but the later surge in recalls implies latent problems may have emerged as the model aged. Given the lack of federal red flags for 1988 specifically, this year appears relatively unburdened by the generation’s later reliability challenges. **Takeaway: The 1988 Montero is a reasonable choice within this generation, provided a pre-purchase inspection confirms no unresolved engine or cooling system defects.**