1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
31 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
90,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 9 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 31 complaints (25.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 12.9% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 3.2% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 3.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 3.2% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 3.2% |
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:Lever And Linkage:Column Shift | 3 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 3 |
| Power Train:Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive) | 3 |
| Seat Belts | 3 |
| Wheels | 3 |
| Wheels:Rim | 2 |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 1 |
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 8; Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Column Shift: 3; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 3; Power Train:Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive): 3; Seat Belts: 3; Wheels: 3; Wheels:Rim: 2; Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery: 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 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 2
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 22 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 |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 7 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2006 | 9 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
2000: 5; 2001: 1; 2002: 7; 2003: 3; 2006: 9; 2007: 3; 2010: 1; 2011: 1; 2014: 1
Pattern summary
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 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 10000866 · 2003-01-09 (January 9, 2003)
AIR LEAKING OCCURS IN 2 TIRES. MITS SERVICE DEPARTMENT CHECKED TIRES & STATED THEY ARE FINE. THEY STATED THE PROBLEM IS AIR LEAKING AROUND THE 2 RIMS AND THAT SEALS ARE BREAKING, POSSIBLY DUE TO WHEEL CORROSION. THE PROBLEM IS WORSENING. THIS IS THE 2ND SET OF WHEELS. MITSUBISHI REPLACED ALL 4 WHEELS ONCE BEFORE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM--AT THAT TIME, AIR LEAKED OUT OF ALL 4 TIRES. MITSUBISHI STATES THEY WILL NOT REPLACE THIS SET OF WHEELS DUE TO VEHICLE AGE AND PROBABLY NO INVESTIGATION ALTHOUGH AT LEAST 9 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA WEBS…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000866 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041790 · 2003-10-14 (October 14, 2003)
1997 MITSUBISHI GT 3000 - DEFECTIVE CHROME WHEELS FLAKE, PEEL AND WEAR INSIDE SO THAT A SEAL CANNOT BE MAINTAINED. CONSTANTLY, INFLATE TIRES WHERE OF A HORRIFIC SAFETY HAZARD. STRANDED WITH FLATS. EXPENSIVE CHROME WHEELS CAME STANDARD WITH THIS VEHICLE. MITSUBISHI HAS SO FAR ELECTED TO REPLACE ONLY ONE OF 4 WHEELS THAT HAVE SEVERE WEAR AND AFFECT RELIABILITY AND DRIVABLE OF THE CAR. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041790 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10042732 · 2003-10-10 (October 10, 2003)
NHTSA RECALL 02V143000 CONCERNING TRANSFER CASE. THIS RECALL FAILED ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. A CONDITION EXISTED THAT ALLOWED OIL TO LEAK FROM TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE). DEALER WILL INSPECT THE TRANSFER CASE FOR INDICATIONS OF OIL LEAKAGE OR DAMAGE. VEHICLES THAT HAVE OIL LEAKAGE WILL HAVE THE TRANSFER CASE RESEALED AND REFILLED THE TRANSFER CASE TO THE PROPER LEVEL OR REPLACED THE TRANSFER CASE IF THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION WAS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DECEMBER 9, 2002. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10042732 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10155130 · 2006-04-12 (April 12, 2006)
1 - SEAT BELTS IN THE MITSUBISHI 3000GT FAIL TO WORK ON A NUMBER OF CARS 2 - THIS FAILURE TO RETRACT IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND COULD BE MAJOR IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10155130 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10158292 · 2006-05-25 (May 25, 2006)
SUPPORT FOR A SEAT BELT RECALL ON THE MITSUBISHI 3000GT/DODGE STEALTH ALL YEARS SEAT BELTS ARE NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ITEM. SURE THEY MAY START FRAYING A LITTLE OVER TIME BUT THEY SHOULD ALWAYS RETRACT ON THEIR OWN. EVERYTIME I LEAN FORWARD TO TURN ON THE RADAR DETECTOR, CHANGE THE STATION ON THE RADIO, ETC I HAVE TO MANUALLY PULL THE SEAT BELT IN. ITS NOT SAFE AT ALL. IT IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10158292 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10158802 · 2006-06-01 (June 1, 2006)
I OWN A 1997 3000GT VR4 AND ALSO OWNED A 1998 3000GT SL. THE SEAT BELTS IN BOTH OF MY CARS DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. WHEN THE SEAT BELT IS PULLED ON IT DOES NOT RETRACT, LEAVING ENOUGH SLACK IN THE BELT THAT IF AN ACCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR, IT WOULD NOT SERVE ITS PURPOSE AS A SAFETY RESTRAINT. BOTH SEAT BELTS ARE IN GREAT CONDITION WITH NO DAMAGE TO THEM. PLUS WITH ME HAVING A BABY I CAN NOT AND WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS DEFECT OF A SAFETY DEVICE. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10158802 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10159494 · 2006-06-09 (June 9, 2006)
WHEN THE SEAT BELT ON MY 1997 MITSUBISHI 3000GT IS PULLED ON, IT SOMETIMES DOES NOT RETRACT, LEAVING ENOUGH SLACK IN THE BELT THAT IF AN ACCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR, IT WOULD NOT SERVE ITS PURPOSE AS A SAFETY RESTRAINT. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 64,880 miles reported. Look up ODI 10159494 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10163353 · 2006-07-24 (July 24, 2006)
DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DON'T RETRACT CORRECTLY. WHEN THE SEAT BELT DOESN'T RETRACT, IT LEAVES SEVERAL INCHES OF SLACK. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, THIS DEFECT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THIS DEFECT IS COMMON IN FROM 1991 TO 1999 FOR THE MITSUBISHI 3000GT AND DODGE STEALTH GT MODELS WHICH TECHNICALLY ARE THE SAME VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PART NUMBERS. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 105,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163353 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 ↗