NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Mitsubishi Galant. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
IN DEC OF 2004 FOUND A PROBLEM WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN THE READING LAMP IS ACTIVATED WITH THE VEHICLE DOOR OPEN A SHORT CIRCUIT APPEARS WHICH CAUSES THE FUSE TO BLOW. *JB
ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO I GOT THIS CLICKING NOISE BEHIND MY DASH AND MY HEAT QUIT WORKING. WELL IF IT WOULD CLICK AGAIN IT WOULD WORK. WELL IT FINALLY QUIT WORKING ALL TOGETHER AND AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH MITSUBISHI SEEMS TO BE PUTTING BAD HEAT CONTROL MOTORS IN THEIR CARS. MY CAR 2002 AND IT STARTED THIS IN 2004. AS MUCH AS I'VE PAID FOR THIS CAR THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS NOT A CHEAP PART TO HAVE FIXED AS I HAVE FOUND FROM MY RESEARCH. IT WOULD BE ONE THING IF I WAS THE ONLY ONE IT HAPPENED TO BUT IT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH MITSUBISHIS AND I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THEIR FAULTY PART. THANK YOU! *TR
1) 2002 GALANT WITH FRONT SUSPENSION RATTLE. (JUST 4,000 MILES OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY.) 2) DIAGNOSIS, EXCESSIVE PLAY IN FRONT-RIGHT SUSPENSION STABILIZER LINK JOINT, PART NO. MR333763 (OLD PART IS AVAILABLE). PREMATURE FAILURE DUE TO INFERIOR QUALITY OF PLASTIC SOCKET IN JOINT! 3) MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO EXTEND WARRANTY COVERAGE OF PART DESPITE UNUSAL FAILURE. *AK
BRAKES. *LA
I HAVE A 2002 GALANT, AND AT 30,000MILS, I HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, AND THE BRAKE PADS. I WAS TOLD IT'S NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY TERMS. THERE'S SEVERE VIBRATIONS, AND ROTATIONAL NOISE NOTICED WHEN DRIVING AT 60MPH AND ABOVE, AND I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER, THEY TOLD ME THEY REPACKED MY BEARINGS, BUT THE NOISE AND VIBRATIONS STILL CONTINUE TO SURFACE. ALTHOUGH THE DEALERSHIP TRIED TO HELP ME, WHILE THE CARS IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY KNOW THE PROBLEMS THEMSELF.*AK
HEATER NOT WORKING IN 2002 MITSUBISHI GALANT. *TR
THE FANS MAKES NOISE AND THERE IS NO A/C - HEAT. DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT IT MAY BE THE HEATER CONTROL UNIT. SEARCHED THE WEB AND ALOT OF MITS. GALANTS ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. *TR
I HAVE HAD REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES. I PURCHASED MY 2002 GALANT ES BRAND NEW IN FEB 2002 FROM GARCIA MITSUBISHI. I STARTED EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES WHEN THE CAR HAD AROUND 21000 MILES. THE BRAKES STARTED SQUEALING LIKE A BUS, SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO GARCIA MITSUBISHI IN ALBUQUERQUE, NM. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER MY ROTORS WERE GETTING TOO HOT WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKE PADS TO CRYSTALLIZE OR GLAZE OVER. I WAS TOLD TO HAVE THE BRAKE PADS CHANGED AND THE ROTORS TURNED. I HAD THE BRAKE PADS REPLACED (WITH NON-FACTORY PADS) AND THE ROTORS TURNED AROUND 24,000 MILES. MY PROBLEM RECURRED, LEADING ME TO BELIEVE THE PROBLEM DID NOT LIE WITH THE PADS. I TOOK MY GALANT BACK TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WAS AGAIN TOLD THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM, MY NON-FACTORY PADS WERE THE PROBLEM. I KNOW THIS IS NOT TRUE BECAUSE THE PROBLEM ORIGINATED WITH FACTORY PADS. I TOOK MY CAR TO TWO MECHANICS WHO BOTH SAID THE ROTORS ARE NO GOOD AND THERE IS A HIGH POSSIBILITY OF THE CALIPER STICKING. