2001 Mitsubishi Diamante Owner Complaints

I HAVE A 2001 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE, AND AM HAVING PROBLEMS THAT SEEM TO RUN RAMPANT AMONG THIS MODEL/MAKE. MY HEATER CORE WENT OUT AT ABOUT 100K MILES; MY ABS LIGHT STAYS ON (DUE TO A SPEED SENSOR FAIL), WHICH RENDERS THE WHOLE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM USELESS; AND NOW MY ANTENNA MAST IS BROKEN. ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE PRICEY TO FIX, AND MOST DIAMANTE USERS I HAVE FOUND EXPERIENCE AT LEAST A FEW OF THESE CONFLICTS. ANOTHER PROBLEM I HAVE SEEN MANY COMMENTS ABOUT IS TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 113K MILES. MY CAR HAS EXACTLY THAT. ON TOP OF EVERYTHING, IT IS WINTER, AND ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ARE MUCH PREFERRED IN ICY WEATHER. I AM STARTING TO SMELL ANTIFREEZE AGAIN, THE WARNING SIGN TO A FAILING HEATER CORE, WHICH CAN LEAK ONTO A TRANSMISSION COMPUTER AND CAUSE IT TO FAIL AS WELL. I AM BEGINNING TO WORRY ABOUT BEING STRANDED, AND EVEN BEING SAFE IN MY CAR. I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE COMPLAINING, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN ONLINE ALL DAY READING FORUMS FROM PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR ISSUES (SEE THE FOLLOWING: HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/REVIEWS/MITSUBISHI/DIAMANTE/R76426/COMMENTS/PAGE-5/). SOMETHING MUST BE DONE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10378164

Incident

Jan 21, 2011

Mileage

100,000 mi

WINDOWS ARE FOGGING UP DO T A FAULTY HEATER CORE. I REALLY DON'T MIND REPAIRING THE CAR SEEING THAT IT HAS 120K ON IT.. I PURCHASED THE CAR BRAND NEW AND THIS WILL BE THE 3RD HEATER CORE!!! WHAT'S GOING ON! *TR

NHTSA ID

10264812

Incident

Mar 10, 2008

MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE INFAMOUS HEATER CORE PROBLEM ANTIFREEZE LEAKS INTO INTERIOR OF CAR. HORRIBLE SICKENING ANTI FREEZE SMELL, HAPPENS ON AN ABUNDANCE OF MITSUBISHI CARS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10237949

Incident

Oct 1, 2007

Mileage

75,000 mi

HEATER CORE IS CAUSING THE WINDOWS TO FOG UP, THE CAR TO SMELL LIKE ANTIFREEZE AND MAY BE DAMAGING THE ECU. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF POSTS ONLINE ABOUT PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM OVER AND OVER WITH THIS CAR. IT IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND CUSTOMERS ARE LEFT PAYING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FO THE REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10224497

Incident

Mar 25, 2008

2001 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. WE HAVE HAD IT ABOUT SIX MONTHS. I HAVE HAD IT IN TO A VERY REPUTABLE SERVICE STATION AND HAVE COME UP EMPTY ON THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS NEW TIRES, THIS OCCURRED BEFORE AND AFTER THEY WERE INSTALLED. DURING MORE AGGRESSIVE TURNING THE CAR GETS VERY UNSTABLE, BAD ENOUGH TO LOSE CONTROL. THE SERVICE SHOP CHECKED OUT ALL THE OBVIOUS FRONT END STUFF ALONG WITH THE THREE BUSHINGS ON EACH FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY. FOR THE MOST PART THE CAR TRACKS STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD AND IS SMOOTH AND TRUE. IT MAY BE DESCRIBED AS A LITTLE SOFT IN HANDLING BUT NOTHING SEVERE UNTIL THIS SITUATION OCCURS. THE SHOCKS AND STRUTS SEEM OK. THE CAR HAS 70,000 MILES? *TR

NHTSA ID

10221262

Incident

Sep 24, 2007

Mileage

63,000 mi

HEATER CORE WENT BAD AT 105,000 MILES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTORING PROBLEM AND MITSUBIHI SHOULD ADRESS THE ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10221224

