1997 Mitsubishi Galant
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Mitsubishi › Galant › 1997
These records cover every 1997 Mitsubishi Galant. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
2 recalls name the 1997 Mitsubishi Galant. Newest first.
Certain airtex fuel pump module assemblies, p/n e7081h, sold for use as replacement equipment for the vehicles listed above. the wall of the flared fitting of the fuel pump IS not thick enough to prevent the mating threaded fittings from bottoming out before an adequate seal IS achieved. this condition may result in leakage of fuel at the connection of…
Risk and remedy
Risk
In the presence of an ignition source, a fuel leak could result in a fire.
Remedy
Airtex will notify owners and replace the fuel pumps free of charge. the recall IS expected to begin during july 2007. owners can contact airtex automotive at 800-880-3056.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. if the rubber boots on the lower lateral arm ball joints of the front suspension were damaged during assembly, dirt and water can intrude. also, mmc has added the potential of leaking moisture, which can cause the ball stud to corrode.
Risk and remedy
Risk
This condition could cause the lower lateral arm ball joint to separate, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. this campaign supercedes mmc's previous safety recall campaign, see 99v-066.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the lower lateral arm ball joint for wear. ball joints that exhibit wear beyond the established tolerance will be replaced with newly designed lateral arm ball joints. ball joints that are within the established tolerance will be cleaned and a special sealant will be applied to prevent intrusion of moisture.
Owner complaints
80 complaints9 involved a crash1 involved a fire7 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Air bags
The contact owns a 1997 Mitsubishi Galant. The contact stated that after stopping at a service station, after entering and restarting the vehicle, the driver’s, and passenger’s side air bags independently deployed. The contact stated that the windshield on the passenger side was cracked by the air…
The contact owns a 1997 Mitsubishi Galant. The contact stated that after stopping at a service station, after entering and restarting the vehicle, the driver’s, and passenger’s side air bags independently deployed. The contact stated that the windshield on the passenger side was cracked by the air bag. The contact stated he was injured by the driver's side air bag. The contact stated that he suffered deep abrasions on his nose and his lips were bruised. The contact stated that his glasses fractured, and his right eye was bruised. The contact was transported to an emergency room by ambulance. The contact stated that the vehicle was left at service station. The police were not contacted. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 375,461.
- Suspension
I purchased a used car in 2004. later when I brought it in to the dealership for the balljoint recall, the dealership refused to get involve in assisting me in pursuing the extended warranty that I had purchased with the car regarding other critical issues with the drivability of the vehicle.…
I purchased a used car in 2004. later when I brought it in to the dealership for the balljoint recall, the dealership refused to get involve in assisting me in pursuing the extended warranty that I had purchased with the car regarding other critical issues with the drivability of the vehicle. this vehicle should have been jumked which I eventually ended up doing. the vehicle was very dangerous to drive on the freeway and I only drove it on city streets only. the dealership I believe should have given me a loaner car insead of me risking myself in a dangerous vehicle. the wynn's extended warranty should have returned the vehicle to the original dealer when I purchased the vehicle. the dealer should have assisted me more in pursuing the correct repair of this vehicle which should have been salvaged from a previous accident. right now I am out of $1000 warranty and a vehicle purchased at $5000. you will have to hold the warranty wynn;s or the business that sold me the vehicle responsible. this business tried to weld the transmission casing broken in the accident back which I later found out at another repair shop. this doesn't look good for the reputation of the company or the brand. any recourse do I or nhtsa have against the manufacturer. the dealer IS out of business
- Engine · Power train
