2003 Mitsubishi Outlander

The contact owns a 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle came to an immediate stop and did not return to normal operation. The contact noticed that the front control arm had detached. No warning light was illuminated. The contact researched and became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V458000 (Suspension). The vehicle was not drivable and was towed to the residence. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was included in the recall but already had been serviced under the recall; however, the failure occurred. The failure mileage was 188,000.

REAR CONTROL ARMS ARE RUSTED THROUGH, THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE FRONT AND HAD THE REPAIRS DONE. THE FRONT CONTROL ARM RECALL WAS DUE TO POOR RUST PROOFING DURING MANUFACTURING. THE REAR HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. CANNOT REALIGN REAR WHEELS AND REAR SWAY BAR BRACKET BROKE FREE ENTIRELY. VEHICLE IS NOW STATIONARY AS IT CANNOT BE DRIVEN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH A DEER. DURING THE CRASH, THE VEHICLE HAD ROLLED OVER AND THE DRIVER WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD AND NECK INJURIES, A FRACTURED LEFT SHOULDER AND AN INJURED TORSO AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED AWAY. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 340,000. *DT *TR *BF CONSUMER STATES THAT AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING THE COLLISION. CONSUMER SAYS THAT MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE AIRBAG FAILURE SINCE 2004, BUT FAILED TO INFORM CONSUMERS. *DL

CAR TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, ANDERSON MITSUBISHI, 8162790354), JANUARY 2017, FOR NHTSA RECALL 16V458. CROSSMEMBER NOT REPLACED OR RUST TREATED. CROSSMEMBER FAILED 4-20-2019. REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE $2161.70. MADE CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT THROUGH MITSUBISHI DEALER AND MITSUBISHI OF NORTH AMERICA. HAVE A MITSUBISHI FILE NUMBER [XXX]. MITSUBISHI OF NA HAS VERBALLY AGREED TO SETTLE, BUT HAS NOT CONTACTED ME SINCE AUGUST OF 2019. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET MY CALLS RETURNED SINCE. THE CROSSMEMBER BROKE WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON CITY STREETS WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO VEER INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE, WITHOUT ACCIDENT. CAR WAS TOWED AND REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE. I NEED HELP GETTING MY REIMBURSEMENT PAID. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE CAR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

CAR HAS BEEN OWNED FOR 10+ YEARS AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED VERY WELL. GAS MILEAGE HAS DROPPED SINCE 2014. CAR THREW A P420 CODE IN THE YEARS AFTER. CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES IN A YEAR. OXYGEN SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED AND NEW EXHAUST HAS BEEN INSTALLED. WE HAVE NOW SEEN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAS A CRACK IN IT. THIS APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURER ISSUE.

AIR BAGS DID NOT DELPOY DURING CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTATLED AND I NO LONGER OWN THE VEHICLE. *JS

HVAC temperature control knob is hard to turn, it broke off.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WAITED A WHILE, AND WAS ABLE TO RESUME DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V458000(SUSPENSION); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. DORSETT AUTOMOTIVE IN TERRE HAUTE, IN REFUSED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR BECAUSE THE PASSENGER SIDE OUTER TIE ROD AND LOWER CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED BEFORE THE RECALL REPAIR COULD BE COMPLETED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE COMPONENTS HAD TO BE REPAIRED BEFORE THE REMEDY COULD BE PERFORMED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 148,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CHECK UNDER THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR FRAME WAS ROTTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CHERRY HILL MITSUBISHI AT (856) 471-1057 (1805 MARLTON PIKE W, CHERRY HILL, NJ 08002) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE CONTROL ARM, BALL JOINT, CROSS MEMBERS, AND CV AXLE DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND LATER TOWED TO SAVANNAH MITSUBISHI (8203 WHITE BLUFF RD, SAVANNAH, GA 31406, PHONE NUMBER: (912) 226-6200) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CROSS MEMBERS WERE CORRODED THROUGH AND CAUSED THE CV AXLE, BALL JOINT, AND CONTROL ARM TO DETACH. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V458000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

HEAVY SMELL OF GASOLINE WHEN FUEL TANK IS FILLED. FILL GARAGE WITH FUMES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. IF FILLED TO A HALF TANK OR SO, NO INDICATION OF FUEL SMELL. DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE LEAKING. I HAD AN ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND THE FUEL TANK AS WELL AS FILLER NOZZLE ARE DETERIORATED. I CALLED MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA AND THEY ACTED AS IF THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY EVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED MULTIPLE DEALERS, AND ALL HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS. THE INTER-NET IS FULL OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON 2003 TO 2006 OUTLANDERS. I HAVE HAD A RECALL FOR THE FRONT END BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE RUST MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I DO NOT THINK THIS IS A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR WITH THE FUEL TANK. MITSUBISHI SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM AND CORRECT IT FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE CAR IS ALWAYS GARAGED WHEN NOT BEING DRIVEN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR MECHANISM FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 164,241.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION AND CROSS MEMBER WERE CORRODED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT A TRAVEL-ARM HUBBERING WAS NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

