Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM - WINDSHIELD - HEATER CORE | |||||
| 78 | 02/01/2002 | 629347 | Subject regarding heater core gasket for heater core leakage. *tt | 04/01/2002 | |
| 121201 | 12/12/2001 | 627114 | Subject regarding heater core leakage.*jb | 02/05/2002 | |
| VISIBILITY - POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | |||||
| TSB0242A001 | 01/01/2002 | TSB0242A001 | 628977 | Subject regarding door glass adjustment - service manual revision. *tt | 03/25/2002 |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| VISIBILITY | |||
| 09/19/2009 | 60000 | 1 | |
| My front windshield was fogging up every time i used the heater and a smell of coolant inside my car--nasty film was left, found out it was a heater core problem. sometimes the fog would take 20 minutes to clear up with defroster on highest settings. these problems are all over the internet with mitsubishi diamantes. i am surprised that these have never been recalled for safety reasons. *tr | |||
| 02/14/2009 | 80100 | 1 | |
| The black metal strip above the windshield came off while driving. all the plastic clips that attach the windshield to the strip were broken, and some were even missing upon inspection. i purchased the vehicle used from a dealership, and got a carfax report that showed the vehicle suffered no prior damage and had no prior accidents whatsoever. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2008 | 53600 | 1 | |
| Foggy window, antifreeze smell through vent, passenger side floor damp/wet. was told by dealer that heatercore o-rings and heatercore possibly needs to be replaced. looking for alternative solution to resolve the problem. *tr | |||
| 07/31/2008 | 20 | 1 | |
| I own a 2002 mitsubishi diamante car, i bought this car in 02 since the 1st day i bought the car there was problems. the computer in the car went crazy my check engine light,,cruise control,anti lock brake, tcl light all started flashing . i took the car back to the dealer & they replaced the computer but it didn't work they put 3 computers in since then, these lights are still on till this day. in 06 my trans blew i took the car back to the dealer they replaced my trans the car still doesn't ride right. my a/c turns on but nothing comes out sometimes. in the winter the inside of my car becomes a fog all over my windows and it wont stop fogging up. a smell is coming out of my vents like a coffee smell & im inhaling this smell whenever im in the car i have to go to a doctor to get checked out to see if i have health issues .my sun roof leaks when it rains,i took my car back to the dealer to have all these issues fixed but they never did i purchased the car in 02 the warranty lasted 02-05 b/c that is when my warranty expired. when i call they tell me i have to pay out of pocket b/c the warranty expired. this isn't fair to any mitsubishi owner i shouldn't have to pay to have my car fixed now after the warranty when all the same problems have been recurring since i purchased the car and they never fixed it to begin with. i can understand if i was the only person with these problems i decided to search the internet to see if anyone else owned my make and model of my car to see if they had similar problems sure enough i came across a website called www.carsurvey.org/viewcomments_review_76426.html there's over 50 people with the same problems i have with my car.mitsubishi should fix these problems and stand by there cars. i called corporate headquarters today & was told there's nothing they can do b/c its out of warranty. *tr | |||
| VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM | |||
| 07/24/2007 | 80000 | 2 | 07/01/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 mitsubishi diamante. while driving 37 mph, the vehicle jerked and the service engine warning indicator light illuminated. the contact attempted to accelerate and pull off the road, but when the engine revved, the vehicle moved approximately three feet and stopped. the vehicle had experienced this failure on two occasions. the dealer replaced the transmission at 20,000 miles. the contact also stated that the windshield was severely fogged. the dealer replaced the heater core because it was leaking antifreeze into the cooling system. the driver was nauseated for two weeks. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 80,000. | |||
| 12/18/2006 | 67500 | 1 | 03/15/2006 |
| Windows fogged up, maple syrup smell coming from heater. respiratory sickness after incident. *nm | |||