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THERE ARE OTHERS WHO OWN THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR AS MY GALANT WHO ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. EACH TIME I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP I AM TOLD THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THIS PROBLEM IS DEFINITELY NOT WEAR AND TEAR. GARCIA MITSUBISHI RESPONDED TO A LETTER I WROTE AND TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT HONOR MY WARRANTY BECAUSE I DID NOT MAINTAIN MY CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP (OIL CHANGES, ETC...). I HAVE REPLACED THE ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE SHAKES WHEN THE BRAKE IS PRESSED. I CAN ALSO SMELL A STRONG SCENT OF BURNING RUBBER. IT HAS BEEN A SHORT 4 MONTHS AND THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. I HAVE CALLED 800-MITSU2002 AND THEY ACCUSED ME OF BEING A BAD DRIVER. I HAVE OWNED 5 OTHER VEHICLES IN THE PAST AND NEVER HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. I AM AFRAID OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IF I EVER HAVE TO BRAKE SUDDENLY, I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, 2 LUG NUTS BROKE OFF. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED ALL 4 LUG NUTS *PH *JB
AIRCONDITIONING LEAKS FROM BENEATH GLOVE COMPARTMENT. DRAINED TWICE BUT COMPANY WILL NOT REPAIR IF THERE IS THE PRESENCE OF ANY OUTSIDE MATERIAL SUCH AS A LEAF, A PIECE OF DEBRIS THAT THEY CLAIM IS IN THE SYSTEM. DEALER REPAIR STATED THAT THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE BODY THAT IS ALLOWING DEBRIS TO GET IN AND WHEN CONSUMER INDICATED THAT WAS A CAR DEFECT DEALER SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THEREFORE, DEFECT IN BODY CAUSED PROBLEM WITH COOLING SYSTEM AND NEITHER IS COVERED BY WARRANTY. CONSUMER IS ACTIVELY SEEKING REMEDY FOR THIS PROBLEM. CAR HANDLES LIKE GARBAGE. TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED, BRAKES, ALIGNMENT DONE TWICE AND THE CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT STILL. AFTER BRAKES WERE DONE CAR ACTUALLY PULLED MORE TO LEFT. THE CAR STINKS. STEERING SAID TO HAVE NO PROBLEM YET SEE ABOVE. THE CAR STINKS.
ROTORS- I HAVE HAD MY CAR NOW FOR A YEAR AND 2 MONTHS. IT WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW AND THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN CHANGES TWICE ALREADY AND PROBABLY A THRID TIME BY NEXT MONTH. *AK
SUMMARY - VEHICLE STEERING AND BRAKES VIBRATE UPON BRAKING, POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE - BRAKING DISTANCE IS TOO LONG. SHODDY ROTOR/CALIPER QUALITY. DEALERSHIPS AND MITSUBISHI REFUSE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CAR HAS BEEN RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP REPEATEDLY (5 TIMES) TO REMEDY THE BRAKING PROBLEM - EVERY FEW MONTHS (WITH LESS THAN 2500 MILES SINCE THE LAST TIME THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED). THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE WEST BROAD MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP IN RICHMOND, VA WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS BEING CAUSED BY WARPED ROTORS. THE DEALER RESURFACED THE ROTORS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RE-OCCURED AFTER 7000 MILES. WEST BROAD MITSUBISHI THEN CLAIMED THAT THEY REPLACED THE ROTORS. 5000 MILES LATER, THE BRAKES BEGAN SQUEELING AND THE VIBRATION STARTED AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR BACK IN TO THE WEST BROAD DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS A SECOND TIME TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. BARELY 2300 MILES LATER, THE CAR HAD TO BE TAKEN BACK TO ANOTHER MITSUBISHI DEALER (STOHLMAN) IN VIENNA, VA. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE (NEW) ROTORS HAVE WARPED AND THEYVE HAD TO BE RESURFACED. 2 WEEKS LATER (ABOUT 500 MILES), THE PROBLEM SHOWED UP AGAIN. AT THIS POINT, I WROTE A COMPLAINT LETTER TO MITSUBISHI. AFTER 4 WEEKS, A MITSUBISHI REP CAME TO THE DEALERSHIP TO CHECK THE PROBLEM - ONLY TO CLAIM THERE WAS NOTHING WORNG WITH THE CAR DESPITE OBVIOUS VIBRATION AND BRAKE SQUEELING. SUBSEQUENTLY, A QUICK CHECK BY A THIRD-PARTY MECHANIC REVEALED PROBLEMS WITH THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS.
