Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM - WINDSHIELD - BLOWER | |||||
| 0355008R | 10/01/2003 | 0355003 | 10004455 | Debris (such as leaves, etc.) entering the front cowl area may clog the evaporator housing drain tube. if this occurs, the evaporator housing may fill up with condensation and overflow into the passenger compartment, and into the blower mo | 12/15/2003 |
| 0355008 | 10/01/2003 | 10004454 | Debris (such as leaves, etc) entering the front cowl area may clog the evaporator housing drain tube. if this occurs, the evaporator housing may fill up with condensation and overflow into the passenger compartment, and into the blower mot | 12/15/2003 | |
| VISIBILITY - POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | |||||
| TSB-09-54-010REV | 10/01/2009 | 10032588 | Mitsubishi: front passenger door window switch warranty extension. extending the warranty for the front passenger door window switch on all affected vehicles to 10 years or 120,000 miles, whichever comes first, from the original in servic | 04/16/2010 | |
| VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD | |||||
| 80 | 03/01/2002 | 637115 | Customer may complain that the window glass freezes to moulding. *tt | 11/20/2002 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VISIBILITY | ||||||
| PE08014 | MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA, INC. | 03/04/2008 | 07/01/2008 | PASSENGER DOOR FIRE | ||
| Complaints allege that a fire erupted in the front passenger door.in mitsubishi's response to odi's march 12, 2008 information request, mitsubishi asserts that the alleged defect may occur when large amounts of liquids, more than 100cc (3.4 oz), like a soft drink were spilled directly over the power window switch area, all at once and at one time.mitsubishi found that as the liquid dries off, electrolytes and carbonized particles accumulate between the terminals in the power window switch and become a conductive material.as a result, the switch may start to heat up and melt or ignite the plastic components.however, mitsubishi also asserts that the alleged defect is very rare and that burning damage will not occur unless liquids enter into the power window switch.odi upgraded this preliminary evaluation to an engineering analysis, ea08-011, to further evaluate this issue. | ||||||
| EA08011 | MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA, INC. | 07/01/2008 | 08/21/2009 | PASSENGER DOOR FIRE | ||
| In response to this investigation, mitsubishi motors north america (mmna) initiated a special program on july 31, 2009, to extend the warranty coverage on model year (my) 2001-2003 galant vehicle passenger side window switches to 10 years or 120,000 miles, whichever comes first.notification of this special coverage program to all registered vehicle owners is scheduled to begin in late-september 2009.owners who have experienced a problem with the power window switch (blown fuse, intermittent operation or power window malfunction) or who spilled liquids or beverages onto the front passenger door window switch will be entitled to have the switch replaced and any related repairs performed at no charge.the agency is aware of 35 alleged front passenger door panel heat, smoke or fire incidents, including three reported minor burns or bruises.there are no reported crashes or fatalities.there are 307 warranty claims of switch malfunctions or short circuits without any reported heat, smoke or fire.mmna inspection and analysis of fire-damaged door panels/switches found evidence of spilled liquids with high sugar content on the power window switches.mmna claims the residue of these liquids led to a shorting/smoke/ fire condition inside the switch/door panel assembly.a safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will continue to monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see document file for additional information. | ||||||
| VISIBILITY - GLASS, SIDE/REAR | ||||||
| PE08014 | MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA, INC. | 03/04/2008 | 07/01/2008 | PASSENGER DOOR FIRE | ||
| Complaints allege that a fire erupted in the front passenger door.in mitsubishi's response to odi's march 12, 2008 information request, mitsubishi asserts that the alleged defect may occur when large amounts of liquids, more than 100cc (3.4 oz), like a soft drink were spilled directly over the power window switch area, all at once and at one time.mitsubishi found that as the liquid dries off, electrolytes and carbonized particles accumulate between the terminals in the power window switch and become a conductive material.as a result, the switch may start to heat up and melt or ignite the plastic components.however, mitsubishi also asserts that the alleged defect is very rare and that burning damage will not occur unless liquids enter into the power window switch.odi upgraded this preliminary evaluation to an engineering analysis, ea08-011, to further evaluate this issue. | ||||||
