1997 Mitsubishi Galant Steering Problems

RECEIVED RECALL FOR LOWER BALL JOINT IN 2001. BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T SHOW DAMAGE, THE DEALER ONLY LUBRICATED THEM. THE RIGHT ONE WENT OUT ALONG WITH THE TIE ROD END IN 2/07. I HAD IT REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHICH COST OVER $600.00. NOW, THE LEFT ONE IS GOING OUT. LUBRICATING A DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLY IS LIKE PUTTING ON A BANDAID, WHICH HAS NOW PROVEN TO BE THE CASE WITH BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS HAVING TO BE REPLACED PLUS A TIE ROD END. I'M NOT ONLY UPSET ABOUT THE COST OF THE REPAIR, BUT THE SAFETY ISSUE IS MUCH MORE OF A CONCERN. HEARING A NOISE COMING FROM YOUR FRONT END CAN BE ANYTHING AND IGNORED, BUT IGNORING THIS PARTICULAR NOISE PUTS THE DRIVER AND ANYONE AROUND THEM AT A VERY HIGH RISK OF INJURY OR EVEN DEATH. IS THE DEALER LIABLE FOR THIS REPAIR BECAUSE THEY WERE CONSIDERED DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLIES IN THE FIRST PLACE? *TR

NHTSA ID

10211408

Incident

Feb 10, 2007

NOTICED "SQUEAKING" NOISE WHEN DRIVING AT MINIMAL SPEED-ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. AUTO MECHANIC SAID THE STEERING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, BRAKES HAVE BEEN CONSTANT PROBLEM WITH ROTOR DAMAGE. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10010834

Incident

Mar 21, 2003

THE VEHICLE BECAME HARD TO STEER.*JB

NHTSA ID

10009980

Incident

Mar 5, 2003

THE ENGINE HAS AN UNEVEN IDLE AND HESISTATES AT 2200 RPM. FOUR LIFTERS WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 23K MILES. THE ENGINE WAS REMANUFACTURED UNDER WARRANTY TO FIX AN OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM AT 28K MILES. THE CAR NOW HAS 75K MILES AND IS AGAIN BURNING OIL AT 1 QUART/1K MILES. THE CASTER ALIGNMENT IS OFF BY 1.2 DEGREES AND CANNOT BE FIXED. THE FRONT BUMPER IS FALLING OFF BECAUSE THE THIN METAL PLATE THAT HOLDS IT ON HAS RUSTED OFF. THE HORN HAS STOPPED WORKING SEVEN DIFFERENT TIMES, DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE GROUND AND WIRING IN GENERAL.

NHTSA ID

10000048

Incident

Jun 10, 2002

HAD TO PULL FUSE TO GET THE ALARM TO QUIT.*AK

NHTSA ID

760656

Incident

Oct 20, 2001

THIS WAS FOUND BY THE DEALER WHICH INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULDN'T BE COVERED UNDER ANY TYPE OF WARRANTY. I SPOKE WITH MITSUBISHI, AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING, BUT IF THIS FULLY CRACKED KNUCKLE BROKE WHILE DRIVING, THERE COULD BE SERIOUS INJURY TO MYSELF AND OTHER PEOPLE. I HAVE ALSO COPIED A LETTER TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU REGARDING THIS MATTER. PLEASE ASSIST. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

752405

Incident

Sep 19, 2001

I FELT THE CAR STEERING WASN'T TRACKING AND DELAYED WHILE I WAS MAKING A TURN INTO A CURVE ON THE ROAD AND THE STEERING WAS DELAYED IN RESPONDING TO THE TURN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND HE REPLACED THE LF LOWER LATERAL ARM BECAUSE OF PLAY IN BALL JOINT. BUT THE DEALER NEVER INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HE CHARGED ME TO HAVE THE LF LATERAL ARM REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ID

744101

Incident

Jan 25, 2001

VEHICLE BRAKES HAVE BEEN FIXED TWICE BY DEALER WITH SAME PROBLEM AND DEALER INSISTS THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. HAD ACCIDENT WITH BRAKING PROBLEMS APRIL, 1997 WHEN BRAKES FAILED TO GIVE GOOD RESPONSE. CAR WAS FIXED BY DEALER BUT HAS NOT BEEN THE SAME SINCE. ALWAYS HAVING PROBLEM WITH BRAKES. REPLACE BRAKES EVERY 3 - 6 MONTHS.

NHTSA ID

713339

Incident

May 1, 1998

CARTER PIN AND NUT WHICH HOLDS TIE ROD END TOGETHER WAS NOT ON VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURING OF VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

827827

Incident

Sep 6, 1998