2003 Mitsubishi Diamante Problems

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

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

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

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

CAR SHAKES WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. HAD BRAKES & ROTORS REPLACED AT 50,000 MILES. MECHANIC SAID ROTORS WERE TOO DAMAGED TO TURN. AFTER 6 MONTHS AND 20,000 MILES, THE CAR IS SHAKING AGAIN WHEN BRAKING. TOOK BACK TO MECHANIC, WHO CHECKED THE ROTORS AND SAID THEY NEED TO BE TURNED. I OWN A 1998 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE, AND THAT CAR DOES NOT NEED THE ROTORS REPLACED EVERY TIME I REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS. MY DRIVING IS MOSTLY HIGHWAY, SO I DON'T USE THESE BRAKES MUCH. *JB

WHEN BRAKES APPLIED THE CAR SHAKES SO BAD YOU CAN'T CONTROL IT. BRAKES WERE WORKED ON BY MITSUBISHI 3 TIMES THEN REPLACED BRAKES AND THEY ARE BAD AGAIN. *JB

VEHICLE FRONT END SHIFTS BACK AND FORTH WHEN BEHIND TRACTOR TRAILERS ON HIGHWAY. SITUATION IS DANGEROUS WHEN TRACTOR TRAILER PULLS OUT IN FRONT OF ME. NOT DUE TO TAILGATING, SINCE IT IS THE WORST WHEN APPROXIMATELY 5 CAR LENGTHS ARE BETWEEN TRACTOR TRAILER AND ME. CAR IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL DUE TO SHIFTING. FRONT END WAS CHECKED AND THERE ARE NO ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS, AND TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED. SHIFTING CONTINUES TO OCCUR EVEN WITH TRACTION CONTROL TURNED OFF. AERODYNAMICS PROBLEM OR VEHICLE STABILITY PROBLEM? ALSO OWN A 1998 DIAMANTE THAT DOES NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SINCE VEHICLE PURCHASE AND SEVERITY OF PROBLEM HAS REMAINED THE SAME.*AK

WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES, THE CAR SHAKES AND JERKS UNCONTROLLABLY. I HAVE HAD WORK DONE ON THE ROTORS AS WELL AS THE BRAKES. I HAVE FOUR NEW TIRES, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. I AM AFRAID THAT ONE DAY WHILE DRIVING THIS CAR THE BRAKES WILL FAIL AND CAUSE MY FAMILY AND I SERIOUS INJURY . THIS IS A 2003 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE, AND THE INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED DAILY 3 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE.*AK

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.

THE FACTORY TIRES ON THIS VEHICLE ARE BAD. I HAVE GOTTEN 3 FLAT TIRES IN THE LAST 2 WEEKS. THEY WEAR DOWN EXTREMELY FAST AND BLOW OUT VERY EASILY.*AK

I OWN A 2003 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE, AROUND 60K MILES I STARTED NOTICING A SWEET SMELL FROM THE VENTS AND A CONSTANT FOG WHEN THE HEAT OR AIR WAS TURNED ON IN THE CAR. AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO THE MECHANIC I WAS TOLD THAT MY HEATER CORE WAS BUSTED. MY CAR ALSO SDRIVING IN "SAFE MODE" MEANING I CAN ONLY RUN IN SECOND GEAR WHICH IS BURNING A TANK OF GAS EVERY THREE DAY, I LOVE 10 MILES FROM WORK. MY CAR FLASHED IN NEUTRAL WILL IN DRIVE. AFTER RESEARCHING MY PROBLEMS I'VE NOTICE WELL OVER 1000 POSTED VIA INTERNET FROM OTHER MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE OWNERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. ITS HARD TO BELIEVE THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT BE RECALLED. THERE ARE GREAT RISKS OF INHALING ANTI FREEZE WHICH IS SEEPING INTO THE CAR THROUGH THE FLOOR BOARDS AND VENTS. I HAVE AN ASTHMATIC CHILD WHO HAS BEEN DRIVING IN THE CAR UNTIL THE PROBLEM WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION. THIS LEAK MAY ALSO MAKE THE COMPUTER SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE GO OUT. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE AN ACCIDENT IS CAUSED OR A LIFE IS TAKEN. *TR

MY TRANSMISSION RELAY WENT OUT DUE TO A LEAK HEATER CORE. THE CORE HAS BEEN LEAKING FOR SOME TIME AND HAS FOGGED MY WINDOWS SO BAD I COULD NOT SEE AT TIMES, HAVING TO PULL OVER AND WIPE OFF THE FILM. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. *TR

CAR SHAKES WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. HAD BRAKES & ROTORS REPLACED AT 50,000 MILES. MECHANIC SAID ROTORS WERE TOO DAMAGED TO TURN. AFTER 6 MONTHS AND 20,000 MILES, THE CAR IS SHAKING AGAIN WHEN BRAKING. TOOK BACK TO MECHANIC, WHO CHECKED THE ROTORS AND SAID THEY NEED TO BE TURNED. I OWN A 1998 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE, AND THAT CAR DOES NOT NEED THE ROTORS REPLACED EVERY TIME I REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS. MY DRIVING IS MOSTLY HIGHWAY, SO I DON'T USE THESE BRAKES MUCH. *JB

WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES, THE CAR SHAKES AND JERKS UNCONTROLLABLY. I HAVE HAD WORK DONE ON THE ROTORS AS WELL AS THE BRAKES. I HAVE LESS THAN 20K MILES ON THE CAR. IT IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL TO HAVE 4 WARPED ROTORS WITHOUT SOME TYPE OF MANUFACTURING DEFECT.