I was at a stop sign and I pressed on the gas, all of a sudden the car just stopped moving. I put the car in park, shut it off, turned it back on, shifted it into drive, and it would not move, it seemed like it was stuck in neutral. It has not moved ever since. *tr
- Latches/locks/linkages
Defective rear door lock assemblies; both sides. I have replaced with other used parts and those parts consistently failed too. I have found four assemblies, on other used galants, and they have all failed. I am aware that new parts would have been ideal, however I believe that if these parts were manufactured to mitsubishi's usually high standards, they would have been fine. *Tr
- Latches/locks/linkages
Door latches have flown open or unlatched by them selves while driving on both rear doors. The rear door do not stay closed anymore. Passengers could have fallen out of the vehicle. *Tr
- Seat belts
I have a 1997 mitsubishi galant. The seatbelt on the driver's side will not stay locked. It comes off when I am driving down the road. I called two mitsubishi dealers in virginia beach and they told me that this was not covered under any warranty. I thought seatbelts lasted the lifetime of the car.…
I have a 1997 mitsubishi galant. The seatbelt on the driver's side will not stay locked. It comes off when I am driving down the road. I called two mitsubishi dealers in virginia beach and they told me that this was not covered under any warranty. I thought seatbelts lasted the lifetime of the car. Can you tell me how to go about getting this fixed. I have two children who ride with me daily and would hate for an accident to happen and my kids have to witness their mom go through the windshield due to unsafe seatbelt. *Tr
- Suspension › Front
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 mitsubishi galant. while driving various speeds, the vehicle would constantly pull to the right. the vehicle was taken to a collision shop and they stated that the passenger side front shock tower and wheel well wall was completely rusted. metal was welded to reinforce…
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 mitsubishi galant. while driving various speeds, the vehicle would constantly pull to the right. the vehicle was taken to a collision shop and they stated that the passenger side front shock tower and wheel well wall was completely rusted. metal was welded to reinforce the shock tower. approximately two years later, the front driver's side shock tower and wheel well wall rusted through with more extensive damage. the current mileage was 107,000 and failure mileage was 97,000.
- Exterior lighting
Left turn signal switch stuck on flashing and would not shut off after canceling. *tr
- Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 mitsubishi galant. the contact stated that the lower ball joints were in pieces. the vehicle IS steering to the left extremely badly and the contact hears metal rubbing together. the dealer stated that the vehicle was no longer under warranty and the vin was not…
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 mitsubishi galant. the contact stated that the lower ball joints were in pieces. the vehicle IS steering to the left extremely badly and the contact hears metal rubbing together. the dealer stated that the vehicle was no longer under warranty and the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign ID number 00v421001 (suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint). the purchase date and vin were unknown. the current mileage was 85,000 and failure mileage was 78,000. updated 03-25-08 *bf the failure was not obvious to spin investigation until 84,000 failure happened in a parking lot at low speed. Updated 03/25/08 *tr
- Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower arm
Took my 1997 mitsubishi to cherry hill triplex dealership and was told that I needed my front lateral arms replaced; that they were about to fall off. I've only had the car for a year; that's not damage I could do in a year. I want to request that mitsubishi covers the cost or reimburses me for this significant defect. *tr
- Steering › Linkages › Tie rod assembly · Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
Received recall for lower ball joint in 2001. Because they didn't show damage, the dealer only lubricated them. The right one went out along with the tie rod end in 2/07. I had it repaired by an independent mechanic, which cost over $600.00. Now, the left one IS going out. lubricating a defective…