Incident

Mar 14, 2008

Mileage

104,000 mi

MY 2001 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE'S HEATER CORE WENT UP. I HAVE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF COOLANT LEAKING ON MY PASSENGER SIDE, THICK SMOKE COMING FROM MY VENTS AND A BAD ODOR COMING FROM THE VENTS. I HAVE READ THIS IS A VERY VERY COMMON THING WITH MITSUBISHI'S ESPECIALLY DIAMANTE'S. *TR

NHTSA ID

10215285

Incident

Oct 1, 2007

JUST RECENTLY STARTED HAVING REALLY FOGGY WINDOWS AND STARTED TO NOTICE SWEET SMELL COMING FROM CAR WHEN HEATER/DEFROST WAS TURNED ON. NOTIFIED DEALER OF PROBLEM AND DEALER QUICKLY IDENTIFIED PROBLEM AS HEATER CORE DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10210022

Incident

Nov 23, 2007

Mileage

81,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. THE WINDOWS FOGGED UP WHEN THE AIR AND HEAT WERE ACTIVATED. THE PASSENGERS COULD SMELL ANTIFREEZE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HEATER CORE FAILED DUE TO DEFECTIVE O-RINGS AND NOTICED ANTIFREEZE LEAKING ONTO THE MICRO PROCESSOR. THE MICRO PROCESSOR AND HEATER CORE WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

NHTSA ID

10208833

Incident

Feb 22, 2007

Mileage

70,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. THE WINDOWS FOGGED UP WHEN THE AIR AND HEAT WERE ACTIVATED. THE PASSENGERS COULD SMELL ANTIFREEZE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HEATER CORE FAILED DUE TO DEFECTIVE O-RINGS. THE HEATER CORE WAS REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 65,000.

NHTSA ID

10208832

Incident

Nov 12, 2007

Mileage

65,000 mi

MY CAR IS MAKING ME SICK!! I NOTICED A SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE COMING OUT OF THE CLIMATE CONTROL VENTS. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I NOTICED ANTI-FREEZE/ENGINE COOLANT LEAKING FROM THE HEATER CORE DOWN ONTO FLOOR MATS, CLIMATE CONTROL INTAKE, ELECTRICAL WIRING INSIDE DASHBOARD, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COMPUTER. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY AND HEALTH ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY. WHERE IS MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10206486

Incident

Sep 20, 2005

2001 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE - HAVE ANTIFREEZE ODOR COMING FROM AC VENTS. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH I FIND THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH SECOND GENERATION DIAMANTES (1997-2004) WITH THE 2001 YEAR MODEL BEING THE MOST EFFECTED. THE ODORS HAVE EVEN CAUSED RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS. I MYSELF HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERE HEADACHES AND SLEEPINESS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. THE ODOR AT FIRST WAS VERY FAINT BUT BECAME WORSE OVER TIME. WITH AS MANY PROBLEMS THAT HAS OCCURRED AND THE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS RELATED TO THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT, THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE A MANUFACTURERS RECALL TO RESOLVE THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AND HEALTH HAZARDOUS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10200085

Incident

Aug 19, 2007

Mileage

84,560 mi

I AM FEELING A CONSTANT VIBRATION ON THE FRONT END OF CAR, AND I JUST REPLACED THE FRONT TIRES. I CHECKED TO SEE IF THE WEIGHTS ARE STILL ON THE RIM AND THEY ARE. ALL OF A SUDDEN I STARTED TO HEAR A VERY LOUD NOISE AND WHEN I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL THE VIBRATION WOULD GET WORSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10197467

Incident

Jul 24, 2007

Mileage

101,890 mi

SINCE I BOUGHT THE USED CAR IN 2003 I FOUND THE CAR SMELLED SWEET, ANTIFREEZE COOLANT INSIDE, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE CAR. *AK BUT IN FEB, THE BURNING ODOR BECAME STRONGER ESPECIALLY WHEN I TURN ON THE HEATER. NOW, THE FRONT INTERIOR WINDOWS BECOME FOGS UP RIGHT AWAY WHENEVER I TURN ON THE HEATER OR JUST DRIVING. THE ODOR IS GETTING ME SICK, AND THE WINDSHIELD IS SO FOGGED THAT I NEED TO CONSTANTLY WIPE IT JUST TO SEE OUT. I THINK THIS IS BECOMING UNSAFE TO DIRVE.