| VISIBILITY - POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | ||||||
| EA08011 | MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA, INC. | 07/01/2008 | 08/21/2009 | PASSENGER DOOR FIRE | ||
| In response to this investigation, mitsubishi motors north america (mmna) initiated a special program on july 31, 2009, to extend the warranty coverage on model year (my) 2001-2003 galant vehicle passenger side window switches to 10 years or 120,000 miles, whichever comes first.notification of this special coverage program to all registered vehicle owners is scheduled to begin in late-september 2009.owners who have experienced a problem with the power window switch (blown fuse, intermittent operation or power window malfunction) or who spilled liquids or beverages onto the front passenger door window switch will be entitled to have the switch replaced and any related repairs performed at no charge.the agency is aware of 35 alleged front passenger door panel heat, smoke or fire incidents, including three reported minor burns or bruises.there are no reported crashes or fatalities.there are 307 warranty claims of switch malfunctions or short circuits without any reported heat, smoke or fire.mmna inspection and analysis of fire-damaged door panels/switches found evidence of spilled liquids with high sugar content on the power window switches.mmna claims the residue of these liquids led to a shorting/smoke/ fire condition inside the switch/door panel assembly.a safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will continue to monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see document file for additional information. | ||||||
| PE08014 | MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA, INC. | 03/04/2008 | 07/01/2008 | PASSENGER DOOR FIRE | ||
| Complaints allege that a fire erupted in the front passenger door.in mitsubishi's response to odi's march 12, 2008 information request, mitsubishi asserts that the alleged defect may occur when large amounts of liquids, more than 100cc (3.4 oz), like a soft drink were spilled directly over the power window switch area, all at once and at one time.mitsubishi found that as the liquid dries off, electrolytes and carbonized particles accumulate between the terminals in the power window switch and become a conductive material.as a result, the switch may start to heat up and melt or ignite the plastic components.however, mitsubishi also asserts that the alleged defect is very rare and that burning damage will not occur unless liquids enter into the power window switch.odi upgraded this preliminary evaluation to an engineering analysis, ea08-011, to further evaluate this issue. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| VISIBILITY | |||
| 11/01/2010 | |||
| Heat stopped working due to a faulty heat control valve. first it started making a clicking noise and now i have no heat at all. | |||
| 10/13/2010 | 59600 | ||
| The heater control valve began making clicking noises about a month ago in my 2003 mitsubishi galant v6 ls. the car has only 59,000 miles on it. then this morning with outside temperate of 41 degrees here in minneapolis the heat would not turn on. the heater control valve is now stuck in the cold mode. i had to drive my 2 year old to day care in a cold car. the replacement cost by the dealer is $1000. the internet finding shows most galant owners have had failed heater control valve. this can put drivers in unsafe situations because we can not defrost the windshield when its cold outside. | |||
| 09/29/2009 | 1 | ||
| I have a 2003 galant and my heater has failed there is air blowing but it's not hot. when i turn the dial from cold to hot it was making a rattling sound which i thought it might be in the vent area, thinking maybe it was just not turning. come to find out it's the heater core and it's over $500 to repair. i think this is ridiculous i have seen many complaints online dating back to 2006 and i believe that mitsubishi should recall this problem and take responsibility. *tr | |||
| 10/01/2009 | 1 | ||
| For a while the ac and heater fan has been making a rubbing sound within the dashboard in my 2003 mitsubishi galant. a few months later, the heat in the car had totally stopped working. as it gets colder outside, the windshield fogs and without heat, there is no way to defrost it causing inability to see clearly through the windshield. this problem can obviously lead to car accidents. the part has not yet been replaced but is currently being looked into. *tr | |||
| 05/01/2009 | 80000 | 1 | |
