2004 Mitsubishi Shogun 3.2L Diesel · RY53 VGD

A twenty-two year old Shogun with approaching 232,000 miles carries a mechanical story dominated by chassis wear rather than any single catastrophic failure. The most recent pass on 27 February 2026 was clean of failures but loaded with advisories across the suspension system, including corrosion at inner mounting prescribed areas on both rear inboard suspension points and on the nearside front, plus slight play at the nearside front anti-roll bar ball joint and the nearside front lower suspension arm ball joint. This cluster of chassis-related advisories is the kind of pattern that tends to worsen year on year on a vehicle of this age and mileage, particularly one used on rough terrain. Two of the three recorded failures since 2021 also targeted suspension and steering components: a fractured rear coil spring on both sides and a missing offside steering rack gaiter in March 2021, alongside an ABS fault, an incorrectly coloured front position lamp and a dangerous non-functioning stop lamp group in March 2023. The overall trend across the six tests shown is therefore one of acceptable pass outcomes but a clear migration of concerns towards structural and chassis integrity, which is the natural failure mode for a high-mileage off-roader approaching the end of its third decade of service. Annual mileage of roughly 10,500 miles sits broadly in line with the average for a vehicle of this age, but the absolute odometer reading is the more relevant figure here. Just under 232,000 recorded miles on a 2004 diesel Shogun places serious cumulative stress on every wear item in the driveline, suspension, and braking system. The testing record shows no long gaps without MOTs and no sudden unexplained jumps in recorded mileage, so the figure can be taken as broadly consistent usage rather than a clocked or heavily garaged example. That consistency means there has been no extended lay-up that would create its own problems with seized components, perished rubber, or stale fluids; equally, there is no respite from the steady mechanical attrition that this mileage implies on propshaft universals, transfer box mounts, and the front and rear axle assemblies that define this model. For a prospective buyer, the priority on any inspection must be the suspension and underbody given the pattern in the advisories. The play already recorded at the nearside front anti-roll bar ball joint and the lower arm ball joint should be confirmed by hand on a ramp or over a pit, and the offside equivalents should be checked with equal care as advisories often appear on one side first before mirroring to the other. The corrosion at inner suspension mounting prescribed areas should be probed with a screwdriver or knuckle tap to assess whether it remains surface-only or has begun to compromise the strength of the metal; on a ladder-frame Shogun of this age, captive body mountings and chassis rails close to the suspension turrets are the usual progression points. A test drive should include firm inputs over uneven ground to listen for clonking from the front anti-roll bar links, knocking from worn lower arm bushes, and any sign of rear spring collapse or sagging which often accompanies fractured or weakened rear coils. Steering should be checked for looseness or a click through the lock that would indicate the steering rack gaiter area, given the previous failure there. The braking system warrants attention even though no current advisories are recorded on pads. The 2021 and 2022 tests both flagged thin front pads, and a further thin reading on the rears in 2022, so discs and pads should be physically inspected for lipping, hot spots, and remaining friction material rather than relying on the most recent clean entry. The ABS warning lamp failure of 2023 should also be queried, as ABS module and wheel speed sensor faults are common on high-mileage Mitsubishis and may have been cleared without repair or may have recurred. Finally, the recurring oil leak advisory across 2023 and 2025 should be traced to its source by a mechanical inspection, as steady leaks on a 3.2 DI-D of this age typically originate from the sump gasket, cam cover, or turbo oil feed, and will dictate the urgency of any remedial work. A thorough underside inspection by a specialist familiar with Montero or Shogun underbodies is strongly advised before purchase.