2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Visibility Problems

THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB BROKE OFF. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. THE ARM INSIDE CAN BE TURNED WITH A NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS, BUT ONLY TOWARDS THE COLD/AC SIDE. IT STOPS WHEN TURNED TOWARDS THE HEAT SIDE AND WILL NOT GO- FEELS AS THOUGH IT COULD BREAK IF IT WAS FORCED. THIS IS EXTREMELY CONCERNING AS IT IS ABOUT TO BE WINTER IN MINNESOTA AND WITH NO HEAT, THERE IS NO DEFROSTER FOR WINDSHIELD OR REAR WINDOW. I AM VERY WORRIED. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION ONLINE WITH OTHER OWNERS OF THE 2003 LANCER, I FOUND OUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND I AM LEAD TO BELIEVE IT IS A PROBLEM WITH MITSUBISHI'S DESIGN THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. IF I DO NOT HAVE A DEFROSTER I AM IN DANGER AND I AM VERY WORRIED. IT IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE IN THIS STATE TO NOT HAVE HEAT. TEMPERATURES DROP BELOW -10F DEGREES EVERY YEAR AND OFTEN AS LOW AS -30F. I AM CALLING ON THE GOOD PEOPLE OF THE NHTSA FOR HELP. WINTER IS COMING AND I NEED MY DEFROSTER. PLEASE HELP ME.

NHTSA ID

11138804

Incident

Sep 18, 2018

Mileage

83,000 mi

THE TEMPERATURE KNOB BROKE EASILY BECAUSE IT WAS HARD TO TURN MAKING THE DEFROSTER IMPOSSIBLE TO USE WHICH IS A SAFETY HAZARD. FURTHERMORE THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ALWAYS FAULTY TO BEGIN WITH BUT NOW IT ISN'T EVEN USABLE. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ALSO LOVES TO LURCH INTO 3RD GEAR WHILE SLOWING DOWN AT THE SAME TIME AND THEN JUMPING BACK INTO THE SPEED I WAS PREVIOUSLY GOING. THIS ISSUE USUALLY HAPPENS AT SPEEDS LOWER THAN 50 MPH.

NHTSA ID

10822669

Incident

Jan 11, 2016

Mileage

20 mi

THE CLIMATE CONTROL KNOB WAS HARD TO TURN AND FINAL BROKE SO I CAN'T USE MY CAR IN THE WINTER BECAUSE I CAN'T TURN IT TO HEAT AND I HAVE 2 YOUNG CHILDREN. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL THIS HAS APPENDED TO THOUSANDS AND ITS A SAFETY HAZARD IN MULTIPLY WAYS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10534780

Incident

Dec 3, 2012

THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB WAS VERY HARD TO TURN ON THE AC/HEATER MODULE AND EVENTUALLY BROKE OFF. A FAILURE OF THE TEMPERATURE SELECTION COULD RESULT IN INABILITY TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD PROPERLY, RESULTING IN UNSAFE DRIVING ENVIRONMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10511594

Incident

May 12, 2013

Mileage

180,000 mi

THE HOT/COLD SWITCH BROKE OFF. SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO TURN THE SWITCH FOR TEMPERATURE CONTROL. BOTH KNOBS ARE DAMAGED AND NOW IM NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE DIRECTION OF THE AIR NEITHER THE TEMPERATURE. THIS HAS TO BE A MANUFACTURE DEFECT SINCE. DURING MY RESEARCH ONLINE I'VE FOUND MANY SIMILAR PROBLEMS LIKE THIS ONE. MITSUBISHI SHOULD MAKE A RECALL AND FIX IT . *TR

NHTSA ID

10500998

Incident

Mar 1, 2005

Mileage

60,000 mi

THE HEAT/AC KNOB ON MY 2003 MITSUBISHI HAS BEEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THIS IS ESPECIALLY HAZARDOUS WHEN TRYING TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD. IT NOW DOES NOT TURN ANY MORE AND I DO NOT WANT TO FORCE IT BECAUSE I AM AFRAID IT WILL BREAK. BECAUSE OF THIS I HAVE NO HEAT IN MY CAR AND MY WINDOWS FOG UP MAKING IT VERY HARD TO SEE OUT OF THE WINDOWS. I HAVE CONTACTED MY LOCAL MITSUBISHI DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THIS IS NOT A RECALL AND WOULD COST ABOUT $1400 - $1500 TO FIX. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME CAR. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND SHOULD BE MADE A RECALL AND REPAIRED FOR FREE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10487995