| The problem started about a year ago. the constant rattling sound behind the dashboard when you first turn on the heat. after about 10-15 secs it stops. then eventually the rattling sound stops completely when you turn on the heat and so does the heat and the defroster. i lost heat the first time back around december of 2008. it came back on within two weeks and stayed on during the winter. around the first of may, i lost heat again and it has not been back on since. *tr | |||
| 11/19/2008 | 65000 | 1 | |
| The beginning of this winter season, nov 2008 my car began to make odd noises from the dash board when i engaged the heater/defroster. i have discovered that numerous other owners of this make/model have experienced the same problem. in this economy, if mitsubishi wants to continue to be able to sell cars, it should gain the trust and respect of it's current owners by compensating for the numerous problems they have with the mitsubishi galant. *tr | |||
| 09/20/2008 | 70000 | 1 | |
| My heat did not work one day. and only works randomly when it wants to. the problem is the heater control valve, which is expensive to replace. thousands of mitsubishi owners have this problem. the car is practically new (2003). *tr | |||
| 04/10/2008 | 36000 | 1 | |
| 2003 mitsubishi galante heater control motor has broken, with no heat being available to the car. apparently this is a problem that has happened to many, many people, and i'm another of these unlucky folks. *tr | |||
| 04/01/2007 | 75000 | 1 | |
| Heat stopped working. turned the heat on one day and it there was a rattling sound. when you turn the heat on it blows out cold air. the problem seemed to fix itself then it started again in the beginning of winter 07 and now has stopped again (may 2008). defroster also does not work. when i took it to a mechanic i was told it was the heater coil which is strange b/c usually cars are much older before the heater coil goes out. *tr | |||
| VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM | |||
| 05/10/2008 | 69000 | 1 | |
| My 2003 mitsubishi galant has a failed heater control motor. it started going bad over a year ago (clicking noises on actuation) and has finally stopped working altogether. it is stuck on 'cold' and does not switch over to heat under any conditions. on researching this problem, it seems many other people are experiencing the same issue. the volume of similar complaints and relatively high expense of fixing the problem on cars that aren't that old seems to indicate a fault in the design of this mechanism. a recall by mitsubishi which would cover the costs of repair should be issued. *tr | |||
| 02/15/2008 | 160000 | 1 | 12/28/2003 |
| Fall of 2007 i flipped from ac to heat. there was clicking inside the dash and it finally switched over. had to switch back to ac on warm day and the clicking was there again and it eventually went from heat to cold. finally i flipped it back a week or two ago on a cold morning, no clicking and no heat at all. i've reached under the dash pushing the white lever back and forth thinking maybe it was just the cable that's stretched but that's not the case. i took the white lever off (just 1 screw) and turned the little gear by hand. clockwise is to cold and when it gets all the way it stops. counter-clockwise is heat and when i get to the end it clicks like the earlier clicking like it's stripped out somewhere in the dash. there's a lot of complaints about this on the internet and i believe one other similar complaint on this site. i believe this should be considered a subject for recall that the manufacturer should compensate its customers for. *tr | |||
| 12/29/2007 | 79000 | 1 | |
| It started with a clicking noise when i turned the temperature control knob from cold to hot. now the heater only blows cold air. this happened in a matter of 2 days. the windshield fogged up creating a very dangerous situation. i live in a town where nobody wants to work on a mitsubishi. looks like i'll drive 100 miles to get it fixed. how many more have to break before mitsubishi fixes their problem? *cn | |||
| 02/19/2007 | 1 | ||
| 2003 galant that the heater just suddenly quit working on it. it has been diagnosed as a heater control motor. with the cost exceeding $300 to repair. worked fine then just quit. *nm | |||
| VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM - WINDSHIELD - CONTROLS/WIRING | |||
| 01/19/2008 | 71673 | 3 | 05/09/2004 |
| Heater in car stopped working due to a problem with the control motor mr958603. *tr | |||
| 02/14/2008 | 62000 | 1 | 04/18/2007 |
| Heater motor control stopped working and from what i've heard a lot of people are having this problem in mitsubishi galant's and i feel they should replace the part. *tr | |||
| 03/21/2006 | 1 | 07/13/2004 | |