NHTSA ID

10191235

Incident

Feb 1, 2007

Mileage

54,000 mi

I HAVE A 2001 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE LS WITH 66,000 MILE AND MY HEATER CORE WENT OUT. I NOTICED MY WINDOW WOULD FOG UP AND YOU CAN SMELL ANTIFREEZE IN THE CAR, TO HAVE THIS REPLACED IS GOING TO COST ME ALMOST $998.00 FOR PART AND LABOR. MOST MECHANICS I HAVE TALKED TO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SAID THAT I SHOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE HEATER CORE SO EARLY. I KNOW OF NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS DEFECT FOR THIS (NONE OF WHICH I KNEW ABOUT BEFORE I BOUGHT THE CAR) I KNOW THAT IT IS DANGEROUS FOR THE ANTIFREEZE TO BE INHALED, AND WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. THERE IS HEALTH RISKS WITH THE HEATER CORE GOING OUT AND RELEASING THE ANTIFREEZE NOT TO MENTION THE SAFETY CONCERNS WITH THE HEATER CORE BEING SO NEAR IMPORTANT COMPUTER COMPONENTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10189662

Incident

May 3, 2007

Mileage

64,000 mi

FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON MY CAR FILLS UP WITH THE SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE COOLANT WHEN I TURN ON THE HEATER. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS CAUSED BY LEAKING 0-RINGS AND THAT THIS WILL DAMAGE THE COMPUTERS WHICH ARE UNDERNEATH THE LEAK. THE CAR IS A 2001 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE L.S. THE DEALER SAYS IT IS NOT A COMMON ISSUE. GOOGLE SAYS OTHERWISE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10188952

Incident

Apr 25, 2007

Mileage

58,100 mi

MY WINDSHIELD WAS FOGGING UP CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAD TO REPLACE THE HEATER CORE. COST WAS APPROXIMATELY $500. *TR

NHTSA ID

10188549

Incident

Feb 19, 2005

Mileage

50,000 mi

WHEN USING THE DEFROSTER THE WINDOWS INCREASINGLY FOG UP AND IT DOES NOT CLEAR. FROM INVESTIGATING I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT THIS ISSUE APPEARS TO BE CAUSED BY A DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH THE HEATER CORE OF THIS MODEL OF OF VEHICLE, 2001 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE, IN THIS CASE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED FROM A LOCAL DEALER APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AGO. I GUESS LUCKY FOR US THE WEATHER TURNED COLD, FORCING US TO USE THE DEFROSTER, AND THEREBY DISCOVERING THIS PROBLEM. I REALIZE I MOST LIKELY DO NOT HAVE ANY RECOURSE IN MY CASE I WANT TO FILE THIS ON BEHALF OF THOSE WHO MIGHT SINCE, AS STATED ABOVE, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE DIAMANTE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10187242

Incident

Mar 31, 2007

Mileage

80,800 mi

SEAT BELT ON DRIVERS SIDE OF OF 2001 MITSUBISHI, DIAMANTE HAS RETRACTED BACK INTO THE SIDE COLUMN RETRACTOR MECHENISM AND WILL NOT RELEASE BACK OUT. TOOK VEHICLE TO A LOCAL SERVICE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY DID NOT HAVE AN ANSWER. THE RETRACTOR IS A SEALED UNIT FROM THE MFG. AND CAN'T BE OPENED. IT APPEARS THAT THE RETRACTOR IS RIVITED TO THE VEHICLE FRAME. CALLED THE MITSUBISHI DEALER AND ASKED IF THERE IS A WAY TO RELEASE THE BELT AND IF THERE IS A RECALL. THEIR ANSWER WAS NO AND THEY NEEDEED TO LOOK AT THE CAR. I WAS TOLD IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED OR REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

10185300

Incident

Mar 15, 2007

Mileage

99,000 mi

DEFROSTER WOULD NOT DEFROST THE WINDOWS. THE TRANSMISSION KEEPS GOING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. WAS TOLD THE HEATER CORE HAS GONE BAD, WHICH THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING IN AND OUT BECAUSE COOLANT WAS DRIPPING ON THE RELAY THAT WAS UNDERNEATH IT. IT IS GOING TO COST $500 DOLLARS FOR THE RELAY, THE RESET OF THE CHECK ENGINE AND HEATER CORE. THEN A ADDITIONAL $600 DOLLARS FOR LABOR SINCE THEY HAVE TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD. *JB

