2000 Mitsubishi Diamante Owner Complaints

2000 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN LEAVING A PARKING LOT AND ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE BARELY MOVED AT 5 MPH, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE RPM WAS NOT MOVING. AFTER GOING ABOUT 1/4 OF A MILE, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE JUMPED INTO GEAR AND THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. THE NEXT DAY, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM MITSUBISHI WENT TO THE CONSUMER'S WORKPLACE AND EXAMINED THE VEHICLE. THE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THE THROTTLE CABLE NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED AND SUGGESTED THE CONSUMER TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION TO ORDER A NEW CABLE AND THE HIS VEHICLE STILL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10324254

Incident

Jan 1, 2010

WHEN I FIRST START THE CAR, DRIVE ABOUT A HALF BLOCK, OBTAIN DESIRED SPEED, TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR, AND THEN WHEN THE CAR SLOWS DOWN, I PRESS DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR, NOTHING HAPPENS. SO I PRESS DOWN FURTHER ON THE GAS PEDAL, AND SUDDENLY THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD OUT OF CONTROL. SO THEN I HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND BRAKE SLIGHTLY UNTIL THE CAR GOES THE RIGHT SPEED. THIS HAS HAPPENED ONLY WHEN THE CAR WAS COLD AND ONLY INTERMITTENTLY, ABOUT SEVEN TIMES IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. MY MECHANIC SUPPOSEDLY FIXED IT, BUT THE ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK AGAIN AFTER THE ALLEGED REPAIR. THERE WERE NO CONSEQUENCES EXCEPT FOR A NAGGING FEAR IN THE BACK OF MY MIND FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS. ANOTHER INTERMITTENT PROBLEM IS THAT THE LIGHTS FOR TCL AND FIX ENGINE SOON WILL COME ON WHILE I AM DRIVING, GO OFF WHEN I TURN OFF THE CAR, AND THEN STAY OFF FOR SEVERAL CAR TRIPS AND ONE OR THE OTHER LIGHT WILL COME ON AGAIN INTERMITTENTLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10308600

Incident

Jun 28, 2005

MY WIFE AND I NOTICED ANTIFREEZE ODOR COMING IN THROUGH VENTS. WHEN OUR WINDOWS WOULD FOG, OUR DEFROSTER WOULDN'T WORK. THEN OUR PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR WAS SOAKED WITH ANTIFREEZE. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, OUR HEATER CORE WAS LEAKING. COST WAS $1300 TO REPAIR. MITSUBISHI SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE!! TOO MANY COMPLAINTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10243955

Incident

Sep 15, 2006

Mileage

86,000 mi

FOR OVER 2 YEARS NOW I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH AN ODOR IN MY 2000 DIAMANTI AND THE DEFOGGER NEVER SEEMED TO WORK ON THE WINDOWS. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I SAW SOMETHING LEAK ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE RUG BUT DIDN'T' T GUESS THAT THIS COULD HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE HEATER CORE. UPON TAKING IT TO MY DEALER I WAS TOLD THIS WAS HOLE IN THE HEATER CORE THAT HAD TO BE FIXED IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE IT WAS DANGEROUS AND HAZARDOUS TO MY HEALTH TO BREATH THE FUMES THAT WERE COMING OUT OF THE CORE. THE COST WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $1200. I NOTICED I OFTEN HAD HEADACHES WHEN I DROVE LONG DISTANCES BUT WAS VERY CONCERNED WHEN MY GRANDCHILD BECAME VERY CAR SICK (WHICH HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE) UPON RIDING IN MY CAR. I STILL DIDN'T ASSOCIATE THE HEATER WITH OUR PROBLEMS. I THINK THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SOMETHING SHOULD BE RECALLED ON THESE. I RESENT THAT AFTER ONLY 40,000 MILES I MUST SPEND $1200 ON SOMETHING THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A MISTAKE ON MITSUBISHI'S PART SINCE IT IS NOT A WEAR FACTOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10208778