Incident

Nov 1, 2012

HEAT/AC KNOB HAS ALWAYS BEEN DIFFICULT TO TURN. IT IS NOW STUCK ON A/C. I AM LOCATED IN AN AREA THAT ACQUIRES FREEZING TEMPERATURES, AND EVIDENTLY, WILL NEED TO BE ABLE TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD. UPON RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, I HAVE COME ACROSS THOUSANDS OF MITSUBISHI OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SINCE MOST OF THE U. S. EXPERIENCES FREEZING TEMPERATURES THIS SHOULD, WITHOUT A DOUBT, BE A RECALL BECAUSE IT IS AFFECTING SO MANY DRIVER'S VISIBILITIES. THE OTHER SAFETY ASPECT TO BE CONSIDERED PERTAINS YOUNG CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY, AND THE ILL. CAR WINDOWS OPEN OR NOT, HOW IS IT SAFE TO HAVE THE YOUNG, ELDERLY, OR ILL IN A CAR OVER 100 DEGREES OR UNDER 32 DEGREES? THIS IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE, IRRESPONSIBLE, AND UNSAFE. PLEASE ADVISE A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10486762

Incident

Jun 10, 2009

Mileage

75,000 mi

THE HEAT/AC KNOB ON MY 2003 MITSUBISHI HAS BEEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THIS IS ESPECIALLY HAZARDOUS WHEN TRYING TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD, UNTIL IT FINALLY BROKE COMPLETELY OFF. NOW I HAVE NO HEAT IN MY VEHICLE AND IT VISUALLY IMPAIRS MY DRIVING WHEN IT IS COLD AND FROSTS UP. I TRIED TO SEARCH FOR PARTS( COMPLETE SWITCH OR SWITCH KNOB SHAFT) THEY'RE NOT AVAILABLE BUT WHOLE UNIT ABOUT $300 + LABOR. ARE THEY(MITSUBISHI) GOING TO ISSUE A RECALL? THE MORE I RESEARCH, THE MORE I FIND THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR HUNDREDS OF OTHER MITSUBISHI LANCER OWNERS WITH THIS SAME SITUATION ON THEIR HANDS. THE MORE I RESEARCH, THE MORE I FIND THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR OTHERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10486658

Incident

Oct 26, 2012

I HAVE HAD MY 2003 LANCER FOR ABOUT 4 YEARS AND THE AC/HEATER KNOB HAS ALWAYS BEEN DIFFICULT TO TURN. RECENTLY THE KNOB "BROKE" AND IT IS NOW STUCK ON AC AND I NOW HAVE NO HEAT THEREFORE IT MEANS I HAVE NO DEFROSTERS. THIS IS A VISIBILITY ISSUE AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. ACCORDING TO ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND TAKEN CARE OF. *TR

NHTSA ID

10475576

Incident

Sep 14, 2012

Mileage

77,000 mi

PURCHASED VEHICLE BRAND NEW JULY 2003. HEAT/AC KNOB HAS ALWAYS BEEN DIFFICULT TO TURN. IT IS NOW STUCK ON A/C. I AM LOCATED IN AN AREA THAT ACQUIRES FREEZING TEMPERATURES, AND EVIDENTLY, WILL NEED TO BE ABLE TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD. UPON RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, I HAVE COME ACROSS THOUSANDS OF MITSUBISHI OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SINCE MOST OF THE U.S. EXPERIENCES FREEZING TEMPERATURES THIS SHOULD, WITHOUT A DOUBT, BE A RECALL BECAUSE IT IS AFFECTING SO MANY DRIVER'S VISIBILITIES. THE OTHER SAFETY ASPECT TO BE CONSIDERED PERTAINS TO: YOUNG CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY, AND THE ILL. CAR WINDOWS OPEN OR NOT, HOW IS IT SAFE TO HAVE THE YOUNG, ELDERLY, OR ILL IN A CAR OVER 100 DEGREES OR UNDER 32 DEGREES? THIS IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE, IRRESPONSIBLE, AND UNSAFE. PLEASE ADVISE A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10473017

Incident

Apr 28, 2012

Mileage

120,000 mi

HEATER CONTROL KNOB CANNOT BE ADJUSTED, IT IS STUCK ON COLD. CENTER SHAFT IS BROKEN FOR THE KNOB. *TR

NHTSA ID

10449507

Incident

Dec 15, 2010

Mileage

120,000 mi

THE DEFROST/AIR CONDITIONER/HEAT CONTROL SWITCH HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY FROM DAY ONE. IT IS A FIGHT FOR HOURS TO GET THE CONTROL TO TURN. WAS TOLD IN 2003 THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD WORK ITSELF OUT WITH USE IN DUE TIME, IT NEVER DID. NOW THE SWITCH IS STUCK BETWEEN THE HEAT AND THE AIR CONDITIONING MARK AND I CANNOT GET IT TO TURN TO EITHER. I CALLED THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST AROUND $1,400.00 TO FIX THE MANUFACTURING DEFECT. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED IN 2005 CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM, BUT, THE DEALER WAS NOT OBLIGATED , ACCORDING TO THEM, TO CHECK EACH CAR IT COVERED FOR THE PROBLEM. I FEEL NHTSA SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL CONCERNING THIS DEFECT, BECAUSE IF ONE CANNOT USE THEIR DEFROSTER WHILE DRIVING WHEN NEEDED, THEN IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM IF THEY CANNOT SEE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD! *TR