| 04/26/2006 | 44000 | 1 | 07/01/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated the defroster failed and would not defrost the windshield. the dealership determined a clip in the system came loose and the clip was reconnected. now, six months later, the problem has returned and the dealership determined the clip needs to be replaced. | |||
| 12/28/2004 | 1 | ||
| My wife noticed little clouds of white smoke coming from the vents when the haeter/defroster was turned on, we could also smell something that smelled like syurp or antifreeze. the windows do not defrost anymore, which is a major safety hazard. i am told that this most likely from a broken heater core. if not replaced antifreeze can leak into the cars computer, which could cause a serious accident by shutting down the entire car. the estimated cost of repair is $400-$1000. i have read many complaints about this problem. i hope something can be done to fix this serious and potentially deadly situation. *ak | |||
| VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM - WINDSHIELD - BLOWER | |||
| 04/01/2005 | 2 | ||
| 2002 mitshubishi diamonte auto heater core fails and leaks; windows remain fogged for a long period. vents and ac first failed 5/2004. an authorized deader repaired symtom w/o a root cause. by 4/1/2005, defroster/defogger became progressively worse until visibility was unsafe and the vents emitted an odorous smell. original dealer discontinued service and an authorized dealer initially refuse to cover the repair. nothing was done or diagnosed after 6 hours, reporting the vents worked ok. i re-opened a case by contacting the mfg who acknowledged growing safety reports with the heater core. the dealer was given 2-3 working days or review. meanwhile. *ak | |||
| VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM - WINDSHIELD - HEATER CORE | |||
| 05/02/2008 | 63000 | 1 | |
| The heater core. i start smelling an antifreeze smell inside the car then the check engine soon light came on. also the tcl is on. the dealer said that it is a wheel sensor that will run me $625. the heater core is $1,200. every one that i talk to on the email sight is having the same problem. please help! thanks. *tr | |||
| 04/08/2008 | 58000 | 1 | 06/30/2002 |
| Started smelling maple syrup in passenger compartment. windows were fogging up easily. this was confirmed by dealer to be the heater core leaking antifreeze, and service cost $1,100. *tr | |||
| 07/01/2007 | 1 | 12/23/2002 | |
| 2002 mitsubishi diamante heater core leakage. *tr | |||
| 03/13/2008 | 30 | ||
| The windshield fogs up for no reason and i am not able to defog it. it is very hard to see any time the heat is on. i am told it may be the heater core. *tr | |||
| 02/04/2008 | 67800 | 2 | 06/30/2007 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 mitsubishi diamante. the check engine light began illuminating, the heater coil was leaking, and the windows were steaming. the contact smelled a foul odor coming from the vehicle. a mechanic diagnosed that the heater core needed to be replaced. the failure mileage was 67,800 and current mileage was 67,990. | |||
| 01/26/2008 | 1 | ||
| Windshield fog, sweet syrup smell. *tr | |||
| 01/19/2008 | 65000 | 1 | 12/04/2004 |
| 2002 mitsubishi diamante 65k miles. failure of heater core/ heater core gaskets/ o-rings. windshield will not defog, strong coolant odor and residue on windshield and side windows. resulted in dangerously low visibility while driving. windshield too foggy for safe driving. strong smell of antifreeze in passenger compt. had to open windows in sub freezing temp to get fresh air to passenger compt while driving. cost to repair estimated $800-$1100. problem appears to be widespread based on complaints filed at this nhtsa site as some complaints are categorized under different component names but have same problem descriptions. greater than 60 complaints by my count for 2002 model year alone on relatively low number of vehicles sold in us. *tr | |||
| 11/20/2007 | 105000 | 1 | 05/10/2003 |
| My heater core requires replacement. a few weeks ago my windshield became hazy and difficult to defrost. i did not realize it was from toxic anti-freeze leaking into the car. *tr | |||
| 01/17/2008 | 58000 | 1 | 01/24/2007 |
| Heater core - the air that comes out the vent when i turn my heater on, smells like antifreeze. my windows fog up and i work at night. its kind of hard to keep wiping down the windshield consistently with my hand while driving. *tr | |||