I BOUGHT MY GALANT IN OCTOBER OF 2002, THE FIRST YEAR I HAD THE CAR I HAD TO TAKE IT IN FOR THE BRAKES SQUEAKING AND GRINDING FOUR TIMES. EACH TIME THE DEALER SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG, AND SENT ME BACK HOME. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS MY FAULT THAT MY BRAKES WERE BAD BECAUSE OF HOW I DRIVE. I ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR A COUPLE WEEKS WHEN MY BRAKES STARTED SQUEEKING AND GRINDING THE FIRST TIME. I CONTACTED MITSUBISHI, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE, AND THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS AN UNSAFE CAR FOR MY CHILD TO RIDE IN BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW WHEN MY BRAKES MIGHT FAIL OR REALLY WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM. MY ENGINE ALSO HAS A BURNING SMELL TO IT ALMOST ALL THE TIME, AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG BY MITSUBISHI. I ALSO HAVE NUMEROUS FRIENDS THAT HAVE GALANTS AND HAVE THE SAME BREAK PROBLEMS.*AK
NO SUMMARY. DT
WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 TO 40 MPH, CONSUMER STATES' RAN A RED LIGHT AND T-BONE ANOTHER DRIVER. CONSUMER STATES NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH, CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE T-BONE ANOTHER CAR AND NONE OF THE VEHICLES AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
STEERING-CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT -REMEDY, TECH SAID STEERING WHEEL OFF CENTER, ADJUSTED AND CROSS ROTATED FRONT TIRES. BRAKES-GRINDING -REMEDY, TECH SAID CALIPER SUPPORTS WERE FAULTY, REPLACED SUPPORTS AND TURNED ROTORS, THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE ROTORS. OTHER-HOOD WAS NOT SECURE IN HOOD LATCH, BOUNCED UP AND DOWN. -REMEDY, TECH SAID HOD LATCH OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, STILL BOUNCED AFTER CAR WAS PICKED UP.
FOIA REQUEST COPY OF INFO RE COMPLAINTS OF DEFECTS & CRASH TESTING...NAR 07/14/2003 *MR INFO REQUEST. THE LAW OFFICE OF DAVID ITKOFF ON BEHALF OF CONSUMER AZEKEL PAUL WHO WAS KILLED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE REAR SEAT SEAT BACK *CB *JB
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED AFTER 15000 MILES, AND THE PROBLEM RESURFACED AGAIN AT 29000 MILES ALONG WITH EXCESSIVE BRAKE NOISE.*JB
ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, AND EACH TIME CONSUMER TAKES VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER. ENGINE LIGHT COMES BACK ON INSIDE 48 HOURS.*AK
SEVERE VIBRATIONS ARE FELT ON THE STEERING WHEEL BEGINNING OVER THE SPEED OF 60 MPH AND GRADUALLY INCREASING OVER 70 MPH WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF MOTOR VEHICLE HAZARD TO THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS ESPECAIALLY DRIVER. THE VIBRATIONS ARE MAXIMUM AT A STEADY SPEED OF 65 TO 70 MPH ON A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HIGHWAY PREFERABLY WITH SMOOTH SURFACE. STEERING VIBRATIONS DECREASES WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS WITH ROUGH SURFACES AND WHEN ACCELERATING THE CAR, THAT IS WHEN STEPPING OVER THE GAS PEDAL. HOWEVER, OVER A SMOOTH SURFACE HIGHWAY, STEERING VIBRATIONS ARE SEVERE WHEN ACCELERATING OVER 65-75 MPH AND DECELARATING UPTO 65-75 MPH AND MAINTAIN A STEADY SPEED AT 70MPH WITH SLIGHT VARIATIONS. SEVERE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATIONS ARE FELT HIGHEST AT THE TOP OF STEERING (ALSO APPARENT VISUALLY AND FELT ON HANDS) AND GRADUALLY DECREASING TOWARDS THE BASE (BOTTOM) OF THE STEERING WHEEL.*AK
SEVERE STEERING VIBRATIONS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS 60MPH & ABOVE. THE DEALER HAS, SO FAR, REPLACED FRONT RIGHT TRANSAXLE, BALANCED TIRES 4-TIMES, AND REPLACED OEM GOODYEAR EAGLE LS TIRES (205/55/16) WITH BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES (205/55/16). HOWEVER, THE FRONT TIRES REPEATEDLY GET OUT OF BALANCE EVERY NOW AND THEN, AND SEVERE STEERING VIBRATIONS CONTINUE AT 60MPH HIGHWAY SPEED, WHICH IS CREATING A POTENTIAL LIFE-THREATENING SAFETY HAZARD EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN OVER 60-65 MPH SPEEDS.*AK