Incident

Nov 12, 2007

Mileage

43,000 mi

SUDDEN HEATER CORE GASKET LEAK, INSTANTANEOUS FOGGING OF ALL WINDOWS, CAUSING A SEVERE DRIVING HAZARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT HAPPENS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10195071

Incident

May 18, 2007

Mileage

78,307 mi

FRONT WINDSHIELD FOGS UP, STRONG SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE, CAN'T CLEAR THE FOG WITH DEFOGGER, READ POTENTIAL RISKS TO HEALTH BECAUSE OF THE CONTACT TO ANTI-FREEZE FUMES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10181870

Incident

Feb 6, 2007

Mileage

40,000 mi

HEATING CORE IS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE ONTO OTHER COMPONENTS UNDER THE DASH; STRONG SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE WITHIN THE CAR; WINDOWS FOG UP UPON USING ANY OF THE VENTILATION SYSTEMS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10142024

Incident

Oct 28, 2005

I CURRENTLY HAVE WHAT IS DESCRIBED TO BE A "HEATER CORE FAILURE" IN MY 2000 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THIS ISSUE IS FAIRLY COMMON AMONGST DIAMANTES. ANY TIME I TURN ON THE HEATER, MY AUTOMOBILE IS FILLED WITH A NOXIOUS ODOR THAT I'M LEAD TO BELIEVE MIGHT BE DETRIMENTAL TO MY HEALTH. I AM ALSO UNABLE TO DEFROST MY WINDOWS BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. THIS CAUSES A DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITION AS I'M FORCED TO CONSTANTLY WIPE THE WINDSHIELD WITH A PAPER TOWEL.*JB

NHTSA ID

10139806

Incident

Oct 12, 2005

VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND LOCKED INTO THIRD GEAR. NOTICED SMELL OF COOLANT INSIDE DRIVERS COMPARTMENT AND HAZING OF THE WINDSHIELD. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE PROBLEM IMPROPERLY DIAGNOSED AND HAD TO HAVE IT RE-TESTED TWO WEEKS LATER. HEATER CORE LEAKAGE HAS CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE ECU AND NOW BOTH HAVE TO BE REPLACED. TOTAL COST OF REPAIR FOR BOTH WAS $3,357.62. COOLANT FUMES ARE VERY TOXIC AND CAUSE A SIGNIFICANT HEALTH RISK AND ECU FAILURE COULD EASILY RESULT IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY OR ELSEWHERE. THE "FOGGING" OF THE WINDSHIELD IS A VISIBILITY HAZARD AS WELL CAUSED BY THE HOT COOLANT IN THE DEFROST VENTS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10139382

Incident

Oct 5, 2005

Mileage

87,168 mi

THE HEATER CORE HAS FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME. I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM A DEALER WITH 54,000 MILES ON IT AND AFTER 500 MILES THE HEATERCORE IS FRIED. THE WORST PART IS THAT WHEN I WENT TO THE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP TO GET MY REMOTE REPROGRAMMED I GOT THE PRINTOUT OF ALL THE PREVIOUS SERVICE THAT WAS DONE ON IT. THE HEATER CORE WAS ALREADY REPLACED AT 24,000 MILES!!! DOES THIS MEAN THAT I WILL HAVE TO SPEND AROUND $1,000 EVERY 25K MILES THAT I DRIVE THE CAR??? MITSUBISHI, PLEASE ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM! REGARDING TO THE PROBLEM ITSELF... I GOT ALL THE USUAL SYMPTOMS - THE WINDSHIELD WAS FOGGING UP, THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF THE ANTIFREEZE IN THE CAR AND NOW THERE'S A POOL OF ANTIFREEZE BY THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. THIS CANNOT BE GOOD FOR MY RESPIRATORY SYSTEM... ANTIFREEZE IS A POISON. I'VE HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH MY LUNGS BEFORE AND IF IT GETS WORSE AFTER THIS PROBLEM, MITSUBISHI WILL LOOK AT A HUGE LAWSUIT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10135134