| 07/29/2002 | 100 | 5 | 07/20/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 mitsubishi diamante. while driving 45 mph, the contact noticed leakage on the inside of the vehicle. in addition, she was unable to see out of the windshield due to the fog. the dealer stated that there was an a/c evaporator was cracked and they made the replacement. the contact stated that the failure occurred again immediately after the replacement. the dealer stated that the heater core caused the failure and they have replaced it on five occasions however, the failure continued to occur. as a result, the vents would disperse anti-freeze inside the vehicle when the heater or defroster was activated. as of january 2, 2008, the dealer had not repaired the vehicle. the failure mileage was 100 and current mileage was 65,000. | |||
| 11/25/2007 | 42270 | 1 | 12/18/2002 |
| 02 diamante with approx 42, 000 ml - upon starting the car the front window begins fogging up and the entire car then fills with steam that is sweet but overwhelming. it gets so bad it is nearly impossible to see out the front windshield and then the smell overwhelms you within about 5-10 minutes forcing the driver to pull over or drive with the windows down (not easy at 18 deg outside and 2 kids under 5 in the back). symptoms indicate that this is a heater core problem that dealers are aware of and is a very common problem that they see approx 2-3 times a month with a charge of $1000.00 - $1400.00 to fix and that if not fixed then the main computer for the car would short out. so just looking at 1 dealer low end numbers: 2 heater cores per month * $1200= $2400*12months = $28,800 a year per dealer for a known problem. also medically speaking breathing anti-freeze may cause irritation of the nose and throat with headache, particularly from mists. high vapor concentrations caused, for example, by heating the material in an enclosed and poorly ventilated workplace, may produce nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness and irregular eye movements. for healthy people this is problem what about those with compromised immune systems. *tr | |||
| 11/29/2007 | 84000 | 1 | 07/25/2002 |
| Fall of 2007, noticed increased fogging of windows that did not go away with defroster, fresh air. began to smell sweet, syrupy smell. november 07, heat refused to work, checked antifreeze level, very low. windows continuing to not be cleared. oily film covering windows. currently, i have not had complete failure of heater or computer module. i have researched this problem on the diamante owners web site. my problems mirror exactly as fellow posters. november 29, 2007, i pulled back the carpet to inspect computer module and heater core area, there is gunky green ooze on the floor and on the computer module. i am currently in the position of researching the best way to have problem fixed, whether at the dealer, another auto shop, or self repair. *tr | |||
| 11/24/2007 | 1 | ||
| I have a heater core failure in my 2002 diamante. i now have antifreeze leaking into my passenger side floor. i have an antifreeze smell and smoke coming from the vents in the car. i got low on antifreeze and almost overheated on the belt parkway. it is very hard to see at night because windows will fog up and defroster makes problem worse. i have been told the cars computer is positioned under the heater core so i have to hope i do not have a computer issue as my service light has gobne on as well> i have had to replace 3 engine sensors in the last few months ( the heater core issue could be the root cause). this is a very serious situation and needs to be addressed. i see alot of the complaints for this model are for this issue. there are many people with this issue. *tr | |||
| 11/24/2007 | 1 | ||
| I have a 2002 mitsubishi diamante. i have kept regular maintenance. i am submitting this form because of a heater core issue i am having. however i have had the following problems with this car. all these problems seem to be recurring problems that happen to many people with this model. at least that is what i find when i search the issues on the internet 1- vibration in steering wheel --this happened multiple times after taking car back to dealer-it appears there is a known issue with the rotors in this car. after having the rotors cut twice by the dealer with no long lasting success. i had to have the brakes and rotors replaced by a mechanic ( car had less the 10,000 miles when issue started happening) 2- rusted muffler--not sure if this issue happens often but after 23,000 miles i had to have my muffler replaced because there was a hole rusted through the top of it-i was told this could happen for not using the car very much in the winter time( road salt can cause the rust) 3- heater core- i know have a heater core problem in this car. i have antifreeze leaking in passenger compartment. i have an antifreeze smell in the cabin of the car. my windows fog and the defroster will not clear the windshield ( makes it worse). i am low in antifreeze because of this. my service engine light has now come on and i am told this can be caused by leaking antifreeze onto the computer which is positioned under the heater core. this issue is widely reported on the internet in many forums and seems everybody with a diamante will eventually have this problem. i am being told this repair can cost over 1,000 dollars 4-i have had to replace 3 sensors in the engine 2 egr and 1 idle sender (cost around 1,500 dollars). this may or may not be because of the heater core issues causing the cars computer to fail. *tr | |||
