MitsubishiMontero20043.8L/mitsubishi/montero/2004/3-8l/

2004 Mitsubishi Montero — 3.8L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2004 Montero 3.8L.

Body SUVEngine 3.8LTransmission Automatic (S5)

The 2004 Mitsubishi Montero is an SUV featuring a 3.8L engine and an S5 automatic transmission that achieves an EPA-rated 13/18/15 mpg. In the context of the model's 1990-2006 run, which peaked at 174 complaints in 2002, the 2004 version is notably stable with only five total owner complaints and three recalls. These few reported issues are concentrated specifically in the hydraulic brake service.

Model year2006200520042003

Quick specs

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

Lug nut torque72-87 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy13/18/15 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24F · 585 CCA battery, 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.

Battery groupBCI 24F · 585 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnOFFOEM · 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 plugMR984943 alt MN119487
Front wiper bladesMR361327 alt MZ693017
Serpentine beltMN183597
Thermostat1305A191

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S5)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length183.1 in
Overall width74.8 in
Overall height71.7 in
Wheelbase109.4 in
Curb weight4718 lb
Track (front / rear)61.4 / 61.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)47/53

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined13 / 18 / 15 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

No 2004 road test on record; the results below are same-engine tests from nearby model years, each shown under its own year.

9.6 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.60 sec — 2005 Limited
215 hpHorsepower (as tested)
248 lb-ftTorque (as tested)
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2005Limited 3.8L V69.60 sec17.30 sec215 hp4x4

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

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

Automatic Transmission FluidMitsubishi Diamond Queen SP-III
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity10.2
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Power Steering FluidGenuine Mitsubishi PS fluid
Power Steering FluidUse Mitsubishi PS fluid

Engine torques

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

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Spark Plug Gap0.028-0.031 in
Spark Plug Torque15.0-21.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant CapacityFront A/C only, 1.17-1.26; front and rear A/C, 1.63-1.69. lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil CapacityFront A/C only, 4.10; front and rear A/C, 4.90; w/ATC, 4.70. oz
Standard BCI Group Number24F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance585 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test23 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature187-193 °F
Engine Compression127-171 psi
Engine Oil Pressure4.2 psi @ Idle, 43-100 psi @ 3500 rpm psi
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket66 ft-lbs / 33 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle83 ft-lbs / 74 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.080; Rear: 0.080 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0024 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.024 in / 0.866 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.024 in / 0.866 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.96 in / 0.8 in

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 every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 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 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect)
At 60,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miFuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (replace)
At 105,000 miSpark Plugs (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 2004 Mitsubishi Montero sits between two contrasting years in the generation record: 2002, which recorded the highest complaint volume in the entire dataset (174 complaints, 1 investigation, 110 TSBs), and 2005, which saw just 1 complaint. The 2004 model shows a sharp decline from the 2002 spike—dropping to only 5 complaints—while maintaining 3 recalls, suggesting the manufacturer was still addressing unresolved issues from the prior model year. Brake-related complaints dominate the 2004 record (5 of 5 total), though no crash or fire complaints were filed. The 43 TSBs indicate ongoing technical service guidance, typical of a vehicle still under active warranty support. Compared to the peak-trouble year of 2002 and the minimal-complaint years that followed, the 2004 Montero represents a transitional model where early-year defects were being addressed; it is reasonably safe to buy provided a pre-purchase inspection confirms the recall work was completed.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
43
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
5
Owner complaints
0 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 5 complaints on record, top 4 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
Steering,Service Brakes1
Unknown Or Other1
Service Brakes1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

04V428000Equipment:Other:LabelsReported 01/09/2004

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… Remedy: MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL…

04V319000Fuel System, Gasoline:StorageReported 06/07/2004

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS FULL AND THE VEHICLE IS PARKED FACING FORWARD ON AN UPWARD SLOPE, THE FUEL TANK LEVELING VALVE MAY NOT MAINTAIN PROPER SEALING IN THE EVENT THE FUEL EXPANDS FROM… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEVELING VALVE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 30, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-800-222-0037 OR MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-787-251-8715.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 43 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

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.

Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

Does the 2004 Montero have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 3.8L get?

EPA figures are 13 city / 18 highway / 15 combined mpg.