2003 Mitsubishi Galant Visibility Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI GALANT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE DEFROSTER FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO USE THE TEMPERATURE CONTROLS AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN THE DEFROSTER, A/C, OR HEATER WAS ACTIVATED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY WAS IMPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

NHTSA ID

10618612

Incident

Aug 2, 2014

Mileage

87,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI GALANT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE HEAT CONTROL MODULE WAS ACTIVATED BUT COLD AIR BEGAN TO CIRCULATE OUT OF THE VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ID

10560747

Incident

Jan 20, 2014

Mileage

150,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI GALANT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VENTS AFTER SWITCHING THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE FROM COLD TO HOT. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE HOT AIR FAILED TO ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10523697

Incident

Nov 13, 2012

Mileage

128,000 mi

IN THE LATE WINTER OF 2011 MY CAR HEATER BEGAN TO MAKE STRANGE NOISES THEN WOULD WORK FINE. SOON AFTER THAT HAPPENED, THE HEAT STOPPED WORKING. ONLY COLD AIR WOULD PUSH THROUGH THE SYSTEM. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE AC IS NOT CONSIDERED A NECESSITY, BUT I BEG TO DIFFER ON HEAT, CONSIDERING OUR TECHNOLOGICAL STATE. A HEATER KEEPS WINDOWS DEFROSTED AND CLEAR OF HUMIDITY THAT WOULD OTHERWISE CLOUD VISION OR WORSE, COMPLETELY HINDER TOTAL VISIBILITY. THE IDEA OF HAVING HEAT IN A CAR SEEMS LIKE A LUXURY BUT, IN REALITY IT IS REALLY A BASIC DRIVING NEED. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE AS TO WHY A CONSUMER SHOULD PAY $20,000, BRAND NEW, FOR A CAR THAT'S HEATER IS ALL TOO OFTEN BROKE BEFORE 60,000 MILES. THE COST OF REPAIR CAN EASILY COST $1000, DUE TO THE LABOR. THERE HAVE BEEN ACCOUNTS OF THEM BREAKING AGAIN, ONE YEAR LATER. THE HEATER SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE RESEARCHED AND ADDRESSED IN THE 03' GALANTS. IT KEEPS THE WINDOWS CLEAR SO CONSUMERS CAN SAFELY DRIVE THEIR CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10424373

Incident

Feb 4, 2011

HEAT STOPPED WORKING DUE TO A FAULTY HEAT CONTROL VALVE. FIRST IT STARTED MAKING A CLICKING NOISE AND NOW I HAVE NO HEAT AT ALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10369597

Incident

Nov 1, 2010

THE HEATER CONTROL VALVE BEGAN MAKING CLICKING NOISES ABOUT A MONTH AGO IN MY 2003 MITSUBISHI GALANT V6 LS. THE CAR HAS ONLY 59,000 MILES ON IT. THEN THIS MORNING WITH OUTSIDE TEMPERATE OF 41 DEGREES HERE IN MINNEAPOLIS THE HEAT WOULD NOT TURN ON. THE HEATER CONTROL VALVE IS NOW STUCK IN THE COLD MODE. I HAD TO DRIVE MY 2 YEAR OLD TO DAY CARE IN A COLD CAR. THE REPLACEMENT COST BY THE DEALER IS $1000. THE INTERNET FINDING SHOWS MOST GALANT OWNERS HAVE HAD FAILED HEATER CONTROL VALVE. THIS CAN PUT DRIVERS IN UNSAFE SITUATIONS BECAUSE WE CAN NOT DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD WHEN ITS COLD OUTSIDE.

NHTSA ID

10360226

Incident

Oct 13, 2010

Mileage

59,600 mi

2003 GALANT ES. V-6 MOTOR. HAD TO REPLACE HEATER CONTROL VALVE DUE TO NO HEAT. CLICKING NOISE FROM TIME TO TIME THEN NOTHING AS WELL AS NO HEAT. NO SOONER DID I REPLACE THAT AND THEN HEAT SELECTOR QUIT WORKING. CAN NOT CHANGE FROM VENTS TO DEFROST. MECHANIC SAID HEATER BOX WARPED AND COST ABOUT 2500.00 TO FIX THIS. NOW PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE RADIATOR BURST OPEN ON THE FRONT SIDE. ABOUT A 4 INCH OPENING JUST TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF CAP IF YOU ARE FACING THE CAR. MECHANIC HAS SAID ALL OF THIS IS VERY COMMON IN THESE CARS AND MITSUBISHI SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO TAKE CARE OF THESE PROBLEMS AS EVERY GALANT MADE HAS HAD SAME ISSUES.. *TR

NHTSA ID

10356713

Incident

Sep 18, 2010

Mileage

75,000 mi

I HAVE A 2003 GALANT AND MY HEATER HAS FAILED THERE IS AIR BLOWING BUT IT'S NOT HOT. WHEN I TURN THE DIAL FROM COLD TO HOT IT WAS MAKING A RATTLING SOUND WHICH I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE IN THE VENT AREA, THINKING MAYBE IT WAS JUST NOT TURNING. COME TO FIND OUT IT'S THE HEATER CORE AND IT'S OVER $500 TO REPAIR. I THINK THIS IS RIDICULOUS I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE DATING BACK TO 2006 AND I BELIEVE THAT MITSUBISHI SHOULD RECALL THIS PROBLEM AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10287416