| 11/19/2007 | 85000 | 1 | 11/03/2007 |
| Symptoms: constant nauseating smell like burnt syrup inside cabin, fogging of windshield on dry, warm weather day. from the many other complaints filed with nhtsa, this is a classic heater core failure. why has there not been a recall issued? this is potential serious health and vehicle operation safety issue! *tr | |||
| 10/01/2007 | 1 | ||
| Heating core going bad, window shield fogs up and cannot wipe ways easily, vapors coming from under dash, syrup smell is strong and only when heat is on. *tr | |||
| 11/18/2006 | 52000 | 1 | 05/01/2006 |
| Complaint description: noticed faint smell of anti freeze approximately 9 months ago. had problems with defroster clearing windows. also, seemed to get better (or maybe i got used to the smell). now noticed passenger side floor carpet is soaked with anti freeze. obviously a problem with the heater core or the hose(s) which connect to it are leaking. car has 55000 miles, and is well maintained. i called local mitsubishi dealer to schedule a repair. hoping they can repair this at little or no cost to me as this is an obvious defect in parts or installation. all local mitsubishi dealer said that this will cost we about $1200. i see alot of complaint of this type should this be a recall? *tr | |||
| 08/18/2007 | 50000 | ||
| Bad heater core, leaking o-rings. *jb | |||
| 11/19/2004 | 24479 | 1 | 09/14/2002 |
| Had trouble defrosting windshield, build up of film on windshield, antifreeze on passenger side floor, headaches. *tr | |||
| 02/02/2007 | 113800 | 1 | 01/25/2007 |
| Car cabin has strong odor of antifreeze when using the heater. windows have difficulty de-fogging and after contacting service department, was told that it would be over $1000 to fix. as i dug deeper into my problem, i found that i am not the only owner of my vehicle that has had this problem, and my repair forum had this link to file a report. *tr | |||
| 02/28/2007 | 73738 | 1 | 07/29/2003 |
| Foggy spots on front windshield, syrup like smell, and vapors blown through front vents. heater core gasket leaked coolant fluid into car dripping on passenger side, found fluid underneath carpet. mitsubishi dealership replaced heater core. *ak | |||
| 04/03/2007 | 40000 | 1 | 12/28/2002 |
| Heater core failure. *jb | |||
| 11/17/2006 | 40000 | 01/23/2006 | |
| Notice thick residue on front window and was not able to remove it with defogger. notice lose of antifreeze which caused over heating and potential engine ceasing. then noticed passenger side carpet was full of anti-freeze. after intense cleaning and attempts to fix the problem, it still emits a maple syrup anti freeze toxic fume | |||
| 02/20/2007 | 28550 | 1 | 07/20/2003 |
| Heater core problem. window fog. anti freeze smell in side of cabin. extended warranty is not cover.only 28800 miles 2002 diamante. *jb | |||
| 02/19/2007 | 53941 | 1 | 03/28/2003 |
| Leakage of antifreeze ( engine coolant) into the passenger compartment of vehicle. the coolant smell was apparent within the car. *nm | |||
| 02/20/2007 | 1 | 11/13/2005 | |
| Windows will not defrost and odor coming from vents. also puddle of anti-freeze on passenger floor. did not think problems where related but they are. heater core gasket leaking and causing the problems. $1 gasket and $700+ labor. this is a scam from the dealership, exploit a unsafe defect and then charge an arm and a leg to get it fixed. next they will charge for the air we breathe. *jb | |||
| 01/29/2007 | 42000 | 2 | 07/15/2006 |
| Noticed anti-freeze smell within the vehicle. windshield fogging up and heater was not working properly. took to dealership and was told o-rings needed replaced. advised work was completed, charged $652.97, and the next day still experiencing the same problems. contacted the dealership. they are going to investigate further. *jb | |||
| 08/01/2005 | 60000 | 1 | |