NHTSA ID

10181448

Incident

Jan 31, 2007

ANTI FREEZE ODOR IS OVERWHELMING IN THE CAR, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE HEATER IS RUN. I HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE IT WAS NEW, AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AFTER ONLY A COUPLE OF MONTHS. THE DEALERSHIP FIXED THE ISSUE BY INSTALLING A NEW GASKET, BUT THE FIX HAS LASTED ONLY A COUPLE OF YEARS. MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN HAVING A VARIETY OF RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES RECENTLY, AND I BELIEVE THESE FUMES ARE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10180810

Incident

Jan 24, 2007

Mileage

75,000 mi

2001 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE WITH 44K MILES - HEATER CORE FAILED AND A FEW WEEKS LATER THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL DEVICE FAILED. THIS IS DUE TO LEAKING FLUID FROM THE HEATER CORE DIRECTLY ONTO A COMPUTER COMPONENT THAT HAS NO COVER. THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED AND MITSUBISHI SHOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIRS (ABOUT $2000). *NM

NHTSA ID

10176887

Incident

Dec 14, 2006

RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2001 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE WITH 62K MILES. ADMITTEDLY, I AM NOT CAR "SAVVY" RELATED TO THE WELL BEING OF THE CAR. WHEN PURCHASED, THE CAR HAD A "MAPLE SYRUP" TYPE SMELL. ALSO, THE WINDOWS FOGGED UP VERY QUICKLY AND EVENTUALLY I REALIZED THE HEAT TOOK A LONG TIME TO WARM UP. AS I PURCHASED THE CAR IN THE SUMMER, THE FOGGING AND HEAT PROBLEM WAS NOT NOTICED FOR TWO MONTHS. I HAVE NOW REALIZED THAT THE PROBLEM HAS TO DO WITH THE HEATER CORE. I HAVE TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE CAR "SAVY" AND THEY SAY CARS SHOULDN'T HAVE PROBLEMS WITH A HEATER CORE UNTIL LATE IN THEIR LIVES (ABOVE 120K MILES), IF EVER. AS I DISCOVERED MY PROBLEM, I REALIZE THAT I HAVE BEEN INHALING ANTI FREEZE GAS THROUGH THE HEAT VENTS. I'M WORRIED THAT I WILL HAVE RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF THIS. HAS MITSUBISHI TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS SEVERE MISHAP? I HAVE RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY PREVALENT PROBLEM IN MOST DIAMANTES. NOT ONLY IS THIS EXTREMELY DETRIMENTAL TO ONES HEALTH, IT'S AN EXPENSIVE FIX. IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR A RECALL HERE? *JB

NHTSA ID

10170698

Incident

Aug 24, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AN ODOR OF ANTIFREEZE ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND THE WINDOW WERE FOGGING UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE HEATER CORE O-RINGS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED. UPDATED 3/28/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ID

10151331

Incident

Feb 1, 2006

Mileage

86,300 mi

AT APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES, MY 2001 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE HEATER CORE STARTED LEAKING. THE FIRST INDICATION WAS THAT THE WINDSHIELD STARTED FOGGING UP IMMEDIATELY. THIS WAS IN THE WINTER (FEBRUARY, MINNESOTA) AND THE DEFROSTER MADE IT WORSE, DRIVING WAS DIFFICULT AT BEST. I WAS LUCKY IN THAT I WAS CLOSE TO HOME. HAD I BEEN ON THE FREEWAY, IT COULD HAVE BEEN MORE DANGEROUS. A CALL TO ONE OF THE LOCAL DEALERS INFORMED ME THAT THE COST FOR THE FIX WAS OVER $1000. RESEARCH THAT I DID ON THE INTERNET SHOWED THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON FAILURE AND THAT MOST DEALERSHIPS PREFER TO CHARGE THE CUSTOMER OUTRAGEOUS BILLS FOR FIXING WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD A BILL OF THIS SIZE, I FOUND A WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM MYSELF, BUT IT WAS NOT EASY. I'VE FOUND MITSUBISHI IS NOT EASY TO DEAL WITH. MY GUESS IS THAT BECAUSE THEY NO LONGER SELL THIS MODEL, THEY WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CUSTOMERS THAT ARE OWNERS OF THE DIAMANTE. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CAR FROM THIS MANUFACTURER. *NM

NHTSA ID

10150578

Incident

Feb 20, 2005

Mileage

40,500 mi