NHTSA RECALL 99 V 305 011/MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 990WVD0097 CONCERNING ELECTRICAL HARNESS: WINDSHIELD WIPERS/ FOG LAMPS, AND TURN SIGNAL ARE INOPERATIVE. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN OUT OF THE REPAIR SHOP REGARDING MY BRAKES. NONE OF THE TECHNICIANS AT OURISMAN MITSUBISHI CAN IDENTIFY WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. UPON THE REQUEST OF THE GM, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THEM TO HAVE IT INSPECTED AGAIN. I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE IN 2002 AND IN THAT YEAR I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE MY BRAKES WORKED ON. MY BRAKES ARE CONSTANTLY PRODUCING A GRINDING NOISE. THE GRINDING NOISE ALSO MAKES MY VEHICLE VIBRATE WHEN BRAKING. I HAVE FILED SEVERAL CLAIMS REGARDING THE ISSUE WITH BBB AND MISUBISHI HAS NOT YET PERFORMED A THOROUGH INSPECTION ON MY BRAKES, FRONT AND REAR AS PROMISED, TO DETERMINE WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. *AK
VEHICLE PURCHASED ON 2/25/02. BRAKES ARE SQUEALING VERY LOUDLY, AND CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR EFFECTIVENESS. VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY DEALER, WHO STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO STOP SQUEAKING.*AK
I PURCHASED A 2002 MITSUBISHI GALANT ES FROM DUNPHY MITSUBISHI IN HAVERTOWN, PA FEBRUARY 18, 2002. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER MY BRAKES STARTED TO SQUEAK, I CALLED DUNPHY MITSUBISHI AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE. AFTER THE SERVICE CENTER SPRAYED MY BRAKES DAYS LATER THEY BEGAN TO SQUEAK AGAIN, I PLACED ANOTHER CALL AND WAS TOLD BY DUNPHY SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THEIR WILL BE A REMEDY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND I WILL RECEIVE A NOTICE SHORTLY. WELL, I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED A NOTICE AND MY BRAKES CONTINUES TO SQUEAK AND I'M CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY. SO, I CALLED PERUZZI MITSUBISHI IN FAIRLESS HILLS, PA AND EXPLAINED WHAT I WAS TOLD BY DUNPHY MITSUBISHI AND WAS ADVISED THAT THEIR WAS NOT A REMEDY AND I WAS LIED TOO BY DUNPHY MITSUBISHI. *LA
ON FEBUARY 16 I NOTICE THAT THE AIR WAS BLOWING OUT HOT AIR I WENT TO SOUTHLAKE TO GET MY WINDOW ETCHING SECURITY SET UP THEY SAID THAT IT WAS FINE WELL THAT WAS IN THE COLD SEASON SO I HAD NO NEED TO USE THE AIR THEN ATLANTA EXPERICED A COUPLE OF HOT DAYS AND I NEED TO USE MY AIR FOR SURE THEN BUT THE SAME THING HAD HAPPEN ALL OVER AGAIN SO I WENT BACK TO SOUTHLAKE MITSUBISHI ON 03/19/02 THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON TOLD ME TO BRING IT BACK ON 03/20/02 AND I LEFT IT, ABOUT 10.00 AM MR. DAIN JONES CONTACT ME AND INFORMED ME THAT A ROCK HAD HIT MY AIR COMPRESSER AND PUNTURED A HOLE IN IT AND IT WAS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE I JUST DON'T BELIVE THIS CAN HAPPEN I AM NOT A MACHANIC BUT I HAVE COMMOM SENSE PLEASE IF SOME ONE WOULD CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.*AK
ONGOING- FROM DATE OF PURCHASE FAILS TO STOP EVEN AFTER BRAKES REPLACED.UST USE BRIGHTS IN ORDER TO HAVE ANY VISIBILITY FROM HEADLIGHTS.*AK
I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THAT TOTALED THIS VEHICLE. SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 65-70MPH AND THE CAR ROLLED END TO END AND LANDED ON ITS SIDE. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED. MYSELF AND MY PASSENGER ARE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. I WOULD LIKE TO BE CONTACTED BY A LAWYER. *AK
BRAKES ARE SQUEAKING ON THIS GALANT SINCE WE PURCHASED IT AND MY HUSBANDS COUSIN PURCHASED A GALANT AND HIS BREAKS ARE ALSO SQUEAKING. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IMPROPERLY SINCE IT DOESNT HANE KEY HOLES TO OPEN THE VEHICLE ON THE PASSANGER SIDE. NLM
CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*JB
THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.*JB
CONSUMER LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER CAR, AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *JB
WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30-40 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE COLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026