2002 Mitsubishi Lancer Visibility & Wipers Problems

The contact's daughter owns a 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, she felt an air draft inside of the vehicle. The contact's daughter attempted to close the sunroof when she noticed that the sunroof had detached from the vehicle. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the sunroof part was no longer manufactured and they were unable to get the part to perform the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 221,660.

THE KNOBS TO CONTROL THE HEATING AND DEFOGGING IS BROKEN. IT HAS BEEN UNUSUALLY COLD IN GEORGIA THIS WINTER AND THE DEFOGGERS ONLY EMIT COLD AIR. I HAVE TO DRIVE THE CAR EARLY IN THE MORNING AROUND 6:10AM AND I WARM THE CAR BEFORE MY 7YR. GETS IN. NOW WE HAVE TO HAVE BLANKETS FOR HER BECAUSE THE CAR NEVER WARMS UP! MY SISTER LIVES HERE TOO AND HAS THE SAME PROBLEM ON HER 2003 LANCER. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THE KNOBS THEY ARE POORLY MANUFACTURED. THANK GOD I DON'T LIVE IN CHICAGO OR BUFFALO, WE COULD LITERALLY FREEZE TO DEATH IN OUR CAR, JUST DRIVING AROUND! I TRIED TO SUPER GLUE THEM BACK TOGETHER, BUT I SEE THEIR IS WHAT LOOKS LIKE A MOTHER BOARD BEHIND THE KNOBS AND MAYBE THE CONNECTION WAS LOST WHEN THE TWO KNOBS BROKE. I HAVE HAD A MECHANIC CHECK THE HEATING COOL AND THE THERMOSTAT AND HE SUGGESTED GOING ONLINE FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS. I DID TO KNOW AVAIL, MITSUBISHI DOES NOT OFFER REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR THE KNOBS, SO WHAT DO I DO? I HOPE MITSUBISHI DOES SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS TO NO FAULT OF THE OWNER THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THE KNOBS THEY ARE POOR QUALITY AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. I LOVE THE LANCER IT HAS SERVED ME WELL OVER THE YEAR AND I WILL CONTINUE TO DRIVE THEM. THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER. *TR

VARIABLE TEMPERATURE KNOB/SHAFT BROKE ON HEATER/A/C CONTROL MODULE BECAUSE IT WAS HARD TO TURN. ALWAYS WAS HARD TO TURN SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASE 4 YEARS AGO. MAKES DEFOGGING OF WINDOWS MORE DIFFICULT AND HAS CAUSED VISIBILITY PROBLEMS IN CERTAIN TYPES OF DAMP CONDITIONS. BAD DESIGN WHICH MITSUBISHI SHOULD FIX. *TR

MY 2002 LANCERS TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB BROKE THIS MORNING WHILE I WAS TRYING TO ENGAGE THE HEAT PORTION OF THE TEMPERATURE GAGE TO DEFROST MY WINDSHIELD. I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE LANCER. IF THIS IS SUCH A COMMON ISSUE, MITSUBISHI SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND ISSUE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL ON THE SYSTEM TO FIX IT. NOW I HAVE NO HEAT IN THE WINTER AND THE DEALER WANTS $1000+ TO FIX THE SYSTEM THAT WAS NEVER ENGINEERED PROPERLY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE DEFROSTER/HEATER CONTROL MECHANISM FRACTURED AT THE TOUCH WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER/HEATER CONTROL MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 114,000.