Incident

Sep 29, 2009

FOR A WHILE THE AC AND HEATER FAN HAS BEEN MAKING A "RUBBING" SOUND WITHIN THE DASHBOARD IN MY 2003 MITSUBISHI GALANT. A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE HEAT IN THE CAR HAD TOTALLY STOPPED WORKING. AS IT GETS COLDER OUTSIDE, THE WINDSHIELD FOGS AND WITHOUT HEAT, THERE IS NO WAY TO DEFROST IT CAUSING INABILITY TO SEE CLEARLY THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. THIS PROBLEM CAN OBVIOUSLY LEAD TO CAR ACCIDENTS. THE PART HAS NOT YET BEEN REPLACED BUT IS CURRENTLY BEING LOOKED INTO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10286264

Incident

Oct 1, 2009

THE PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO. THE CONSTANT RATTLING SOUND BEHIND THE DASHBOARD WHEN YOU FIRST TURN ON THE HEAT. AFTER ABOUT 10-15 SECS IT STOPS. THEN EVENTUALLY THE RATTLING SOUND STOPS COMPLETELY WHEN YOU TURN ON THE HEAT AND SO DOES THE HEAT AND THE DEFROSTER. I LOST HEAT THE FIRST TIME BACK AROUND DECEMBER OF 2008. IT CAME BACK ON WITHIN TWO WEEKS AND STAYED ON DURING THE WINTER. AROUND THE FIRST OF MAY, I LOST HEAT AGAIN AND IT HAS NOT BEEN BACK ON SINCE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10272409

Incident

May 1, 2009

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2003 MITSUBISHI GALANT. IMMEDIATELY, AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE THE POWER WINDOW CONTROL MECHANISM WAS ACTIVATED IN THE DOWNWARD POSITION ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THERE WAS A STRONG BURNING SMELL AND A CRACKLING NOISE. SMOKE AND SMALL FLAMES EXPELLED FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR PANEL. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITHOUT INJURY. HE DID NOT NOTIFY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR PANEL EXHIBITED SEVERE DAMAGE FROM THE FLAMES. THE CAUSE OF FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AND THE VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000.

NHTSA ID

10266457

Incident

Apr 21, 2009

Mileage

80,000 mi

THE BEGINNING OF THIS WINTER SEASON, NOV 2008 MY CAR BEGAN TO MAKE ODD NOISES FROM THE DASH BOARD WHEN I ENGAGED THE HEATER/DEFROSTER. I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MAKE/MODEL HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. IN THIS ECONOMY, IF MITSUBISHI WANTS TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO SELL CARS, IT SHOULD GAIN THE TRUST AND RESPECT OF IT'S CURRENT OWNERS BY COMPENSATING FOR THE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS THEY HAVE WITH THE MITSUBISHI GALANT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10258738

Incident

Nov 19, 2008

Mileage

65,000 mi

MY HEAT DID NOT WORK ONE DAY. AND ONLY WORKS RANDOMLY WHEN IT WANTS TO. THE PROBLEM IS THE HEATER CONTROL VALVE, WHICH IS EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. THOUSANDS OF MITSUBISHI OWNERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR IS PRACTICALLY NEW (2003). *TR

NHTSA ID

10252082

Incident

Sep 20, 2008

Mileage

70,000 mi

2003 MITSUBISHI GALANTE HEATER CONTROL MOTOR HAS BROKEN, WITH NO HEAT BEING AVAILABLE TO THE CAR. APPARENTLY THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS HAPPENED TO MANY, MANY PEOPLE, AND I'M ANOTHER OF THESE UNLUCKY FOLKS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10243314

Incident

Apr 10, 2008

Mileage

36,000 mi

I JUST BOUGHT A 2003 MITSUBISHI GALANT AND THE HEATER CONTROL MOTOR HAS GONE BAD. IT'S GOING TO COST ABOUT $450.00 TO GET IT FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10229886

Incident

Jun 4, 2008

Mileage

86,000 mi

HEAT STOPPED WORKING. TURNED THE HEAT ON ONE DAY AND IT THERE WAS A RATTLING SOUND. WHEN YOU TURN THE HEAT ON IT BLOWS OUT COLD AIR. THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO FIX ITSELF THEN IT STARTED AGAIN IN THE BEGINNING OF WINTER 07 AND NOW HAS STOPPED AGAIN (MAY 2008). DEFROSTER ALSO DOES NOT WORK. WHEN I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE HEATER COIL WHICH IS STRANGE B/C USUALLY CARS ARE MUCH OLDER BEFORE THE HEATER COIL GOES OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10229111