Received recall for lower ball joint in 2001. Because they didn't show damage, the dealer only lubricated them. The right one went out along with the tie rod end in 2/07. I had it repaired by an independent mechanic, which cost over $600.00. Now, the left one IS going out. lubricating a defective assembly IS like putting on a bandaid, which has now proven to be the case with both lower ball joints having to be replaced plus a tie rod end. I'm not only upset about the cost of the repair, but the safety issue IS much more of a concern. Hearing a noise coming from your front end can be anything and ignored, but ignoring this particular noise puts the driver and anyone around them at a very high risk of injury or even death. IS the dealer liable for this repair because they were considered defective assemblies in the first place? *tr
- Equipment · Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Floor shift
1997 mitsubishi galant-auto transmission floor shift problems. The transmission was overhauled on 08/03/2006 and cost around 2 grand. I noticed that vehicle's gear shift can be accidentally bumped from drive to neutral because this gear change does not require the brakes to be pressed nor the gear…
1997 mitsubishi galant-auto transmission floor shift problems. The transmission was overhauled on 08/03/2006 and cost around 2 grand. I noticed that vehicle's gear shift can be accidentally bumped from drive to neutral because this gear change does not require the brakes to be pressed nor the gear shift button to be pressed. I feel that this IS unsafe. I would like to press the button and shift gears by myself. my teenager normally sits in the passenger seat, I am really worried. *nm
- Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
We purchased a used car that had a recall on it. After my wife and child almost had a serious accident I found out the recall was never done. I asked the dealer if it was done and they said yes. We have had countless other problems with car. Are they liable for this??*jb
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Belts and associated pulleys
Dt: the harmonic balance failed. When the part was taken off the motor, it fell apart in the owner's hands. The pulley separated from harmonic balancer, and caused failure of the belts. It resulted in car being now inoperable. The driver was at a low speed of 10-15 mph. If this would happen at a…
Dt: the harmonic balance failed. When the part was taken off the motor, it fell apart in the owner's hands. The pulley separated from harmonic balancer, and caused failure of the belts. It resulted in car being now inoperable. The driver was at a low speed of 10-15 mph. If this would happen at a higher speed it would been extremely dangerous. This was very sudden ,and there were no problems before. Also, there were no warning signs. The owner IS replacing the harmonic balancer. *Ak
- Power train › Axle assembly
While driving at approximately 10 mph, the vehicles right front wheel literally came off the axle. This happened when consumer was pulling into office driveway. There was no result in injury. Consumer's back seats move front and back, especially when coming to an immediate stop. It came to the…
While driving at approximately 10 mph, the vehicles right front wheel literally came off the axle. This happened when consumer was pulling into office driveway. There was no result in injury. Consumer's back seats move front and back, especially when coming to an immediate stop. It came to the point where consumer had to tie them together so they wouldn't move. there was a child seat being used in the back seat of this vehicle.*ak
- Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
Front lower ball joint failed. Recall 00v421001. Dealership would not repair the problem, because the vin was not included. *Ak
- Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
Consumer received arecall notice for replacement of lower ball joints. dealer refused to do recall repairs. service manager mike sweitzer. *ak
- Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
Request reimbursement for repairs done prior to receiving recall notice. *ph the vehicle's ball joints failed prior to recall notification (00v421001). the consumer had the vehicle repaired at and independent mechanic and in now requesting reimbursement. *nm
- Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint · Suspension › Front › Control arm › Upper ball joint
Request full reimbursement for ball joint repair prior to receiving recall. *ph the vehicle made noises while in motion due to the ball joint(s). *sc
- Power train · Unknown or other
Car stalls when stopping, and vibrates. Fells like car IS not getting gas. Rpm's go up while driving. After 3 attemps, two different dealers claim they cannot come up with a code, so not sure what to do. Any suggestions? what other complaints have you received?
- Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Floor shift
1997 mitsubishi galant ES w/ automatic transmission ("transaxle"): vehicle's gearshift can be accidently bumped from drive to neutral because this gear change does not require the brakes to be pressed nor the gearshift button to be pressed. I have twice now bumped the car into neutral from drive by…
1997 mitsubishi galant ES w/ automatic transmission ("transaxle"): vehicle's gearshift can be accidently bumped from drive to neutral because this gear change does not require the brakes to be pressed nor the gearshift button to be pressed. I have twice now bumped the car into neutral from drive by reaching over the gearshift, both times while the car was in motion (once while trying to merge onto the interstate). This could have lead to an accident both times had I not quickly discovered that my car was no longer in drive. I believe this to be a defect as the owner's manual states that the car can be shifted from drive to neutral without pressing the brakes or the shift button. incident on 02/15/2004 was while going 55mph, incident on 04/18/2004 was while going 20mph.*ak
- Power train › Automatic transmission
While driving 35 mph transmission blew out. consumer managed to pull over, and had the vehicle towed. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *Ak
- Air bags › Frontal
I was slowly backing out of a parking spot at a local shopping center when my steering wheel airbag suddenly and unexpectedly deployed. the force was enough to break my arm. there was no indication of any problem with the airbag prior to this incident, as no warning light or message appeared at any time. moreover, I had never been involved in any automobile accident with this car prior to this occasion. *jb
- Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
While driving the accelerator pedal got stuck. As a result, vehicle accelerated out of control. No impact reported. *Ak
- Electrical system › Wiring · Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system › Radiator assembly · Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Belts and associated pulleys
While driving at 20 mph consumer saw smoke coming from under the dashboard and under the hood. the vehicle was taken to a repair shop, and mechanic informed consumer that all of the electrical wires melted. on another occasion while driving at about 15 mph vehicle completely shut down.…
While driving at 20 mph consumer saw smoke coming from under the dashboard and under the hood. the vehicle was taken to a repair shop, and mechanic informed consumer that all of the electrical wires melted. on another occasion while driving at about 15 mph vehicle completely shut down. vehicle was taken to the mechanic, who discovered that the flywheel and associated pulleys had to be replaced. also, radiator hose split. *ak
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10211530This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between normal dew condensation, which is a natural phenomenon, and water penetration caused by improper sealing or a defective/broken part.
- 10170852This Technical Service Bulletin updates the door adjustment procedure in the Body Section of the applicable service manuals.
- 10170100This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
- 10170099This is an index of Tech Talk newsletter articles released in 2012.
- 10170097This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
- 10170096This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
- 10170087This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
- 10170086This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
- 10170074This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
- 10170071This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
- 10170070This TSB contains troubleshooting steps for diagnosis of various customer complaints relating to the audio system speakers in Mitsubishi vehicles equipped with original equipment audio components.
- 10169006This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
- 10163703This is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers. This bulletin supersedes TSB-18-00-003, issued April, 2018, to add updated information for Carrying Capacity Reduced Label.
- 10130469This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
- 10002357Obd-ii drive cycle.
- 6088731This bulletin contains recommended automatic transmission / transaxle maintenance information.
- 6088726This bulletin contains recommended manual transmission / transaxle maintenance information.
- 634624Subject regarding corrected air conditioner magnetic clutch service procedures.
- 618250Subject regarding power steering pump replacement.
- 614011This bulletin contains obd-ii drive cycle procedures and warranty claim information for obd-ii drive cycle on affected vehicles.
- 606605Exhibiting rough idle after warm-up.
- 602455Experiencing a/t harsh 3-2 downshifts.
- 601998The park/neutral position switch continuity check table IS incorrectly printed in the affected service manual pages.
- 601990Vehicles may experience long cold start times, sag during warm-up, and stalling.
- 601988Procedures on fule pump operation check.
- 601842Service manual revision on corrected air conditioner refrigerant.
- 600573Repair procedures for audio failure on various model years.
- 600571Information about improved automatic transaxle end clutch.
- 600327Service manual revision on a/c clutch air gap.
- 54304Revised headlight aiming adjustment procedures.
- 54300Multi-purpose fuse capacity IS incorrectly specified in the affected service manual pages.
- 54299Service manual revision on supplemental restraint system (srs) cautions and warnings.
- 54032Information containing additional glass antenna cautions and inspection procedures.
- 54029Vehicles may exhibit a condition where the driver's side sunroof side decoration cover comes loose.
- 53047Describing how to reprogram the homelink transmitter.
- 52640Generator stator removal - service manual revision.
- 52634Incorrect underhood air conditioner label.
- 52632Crankshaft bearing selection procedure - service manual revision.
- 52631Valve guide replacement procedures (galant) - service manual revision.
- 52625Dtc p0135 inspection procedure - service manual revision.
Every Mitsubishi Galant model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.