| I am filing this complaint with the nhtsa department on behalf of myself and over 40 other owners of the 2002 mitsubishi diamante automobile. the back ground on all of these complaints can be viewed at www.mycarstats.com . it is my feeling that these mitsubishi customers were under the impression that filing a complaint on mycarstats.com was the same as filing one with the nhtsa. if you would take the time to view the various stories under the complaints section, sub headings engine cooling systems and visual systems, you will see the magnitude and the similarities of the problem. you will also find a similar collection of complaints under other vehicle model years, as mitsubishi built this vehicle with the same problem, for many years. the main problem is in the faulty design of the o rings that were to seal the engine coolant from leakage as it enters the cabin heater core. this is a problem that mitsubishi recognized and actually issued a service bulletin advising dealers of a repair kit designed to eliminate the leaks that are sure to develop. as you will learn from reading the complaints of the many owners on the www.mycarstats.com web site, this leaking problem has cause these owners to spend in the area of $800 to $1200 in repairs on vehicles with relatively low miles. in many cases the miles are as low as 40,000. the lower costs of repair are usually found at independent repair shops with the higher costs normally attributed to mitsubishi dealerships. most complaining owners only mention the accumulation of anti-freeze vapor on windows and the saturation of the vehicles floor covering. some also report damage to the vehicles computer system. i ask only that you visit the www.mycarstats.com web site and review the extensive list of almost identical complaints. i feel that after doing so you will feel, as i, that mitsubishi owns their customers reimbursement for the problems their faulty design has caused. *jb | |||
| 01/17/2007 | 108000 | 1 | 01/15/2007 |
| 2002 mitsubishi diamante - heater core, bought used from mitsu dealer, found heater core hoses disconnected & bypassed. evidence of past leak on/near ecu. $1000.00 to repair at independent garage. *nm | |||
| 12/24/2006 | 45000 | 1 | 12/01/2003 |
| Windows were not clearing properly and smell of anti-freeze was very strong. upon calling the mitsubishi dealer, i was told, it's probably the heater core. i ask if this is normal for a car three years olds with approximately 45,000 miles. dealer said they had seen a few. they haven't been much help yet. *nm | |||
| 12/09/2006 | 99000 | 1 | 09/07/2002 |
| Heater core in '02 mitsubishi diamante leaked causing windows to fog and anti-freeze to leak into passenger compartment. *jb | |||
| 10/31/2006 | 57000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2002 mitsubishi diamante with a failed heater core. smelled antifreeze for awhile, then one evening, it was coming out of my air vents and fogging up my windshield - except it wasn't fog but antifreeze mist that would not go away, so i have to drive with my head out the window till i got it home and wiped it down. apparently this is a very common problem, and i believe mitsubishi is responsible for refunding my 800+ dollar shop bill for repairing this defect. *nm | |||
| 05/01/2006 | 70000 | 1 | 12/01/2005 |
| Heater core leaking....check engine light came on....well known and documented problem with the diamante....paid close to 800 to have repaired...coolant leaked on the computer and car went into fail safe driving mode. *nm | |||
| 10/01/2006 | 1 | ||
| Heater core leaking. *nm | |||
| 09/10/2006 | 44700 | 1 | 05/07/2005 |
| 2002 mitsubishi diamante purchased from wallace mitsubishi in kingsport tn. in july 2006. mileage 45000 miles. foul odor from vents, windows fogged with greasy film, impossible to see through windows. garage mechanic determined the cause to be heater core malfunction. repairs to cost between $700.00 to $800.00 . i'm not the only one with this problem. the should be a recall. *jb | |||
| 09/09/2006 | 1 | 08/01/2002 | |
| I noticed a maple-syrup type smell and fog coming out of the vents even when off. upon investigation, coolant was found leaking onto drivers' side floor. was told by garage that it was the heater core and it will cost $800 to repair. was also told that if it's not repaired it could damage the computer. i will have to get it fixed soon as my son has asthma and breathing in antifreeze vapors is probably not a good thing. *nm | |||
| 09/12/2006 | 72000 | 6 | 10/09/2005 |
| Leaking antifreeze into the passenger compartment. fogged windows, with a near miss on highway before i could get off. *nm | |||
| 06/01/2006 | 60000 | 20 | 04/11/2002 |