I HAVE A 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER AND THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB IN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO TURN SINCE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND HAS SINCE DETERIORATED. THE KNOB BROKE OFF TWO WEEKS AGO. I CONTACTED MY DEALER WHO STATED THAT I CAN NOT JUST CHANGE THE KNOB I HAVE TO CHANGE THE WHOLE UNIT WHICH WILL COST ME AROUND $ 400.00 PLUS SERVICES FEES TO INSTALL IT. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM, SINCE HEATING (AND COOLING) A VEHICLE ALLOWS IT TO BE OPERABLE DURING HOT AND COLD TEMPERATURES. IT IS NOW BEGINNING TO GET COLD. I HAVE SEARCHON THE INTERNET FOR A CHEAPER TEMPERATURE CONTROL UNIT BUT HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I OWN A 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER (OZ RALLY) THAT WAS PURCHASED IN 2002. DURING THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF 2009, I NOTICED MY TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB WAS BECOMING HARDER AND HARDER TO TURN. ON MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2010 IT BROKE COMPLETELY OFF, LEAVING A PARTIAL STUB OF PLASTIC IN THE CONSOLE AND THE REMAINING PLASTIC INSIDE THE KNOB. I FIRST WENT TO TWO AUTO PARTS STORES TO SEE IF THEY CARRIED THIS REPLACEMENT PIECE, AND THEIR PERSONNEL INFORMED ME I NEEDED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED A MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP. I THEN WENT TO THE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY INFORMED ME THE PART COULD NOT BE REPLACED INDIVIDUALLY, BUT IT WOULD COST $311 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE CONSOLE IN ADDITION TO THE $150 OR MORE IN LABOR COSTS. I REFUSED TO PAY SUCH AN OUTLANDISH PRICE, CONSIDERING THAT MY CONSOLE WAS IN PERFECTLY WORKING ORDER. I ONLY NEED THE BROKEN PLASTIC MECHANISM REPLACED, NOTHING MORE. AND PAYING APPROXIMATELY $500 TO REPLACE A PLASTIC PIECE IS RIDICULOUS. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, I REALIZED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OTHER LANCER OWNERS AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE INFORMED OF THIS DEFECT. *TR

THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB ON THE CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE BROKE. THE LIKELY CAUSE WAS BINDING OF THE CABLE THAT IS CONTROLLED BY THE KNOB. THIS COULD BE DUE TO POOR ROUTING OF THE CABLE OR THE MECHANISM THAT THE CABLE IS ATTACHED. THE COST OF REPAIRING THIS DESIGN DEFECT RANGES FROM $500-1000 AT THE DEALER. *LN

THE HVAC CONTROL UNIT IN MY 02 MITSUBISHI LANCER HAS A MECHANICAL FLAW STARTING WITH THE HEAT /AC KNOBS. THE VACUUM LINE BEHIND THE KNOB IS TOO WEAK TO ACTIVATE THE HEATER CORE LEVER AND DEFROST CONTROLS MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE WHEN DRIVING. THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BY MITSUBISHI AS I HAVE READ THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS IN FORUMS AROUND THE WEB.THE DEFROST ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE OF THESE CONTROLS AND VISIBILITY IS REALLY POOR DURING FALL AND WINTER MONTHS AND THIS IS SOMETHING I CANT FIX MYSELF AND I AM POSTING TO HELP OTHER LANCER DRIVERS AS WELL AS IT IS A PERSISTENT UNDERLYING PROBLEM. *TR

TEMP CONTROL KNOB BROKE, NOT ABLE TO USE HEATER IN THE WINTER AND AIR CONDITIONER IN THE SUMMER. MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP ADVISED WOULD COST APPROX $900 AND THEY DID NOT WANT TO DEAL WITH IT. TOO MANY COMPLAINTS W/KNOB ON MITSUBISHI LANCERS. *TR

FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, MY WIFE'S CAR HAS HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE HEAT CONTROL. AS I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH DUE TO IT COMPLETELY BREAKING, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH MANY CARS LIKE THIS ONE. I FEEL THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AN NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED MY MITSUBISHI. IN THE BEGGINGING IT WAS AN ISSUE DUE TO PAYING ATTENTION TO THE KNOB THAT WAS HARD TO TURN WHILE DRIVING TRYING TO GET HEAT OR DEFROST. THEN WHEN THE KNOB BROKE IT WAS TRYING TO TURN THE PIECE OF KNOB WITH PLIERS WHILE DRIVING AND NOW IT WILL BE TRYING TO DRIVE WITH A FROZEN WINDOW IF WE DO NOT GET IT FIXED. I DON'T THINK THAT IT SHOULD COME OUT OF THE CONSUMERS POCKET IF IT HAS BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM IN MANY OF THESE CARS. IT IS ALSO A SAFTEY ISSUE FOR THE PERSON IN THE CAR AS WELL AS OTHERS ON THE ROAD DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF THE DRIVER BEING DISTRACTED. ANY FEEDBACK WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *TR

THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB IN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO TURN SINCE PURCHASE AND HAS SINCE DETERIORATED. THE KNOB BROKE OFF YESTERDAY RESULTING IN THE TEMPERATURE SETTINGS TO NO LONGER BE OPERABLE. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM, SINCE HEATING (AND COOLING) A VEHICLE ALLOWS IT TO BE OPERABLE DURING STORMS AND DEEP FREEZE TEMPERATURES. *TR

THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN AND IT FINALLY BROKE OFF RESULTING IN A VERY EXPENSIVE $1000 REPLACEMENT. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCERS AND IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN SINCE FOG AND ICE ON THE WINDOW CANNOT BE CLEARED WHEN THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL IS STUCK IN THE COLD POSITION. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED SINCE IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD WHICH UNCORRECTED WILL HAVE PEOPLE DRIVING CARS WITH FOGGED UP WINDOWS WITH NO WAY TO CLEAR IT. *TR

AC HEATER KNOB BROKE OFF CAUSING A 1,000 DOLLARS IN DAMAGE ON A 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER. OTHER CUSTOMERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM BUT MITSUBISHI WILL NOT BACK THERE PROBLEM. I THINK THEY NEED TO RECALL THIS PART AND FIX THE PROBLEM. MITSUBISHI CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID THEY WILL NOT RECALL BECAUSE IT IS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN. I THINK IT IS BECAUSE MOST OF THE CONTROLS BREAK OFF ON A/C AND THAT WOULD NOT BE FUN DRIVING IN A BLIZZARD WITH YOUR A/C ON IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER. I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON FIGHTING FOR A RECALL OTHER CUSTOMERS ARE TO. *TR

THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CHANGE FROM HOT TO COLD. IT SEEMS TO STICK AT ONE TEMPERATURE IN THE MIDDLE POSITION. *TR

TEMPERATURE CONTROL ROTARY SWITCH VERY DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. CHANGE FROM HOT SIDE TO COLD SIDE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. I BELIEVE RECENTLY THAT IT FAILED BEHIND THE DASH AS IT CAN NOT BE SWITCHED TO THE HOT SIDE ANY MORE. HAVE NOT REPAIRED YET - WILL EXPECT TO HAVE TO REPLACE THE CABLE. *TR

HEATER KNOB BREAKS OFF, CAUSING $1000 +/- REPAIR. MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCING SAME ISSUE. *JB

FILING A COMPLAINT THAT I'VE NOTICED TO BE OCCURRING A LITTLE TO OFTEN TO THE SAME BRAND/MODEL VEHICLE I OWN. I OWN A 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A VERY WEAK LINK IN THE HEATER/AC CONTROLS IN THE CENTER CONSOLE. FOR SOME REASON, THEY TEND TO STICK UP AND UPON TURNING THEM THEY SEEM TO BREAK. MITSUBISHI IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND THEY ARE CHARGING AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO REPAIR THIS ON EVERY OWNERS VEHICLE. THEY SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THIS ITEM SO IT CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF RIGHT AWAY. THE HEATING KNOBS ARE A NECESSITY FOR CLIMATE CONTROL IN THE CAR, ESPECIALLY FOR ME. I LIVE IN NY AND IT'S GETTING COLD. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR SUCH AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND I BELIEVE THAT NO ONE SHOULD. IF THERE'S FAULTY EQUIPMENT IN PLACE WHEN MANUFACTURED, MITSUBISHI SHOULD TAKE IT INTO THEIR OWN MATTERS AND REPAIR THE ISSUES BEFORE IT CAN LEAD TO ANY OTHER POSSIBLE DANGERS. *JB

THE CLIMATE CONTROL KNOB ON MY 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER, WILL NOT TURN WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT EFFORT IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT THIS WILL CAUSE IT TO BREAK AT A LATER DATE. *NM

WHEN I PURCHASED MY CAR TWO YEARS AGO, I REALIZED THAT THE HEATER CONTROL KNOB IN MY CAR WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE. AFTER SPEAKING WITH MANY PEOPLE THAT OWN THE SAME VEHICLE AS MYSELF, I LEARNED THAT IN MANY CASES, THE KNOB TO THE CONTROL BREAKS, PREVENTING THE OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE TO SUCCESSFULLY CHANGE FROM COLD TO WARM. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE PRIMARILY DUE TO THE DIFFICULTY TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD OF FROST. THERE IS NOTHING BEING DONE BY THE MANUFACTURER TO ALLEVIATE THIS PROBLEM (SUCH AS A RECALL) AND MANY DEALERSHIPS ARE ATTEMPTING TO CHARGE AROUND $1000 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, I HAD BELIEVED THE PRIOR OWNER HAD SIMPLY CAUSED THE KNOB TO MALFUNCTION DUE TO MISTREATMENT; HOWEVER, THIS BELIEF HAD NO WAY OF BEING TESTED SINCE I HAD NEVER SPOKEN TO THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER TALKING WITH MANY OWNERS OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE, I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS A POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK FOR MANY PEOPLE, AND SHOULD PROMPTLY BE HANDLED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *NM