1997-2001 Mitsubishi Montero Front vs Rear Brakes: What Wears First and What to Replace

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

On a 1997-2001 Mitsubishi Montero the front brakes wear out first, usually well before the rears, because the front axle does most of the stopping on a tall, heavy SUV. The Montero runs disc brakes at both ends in these years, so a complete brake job means front pads and rotors on one visit and rear pads and rotors on a later one. Check the rears every time the fronts are done, and on a 2001 check the parking brake shoes inside the rear rotors too.

How the Montero Brake System Is Laid Out

This year range straddles two generations of the full-size Montero. The 1997-2000 trucks are the second-generation body, and 2001 is the first model year of the redesigned third generation. That split matters when you order parts: pads, rotors and calipers for a 2000 Montero are not the same as those for a 2001, even though the truck wears the same name.

Both generations use disc brakes at the rear, not drums. Rear disc pad sets from brake makers are catalogued for the 1997 Montero LS and SR and the 1998-2000 Montero with the 3.5L V6, and rear brake kits that include pads, rotors and rear calipers are catalogued for the 2001 Montero Limited and XLS. On the 2001, the parking brake is a small set of shoes that sit inside the hat of the rear rotor, separate from the rear pads.

The 2001 also uses a hydraulic brake booster with a nitrogen-charged accumulator, not a conventional vacuum booster. That is confirmed by a federal safety recall on the part (covered below), and it changes how you diagnose a hard or slow pedal on a 2001.

One more caution: the Mitsubishi Montero Sport is a different, smaller vehicle. Its brake parts do not interchange with the full-size Montero. Before you buy anything, confirm whether you have a Montero or a Montero Sport, plus the exact model year and trim.

What Wears First, Front or Rear?

The fronts. When a vehicle brakes, its weight shifts forward onto the front tires, so the front brakes are sized larger and are set up to carry most of the braking load. On a body-on-frame SUV like the Montero, with a high center of gravity and a lot of mass, that forward weight transfer is strong. The front pads and rotors absorb more heat on every stop, and they wear faster.

That does not mean you can ignore the rears. Rear pads on a four-wheel disc truck still wear, and rear calipers on older trucks tend to seize at the slide pins or piston from road salt and age. A stuck rear caliper can wear its pads down to the backing plate on one side while the other side looks fine. Towing, heavy cargo in the back and a lot of downhill driving also shift more work to the rear axle than a typical commuting pattern.

Symptoms and How to Tell Which End Needs Work

• Squeal that stops when you brake: usually a pad wear indicator touching the rotor. It tells you the pads on that corner are near the end.
• Grinding: the pad material is gone and the backing plate is cutting the rotor. Stop driving on it; the rotor is now scrap.
• Steering wheel shake when braking: points to the front rotors. Uneven rotor thickness or pad deposits cause pulsation you feel through the wheel.
• Pedal pulsation with no steering shake: more often the rear rotors.
• Pull to one side: a sticking caliper, a collapsed hose or contaminated pads on one side.
• Parking brake will not hold (2001): worn or out-of-adjustment shoes inside the rear rotors, or a stretched cable.
• Brake warning lamp with a low reservoir: very worn pads will drop the fluid level, but a leak does the same thing. Find out which before you top it off.

The quickest check is to pull the wheels and look. Compare the inner and outer pad on each caliper, and compare left to right. If one pad is far thinner than its partner, the caliper is not releasing and needs attention, not just new pads.

Known Montero Brake Recalls to Check First

Two federal recalls touch the brake system in this range. Run your VIN through the NHTSA recall lookup or ask a Mitsubishi dealer whether the work was done.

• 1997-1998 Montero, front brake lines (NHTSA 98V220000): the front brake lines can chafe against the edge of the pass-through hole in the inner fender and develop pinholes. The result is a fluid leak, reduced braking and the brake warning lamp. The remedy was an inspection, repositioning of lines that were not centered in the hole, and replacement of any line showing wear. On a truck this old, look at those lines yourself whenever the front wheels are off.
• 2001 Montero, hydraulic brake booster accumulator (NHTSA 01V254001): the accumulator on the hydraulic brake booster may have been improperly manufactured and can leak its nitrogen charge. Symptoms are an abnormal noise from the left side of the dash when braking and a possibly delayed first brake assist after the truck has been parked. The remedy was an improved accumulator.