Incident

Apr 1, 2007

Mileage

75,000 mi

MY 2003 MITSUBISHI GALANT HAS A FAILED HEATER CONTROL MOTOR. IT STARTED GOING BAD OVER A YEAR AGO (CLICKING NOISES ON ACTUATION) AND HAS FINALLY STOPPED WORKING ALTOGETHER. IT IS STUCK ON 'COLD' AND DOES NOT SWITCH OVER TO HEAT UNDER ANY CONDITIONS. ON RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, IT SEEMS MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. THE VOLUME OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND RELATIVELY HIGH EXPENSE OF FIXING THE PROBLEM ON CARS THAT AREN'T THAT OLD SEEMS TO INDICATE A FAULT IN THE DESIGN OF THIS MECHANISM. A RECALL BY MITSUBISHI WHICH WOULD COVER THE COSTS OF REPAIR SHOULD BE ISSUED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10227212

Incident

May 10, 2008

Mileage

69,000 mi

FALL OF 2007 I FLIPPED FROM AC TO HEAT. THERE WAS CLICKING INSIDE THE DASH AND IT FINALLY SWITCHED OVER. HAD TO SWITCH BACK TO AC ON WARM DAY AND THE CLICKING WAS THERE AGAIN AND IT EVENTUALLY WENT FROM HEAT TO COLD. FINALLY I FLIPPED IT BACK A WEEK OR TWO AGO ON A COLD MORNING, NO CLICKING AND NO HEAT AT ALL. I'VE REACHED UNDER THE DASH PUSHING THE WHITE LEVER BACK AND FORTH THINKING MAYBE IT WAS JUST THE CABLE THAT'S STRETCHED BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE. I TOOK THE WHITE LEVER OFF (JUST 1 SCREW) AND TURNED THE LITTLE GEAR BY HAND. CLOCKWISE IS TO COLD AND WHEN IT GETS ALL THE WAY IT STOPS. COUNTER-CLOCKWISE IS HEAT AND WHEN I GET TO THE END IT CLICKS LIKE THE EARLIER CLICKING LIKE IT'S STRIPPED OUT SOMEWHERE IN THE DASH. THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON THE INTERNET AND I BELIEVE ONE OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINT ON THIS SITE. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SUBJECT FOR RECALL THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD COMPENSATE ITS CUSTOMERS FOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10222729

Incident

Feb 15, 2008

Mileage

160,000 mi

I HAVE A 2003 MITSUBISHI GALANT, AND I HAVE DONE RESEARCH THOROUGHLY ON THE MITSUBISHI AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS CAR WAS MADE TO HAVE A FAILURE IN THE HEAT ASSEMBLY. ACTUALLY, MY HEAT IS NOT WORKING AND EVERYONE SAY IT IS THE MOTOR THAT IS INSIDE THE DASH. THIS SHOULD NOT GO BAD, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE SO I WOULD NOT BE SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY FOR THIS REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10219353

Incident

Feb 27, 2008

HEATER IN CAR STOPPED WORKING DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE CONTROL MOTOR MR958603. *TR

NHTSA ID

10218742

Incident

Jan 19, 2008

Mileage

71,673 mi

HEATER MOTOR CONTROL STOPPED WORKING AND FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM IN MITSUBISHI GALANT'S AND I FEEL THEY SHOULD REPLACE THE PART. *TR

NHTSA ID

10218076

Incident

Feb 14, 2008

Mileage

62,000 mi

IT STARTED WITH A CLICKING NOISE WHEN I TURNED THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB FROM COLD TO HOT. NOW THE HEATER ONLY BLOWS COLD AIR. THIS HAPPENED IN A MATTER OF 2 DAYS. THE WINDSHIELD FOGGED UP CREATING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I LIVE IN A TOWN WHERE NOBODY WANTS TO WORK ON A MITSUBISHI. LOOKS LIKE I'LL DRIVE 100 MILES TO GET IT FIXED. HOW MANY MORE HAVE TO BREAK BEFORE MITSUBISHI FIXES THEIR PROBLEM? *CN

NHTSA ID

10213828

Incident

Dec 29, 2007

Mileage

79,000 mi

I HAVE A 2003 MITSUBISHI GALANT V6. IN THIS CAR I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE HEATING SYSTEM IN THE CABIN. IT SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE IN ALL 1999-2003 MODELS. PLEASE LET MITSUBISHI MOTORS OF AMERICA KNOW ABOUT IT AS ITS VERY COMMON IN THESE PARTICULAR MODELS. PLEASE REFER TO THE LINK HTTP://WWW.MITSUBISHI-FORUMS.COM/T11076-NO-HEAT.HTM AGAIN OVERALL, MITSUBISHI ARE VERY GOOD CARS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10213030

Incident

Dec 26, 2007

Mileage

118,000 mi

HEATER CONTROL VALVE LOCKS UP AND MAKES THE VEHICLE UNABLE TO HEAT UP. THE FACTORY PART IS VERY POORLY DESIGNED AND LEADS TO PREMATURE FAILURE AND A VERY PRICEY REPAIR BILL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10211527

Incident

Dec 9, 2007

HEATER VALVE MOTOR FAILED IN MY 2003 GALANT I HAVE HEARD MANY MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE AND HAVE READ MANY MORE OF THE SAME ISSUE ONLINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10209787

Incident

Nov 21, 2007

Mileage

85,490 mi