1996 Mitsubishi 3000GT: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
24 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
70,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 model year. Data snapshot: . 7 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 24 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 37.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 8 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 6 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Column Shift | 2 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 2 |
| Power Train:Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive) | 2 |
| Seat Belts | 2 |
| Structure:Frame And Members | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal | 1 |
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 8; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 6; Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Column Shift: 2; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 2; Power Train:Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive): 2; Seat Belts: 2; Structure:Frame And Members: 1; Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 17 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 1 |
| 2001 | 3 |
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 2 |
1996: 1; 2001: 3; 2002: 4; 2003: 3; 2004: 3; 2006: 4; 2007: 4; 2008: 2
Pattern summary
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 9 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10010290 · 2003-03-11 (March 11, 2003)
I OWN A 1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT VR-4 WITH A 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. MY FRIEND, BRIAN WATSON AND I WERE TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON HIGHWAY 20, JUST ABOUT 50 MILES EAST OF BEND, OR. I MADE AN ATTEMPT TO SHIFT FROM 5TH TO 6TH GEAR, BUT BECAUSE OF SOME PROBLEMS WITH WHAT I NOW UNDERSTAND TO BE THE SYCROS, IT WENT INTO 4TH GEAR. NOT NOTICING IT WAS IN 4TH GEAR BECAUSE I HAD SHIFTED IT INTO THE POSITION OF 6TH, I LET OUT THE CLUTCH AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR. SHORTLY AFTER, I HEARD THIS POP. I LOOKED DOWN AND NOTICED THE RPM'S WERE PAST THE RED …
Owner-reported narrative. 66,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010290 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10017909 · 2003-04-30 (April 30, 2003)
THE CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE TRAVELING 50-55 MPH WHEN DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL TO GAIN SPEED, THE PEDAL BECAME STUCK WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017909 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10047532 · 2003-11-25 (November 25, 2003)
BOUGHT CAR WITH 46,000 MILES AND ALL 4 RIMS HAD THE CHROME PEELING OFF. THE CHROME PEELING WAS EXTREMELY BAD FROM THE BACK OF THE RIM BUT THE FRONT SHOWS MAJOR SIGNS OF PEELING. I CUT MY FINGERS/HAND MULTIPLE TIMES CHANGING THE TIRE. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10047532 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10074390 · 2004-05-27 (May 27, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION SEIZED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 104,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10074390 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10088858 · 2004-08-30 (August 30, 2004)
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR AUTOMATIC 1996 3000GT AT APPROX. 60 MILES PER HR WHEN CAR SURGED FORWARD 4 TIMES IN A ROW. SHE ALMOST HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER! CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SHE WAS LESS THAN A MILE HOME AND DROVE CAR VERY SLOWLY HOME. VEHICLES REVERSE NO LONGER WORKS AT ALL!!! CAR IS ABLE TO GO INTO DRIVE BUT WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR AND WILL NOT GO OVER 20 MILES PER HR NOW! CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO DEALER BUT NO WORD ON WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT YET.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10088858 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10096236 · 2004-10-22 (October 22, 2004)
TRANSFER CASE SEIZED UP DUE TO LEAK N TRANSFERCASE. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO UPHOLD RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM. DURING SEIZE UP CSR LOSTCONTROL AND SPUN OUT OF CONTROL ON I-25 LUCKLY NO ONE WAS INJUERD BUT I STILL HOLD MITSUBISHI AND DEALERS RESPONSIBLE. THEY STILL HAVE YET TO CONTACT MY LAWYER. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10096236 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10155120 · 2006-04-12 (April 12, 2006)
SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10155120 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10156811 · 2006-05-04 (May 4, 2006)
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT ON MY 1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT VR-4 HAS PROBLEMS RETRACTING. IF I LEAN FORWARD, IT WON'T AUTOMATICALLY RETRACT TO PICK UP THE SLACK. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN MAY 2003. SINCE THE BELT WON'T AUTOMATICALLY RETRACT, I HAVE TO PHYSICALLY PULL IT OUT, THEN LET IT GO FOR IT TO TAKE IN ALL THE SLACK. THE PROBLEM HASN'T BEEN FIXED BECAUSE MITSUBISHI DOESN'T THINK IT IS A PROBLEM. IF IT FAILS DURING AN ACCIDENT, MY DEATH COULD RESULT. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10156811 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
02V143001 · Power Train:Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive)
Reported: 2002-05-14 (May 14, 2002)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A CONDITION EXISTS THAT ALLOWS OIL TO LEAK FROM THE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE TRANSFER CASE.
Consequence: LOW OIL LEVELS IN THE TRANSFER CASE COULD CAUSE BEARING DAMAGE AND RESULT IN DRIVE TRAIN LOCKUP, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TRANSFER CASE FOR INDICATIONS OF OIL LEAKAGE OR DAMAGE. VEHICLES THAT HAVE OIL LEAKAGE WILL HAVE THE TRANSFER CASE RESEALED AND RE-FILL THE TRANSFER CASE TO THE PROPER LEVEL, OR REPLACED THE TRANSFER CASE IF THERE IS EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DECEMBER 9, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AMERICA AT 1-888-648-7820 OR MITSUBMISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-787-251-8715.
NHTSA campaign record ↗