RoadVitals

1998 Mitsubishi Diamante

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
27
Latest May 11, 2015
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Sep 1, 2004
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
4 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 27 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Mitsubishi Diamante, most frequently naming the visibility, electrical and brakes categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 51 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Visibility1651.6%
  • Electrical39.7%
  • Brakes39.7%
  • Driver assistance39.7%
  • Steering13.2%
  • Tires & wheels13.2%
  • Other / unspecified13.2%
  • Engine13.2%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
04V428000

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Sep 1, 2004
100,432 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
The risk: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
The remedy: MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL CURRENT 2000-2004 NATIVA OWNERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG ALERT LABELS FOR THE SUN VISORS. THIS RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH OR APRIL 2005. THE NOTIFICATION TO THE NATIVA OWNERS IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL OR MAY 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-787-251-8715.
MITSUBISHI CARIBBEANView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 27
Visibility
Filed May 11, 2015

THE HEATER CORE HAS FAILED (ONCE AGAIN) I AM NOT SURE OF ANY COMPANY THAT HAS REALEASED THEIR CARS WITH SUCH A MAJOR FAILURE WITHOUT TAKING SOME KIND OF RESPONSIBILITY TO RECALL THIS ITEM IN THE CAR. NEARLY ALL OF THE HEATER CORES FROM MITSUBISHI DIAMANTES THAT I HAVE SEEN ARE ALL BAD. LEAKS ONTO THE ECU AND CAUSES A WHOLE HECK LOAD OF PROBLEMS. PLEASE DOT HAVE MITSUBISHI RECALL THIS. AS TO THIS CAUSES IMMENSE DAMAGES AND PEOPLE LIKE ME DRIVING AROUND WITH THIS FAULTY PIECE ARE BREATHING IN THE FUMES AND DRIVING WITH NEARLY FULL FOGGED WINDSHIELDS CAUSING REALLY POOR VISIBILITY WHICH IS AN EXTREME HAZARD TO OUR ROADS AND FELLOW PEDESTRIANS PLEASE I URGE YOU TO TAKE THIS COMPLAINT SERIOUS AND USE YOUR DOT POWERS TO MAKE THIS MANUFACTURER DO WHAT IS RIGHT! THANKS FOR YOUR TIME

NHTSA ID
10715681
Incident
Feb 8, 2013
Mileage
171,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 28, 2008

WE JUST CLEARED CANADIAN CUSTOMS AT BLAINE WA, PACIFIC CROSSING, AND WERE ACCELERATING TO SPEED LIMIT ON I 5 FREEWAY WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED TO NEAR 100 MILES AN HOUR. THE TACH AT SOME POINT WAS 7500 AND INCREASING. THE ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK AND EVENTUALLY WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AREA AND TURNED OF THE IGNITION KEY. FULL PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES WOULD NOT SLOW IT DOWN MUCH. *TR WE WERE TOWED 21 MILES TO DAVIS AUTOMOTIVE IN BELLINGHAM, WA, WHERE A REPLACEMENT THROTTLE CABLE AND ASSOCIATED STRUCTURE WAS SEVERELY BENT AND THE CABLE HAD CUT THRU IT AND STUCK. *MEC THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED WHERE A REPLACEMENT THROTTLE CABLE WAS INSTALLED. UPDATED 10/10/08. *JB

NHTSA ID
10243812
Incident
Sep 16, 2008
Mileage
31,385 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 17, 2008

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE HEATER CORE HAS STARTED TO LEAK. IT WAS REPLACED 40K MILES AGO AND I WAS CHARGED $ 1,000 FOR REPAIR COSTS. HAVING RESEARCHED THIS, IT IS DUE TO FAULTY HEATER CORE GASKETS WHICH MITSUBISHI REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE GASKETS WITH A REDESIGNED ONE. THE CAR IS UNDRIVABLE DUE TO THE TOXIC FUMES FROM THE ETHYLENE GLYCOL COMING OUT OF ALL THE VENTS AND I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO GET IT REPAIRED. MITSUBISHI REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, AND NEARLY EVERY DIAMANTE ON THE ROAD HAS HAD THIS HAPPEN. THE CARPET IS RUINED FROM THE COOLANT LEAK AS WELL, AND MANY HAVE HAD THE ECU FOR THE TRANSMISSION FAIL DUE TO COOLANT LEAKING ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10242656
Incident
Aug 21, 2008
Mileage
132,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Apr 26, 2008

WILL NOT PASS EMISSION THERE ARE NO READINESS CODES STORED IN COMPUTER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10225765
Incident
Dec 30, 2007
Mileage
900,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Nov 9, 2007

EVERYTIME THE HEATER IS SWITCHED ON, I CAN FEEL A WEIRD SMELL WHICH WILL LAST FOR ABOUT 10 MINS. THIS SMELL SEEMS LIKE SUFFOCATING AND HAVE TO OPEN THE WINDOWS FOR THE FRESH AIR TO ENTER. THERE IS SOME KIND OF LEAK IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, I AM NOT SURE WHERE THE LEAK IS FROM. I AM BIT WORRIED ABT THE SMELL. THANKS *TR

NHTSA ID
10208520
Incident
Nov 7, 2007
Visibility
Filed May 1, 2006

FAILURE OF HEATER CORE GASKETS RESULTING IN FUMES INSIDE THE CAR FROM ANTI-FREEZE; THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS VEHICLE IN THE LAST 35,000 MILES AND THE REPAIR LABOR IS ESTIMATED AT 6 HOURS, WHICH IS AROUND $1,000. *JB

NHTSA ID
10156551
Incident
Jan 2, 2006
Mileage
131,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 5, 2006

1998 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE HEATER CORE LEAKING FOGGING WINDSHIELD DURING FREEWAY TRAVEL. HAZARD TO HEALTH WITH WHILE OPERATION AUTO. *NM

NHTSA ID
10147032
Incident
Dec 25, 2005
Mileage
74,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 24, 2005

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED A BAD ODOR COMING FROM THE HEATER CORE. HEATER SYSTEM WAS LEAKING COOLANT. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. THE SEAL HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE VEHICLE'S HEATER CORE AND REFRIGERANT WERE REPLACED. *NM

NHTSA ID
10109306
Incident
Sep 27, 2004
Mileage
50,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

TSB-22-54-003

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

This 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.

TT253

EQUIPMENT

This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.

TSB-19-00-008

EQUIPMENT

This 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.

TT237

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.

TT218

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; EXTERIOR LIGHTING; POWER TRAIN; VISIBILITY; WHEELS

This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.

TSB-15-54-004

EQUIPMENT

This 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.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Mitsubishi Diamante by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2004310—
2003562041.0
20021233051.6
2001782045.9
2000513050.8
1999232039.7
1998Viewing271040.8
1997340035.8
1996000—
1995120041.5
1994272048.4
1993293061.1
1992422046.0
1991000—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.