| The heater core has been leaking for about 2 years on my 2002 diamante. this causes fumes to take over my car and i can not see out of my windshield. there is also some sort of electrical problem that causes my car to die when idle at stops or when i let off the gas. this is very dangerous for me. *nm | |||
| 04/05/2006 | 37000 | 1 | 07/11/2002 |
| Windshield fogging up with film and defog not even touching it. noticed smoky like air coming from under passenger side dash. ac is now flaky. sometimes will work sometimes won't. most likely heater core is defective or leaking as stated in mitsubishi diamante tsb. car is 2002 with roughly 40k miles on it. ridiculous. from what i have read online most dealers are charging up to $1200 to fix this. this is not just a safety hazard but a health hazard depending on how long me and my family have been breathing in condensed antifreeze and not knowing it. will never buy a mitsubishi again!! *nm | |||
| 03/15/2006 | 1 | 02/16/2006 | |
| Continual odd odor entering cabin of car. it smells sweet like maple syrup. it occurs when i use heater and odor is emitted through vents. i believe it is anti-freeze that has leaked, i am smelling anti-freeze and i'm concerned for my health. i have read numerous complaints in mitsubishi diamante online forums about this problem. there is a huge number of heater core hose o-ring gasket failures causing leaks near heater core. apparently it also drips onto computer control unit also. *jb | |||
| 02/15/2006 | 43310 | 1 | |
| Strong coolant (anti-freeze) smell in car. windows fogged up and could not see and puffs of smoke coming from vents. dealer informed me heater core needed replacing. also stated that although it was known issue with vehicle mitsubishi would not take care of cost. mitsubishi has even issued a tech pub on parts needed to repair this problem because they were experiencing a shortage. it took four days to get a heater core for my vehicle due to a critical shortage of heater cores. *nm | |||
| 02/21/2006 | 82401 | 1 | |
| Noticed bad odor in the vehicle followed by the windows fogging up and the heater not working a few days later. repair shop stated that the heater core needs to be replaced. this is unusual for cars that are only a few years old and have low mileage. repair would be around $1000.00. i have the 2002 diamante and this part was very hard to find. even the dealership had to order it. can anything be done to help with this cost. just a struggling man trying to provide for a family in a honest way. please help!!*jb | |||
| 02/22/2006 | 62000 | 1 | 12/26/2001 |
| Excessive fogging of interior windows and failure to clear up have resulting in very unsafe driving conditions. my wife was driving with our children and just missed getting hit by a tractor trailer the other day. in addition the smell of antifreeze is disgusting! brought the car to the dealer and spent nearly $600 to repair o rings. does not seem right to have as many complaints on this issue without having the manufacturer properly address the issue. someone is going to get killed or severely injured sooner or later. i guess we should wait for that to happen before we hear from nhtsa and mitsuibishi. *nm | |||
| 11/30/2002 | 1 | 1200 | 11/25/2001 |
| The first time my 5 year old son drove in this car, he vomitted. everytime he rides in it he becomes nauseous. the car's windshield fogs up and a sickly sweet smell comes out of the vents. the windshield is covered in a permanent haze. we noticed these symptoms but had not given it a second thought since the car was new and had no reason to suspect major problems. the car was recently in the shop for 1 week, when we picked it up we really noticed the sweet smell and alerted the shop. after inspection the shop diagnozed it as a heater core problem, a leak that is vaporizing and condensating on the windshields. the anti-freeze fumes are noxious, and after some research we have found that mitsubishi has been aware of the problem and has even issued 2 tsb about the problem. mitsubishi fails to correct the problem by fixing the car. because of the noxious nature of the fumes, the number of complaints on record, mitsubishi should be forced to recall these cars and to fix the problem. if nhtsa refuses to help all of us who have been screwed by another large corporation, why am i paying my taxes, so that you can protect corporate interests like all other federal agencies? the incident is everyday. *jb | |||
| 12/03/2005 | 35000 | 1 | 03/03/2002 |
| Heater core hoses leaked by 34k miles - seeping anti freeze into passenger side carpet, smelling of syrup, and fogging up windows when they needed to be defogged. also, tires were noisy from first drive. at 36.5k miles they are very bad, vibrating entire car and making extreme road noise. *nm | |||
