1999 Mitsubishi DIAMANTE: complaints, problems and recalls

TEST DROVE A USED 1999 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE VIN # [XXX] AT THE WAYZATA AUTO CENTER BARGAIN LOT 1805 EAST WAYZATA BLVD., WAYZATA, MN 55391ON OR ABOUT 12/26/02. THE CAR WAS SHOWING APPROX 57,000 MILES. WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED SHE MADE A LANE CHANGE AND THE CAR ENTERED INTO AN OSCILLATION WHICH CAUSED ME TO QUESTION HER DRIVING AND THEN DRIVE THE CAR MYSELF. I REPEATED THE EXERCISE AND NOTICED THE VEHICLE HAD A TENDENCY TO ENTER INTO A PRONOUNCED OSCILLATION ANY TIME A TURN WAS ATTEMPTED AT CRUISE SPEED. WE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED T…

Owner-reported narrative. 57,199 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002998 at NHTSA ↗

MY PAINT STARTED TO BUBBLE UP ON MY 1999 DIAMANTE A FEW MONTHS BACK. THIS BUBBLE IS AT EDGE OF TOP WINDSHIELD MOLDING. I WAS ORIGINALLY TOLD THAT MANUFACTURE WARRANTY WILL COVER IT BUT FEW MEANINGLESS VISITS TO THIS DEALERSHIP AND THEIR CONTRACTED BODY SHOP DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER DECLINED THE CLAIM STATING THAT BUBBLE IS CAUSED BY CORROSION INITIALLY STARTED BY ROCK CHIP ON THE PAINT. THIS IS WITHOUT ANY PROFESSIONAL OPINION, THERE IS NO TRACE OF CHIP AT BUBBLING SPOT AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS CORROSION STARTED FROM UNDERNEATH PAINT. DIST…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10080783 at NHTSA ↗

HEATER CORE ISSUE WITH MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE 1999 SUMMARY: NOTICE CONSISTENT AND VERY NOTICIABLE FOUL ODOR WHEN CAR IS SHUTOFF. CAN SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE AS WELL. SOME FOGGING OF FRONT WINDSHIELD. HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM IDENTIFIED AS CONSISTENT WITH HEATER CORE'S ISSUES BY OTHER DIAMANTE OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THEIR CAR SERVICED AT A MITSUBISHI DEALER. HAVE NOT REPLACED ANYTHING YET BECAUSE THE PARTS AND LABOR QUOTES HAVE BEEN ANYWHERE FROM $600-$1000. CAR HAS 56,000 MILES ON IT, BUT HAVE NOTICED PROBLEM SINCE BUYING THE VEHICLE LAST YEAR WITH…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10082280 at NHTSA ↗

MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE 1999: WINDSHIELD STARTED TO GET FOGGY, INSIDE CABIN SMELLED ON COOLANT AND OCCASIONAL PUFFS OF "SMOKE" EVAPORATED OUT OF THE WENTS. THIS PRESENTED VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. COULD NOT DRIVE CAR FOR 2 MONTHS. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED AND WANTED $1000 FOR THE REPAIR OF THE HEATER CORE. DUE TO THE LACK OF MONEY, I DID IT MYSELF WITH PROPER INSTRUCTIONS. PROBLEM WAS IN BAD O-RINGS THAT CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK INTO CABIN AND OVER IMPORTANT COMPUTER MODULE. HALF-YEAR LATER, NO SMELL, NO WAPOR, NO FOG IN THE CABIN. PICTURES CAN…

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10086286 at NHTSA ↗

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S SEAT BELT EQUIPMENT. *MR THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT. (FRONT PASSENGER SEAT) *SC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10087546 at NHTSA ↗

I'M EXPERIENCING A SYRUPY SMELL INSIDE THE CAR WHEN THE HEAT IS ON. PER THE VARIOUS RESEARCH I HAVE PERFORMED, THIS IS A SIGN OF A FAILING HEATER CORE. THIS IS A KNOWN FAILURE BY MITS PER TSB 627114 THAT WAS ISSUED. ADDITIONALLY, ON >2000 MODEL YEAR DIAMANTES, MITS BEGAN PUTTING THE VEHICLE?S COMPUTER (ECU) IN A PLASTIC BAG SO THAT WHEN THE HEATER CORE DOES FAIL, IT DOES NOT RUIN THE ECU AND CREATE ADDITIONAL SAFETY RISKS. THIS IS JUST ANOTHER SIGN THAT MITS IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND RATHER THAN DESIGNING OUT THE PROBLEM, THEY PUT A BANDAGE OVE…

Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10113881 at NHTSA ↗

I STARTED TO NOTICE AN ODD SMELL IN THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED A LACK OF COOLANT IN THE RESERVOIR TANK. AFTER A FEW WEEKS I REALIZED THERE WAS COOLANT ACCUMULATING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOORWELL. MY VEHICLE IS AT 53,500 MILES AND WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER AS HAVING A "HEATER CORE FAILURE." THE ESTIMATE THEY GAVE IS $1,300 TO REPAIR. I CANNOT AFFORD IT SO IT LOOKS LIKE MY VEHICLE WILL BE GARAGED UNTIL A RECALL IS ISSUED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 52,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10116609 at NHTSA ↗

WINDOWS FOGGED SO BADLY I COULD NOT SEE, SYRUPY SMELL IN VEHICLE, LOSS OF COOLANT IN RESERVIOIR, PUDDLE OF COOLANT ON PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10118481 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-05-08 (May 8, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEAD OF THE SCREW THAT HOLDS THE RETAINING CLIP FOR THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE CAN BECOME BRITTLE AND BREAK OFF.

Consequence: IF THE SCREW HEAD BREAKS OFF, THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE RETAINER CLIP CAN BECOME DISLODGED AND COULD RESULT IN THE PARKING BRAKE DRAGGING AND/OR FAILURE OF THE PARKING BRAKE TO PROPERLY HOLD. SEIZURE OF THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE, ESPECIALLY ON WET OR SNOW COVERED ROADS, COULD RESULT IN LOCKUP OF ONE OF THE REAR WHEELS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE RETAINING CLIP SCREW AND IN THE PROCESS INSPECT THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM OF ANY POSSIBLE RELATED DAMAGE. ANY RELATED DAMAGE THAT MAY BE FOUND WILL ALSO BE REPAIRED.

Reported: 2004-09-01 (September 1, 2004)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Remedy: MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL CURRENT 2000-2004 NATIVA OWNERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG ALERT LABELS FOR THE SUN VISORS. THIS RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH OR APRIL 2005. THE NOTIFICATION TO THE NATIVA OWNERS IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL OR MAY 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-787-251-8715.