Incident

Aug 24, 2005

Mileage

54,000 mi

DT: CONSUMER HAS 2000 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE WHOSE GAS TANK LEAKS CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER FOUND GAS LEAKAGE, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY HOLE IN THE GAS TANK. *AK

NHTSA ID

10124671

Incident

Jun 9, 2005

Mileage

64,000 mi

THE FUMES OF ANTIFREEZE FOGGED UP THE WINDOWS SEVERELY, REDUCING VISIBILITY OF THE DRIVER. IT WAS RAINING ONE NIGHT AND MY WINDOWS ALL OF A SUDDEN GOT FOGGY. I TURNED ON THE DEFROSTER, WHICH MADE MY WINDOWS EVEN FOGGIER. THE POOR VISIBILITY CAUSED ME TO RUN OFF THE ROAD INTO THE GRASSY MEDIAN. I WAS OUT OF TOWN WHEN THIS OCCURRED. IN DOING RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM I FOUND THAT IT WAS COMMON ALL DIAMANTES (92 -2001). IN MANY CASES, THE DRIVER IS NOT AWARE THAT THIS IS A SEVERE PROBLEM. THE ANTIFREEZE WILL STARTED LEAKING ON THE PASSENGER?S SIDE AREA. CAUSING MORE STRONG SMELL OF TOXIC ANTIFREEZE. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10116262

Incident

Mar 30, 2005

WE HAVE A FIVE-YEAR-OLD MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. FOR THE LAST WEEK, MY HUSBAND, SCOTT HAS SMELLED A SWEET SMELL IN HIS CAR AND HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE WINDOWS FOGGING. TUESDAY MORNING HE STARTED LOSING FORWARD POWER WHEN DRIVING TO WORK ON I480. HE NOTICED THAT HIS DASHBOARD TRANSMISSION LIGHTS WERE ACTING FUNNY SO HE CALLED OUR MITSUBISHI DEALER. THE SERVICE PEOPLE ASKED IF HE HAD NOTICED THAT THE WINDOWS WERE FOGGING OR IF HE SMELLED ANY ANTI-FREEZE COMING FROM THE HEATER. SCOTT WAS ASTONISHED THAT THE SWEET SMELL WAS ANTIFREEZE. THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THAT MOST LIKELY IT'S BECAUSE THAT DIAMANTE HAS EXPERIENCED HEATER CORES LEAKING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND DRIPPING ONTO THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER. THIS IS WHY HE WAS LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING ON I480. ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS WHAT HEALTH PROBLEMS CAN COME FROM DRIVING IN AN ENCLOSED ENVIRONMENT WHILE THE HEATING SYSTEM IS MIXING ANTIFREEZE FLUID IN THE AIR THAT MY HUSBAND IS BREATHING WHILE COMMUTING TO WORK. LATER ON THAT SAME TUESDAY, THE SERVICE ADVISOR CALLED HIM AND SAID THAT THEIR SERVICE MANAGER SPOKE DIRECTLY WITH THE REGIONAL MITSUBISHI SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AND HE SAID THAT THE HEATER CORE WAS TOO FAR OUT OF WARRANTY TO BE COVERED BASED ON 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER, WHILE COVERED UP TO 84,000 MILES, WOULD ALSO NOT BE COVERED BECAUSE THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO ANTIFREEZE DRIPPING ON THE COMPUTER CAUSING IT TO FAIL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10112464

Incident

Mar 1, 2005

Mileage

60,342 mi

HEATER CORE ON 2000 MITSHUBISHI DIAMANTE FAILED AND FOGGED UP MY WINDSHEILD. WHILE DRIVING HOME THE NIGHT OF THE FAILURE, A DEER JUMP IN FRONT OF MY CAR AND CAUSED 4 GRAND IN DAMAGE. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE HEATER CORE AT THE DEALERSHIP.*AK