| 2003 mitsubishi galant-- bad heater control motor. seems like too new of a car to be having these problems. *nm | |||
| 01/10/2006 | 1 | ||
| Galant 2003, 55,000kms, grinding sound when turning the heater temp dial, sounds like heater control motor. *jb | |||
| VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM - WINDSHIELD - HEATER CORE | |||
| 06/04/2008 | 86000 | 1 | |
| I just bought a 2003 mitsubishi galant and the heater control motor has gone bad. it's going to cost about $450.00 to get it fixed. *tr | |||
| 02/27/2008 | 1 | ||
| I have a 2003 mitsubishi galant, and i have done research thoroughly on the mitsubishi and it seems that this car was made to have a failure in the heat assembly. actually, my heat is not working and everyone say it is the motor that is inside the dash. this should not go bad, is there anything that could be done so i would not be spending so much money for this repair. *tr | |||
| 12/26/2007 | 118000 | 2 | 12/26/2007 |
| I have a 2003 mitsubishi galant v6. in this car i have an issue with the heating system in the cabin. it seems this is a common failure in all 1999-2003 models. please let mitsubishi motors of america know about it as its very common in these particular models. please refer to the link http://www.mitsubishi-forums.com/t11076-no-heat.htm again overall, mitsubishi are very good cars. *tr | |||
| 12/09/2007 | 1 | ||
| Heater control valve locks up and makes the vehicle unable to heat up. the factory part is very poorly designed and leads to premature failure and a very pricey repair bill. *tr | |||
| 11/21/2007 | 85490 | 1 | 06/04/2003 |
| Heater valve motor failed in my 2003 galant i have heard many many complaints about the same issue and have read many more of the same issue online. *tr | |||
| 11/17/2007 | 1 | ||
| We have a 2003 mitsubishi galant and after only 3 winters the heating core has gone out. this is ridiculous!! especially since this car has extended coolant and nothing needs to be done to this car for at least 5 years. the auto repair service i used replaced the heating core only to find out that the heater control motor valves were not opening up which caused the heater core to go bad. from my understanding the mitsubishi dealer where the parts came from keep these in stock because this is happening quite frequently in these cars. this is $1400 worth of parts and labor. this should definitely not happen to a car that is only 4 years old. *tr | |||
| 10/14/2007 | 1 | 07/03/2004 | |
| No heat. *tr | |||
| 11/11/2007 | 57700 | 2 | 05/26/2006 |
| My wife's 2003 mitsubishi galant's heater failed last year. we had the heater control motor replaced. it has happened again this year. i can't see spending 400 dollars once a year to fix the heater. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2007 | 1 | ||
| After normal use, the heating system within the 2003 mitsubishi galant breaks. everyone with this car has or will have this problem. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2007 | 85000 | 1 | 01/01/2003 |
| I have a 2003 mitsubishi galant with problems with the heater control motor, from what i understand there have been an exuberant amount of these having this issue and it should be recalled by mitsubishi seeing they charged 22,000 for this car and it is now only worth 3000. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2007 | 25 | 11/01/2004 | |
| 2003 mitsubishi galant no heat, i've been online and there a hundreds of complaints about the same issue. i've been to the dealer and independent garage and talking between 300/ 1000 to fix with so many complaints the dealer should be required to fix this problem. *tr | |||
| 03/06/2006 | 45000 | 1 | 09/02/2004 |
| I've owned my 2003 mitsubishi galant ls since new and my heater has stopped working. the car has 60000 miles on it and i noticed that there were many people that has the same problem. *jb | |||
| 03/15/2007 | 62000 | 1 | 06/24/2004 |
| Heat stopped working about 6 months ago due to what i think is a heater core or heat valve issue. *jb | |||
| 08/07/2007 | 1 | ||
| I have a mitsubishi galant, 2003, and the heater core has gone bad. i am not opposed to cost of the part, it is the labor charge that has me upset. because the dash has to be taken apart i am looking at $300.00-$400.00 for this repair. i would like mitsubishi to help defray the labor costs. i understand this is happening a lot in mitsubishi galants. *tr | |||
| 03/09/2007 | 1 | ||
| 2003 mits galant, heater all of a sudden stopped working, no sounds before, just woke up next morning turned on heat and got cold air. *jb | |||
| 10/01/2006 | 1 | 10/15/2002 | |