| 01/12/2005 | 587520 | 18 | |
| '02 mitsubishi diamante; heater core failure; 2nd owner eff. 2/05; bought from same dealer that leased to 1 person; found many other owners suffering same issue on google to site: http://www.diamanteowners.com/forum/index.php?s=918c701e5465c87381ccae0aa22c20a3&showtopic=3615 i have been quoted $1200 by 2 dealers and $900 by a mechanic/independent. the dealer that leased the car to '1st owner' and sold it to me at end of lease told me that they are working on two diamantes per week for heater core replacement! why is there no recall yet??? this leak - per brad/sale and service dealer states that if i fail to fix immediately - 10 hours of labor - radiator coolant will leak into passenger foot well/flood and the leakage goes over my computer that runs the car! 2 repairs a week is unacceptable!!! please help!!! i have a toddler and teenager riding daily with me smelling the radiator fluid that steams inside windshield (cannot use heater). this fogging occurs even when heater not in use (although much milder in condensation). bought car in mint condition -used- at same dealership that issued lease/all scheduled maintenance performed. i cannot afford this obvious defect that needs full 'recall' status - please help! p.s. personally, i have wanted this car for 6 years - to have this issue, and obviously just before a recall will / *has** to be made is so terribly stressful and disappointing. *nm | |||
| 12/19/2005 | 1 | 01/28/2003 | |
| Heater core failure - windshield fogged up severely, and turning on defroster made problem worse as gaseous ethylene glycol was pumped directly onto interior windshield. very hazardous driving conditions, as well as air quality in car cabin was extremely pungent w/eg fumes. *nm | |||
| 01/06/2006 | 50070 | 1 | 01/17/2003 |
| Could not clear the inside of the windshield. smell like rotten eggs when i turn on the heater. the check engine light came on. the lights indicator on both the n and d were flashing. the automatic transmission shifting was difficult. dealer's mechanic found that the automatic transmission relay had been damaged by coolant leaking onto the ecu from the heater core. coolant was also found to have leaked under the passenger side carpeting. replaced the heater core and the relay to a tune of $1,500 bill. car has 50,000 miles .dh. *nm | |||
| 11/03/2005 | 29000 | 1 | 09/01/2005 |
| Dt: the contact stated while driving the windows would constantly be foggy. the vehicle was smoking under the dashboard. also, coolant leaked inside the vehicle through the dashboard. the contact took the vehicle to a dealership to have the vehicle checked. they discovered the problem to be the heater core, it needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted. no repairs were made.*ak | |||
| 11/20/2005 | 97572 | 1 | 05/20/2002 |
| Heater core leaking and fogging up windows. inhaling of radiator fluid fumes is noxious. can not keep window clean, it's greasy, and can't see to drive without wiping off film. passenger side carpet is wet from radiator fluid and i'm afraid smell will not go away. *jb | |||
| 11/11/2005 | 1 | 03/01/2003 | |
| Dt: the contact states there is a leak coming from the heater core. this causes anti-freeze to come inside the vehicle. the anti-freeze is obstructing his vision and he is breathing anti-freeze. the vehicle has not been to a dealership. *jb | |||
| 10/31/2005 | 68000 | 1 | 01/26/2005 |
| The vehicle is a 2002 mitsubishi diamante ls. the windows in the vehicle have been constantly foggy in a dry environment. when wiping windows down, i noticed that the condensation was oily. i have also noticed a syrup smell in the vehicle. the defroster has not been working properly, so i investigated online to find out if it was a common failure. what i found out was that the syrup smell and oily condensation was most likely due to a leaky heater core. i took the vehicle to a local mechanic who found that the o-ring seals for the heater core were failing. they pressured tested the core to be sure it was not failing also. the old parts are not available. the defroster was not related and only sparked my investigation into the oily condensation. *jb | |||
| 10/14/2005 | 68500 | 1 | 11/10/2003 |
| Fog and mist on the inside of the windshield. coolant levels dropped and refills were required, followed by a problem in the automatic transmission shifting and finally a check engine light warning. mechanic found that the automatic transmission relay had been damaged by coolant leaking onto the ecu from the heater core. coolant was also found to have leaked under the passenger side carpeting. *jb | |||