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.

I PURCHASED A USED 2003 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE FROM BANKSTON DODGE IN 2007. IT WAS CLEAN AND RAN WELL. THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL ODOR INSIDE, BUT SMELLED AS IF IT COULD HAVE BEEN WHAT THE DEALERSHIP USED TO CLEAN THE INSIDE. IT TURNED OUT TO BE ANTI-FREEZE. THE VEHICLE HAD A HEATER CORE LEAK PRIOR TO OUR PURCHASE. RECENTLY THE GAS GAUGE HAS STOPPED WORKING. *TR

HEATER CORE (AND A/C CONDENSATE) LEAKS INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CAUSING WINDOW TO "FOG UP". THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS AS IT IMPAIRS THE DRIVERS SIGHT. *TR

WHILE SERVICING THE VEHICLE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT DRIVER'S SIDE HEATED SEAT BURNED. CONSUMER WAS UNAWARE OF THE DEFECT. *AK

VARIOUS INTERMITTENT FAILURES TO INCLUDE, CAR LOCKING ON ITS OWN, HEADLIGHTS NOT GOING OUT WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF, CAR NOT DINGING WHEN KEYS LEFT IN IGNITION, AND WINDOW FUSE BEING BLOWN WHEN WINDOWS ARE NOT BEING RAISED OR LOWERED. HAVE TAKEN CAR TO DEALER AND AN ELECTRICAL SPECIALIST. BOTH HAVE SAID THEY CAN'T FIX IT SINCE THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. *NM

CAR DOORS ARE LOCKING BY THEMSELVES, THE ALARM FOR KEYS BEING LEFT IN THE IGNITION NO LONGER SOUNDS, THE AUTOMATIC UNLOCK WHEN KEYS LEFT IN THE IGNITION NO LONGER WORKS, AND THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT TURN OFF WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND DOOR OPENED. HAVE BEEN STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO KEYS LOCKED IN THE CAR, AND A DEAD BATTERY DUE TO HEADLIGHTS BEING LEFT ON.*AK

CAR DOORS ARE LOCKING BY THEMSELVES, THE ALARM FOR KEYS BEING LEFT IN THE IGNITION NO LONGER SOUNDS, THE AUTOMATIC UNLOCK WHEN KEYS LEFT IN THE IGNITION NO LONGER WORKS, AND THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT TURN OFF WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND DOOR OPENED. HAVE BEEN STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO KEYS LOCKED IN THE CAR, AND A DEAD BATTERY DUE TO HEADLIGHTS BEING LEFT ON.*AK

FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS OUR CAR HAS HAD A VERY PUNGENT FOWL SMELLING ODOR WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER OR HEATER IS ENGAGED THAT HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I TOOK THE CAR FOR REPAIRS PRIOR TO THE TERMINATION OF THE WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD (BY THE DEALERSHIP) THAT THEY DID NOT NOTICE A SMELL, AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. SIX MOTHS AGO THE CAR BEGAN TO RUN HOT AND I TOOK THE CAR TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MECHANIC. UNDER PRESSURE HE NOTICED A SMALL LEAK IN THE COOLANT PIPING AND REPLACED A SECTION OF PIPE ($150.00). I ASKED IF THIS COULD BE CAUSING THE ODOR (AS MENTIONED EARLIER AND HE STATED MAYBE, OR IT COULD BE THE HEATER CORE).WITHIN THE PAST TWO WEEKS THE 'CHECK ENGINE SOON' LIGHT HAS COME ON AND UPON CHECKING THE MESSAGE AND INSPECTION OF MY CAR I'VE BEEN TOLD THE HEATER CORE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MY NEIGHBORHOOD MECHANIC WAS AT A LOSS BECAUSE TOLD ME IT WAS VERY ODD FOR THE HEATER CORE TO FAIL SO EARLY IN A CAR. I'VE CHECKED THE INTERNET AND HAVE COME ACROSS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN THE SAME SITUATION (WITH MITSUBISHI'S). I AM VERY UPSET WITH THE FACT THAT THE MITSUBISHI DEALER MAY HAVE LIED TO ME (WHEN THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY). I ASKED FOR MULTIPLE ITEMS TO BE FIXED (UNDER WARRANTY) AND THEY REFUTED EVERY REQUEST. THE HEATER CORE WILL BE REPLACED WITHIN TWO WEEKS. *TR

AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN 55 MPH DIRECT FRONT END COLLISION. *JB

CAR DOORS ARE LOCKING BY THEMSELVES, THE ALARM FOR KEYS BEING LEFT IN THE IGNITION NO LONGER SOUNDS, THE AUTOMATIC UNLOCK WHEN KEYS LEFT IN THE IGNITION NO LONGER WORKS, AND THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT TURN OFF WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND DOOR OPENED. HAVE BEEN STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO KEYS LOCKED IN THE CAR, AND A DEAD BATTERY DUE TO HEADLIGHTS BEING LEFT ON.*AK

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.