If a 2001 has a hard pedal on the first stop of the day, or a noise from the driver side of the dash, check the booster and accumulator before you blame pads or rotors.

What to Replace, and What to Replace With It

Front brake job: replace front brake pads as an axle set, both sides at once. Measure the rotors against the minimum thickness cast into the rotor or listed in the factory service manual. On a truck this age, most front rotors are at or near that limit, and new brake rotors with new pads give the best pedal and the least noise. Clean and lubricate the caliper slide pins, and replace the pad hardware clips if they are rusted or bent. If a caliper piston is seized or the dust boot is torn, replace the caliper; replacements are in our brake calipers collection.

Rear brake job: the same rules apply. Pads go on as a pair, rotors get measured, and slide pins get cleaned and greased. On a 2001, inspect the parking brake shoe lining while the rear rotors are off; the rotor has to come off to reach them anyway. Adjust the parking brake shoes afterward according to the factory procedure.

Hydraulics: brake fluid absorbs moisture over time. If the fluid is dark or has not been changed in years, flush it when you do the brakes. Use the fluid type printed on the master cylinder reservoir cap and in the owner's manual, and never mix fluid types. Inspect the rubber flex hoses at each wheel for cracks or bulging, and inspect the steel lines, especially the front lines named in the 1997-1998 recall. Replacement lines are in our brake lines collection.

Pad choice: for a daily-driven Montero, an OE-style ceramic or low-metallic street pad is the right call. If you tow with the truck, choose a pad rated for towing and pair it with new rotors. Browse ceramic brake pads or complete kits from Power Stop.

How Hard Is the Job?

Front pads and rotors on a Montero are a reasonable driveway job with basic hand tools, a jack, jack stands and a torque wrench. On four-wheel-drive trucks, front rotor removal can involve the hub assembly depending on the design, so read the service procedure for your model year before you start.

Rear brakes on a 2001 take longer because of the parking brake shoes inside the rotor. Rotors that have rusted to the hub may need penetrating oil and some persuasion. Torque caliper bracket bolts and lug nuts to the values in the factory service manual; do not guess, and do not use an impact gun to final-tighten lug nuts. After the job, bed the new pads in with a series of moderate stops before you tow or carry a load.

If the job turns up a leaking line, a seized caliper or a booster problem, the hydraulic system must be bled after repairs. That is where many home jobs go wrong. A pressure bleeder or a helper makes it much easier, and on trucks with ABS a scan tool may be needed to cycle the ABS unit during bleeding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the 1997-2001 Montero have rear drum brakes?

No. The full-size Montero in these years uses rear disc brakes with pads and calipers. The 2001 adds small parking brake shoes inside the rear rotor hat. If your truck has rear drums, check whether it is actually a Montero Sport, which is a different vehicle.

How often should I replace the rear brakes on my Montero?

There is no fixed mileage. Rear pads usually last noticeably longer than the fronts, so inspect them every time the fronts are replaced and replace them when they reach minimum thickness or show uneven wear.

Are 2000 and 2001 Montero brake parts the same?

No. The 2001 is a new generation, and brake parts are catalogued separately for 1997-2000 and 2001-2006 trucks. Always order by exact year, trim and engine.

Should I replace rotors every time I replace pads?

Not always, but on a Montero this old the rotors are often near their minimum thickness or worn unevenly. If a rotor is below the minimum stamped on it, is deeply scored, or causes pulsation, replace it. Replace rotors in axle pairs.

Why does my 2001 Montero make a noise from the dash when I brake?

That symptom matches NHTSA recall 01V254001 on the hydraulic brake booster accumulator. Have a Mitsubishi dealer check whether the improved accumulator was installed.

Why is one Montero brake pad worn much more than the other?

A caliper that is not releasing, usually from seized slide pins or a sticking piston. Clean and lubricate the pins, and replace the caliper if the piston does not retract smoothly.

Sources

1. NHTSA recall data, 1997 Mitsubishi Montero - recall 98V220000, front brake line chafing and remedy
2. NHTSA recall data, 2001 Mitsubishi Montero - recall 01V254001, hydraulic brake booster accumulator
3. EBC Ultimax2 UD567 rear brake pads, Montero fitment - rear disc pads for the 1997 LS/SR and 1998-2000 Montero 3.5L V6
4. Power Stop 2001-2006 Montero rear brake kit with calipers - rear disc brakes on the 2001 Montero Limited and XLS