NHTSA ID

10449247

Incident

Feb 23, 2012

HEATING CONTROL DOES NOT TURN. PART NUMBER MN185137HC IS BROKEN. I WAS TOLD BY MISTUBISHI DEALER IN SAN JOSE, CA THAT THE PART IS DEFECTIVE AND COMMONLY BREAKS IN LANCERS. HE SAID IT SHOULD BE RECALLED BUT MITSUBISHI HAS NOT DONE SO. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR WAS $300 FOR A NEW CONTROLLER ASSEMBLY PART, $80 TO FIX AIR VENTS SO THAT DUST DOES NOT SPEW, AND ANOTHER $600 IN LABOR COSTS FOR A TOTAL OF $980. *TR

NHTSA ID

10448452

Incident

Feb 18, 2012

A/C HEATER NOB BROKE OFF AFTER SWITCHING IT FROM COLD TO HEAT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10436402

Incident

Oct 12, 2010

TEMPERATURE KNOB WAS ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO TURN, THEN IT BROKE COMPLETELY OFF. NOT A PROBLEM FOR THE SUMMER (IT'S STUCK ON COLD) BUT NEEDS TO BE FIXED FOR THE WINTER SO THAT THE CAR CAN DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD. TECHNICIAN SAID IT WOULD BE BETWEEN $1500-2000 TO REPAIR BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE DASHBOARD AND REPLACE THE ENTIRE KNOB PANEL PLUS FIX THE REAL PROBLEM WHICH IS THE "AIR MIX DOOR LEVER". APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR MISTUBISHI OWNERS AND THE COMPANY HAS NOT DONE A RECALL TO FIX IT; THEREFORE OWNERS ARE DROPPING $1000S OF DOLLARS TO GET THEIR CAR OPERATIONAL FOR SEASONAL TEMP CHANGES. ISN'T IT A SAFETY HAZARD IF YOUR DEFROSTER DOES NOT WORK??? *TR

NHTSA ID

10418080

Incident

Oct 10, 2010

Mileage

130,000 mi

I HAVE TWO ISSUES WHICH SEEM TO HAVE BOTH ALREADY BEEN REPORTED. 1. WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION WILL IDLE HIGH WHILE DRIVING, BUT THE VEHICLE IS NOT SPEEDING UP. THEN WITHOUT WARNING THE TRANSMISSION CATCHES, AND THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD. THIS IS A RANDOM ISSUE THAT HAPPENS DAILY WITH THE VEHICLE. SERVICING THE TRANSMISSION HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM AND CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM TO THIS DAY. 2.THE HEATER/AC CONTROL KNOW BECAME VERY DIFFICULTY TO CHANGE BETWEEN HEATER AND A/C. THE SWITCH HAS FINALLY BROKE OFF, AND NOW I'M UNABLE TO SWITCH BETWEEN HEATER AND A/C. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND THIS ALSO SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. I HAVE FOUND MOST OTHER AUTO OWNERS HAVE PAID FOR THE REPLACEMENT, BUT ONLY TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM OCCUR AGAIN. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON BOTH OF THESE ISSUES AND IS HAS BEEN REPORTED AS FAR BACK AS 2004, AND AT THIS POINT I DO SEE ANY RECALLS BY MITSUBISHI TO FIX EITHER OF THE PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10401304

Incident

Dec 30, 2003

Mileage

100 mi

AS WITH SO MANY OTHER LANCERS NOTED HERE, MY WIFE'S 2003 LANCER'S TEMP CONTROL KNOB HAS BROKEN. OVER A PERIOD OF A FEW YEARS THE KNOB CONTINUALLY GOT HARDER TO TURN AND RECENTLY JUST BROKE OFF. I ALSO GAVE HER A PAIR OF NEEDLE-NOSE PLIERS TO TURN THE PLASTIC NUB THAT IS LEFT, ALTHOUGH I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THIS WILL WORK AS EACH TIME SHE DOES IT WEARS DOWN THE PLASTIC SOME. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A WIDE-SPREAD PROBLEM AND NOT JUST A NUISANCE, AS MY WIFE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO DEFROST HER WINDOWS AS NEEDED FOR VISIBILITY. SHAME ON MITSUBISHI FOR NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE ISSUE, LET ALONE FOR NOT FIXING IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10400804