I AM REFERRING TO A WELL KNOWN "STICKY HVAC MIX DOOR" ISSUE IN THE MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER AND LANCER VEHICLES IN MODEL YEAR 2003 (PERHAPS AMONG OTHER YEARS AND MODELS). THIS ISSUE CAN RESULT IN AN INABILITY TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD DURING COLD WEATHER DRIVING. I HAVE HAD THE "STICKY" ISSUE FOR SOME TIME, WHICH, WHILE IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN THE KNOB, WAS NOT A HUGE ISSUE. HOWEVER, RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING, THE DOOR WENT FROM "STICKY" TO "STUCK," ON THE "COLD" SETTING. MY WINDOWS GRADUALLY STARTED TO FOG AND I WAS UNABLE TO DEFOG THEM SINCE THE SYSTEM COULD NOT BLOW HOT AIR DUE TO THE STUCK MIX DOOR. I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY (I-39) IN CENTRAL WISCONSIN AT THE TIME, ON AUGUST 27, 2016 IN THE EVENING. IN LATE SUMMER / EARLY AUTUMN, THERE IS A WIDE TEMPERATURE SWING DURING THE DAY AND NIGHT, SO FLIPPING FROM HOT TO COLD SETTINGS IS VERY COMMON. FORTUNATELY IT WAS NOT EXTREMELY COLD SO I WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF THE HVAC AND OPEN ALL MY WINDOWS IN ORDER TO GET BY DURING MY SHORT DRIVE. HOWEVER, IN THE WINTER, I NEED TO HAVE IT SET ON "HOT" AT ALL TIMES: THEREFORE, FOR WINTER DRIVING, MY CAR WILL NOT BE DRIVABLE AT ALL DUE TO THIS ISSUE. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL IN COLD WEATHER STATES ASAP. THIS IS A VERY WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES, BUT ONLY AT THIS TIME DID IT BECOME A SERIOUS CAUSE OF CONCERN: WHEN THE HVAC MIX DOOR IS STUCK ON THE COLD SETTING, THE INABILITY TO DEFOG THE WINDSHIELD IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE DRIVER AS WELL AS FOR ANYONE ELSE SHARING THE ROAD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE INSPECTED FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V458000 (SUSPENSION), THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THERE HAD BEEN EXTENSIVE PREMATURE RUST AND CORROSION ON THE LOWER CONTROL ARM AND THE FRONT SUB-FRAME TO THE POINT THAT THE PART MIGHT FRACTURE. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V458000 (SUSPENSION), BUT WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS UNCERTAIN OF WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE CONDITION AND THEY PROVIDED NO SOLUTION TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V458000(SUSPENSION); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V458000 (SUSPENSION). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL SHOULD ALSO COVER THE FRAME THAT HELD THE REAR AXLE, WHICH THE CONTACT STATED WAS MORE RUSTED THAN THE FRONT FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE RECALL DID NOT COVER THE REAR FRAME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 193,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE IN AUGUST 2016. AS OF THIS DATE THE PART TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IS NOT AVAILABLE. HAVE CALL MITSUBISHI SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY KEEP SAYING THE PART IS BEING PROCESSED. CONFUSION AS TO WHETHER THE PARTS ARE SENT TO A DEALER FOR REPAIR OR IF THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE INSPECTED FIRST AND THEN THE PART IS ORDERED BY THE DEALER. THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE INSPECTED FIRST THEN THE PART IS ORDERED IF NECESSARY. MITSUBISHI STATES THAT THEY WILL DETERMINE HOW MANY PARTS TO SEND TO WHAT DEALERS. CONFUSION. NEAREST DEALER TO ME IS 3 TO 4 HOURS ONE WAY TRIP. IF THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE INSPECTED FIRST BEFORE THE PART IS ORDERED THEN IF WILL HAVE TO MAKE TWO 6 TO 8 HOUR ROUND TRIPS. HOW THE DEALER KNOWS HOW MANY PARTS TO SEND TO WHAT DEALERS DOES'T MAKE SENSE. THIS PART IS NEEDED TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE'S STEERING FROM FAILING. THE PART IS THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. PLEASE CLEAR THIS UP FOR ME.