RoadVitals

2003 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.
56
Latest Jul 22, 2019
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.
2
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
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 56 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Mitsubishi Diamante, most frequently naming the visibility, engine and brakes categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 27 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

  • Visibility2838.9%
  • Engine1723.6%
  • Brakes56.9%
  • Suspension34.2%
  • Tires & wheels34.2%
  • Transmission34.2%
  • Other / unspecified22.8%
  • Fuel system22.8%

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

2 campaigns 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
04V067000

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Feb 11, 2004
134,000 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT CONTAIN A STEP-BY-STEP DESCRIPTION FOR HEADREST ADJUSTMENT WHEN INSTALLING A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM (CRS) TETHER STRAP.
The risk: IF THE TETHER STRAP IS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED TO THE TETHER ANCHOR, THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT RESTRAINED. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE CHILD COULD BE INJURED.
The remedy: A LETTER OUTLINING THE PROBLEM WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS ALONG WITH A STICKER CONTAINING THE CORRECT INSTRUCTIONS AS WELL AS INSTRUCTIONS ON WHERE TO AFFIX THE STICKER IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 29, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-888-648-7820.
MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA, INC.Manufacturer number SR-04-002View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

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

View all 56
Tires & wheels
Filed Jul 22, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE EQUIPPED WITH COOPER CS3 TIRES (NA). WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, AIR FROM THE VEHICLE'S FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BEGAN TO BE RELEASED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE INTO A FUEL STATION/REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT SOLD HIM THE TIRES. THE TIRES WERE MEASURED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT EACH OF THEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE TIRE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 198,000 AND THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 216,242.

NHTSA ID
11233933
Incident
Sep 12, 2018
Mileage
216,242 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Mar 13, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEATER CORE FLUID LEAKED ONTO THE CENTRAL COMPUTER AND CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. IN ADDITION, THE GEAR SHIFTER COULD NOT BE RELEASED FROM THIRD GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 164,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10502674
Incident
Jul 1, 2011
Mileage
164,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 2, 2011

I HAVE A 2003 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE LS WITH 71677 MILES ON IT ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY HUSBAND (THE PRIMARY DRIVER) TELLS ME THAT EVERY TIME HE GETS OUT OF THE CAR HE FEELS LIGHT HEADED AND NAUSEOUS. DAYS LATER THE FRONT WINDSHIELD STARTED FOGGING UP WHILE DRIVING AND AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF (WHETHER IT IS WARM OR COLD OUTSIDE) I GOOGLED WHY WOULD THIS HAPPEN AND HAVE SPOKEN WITH A FEW MECHANICS AND THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT IT IS THE HEATER CORE GOING OUT, AND THAT THE REASON WHY MY HUSBAND IS GETTING LIGHT HEADED AND NAUSEOUS IS BECAUSE THERE IS ANTI-FREEZE COMING INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR WHICH IS VERY DETRIMENTAL TO YOUR HEALTH. I HAVE READ A TON OF COMPLAINTS ON DIFFERENT WEBSITES AND THEY ALL SAY THE SAME THING. I CONTACTED MITSUBISHI CORPORATE TODAY AND SPOKE WITH A [XXX] IN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXPLAINED TO HER WHAT WAS GOING ON AND ASKED WHY MITSUBISHI HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. FIRST BECAUSE OF THE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS, SECONDLY BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE OF THE WINDSHIELD FOGGING UP WHILE YOU'RE DRIVING TO WHERE YOU CAN'T SEE AND THIRDLY THAT FROM READING THE COMPLAINTS, THE HEATER CORE IS RIGHT ABOVE THE COMPUTER IN THE CAR SO IF THE HEATER CORE IS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE, IT COULD FRY THE COMPUTER AND CAUSE A POSSIBLE CRASH IF THE CAR WERE TO STOP SUDDENLY. SHE SAID THAT "SEEING THAT I HADN'T HAD THE CAR INTO A DEALERSHIP IN THE LAST YEAR THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT". I TOLD HER THAT IT JUST STARTED AND WHAT WAS I SUPPOSE TO DO, LOOK INTO MY CRYSTAL BALL AND KNOW A YEAR AHEAD OF TIME THAT THE HEATER CORE WAS GOING TO GO OUT. THIS IS LUDICROUS! ! ! MITSUBISHI KNOWS THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND ARE NOT DOING ONE THING TO FIX IT (BY ISSUING A RECALL) WHERE DO WE DIAMANTE OWNERS GO TO GET SOME HELP? DO WE NEED TO FILE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AS THAT SEEMS LIKE THE ONLY WAY A FIRE IS GOING TO GET LIT UNDER THEM (CORPORATIONS TEND TO ACT IF IT MEANS LOSING TONS OF MONEY) THE CAR CAN'T BE DRIVEN AND I'M STILL PAYING ON IT. HELP! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDO

