Selling an old or dead Mitsubishi Mighty Max
Seat belts account for 27 of the 68 Mighty Max complaints in NHTSA's records. Nothing else comes close. Engine and cooling reports total 8, and power train 7.
- Model years in EPA data
- 1984-1996
- NHTSA complaints
- 68
- Component named most
- Seat belts (27)
- Years with the most complaints
- 1988 and 1991 (10 each)
- Recall campaigns
- 1 (front belt buckles, 1986-1991)
- EPA classes
- Small and standard pickup, 2WD and 4WD
If your Mighty Max sits with a tired engine, a slipping clutch or flat tires, you can sell it as it is. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, small pickups included, and there's free pickup anywhere in the US.
What the complaint file shows, by era
No model history was gathered for this truck, so this page groups the model years in the EPA and NHTSA data. The EPA lists it simply as "Truck," in two-wheel and four-wheel drive, under both its small and standard pickup classes. The counts below are reports owners sent NHTSA, through October 10, 2026. They are not a measure of how often parts break.
1985-1991: the buckle years
These seven model years hold 47 complaints, and 25 of them name the seat belts. The 1988 alone has 8 belt complaints out of 10.
That lines up with the truck's one recall. Campaign 95V103004, reported May 24, 1995, covers 1986-1991 Mighty Max trucks. NHTSA's notice says the red plastic "PRESS" buttons that release the front belts can snap. Broken bits can drop inside the buckle and stop it latching or releasing properly. Owners were told to check both front buckles and look closely at each red button.
NHTSA puts 658,000 vehicles in that campaign, but the total spans every model on it. The Van and Cordia are listed too, so most of those vehicles are not Mighty Max trucks.
Engine reports in this stretch are scattered: two on the 1986, one on the 1988 and two on the 1990.
1992-1996: fewer belt reports, more drivetrain
The later trucks have 21 complaints. The 1992 has 9, and 4 of those are power train. The 1994 is the only year with crash reports: 3 crashes and 1 injury, alongside complaints about the hydraulic brakes and the speed control. The 1984 and 1996 model years have nothing filed at all.
Mighty Max complaints and recalls by model year
| Year | Complaints | Crashes | Recall campaigns | Components named most |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Fuel system, engine |
| 1986 | 8 | 0 | 1 | Seat belts (3), engine (2) |
| 1987 | 6 | 0 | 1 | Seat belts (5) |
| 1988 | 10 | 0 | 1 | Seat belts (8) |
| 1989 | 3 | 0 | 1 | Seat belts (2), structure (1) |
| 1990 | 8 | 0 | 1 | Seat belts (4), engine (2) |
| 1991 | 10 | 0 | 1 | Seat belts (3), electrical (3), tires (2) |
| 1992 | 9 | 0 | 0 | Power train (4) |
| 1993 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Suspension (1) |
| 1994 | 7 | 3 | 0 | Hydraulic brakes (2) |
| 1995 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Seat belts, brakes (1 each) |
Recent model years usually look quieter because they've spent fewer years on the road. For a truck last listed in 1996, that no longer skews anything.
Keep it running or let it go?
A bad belt buckle on its own is a parts-counter problem, not a reason to scrap a pickup. Look the truck up on NHTSA's recall page first. The harder calls are a worn-out power train or an engine that's done. Get the shop's number in writing, then find what running Mighty Max trucks of your year are listed for nearby. When the repair eats most of that figure, a whole-truck sale is the cleaner exit. Our junk truck guide covers what changes the math on an old pickup.
How to sell your Mighty Max whole
- Find the title and note the mileage, even if the odometer quit long ago. No title? See selling with no title.
- Get an offer online or call (877) 421-6008.
- Describe the spot it's in, whether a backyard, a barn or a gravel lot, and if it can roll. The tow driver plans around that.
- Keep it in one piece. Pulling the bed, engine or tailgate before pickup lowers the offer.
More Mitsubishi models are on the Mitsubishi page.
Questions people ask
- Which part draws the most Mighty Max complaints?
- Seat belts, by a wide margin: 27 of the 68 reports in NHTSA's records through October 10, 2026. Engine and engine cooling trail with 8, then power train with 7.
- Is my Mighty Max part of the seat belt buckle recall?
- Campaign 95V103004 lists 1986-1991 Mighty Max trucks. It concerns the red front-belt release buttons, which can crack and leave debris inside the latch. NHTSA's recall page will tell you if your truck's VIN shows the campaign as open.
- Will you take a Mighty Max that hasn't run in years?
- Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and that includes small pickups. You sell the whole car as it sits, with free pickup anywhere in the US. Mention flat tires or a locked-up rear end when you ask for an offer.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.