2005 Mitsubishi GALANT: complaints, problems and recalls

DT: BOTH EXTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRRORS FELL OFF THE VEHICLE WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS WIPING THEM. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10119969 at NHTSA ↗

BOUGHT A NEW MITSUBISHI GALANT 2005. AT ABOUT 150 MILES DURING THE BREAK IN PERIOD I STARTED TO NOTICE A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT. AFTER THE BREAK IN PERIOD WHEN I COULD TAKE IT TO A HIGHER SPEED I ALSO NOTICED A DISTINCT SHIMMY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VIBRATION IS VERY PRONOUNCED BETWEEN 70 AND 80 MPH. AT THIS SPEED THE VIBRATION IS NOTICEABLE ON JUST ABOUT ANY ROAD SURFACE. THE VIBRATION IS FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL SHIMMY AND IN THE SEAT OF THE PANTS VIBRATION EMANATING FROM THE FRONT. THE COMPLAINT WAS INITIALLY ADDRESSED BY THE MITSUBISH…

Owner-reported narrative. 150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10130707 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWICE AT TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS FOR SAME PROBLEM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN TWO SEPARATE DEALERSHIPS FOR REPAIR FOR APPROX. 40 DAYS TOTAL. SELLING DEALERSHIP, PALM SPRINGS MITSUBISHI, HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE VEHICLE AS REQUESTED. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 3,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10131841 at NHTSA ↗

NOTHING EXTRAORDINARY LEADING UP TO THIS FAILURE BUT ON THE MORNING OF OCT 4TH I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 MITSUBISHI GALANT LS AT 55 MPH AND EXPERIENCED A TOTAL POWER STEERING FAILURE. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN AND PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I THEN OPENED THE HOOD AND THERE WAS A FLUID COVERING THE UNDERSIDE OF THE HOOD. I CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND A TOW TRUCK WAS DISPATCHED TO PICKUP THE VEHICLE AND DELIVER IT TO A MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE METRO MITSUBISHI IN BLOOMINGTON MINNESOTA. NOT THAT A…

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10140219 at NHTSA ↗

MY SON BECAME TRAPPED IN THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT OF MY 05 GALANT WHILE DRIVING. I PULLED OVER TO RELEASE THE SEAT BELT AND IT REFUSED TO UNLOCK. EVERY ATTEMPT TO REMOVE MY SON FROM THE SEAT BELT CAUSED HIS BREATHING TO BE FURTHER CUT OFF, AT WHICH TIME WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO CUT HIM OUT OF THE SEAT BELT. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 6,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10144026 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE TIMES THE ABS/TCL (TRACTION CONTROL) HAS DISENGAGED WITHOUT WARNING. EACH OCCURRENCE WAS AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THE DEALER'S SERVICE TECHNICIANS HAVE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. UPDATED 8/9/2006 - THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT DISENGAGES WHILE AT SPEED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE ABS SYSTEM IS ALSO AT QUESTION. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DID A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF CORROSION, DTC'S AND ALL PC…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,398 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163267 at NHTSA ↗

I FEEL THERE IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT IN ANTI-SKID BRAKES. I HAVE CONTACTED MITSUBISHI AND FEEL THEIR RESPONSE IS INADEQUATE. ANTI-SKID FUNCTION FAILED DURING TWO EMERGENCY STOPS AND ALMOST RESULTED IN REAR-END COLLISIONS. ANTI-SKID FUNCTION ALSO ACTUATES WHEN THERE IS NO BRAKING CONDITION THAT WARRANTS IT TO ACTIVATE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 16,271 miles reported. Look up ODI 10167744 at NHTSA ↗

CAR STOPPED WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND 8 HOURS LATER THEY SAID THAT THE CAR WAS OVERFILLED CAUSING THE FILTER AND CANISTER TO BE SATURATED WITH FUEL MAKING THE VEHICLE STOP. (ALTHOUGH I KNOW I DID NOT OVERFILL MY VEHICLE) THERE IS NOTHING IN THE OWNERS MANUAL OR WARRANTY WARNING NOT TO OVERFILL THE GAS TANKS AND THAT IT WILL CAUSE CAR FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 36,449 miles reported. Look up ODI 10183113 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2005-09-15 (September 15, 2005)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER, WHICH CONTROLS THE FLUID PRESSURE TO THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES, MAY ALLOW BRAKE FLUID TO BYPASS INTERNALLY DURING STOPPING.

Consequence: THIS MAY RESULT IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF BRAKING, INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES, AND COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 3, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-800-222-0037.

Reported: 2008-06-20 (June 20, 2008)

MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING 73,000 MY 2004-2006 GALLANT PASSENGER VEHICLES. DURING VEHICLE USE, THE IGNITION KEY INTERLOCK CABLE (WHICH IS A COMPONENT OF THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM) MAY ALLOW THE INTERLOCKING CAM TO FALL FORWARD AND ALLOW THE IGNITION KEY TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WHEN THE GEARSHIFT MECHANISM IS NOT IN THE PARK POSITION.

Consequence: IF THE DRIVER DOES NOT SHIFT TO PARK BEFORE REMOVING THE KEY AND FAILS TO ENGAGE THE PARKING BRAKE, THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND CORRECT THESE VEHICLES FOR THE REPORTED CONDITION. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-888-648-7820.

Reported: 2008-09-09 (September 9, 2008)

MITSUBISHI IS RECALLING 45,988 MY 2005-2007 ENDEAVOR, GALANT, ECLIPSE COUPE, AND MY 2007 ECLIPSE SPYDER VEHICLES. THE BRACKET THAT IS THE ATTACHMENT POINT FOR THE LEFT REAR FUEL TANK MOUNTING STRAP MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY FORMED DURING A METAL STAMPING PROCESS. THE PROCESS MAY HAVE CAUSED THE METAL TO HAVE A SPLIT IN THE AREA WHERE THE BOLT THAT HOLDS ONE OF THE TWO FUEL TANK STRAPS TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE IS LOCATED. IN THE EVENT THE FUEL TANK IS FULL AND THE VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO A SEVERE COLLISION, THE BRACKET MAY BREAK AND ALLOW THE FUEL TANK TO DROP DOWN, POSSIBLY CAUSING A FUEL LEAK.

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT TO SEE IF THE LEFT REAR FUEL TANK STRAP MOUNTING BRACKET HAS SPLITTING BEYOND A SPECIFIC LIMIT. VEHICLES WITH MODERATE TO SEVERE SPLITTING WILL BE REPAIRED USING A REINFORCEMENT CAP, A SPECIAL STRUCTURAL ADHESIVE, AND A RIVET TO REINFORCE THE FUEL TANK MOUNTING BRACKET. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-800-222-0037.