Incident

Mar 15, 2011

Mileage

103,700 mi

THE HEATING/COOLING KNOB HAS BEEN HARD TO TURN SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. IT WOULD HAVE TO BE FORCED TO SWITCH FROM WARM TO COOL. EVENTUALLY THE KNOB BROKE OFF. MITSUBISHI WAS CONTACTED AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED BUT SINCE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT. THE CABLE WAS REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT SOLVED, IT WAS STILL JUST AS HARD TO TURN. APPROX 1 1/2 YEARS LATER THE KNOB BROKE OFF AGAIN RESULTING IN NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL TEMPERATURE AND ENGAGE THE DEFROSTER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10395695

Incident

May 1, 2007

Mileage

60,000 mi

2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER: THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB BROKE OFF ITS SHAFT, AFTER OVER TWO YEARS OF THE CONTROL BEING SO DIFFICULT TO TURN THAT IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCOMLISH. THE WIRE RUNNING FROM THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL (KNOB) TO THE VENT FLAP THAT CONTROLS HEAT/COLD BENT AS WELL, LEAVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT A WAY TO CHANGE THE TEMPERATURE (STUCK IN COLD POSITION NOW). THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AS I AM UNABLE TO DEFROST/CLEAR MY WINDSHIELD WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE, WHICH RESULTS IN CONTINUOUS POOR DRIVING VISIBILITY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10386720

Incident

Jan 11, 2011

Mileage

102,496 mi

NO HEAT/DEFROST IN MITSUBISHI LANCER (2003) USUALLY, ITS KIND OF HARD TO TURN, BUT IF YOU TWIST THE KNOB FAST ENOUGH, YOU'LL HEAR THIS SLIDING SOUND BEHIND THE CENTER CONSOLE SIGNIFYING THE CHANGE FROM COLD TO HEAT. THE KNOB IS NO LONGER DOING THAT, NO MATTER HOW I TURN IT. I WILL TURN IT THE FULL 180 DEGREES, AND IT WON'T "POP" INTO PLACE" AND IT'LL END UP TURNING BACK TO ABOUT 160 DEGREES (THE DIAL LOCATION). *TR

NHTSA ID

10378234

Incident

Jan 11, 2011

Mileage

200,000 mi

MY DAUGHTER'S 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER ES NO LONGER PROVIDES HEAT. AS IN MANY OTHER CASES, THE KNOB HAS BROKEN OFF!! WHY IS THIS NOT THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL? SHE HAS NO HEAT, IT'S WINTER, AND SHE HAS NO MEANS TO DEFROST HER WINDSHIELD. FOR A WHILE SHE WAS ABLE TO TURN THE MECHANISM USING NEEDLE-NOSED PLIERS. NOW, EVEN THAT DOESN'T WORK AND SHE HAS NO HEAT, NO MEANS TO DEFROST HER WINDSHIELD AND WINDOWS RELIABLY, AND THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10375538

Incident

Mar 1, 2010

Mileage

110,000 mi

TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. EVENTUALLY, THE CONTROL KNOB BROKE AWAY FROM THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR BENEATH, AND NOW THE TEMPERATURE CANNOT BE CHANGED. A SHORT INTERNET SEARCH HAS SHOWN THIS TO BE SUBJECT OF A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ISSUED IN 2004. *TR

NHTSA ID

10373798

Incident

Jan 1, 2009

THE HEAT/AC KNOB ON MY 2003 MITSUBISHI HAS BEEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THIS IS ESPECIALLY HAZARDOUS WHEN TRYING TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD. I'VE REPORTED THE ISSUE SEVERAL TIMES TO MITSUBISHI AND THEY HAVE STATED THAT THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE MORE I RESEARCH, THE MORE I FIND THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR OTHERS. THIS KNOB HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO USE FROM DAY ONE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10370705

Incident

Dec 13, 2010

Mileage

108,000 mi

MITSUBISHI 2003 HEATING KNOB IS NOT WORKING.. *TR

NHTSA ID

10370316

Incident

Dec 12, 2010

Mileage

99,000 mi

AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING KNOB WAS HARD TO TURN, UNTIL IT FINALLY BROKE COMPLETELY OFF. NOW I HAVE NO HEAT IN MY VEHICLE AND IT VISUALLY IMPAIRS MY DRIVING WHEN IT IS COLD AND FROSTS UP. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING I CAN DO, EXCEPT TRY TO DRIVE THROUGH IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10369244

Incident

Nov 1, 2009

Mileage

100,000 mi