NHTSA ID

10112052

Incident

Feb 16, 2003

Mileage

82,000 mi

ABOUT TWO MONTHS AFTER BUYING A 2000 DIAMANTE; IN OCT, 2004, I STARTED TO NOTICE THICK FOG ON THE WINDSHEILD THAT WOULDN'T GO AWAY BY USING THE DE-FOGGER AND WHEN USING THE HEATER, I WOULD ALSO NOTICE STRONG SMELL ON ANIT-FREEZE COMMING OUT FROM THE VENT. UPON INSPECTION, THE DEALERSHIP DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM AS FAULTY O-RING IN THE HEATER CORE. THE FIX WAS COSTLY, AROUND $1100.00 HOWEVER THE CAR HAS BEEN PROBLEM FREE SINCE THEN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10110292

Incident

Oct 7, 2004

Mileage

53,000 mi

WINDOWS FOGGING UP, HEATER NOT WORKING, ANTI-FREEZE LEAKING INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARD. *AK

NHTSA ID

10102933

Incident

Dec 13, 2004

Mileage

85,000 mi

WINDOWS FOG CONSTANTLY AND I CAN NOT GET THEM DEFROSTED. SMOKE AND SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE COMES INTO CABIN OF CAR. TOOK TO DEALER A YEAR AGO AND WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG, CAR NOW HAS 98,000 MILES AND THEY ARE TELLING ME IT WILL COST 672.00 TO REPLACE THE HEATER CORE. I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES. I BECAME ILL IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, THE DOCTORS (4 OF THEM AND THREE HOSPITALS, CT SCANS, ETC) COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS. TURNS OUT IT WAS BREATHING THE FUMES IN MY CAR. AT THAT TIME, THE SMOKE ONLY APPEARED A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT NOW IT HAS INCREASED CONSIDERABLY. I THINK IT'S SAD THAT MITSUBISHI WILL NOT REPAIR THIS PROBLEM, NOR HAVE THEY CORRECTED IT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10102931

Incident

Dec 2, 2004

Mileage

72,000 mi

STRONG ANTIFREEZE SMELL AND VAPORS COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE HEATER IS TURNED ON. WINDOWS ARE FOGGING CONSTANTLY. THE CAR STARTED OVERHEATING AND HAVE TO REFILL ANTIFREEZE. SERVICE CENTER SAID ANTIFREEZE IS LEAKING AND EVAPORATING AND THEY HEARD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10102415

Incident

Sep 6, 2004

AN ANTI FREEZE AND SMOKE ODOR WAS COMING INTO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THIS WAS CAUSED BY A PROBLEM WITH THE HEATER CORE GASKET, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD HAS TO BE TAKEN APART TO REPLACE THE PART. THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. *AK *SC

NHTSA ID

10095309

Incident

Sep 25, 2004

Mileage

32,000 mi

2000 DIAMANTE MALFUNCTION, ESPECIALLY IN COLD OR WET WEATHER GAS PEDAL STICKS, REQUIRES ADDITIONAL PRESSURE TO OVERCOME. *BF THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *SC

NHTSA ID

10099120

Incident

Oct 1, 2004

THE WINDOWS KEPT FOGGING UP, DEFROSTER WAS DID NOT CLEAR IT UP, 0 VISIBILITY, WHEN DEFROSTER WAS ON THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE. WHEN CAR WAS DRIVEN FOR MORE THEN 30 MIN ONCE SHUT OF SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE DASH BOARD VENT BY WINDSHIELD.*AK

NHTSA ID

10096416

Incident

Oct 12, 2004

THE HEATER CORE FAILED AND LEAKED ON THE FLOOR BOARD. THE CONSUMER WOULD SMELL CHEMICAL FUMES. THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE PROBLEM TWICE, BUT THE CONSUMER IS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10096862

