Consumer Reports' Recommendations: What Consumers Should Do

Press Release

Fact Sheet

Auto Safety - Test & Report: 2001 Montero Limited (pdf)

Consumer Reports Responds to Mitsubishi Statements Regarding
Its Tests of the 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Limited

Additional Response By Consumer Reports To Mitsubishi's Statements

Press Release
EMBARGOED UNTIL: June 20 2001, 10 AM

Contact:
Linda Wagner, 914-378-2433, wagnli@consumer.org
Jennifer Shecter, 914-378-2402, shecje@consumer.org
Douglas Love, 914-378-2437, lovedo@consumer.org
Consumers Union

Consumer Reports' Recommendations:
What Consumers Should Do

2001 Mitsubishi Montero Limited Rated "Not Acceptable"

Consumer Reports® has judged the 2001 Mitsubishi Montero Limited to be "Not Acceptable" after it tipped up severely on two wheels during CU's short-course emergency avoidance-maneuver tests.

If you're shopping for an SUV, Consumer Reports advises you not to buy the 2001 Montero Limited until this safety problem has been corrected. In our opinion, there are safer choices.

Consumer Reports urges owners of the 2001 Montero Limited to always wear your safety belt, drive with caution, and not carry cargo on top of the vehicle. This raises a vehicle's center of gravity, which can increase the risk of rollover. Remember that even carrying passengers or a large load of cargo stacked high raises the center of gravity. Unfortunately, there's no way to ensure that you won't suddenly be confronted with an obstacle in the road that could expose you to a situation in which the Montero Limited could tip up, as in our test.

At the same time, Consumer Reports offers the following tips for driving any SUV:

· As with any vehicle, always wear your seat belt. Seat belts will help prevent occupants from being ejected from a vehicle in a rollover. Individuals who are ejected from vehicles nearly always suffer fatal injuries.

· Always drive SUVs cautiously and carefully, leaving plenty of room between you and other motorists. Be alert to what's happening around your vehicle and try to avoid sudden, sharp steering changes.

· Be careful not to overload your vehicle. Overloading any vehicle also stresses the brakes, degrades the handling, and can overheat the tires, increasing the risk of a blowout. If the tires are underinflated, the blowout risk increases. Maintain the correct tire pressures as specified by the vehicle manufacturer.

· Drive more slowly than you would in a sedan to give yourself more time to react in an emergency. The high driving position can make it appear that you are going slower than in a sedan.
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· Stay alert at the wheel. If you feel tired or sleepy, pull over and rest at a safe location. Loss of concentration and falling asleep at the wheel are a leading cause of SUV rollover accidents.

· Have the vehicle serviced regularly.

· And, as with any vehicle, don't drink and drive.

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The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may not be used for commercial or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports® is published by Consumers Union, an independent, nonprofit testing and information-gathering organization, serving only the consumer. We are a comprehensive source of unbiased advice about products and services, personal finance, health, nutrition, and other consumer concerns. Since 1936, our mission has been to test products, inform the public, and protect consumers.
OPI:DPL:6/19/01

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