| 2003 mitsubishi galant es v6 60,000 miles...heat does not work...recently turned heat on in car...heard a clicking sound coming from heater, then only cold air came out through vents...based on the volume of consumer internet postings, this is a very common problem among this type of car. *jb | |||
| 09/19/2006 | 1 | 09/15/2006 | |
| The blue and red controls for the air and heater started to make a grinding noise when turned to heat. it continued to do so for a few more times then stopped. it was raining one day and i wanted to defrost the windshield. that is when i discovered the heat was not working. i am not mechanically inclined and have done nothing yet to fix the problem. i wanted to see if there was a recall or something first before i spent any money on the problem. *jb | |||
| 03/25/2005 | 50000 | 1 | 02/12/2004 |
| Heat does not work. *jb | |||
| 07/01/2006 | 62000 | 1 | 06/15/2004 |
| Temperature control was making weird grinding noises when adjusting from cold to hot or vice versa. temperature initially would change as desired. grinding noises eventually ceased as well as no heat available. period or lapse of time was roughly 1 to 2 months before heat didn't work. corrective action is being looked at in 1 week. understand other 2003 galants have been having this same issue. with the heater control motor and other parts needing to be replaced. *jb | |||
| 03/20/2006 | 94123 | 10 | 08/15/2001 |
| I have a 2003 mitsubishi galant and already the heater is gone in it, i have searched the internet and learned that many others that have this vehicle has the same problem i think mitsubishi should pay for this defect since we paid money out of a-- to replace thermostat,water hoses,etc and the problem still exist the heater only blows out cold air. *jb | |||
| 02/12/2004 | 28000 | 1 | |
| Consumer complained about a heat problem. with the heat. while driving, the heat blew out from the vents in the top of the dashboard, but when directing it to the floor, it did not come out of the lower portion of the vehicle. consumer was told that this was normal. *ak consumer added that with the control knob on off position, air or heat camed out from the vent. *tt | |||
| VISIBILITY - POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | |||
| 04/21/2009 | 80000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns 2003 mitsubishi galant. immediately, after starting the engine the power window control mechanism was activated in the downward position on the front passenger side. there was a strong burning smell and a crackling noise. smoke and small flames expelled from the front passenger door panel. the contact extinguished the fire without injury. he did not notify the fire department. the inside of the door panel exhibited severe damage from the flames. the cause of failure has not been determined and the vehicle is being repaired. the contact is aware of the safety risk. the failure and current mileages were 80,000. | |||
| VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | |||
| 09/22/2004 | 48000 | 20 | 09/22/2004 |
| A few months ago the radio started staying on even while the key was pulled completely out, then the horn fuse had to be pulled because while sitting in our garage and the car not running, and hadn't been running for 12 hours, the horn started blaring, until my husband could disconnect the battery, then while driving home one evening in the rain, i had the wipers and headlights on the wipers would not shut off, even when put in the off position. they would not shut off until i shut the headlights off. i am scared for my safety as well as others to drive my car, and especially to use the cruise. i fear that if i do use the cruise it will stay on, and i will be involved in a deadly crash. no one seems to know what is the problem. it seems to really act up when the weather is damp or wet. the wipers will come on by themselves in the off position, with or without the headlights. please help. *jb | |||
| VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER - LINKAGES | |||
| 03/05/2006 | 48000 | 20 | 09/22/2004 |
| I have a 2003 mitsubishi galant es. it has 69000 miles. as of right now the problem with my car hasn't caused an accident but i am afraid in the future it might. it started with the radio staying on even after the key is pulled, then it went to that if i used the wipers and the headlights at the same time, the wipers wouldn't shut off until i shut the headlights off. we then had to pull the fuse for the horn, because while sitting in the garage, not running, hadn't been running for several hours, the horn started blaring, and wouldn't go off until my husband disconnected the battery. i am scared for my own safety as well as others, to use the cruise. i am scared it will stay on, and i would be involved in a severe crash. please help, no one seems to know exactly what the problem is. *jb | |||