| 08/01/2005 | 71000 | 0 | 10/01/2001 |
| The heater core has developed a leak that allows anti-freeze to enter and collect on the inside floor of the passenger compartment. this moisture inside the vehicle makes it impossible to clear the windshield with the defroster, making for a rather dangerous experience. this is on a 2002 mitsubishi diamante with fairly low miles. i've owned a large number of vehicles in my like and this is the first time a heater core has ever failed. *nm | |||
| 07/31/2005 | 1 | ||
| Leaking gasket/heater core allowing toxic fumes to be emitted into the passenger compartment in excess of a year. caused a film to form on windshield and the smell of anti-freeze in the passenger compartment. quotes to repair exceed $1000. *jb | |||
| 04/25/2005 | 35000 | 1 | 12/15/2004 |
| I purchased 2002 mitusbishi diamante ls with 35000 miles from the mitsubishi dealer in san bernardino, california. after driving off i noticed a smell of maple syrup. i also noticed that my eyes burned and itched when the heater was on. this was likely due to the white cloud that came from the heater duct. it was also causing cloudy windows that made safe navigation impossible. the carpet i starting to puddle with antifreeze on the passenger side. i took it in for a routine oil change, and had the dealer mechanic check the smell. they informed me that the heater core was leaking, and would need to be replaced. their quote was $1060 and was not covered by my bumper to bumper warranty. this is a health hazard and the leaky heater core could cause massive damage to the computer that controls the engine. they will not correct the problem even thoug it wa a problem at drive off.*ak | |||
| 11/21/2004 | 46000 | 1 | |
| Failure in the heater coil with less than 50000 miles antifreeze leakig into passenger compartment and fogging window.*ak | |||
| 04/01/2005 | 2 | ||
| 2002 mitshubishi diamonte auto heater core fails and leaks; windows remain fogged for a long period. vents and ac first failed 5/2004. an authorized deader repaired symtom w/o a root cause. by 4/1/2005, defroster/defogger became progressively worse until visibility was unsafe and the vents emitted an odorous smell. original dealer discontinued service and an authorized dealer initially refuse to cover the repair. nothing was done or diagnosed after 6 hours, reporting the vents worked ok. i re-opened a case by contacting the mfg who acknowledged growing safety reports with the heater core. the dealer was given 2-3 working days or review. meanwhile. *ak | |||
| 02/16/2005 | 1 | ||
| Windows fogged up and would not clear up. there was a kind of sweet burning smell. did research on the internet and found that is was the heatercore leaking antifreeze and all the symtoms listed on site matched my car. checked the passenger side and found puddle of antifreeze soaked in the carpet. also the antifreeze in the radiator was very low. my wife drives this car and she is 8 months pregnant! she had been unknowingly inhaling the antifreeze vapors since the leakage. took it to the dealership and it cost me $690 to fix (3/10/05). i had to wait 3 days before the parts came in and 1 day to have it fixed. this car is only a 2002 and has 52,000 miles! what a coincedence that the warranty expired. i am currently driving the car since my wife is pregnant and the car still smells like antifreeze! i have to drive it with the windows down since the smell of antifreeze vapors are still strong. i am very concerned about the affects of breathing the antifreeze vapors.*ak | |||
| 12/26/2004 | 30000 | 100 | 11/11/2004 |
| Heater core has failed. anti-freeze leaks and, as the result, syrup-like smell is everywhere inside the car! windows fog up. possible damages are not to be ignored!. if the problem isn't taken care of, it can undoubtedly lead to long term health problems due to anti freeze fumes, as well as electrical damages to the computer. *jb | |||
| 01/17/2005 | 70000 | 1 | 07/01/2003 |
| Windshield would not defrost. vapor blowing from vents. called to get cost estimate-$765 from dealer. called other repair shops--they said they've done 4 repairs in the last 6 months on mitsubishi's for this problem. *nm | |||
| 12/14/2004 | 1 | 10/30/2001 | |
| Noxious odor coming out of vents inside car. windows not clearing with defrosters on and smoke swirling around lower windshield. took to dealer, paid $704 for repair. when entered car to leave dealership, same problem existed. left car with dealer.*ak | |||