1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse Steering Problems

MY 1996 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE WAS IN FOR SERVICING THE TIMING BELT. THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED ME TO ASK IF I WOULD APPROVE AN UPGRADE FOR AN IDLER PULLEY FOR THE AC/POWER STEERING BELT. SINCE THE COST WAS ABOUT $190, I SAID "NO." AFTER PICKING THE CAR UP AND DRIVING HOME, THE AC/POWER STEERING BELT CAME OFF AND I LOST THE POWER STEERING. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE THE $190 UPGRADE DONE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL PART IS DEFECTIVE, AND MITSUBISHI KNOWS THAT IT IS, IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. WHEN THE BELT COMES OFF POWER STEERING IS LOST AND COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE $190, PARTS ONLY, COST IS ALSO EXCESSIVE. THIS IS MERELY AND IDLER PULLEY THAT MANUALLY ADJUSTS THE TENSION TO THIS BELT.

NHTSA ID

10039602

Incident

Sep 26, 2003

ON JANUARY 14 I TOOK MY CAR TO PUNTE HILLS MITSUBISHI FOR A RECALL ON THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS. SINCE I WAS THERE I ASKED THEM TO INSPECT MY CAR FOR ANYTHING THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AT THIS POINT THEY RECOMMENDED THE TIMING AND BALANCER BELTS, TENSIONERS, LEFT TIE ROD, AND A BROKEN AIR VALVE WHICH I DID AT A COST OF $736.52. UPON RECEIVING MY CAR I HEARD A CHIRPING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHICH THEY TOLD ME WAS THE TIMING BELT WAS NEW AND NEEDED TO BE BROKEN IN, WHICH I TOOK THEIR WORD FOR. WITHIN THE FOLLOWING MONTH THE CHIRPING BECAME LOUDER AND LOUDER TO THE POINT I CALLED AND REQUESTED THEY LOOK AT IT AGAIN. ON THE WAY TO THE DEALER MY CAR JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT . AFTER LIFTING THE HOOD I NOTICED THE TIMING BELT COVER SPLIT OPEN ON THE TOP REVEALING THE TIMING BELT WAS NOT ON PROPERLY. AFTER TOWING MY CAR TO THE DEALER A QUICK INSPECTION CONCLUDED THAT MY CRANK PULLEY HAS "WALKED" INTO THE TIMING BELT COVER BURNING A HOLE THROUGH IT CAUSING THE DISASSEMBLING OF THE TIMING UNIT AND MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE HEADS, PISTONS, ETC...I ASKED THE MECHANIC WHY WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR IN JUST A LITTLE MORE THAN A MONTH AGO THEY DIDN'T LET ME KNOW MY CRANK PULLEY HAD SUCH SIGNIFICANT WEAR. HIS RESPONSE WAS THAT THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL A CRANK PULLEY IS GOING BAD. I DID RESEARCH OF MY OWN AND FOUND OUT THIS IS HAPPENING TO MOST ECLILPSE, ALL YEARS AND THAT THERE IS A WAY TO TELL IF THE CRANK PULLEY IS GOING BAD BY MEASURING THE AMOUNT OF MOVEMENT SIDE TO SIDE MAKING SURE IT MEET THE MANUFACTURER REQUIREMENTS. OBVIOUSLY THE CRANK PULLEY HAD VERY SIGNIFICANT WEAR SEEING THAT THE PULLEY CAME APART. I DID RESEARCH ON THIS MATTER AND FOUND OUT MITSUBISHI KNOWS THESE PARTS ARE DEFECTED BUT COVERS MOST OF THEM UNDER WARRANTY SO IT BRINGS DOWN THE NUMBERS. I FEEL THE REPAIRS SHOULD BE COVERED AND WOULD LIKE TO OPEN AND INVESTIGATION ON "CRANKPULLEY/SHAFT WALKING" HOPEFULLY LEADING TO A RECALL. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

759384

Incident

Mar 7, 2002

POWER STEERING BELT FELL OFF BECAUSE OF POWER STEERING BRACKET. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, AND CONSUMER HAD TO BUY UPDATED BRACKETS. *AK

NHTSA ID

8000713

Incident

Nov 26, 1999

POWER STEERING BELT HAS COME OFF WHILE DRIVING ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE PULLEY WAS OUT OF LINE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

881841

THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT WANTING TO REPAIR THE RECALL BECAUSE THEY SAID THE BALL JOINT BROKE BEFORE I RECEIEVED THE RECALL. PLUS, THEY ARE WANTING TO CHARGE ME FOR THE REPAIR FOR THE LABOR. FROM READING THE SAFETY RECALL COMPENDIUM, IT SEEMS THEY ARE IN THE WRONG AND I JUST WANT MY CAR FIXED. PLEASE HELP! THANKS.

NHTSA ID

714611

Incident

Nov 6, 1999

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. IT SLID OFF THE ROAD INTO AN ENBANKMENT AND ROLLED OVER INTO A COMPLETE TURN. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPOLY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED AT THIS TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID

837435

Incident

May 2, 1999

AFTER REPAIR OF RIGHT FRONT AXLE SEAL THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL FELL OFF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

544602

THE POWER STEERING FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF HYDRAULIC PRESSURE. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 5,000 MILES ON IT. WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT THIS WAS COMMON FOR THE VEHICLE TO ACT LIKE THAT. *AK

NHTSA ID

820579

Incident

Nov 23, 1997

OWNER STATES THAT POWER STEERING BELT POPPED OUT WHEN SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER THE FIRST TIME, SHE WAS TOLD THAT HER CRANKSHAFT SPROCKET BROKE ,THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED BUT IT KEEPS RETURNING. *AK

NHTSA ID

808176

WHILE DRIVING THE POWER ASSIST BELT FELL OFF, RESULTING IN A POWER LOSS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID

979782

Incident

Feb 24, 1996