Incident

Sep 20, 2004

Mileage

106,266 mi

I PURCHASED THE CAR USED FROM A MITSUBISHI DEALER, A MONTH OR SO LATER I NOTICED A MAPLE SYRUP TYPE SMELL. THE PROCEEDING MONTHS THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE AND NOTICED THAT MY WINDSHIELD KEPT FOGGING UP. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL REPAIR GUY WHO GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE HEATER CORE AND INFORMED ME THAT IF I DONT I COULD HAVE A COMPUTER FAILURE BECAUSE IT IS RIGHT UNDER THE HEATER CORE WHICH IN TURN MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL. MY PASSENGER SIDE CARPET IS NOW SOAKED WITH COOLANT AND THE SMELL IS HORRIBLE COMING FROM THE VENTS. I HAVE HEARD THAT THE COOLANT IS TOXIC AND CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS IN YOUR RESPIRATORY SYSTEM WHICH CONCERNS ME EVEN MORE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10093586

Incident

Dec 30, 2002

Mileage

34,000 mi

FOR SEVERAL WEEKS IT WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD ON MY CAR AND I ATTRIBUTED IT TO HOT, HUMID WEATHER. COMING BACK ON THE FREEWAY ONE EVENING IT SUDDENLY BECAME MUCH WORSE AND MY HUSBAND AND I TRIED MANY DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS OF COOL/WARM/FRESH AIR TO BE ABLE TO SEE OUT OF THE WINDOW, BUT IT NEVER FULLY CLEARED. IT WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS, BUT WE MADE IT HOME. THERE WAS A WHITISH FILM BEGINNING TO FORM ON THE WINDOW, VISIBLE IN DAYLIGHT. WHAT WAS IN THE FUMES THAT FORMED THE FILM I AM AFRAID TO IMAGINE. SEVERAL DAYS LATER AS I WAS DRIVING MY SON TO SCHOOL WE BOTH NOTICED A WHITE, CLOUDY SMOKE COMING FROM THE VENTS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US. WE KEPT THE WINDOWS DOWN TO AVOID BREATHING IN THE FUMES. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE GASKETS ADJACENT TO THE HEATER CORE HAD FAILED. IT COST $5.10 FOR THE REPLACEMENT PART, BUT THE REPAIR COST TOTAL $560.00 BECAUSE THEY HAD TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE DASH TO REPLACE THE O-RINGS. MY CAR WAS IN THE SHOP FOR A FULL DAY. I'M ALSO CONCERNED BECAUSE I'VE SINCE LEARNED THAT THE ANTI-FREEZE LEAKING FROM THE "WORN-OUT" RINGS DRIPPED DOWN ONTO MY CAR'S COMPUTER. WHAT POTENTIAL DAMAGE COULD HAVE OCCURRED TO THE COMPUTER, IS IT OK NOW, AND COULD IT HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT IF THE COMPUTER FAILED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10090591

Incident

Sep 2, 2004

Mileage

53,000 mi

NOTICED FAINT SMELL OF ANTI FREEZE IN OCT 2003. HAD PROBLEMS WITH DEFROSTER CLEARING WINDOWS, VERY HARD TO CLEAN. NOTICED PASSANGER SIDE FLOOR CARPET IS SOAKED WITH ANTI FREEZE. OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM WITH THE HEATER CORE OR THE HOSE(S) WHICH CONNECT TO IT ARE LEAKING. CAR HAS 60000 MILES, AND IS WELL MAINTAINED. THIS HEATER CORE LEAKS DIRECTLY OVER COMPUTERS WHICH, AS FAR AS I KNOW, CONTROL THE ENGINE - AND COULD CAUSE IT TO ACT UNPREDICTABLY OR CUT OUT ALTOGETHER WHEN DRIVING. HEATER CORE GASKET WAS THE PROBLEM ACCORDING TO DEALER AND I HAVE HAD IT FIXED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10087002

Incident

Oct 14, 2003