NHTSA ID
10404130
Incident
May 25, 2011
Mileage
71,677 mi
Fuel system
Filed Apr 20, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS CONSUMING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF FUEL AND SHE WAS CONCERNED THE VEHICLE WOULD PREMATURELY RUN OUT OF FUEL WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE INTAKE AIR TEMPERATURE SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ID
10396889
Incident
Feb 1, 2011
Mileage
60,000 mi
Engine
Filed May 20, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. THE CONTACT STATED HE NOTICED AN UNUSUAL ODOR OF COOLANT AND THE NEUTRAL INDICATOR BEGAN SPORADICALLY ILLUMINATING. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT FOUND COOLANT LEAKING ONTO THE FLOORBOARD. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO START. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND DETERMINED THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE A.T. CONTROL RELAY AND PRODUCED CODE P1751. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 60,000. UPDATED 10/27/10. *LJ

NHTSA ID
10331379
Incident
Apr 11, 2010
Mileage
60,000 mi
Engine
Filed May 20, 2010

TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE NEUTRAL LIGHT ON THE VEHICLE STARTED FLASHING ON AND OFF AND HE NOTICED A SMELL OF COOLANT. HE NOTICED THAT THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING ONTO THE FLOORBOARD OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE PROGRESSES UNTIL THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THE OWNER WAS ADVISED THE FAILURE WAS THE A.T. CONTROL RELAY. CODE P-1751. THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. RD

NHTSA ID
10331374
Incident
Nov 1, 2008
Mileage
60,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 22, 2010

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). THIS CONCERNS MY 2003 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. IT HAS LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS SUDDENLY STARTED SPEWING A LIGHT FILM ON THE INSIDE OF MY FRONT WINDSHIELD SO THAT I CANNOT SEE WELL...AND NOT AT ALL WHEN I AM HEADED INTO THE SUN. I HAVE CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MITSUBISHI DIAMANTES GOING BACK SEVERAL MODEL YEARS. ALL DIAMANTES NEED TO BE RECALLED AND THE HEATER CORE AND/OR ITS O RINGS FIXED OR REPLACED. IF THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN, PEOPLE WILL DIE WHEN THEY SUDDENLY CANNOT SEE THE ROAD THROUGH THEIR FRONT WINDSHIELD. [XXX] *TR *DT

NHTSA ID
10321417
Incident
Mar 19, 2010
Mileage
48,000 mi
EngineVisibility
Filed Mar 11, 2010

I HAVE A 2003 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE WITH 60,000 PLUS MILES. FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS I HAVE NOTICED A STRONG SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE COMING FROM THE VENTS AND THE WINDOWS CONSTANTLY FOGGING UP, SOMETIMES TO THE POINT THAT I CANNOT SEE TO DRIVE. I HAVE READ MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND AGREE WITH OTHERS THAT MITSUBISHI NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE HEATER CORE, AS I AM SURE THIS IS THE PROBLEM. I HAVE YET TO TAKE MINE IN TO GET IT REPAIRED, SO I DON'T HAVE A COST QUOTE AT THIS TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID
10318872
Incident
Jan 1, 2010
Mileage
62,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

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

DEALER LETTER

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

This is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has launched the 3rd quarterly technician quiz for 2023.

TSB-23-00-004

STRUCTURE

This Technical Service Bulletin provides instructions and material safety data sheets for removal of rap-film adhesive residue.

TSB-23-00-001

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

This Technical Service Bulletin reviews the regulations that require a label showing the reduction in load carrying capacity be affixed to vehicles when the total net weight of accessories is more than 1.5 percent of the vehicle's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) or 100 lbs.

DEALER LETTER

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

This is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has launched the 2nd quarterly technician quiz for 2023.

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.

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—
2003Viewing562041.0
20021233051.6
2001782045.9
2000513050.8
1999232039.7
1998271040.8
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.