1999 Mitsubishi Mirage Body & structure Problems

I WAS GIVEN A 1999 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY AFTER AN ACCIDENT IN MY 1997 MIRAGE. WHEN I RECEIVED THE CAR, THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WAS DIFFICULT TO OPEN. OVER TIME, THE DOOR BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO CLOSE AND IT EVENTUALLY BECAME MISALIGNED, DROPPING WHEN IT WAS OPENED. IN JULY 2002, THE DOOR BECAME UNUSABLE BECAUSE IT COULD NOT BE OPENED FAR ENOUGH FOR A PASSENGER TO ENTER. I TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP, WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THE HINGE HAD RUSTED SHUT DUE TO UNDERUSE AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT TO A BODY SHOP. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE BODY SHOP, I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER WAS NOT TELLING THE TRUTH BECAUSE THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL OF CAR AND THAT THE HINGES WERE DEFECTIVE. THE BODY SHOP TOLD ME TO CONTACT MITSUBISHI DIRECTLY. I CALLED MITSUBISHI'S CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE AND WAS LITERALLY TOLD "IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, THERE IS NO DEFECT AND IT'S YOUR PROBLEM NOW." I HAVE SINCE BEEN ABLE TO FIND ON YOUR WEBSITE THAT THIS IS IN FACT A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10095816

Incident

Jul 30, 2002

Mileage

23,000 mi

A CRACK DEVELOPED ON THE LOWER HINGE OF THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE UPPER AND LOWER DOOR HINGES, BUT THE CRACK RECURRED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10087619

Incident

Oct 16, 2001

Mileage

46,043 mi

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HINGE PROBLEM. DOOR WAS INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO OPEN OR CLOSE FOR APPROX. 4 MO. LAST MONTH, THE DOOR WOULDN'T CLOSE ENOUGH TO TURN OFF THE DOOR AJAR INDICATOR OR CABIN LIGHT. FINALLY, THE DOOR BECAME MISALIGNED SO THAT CLOSING IT WASN'T POSSIBLE ANYMORE AND WOULD CATCH WITH THE CAR'S SIDE PANEL. AFTER TAKING IT TO A BODY SHOP, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE HINGE WAS THE PROBLEM; IT WAS CRACKED, BENT, AND WAS "SCRAPING" AGAINST THE DOOR, A COMPLETE DOOR REPLACEMENT IS NEEDED DUE TO THE DAMAGE. I BELIEVE THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT DOOR IS ALSO SHOWING EARLY SIGNS OF DAMAGE. CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I DECIDED TO REPORT THE PROBLEM AFTER NOTICING COMPLAINTS OF A SIMILAR NATURE REGARDING THE 1999 MIRAGE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10082670

Incident

Jul 22, 2004

Mileage

87,000 mi

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED CONSUMER NOTICED THAT BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS WOULD NOT LINE UP PROPERLY IN ORDER TO CLOSE. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING AS DESIGNED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10079667

Incident

Jun 22, 2004

WHEN SHUTTING THE PASSENGER DOOR CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE DOOR HINGES CRACKED. THIS WAS CAUSING THE DOOR NOT TO CLOSE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10067325

Incident

Feb 15, 2004

HOOD AND HOOD SKELETON HAVE BECOME SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER. GLUE HOLDING THE TWO PARTS TOGETHER DID NOT HOLD. THIS HAS HAPPENED A WHILE AGO, BUT FOUND THIS WEBSITE TODAY. NOT SURE OF EXACT DATE OF OCCURRENCE SINCE PROBLEM IS NOT VISIBLE UNTIL HOOD IS RAISED, AND IT IS NOT SOMETHING SOMEONE PAYS ATTENTION TO. IT IS AN UNEXPECTED PROBLEM THAT WILL ONLY GET WORSE OVER TIME. LOOKING FOR OTHERS WITH SAME DEFECT. [email protected]. *NM

NHTSA ID

10064450

Incident

Jan 1, 2002

Mileage

54,000 mi

1999 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HINGE CRACKED. OPENING DOOR DROPS DOWN AND WILL NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. INTERIOR LIGHT AND DOOR AJAR LIGHT STAYS ON. DEALER SAYS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. ONLY HAVE 37,800 MILES ON CAR. DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HINGE NOT CRACKED YET. *JB

NHTSA ID

10018447

Incident

Apr 6, 2003

Mileage

37,800 mi

CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR FRAMES ARE CRACKED DUE TO DEFECTIVE LOWER DOOR HINGES.*JB

NHTSA ID

565879

Incident

Apr 18, 2002

LOWER HINGES ON DRIVERS SIDE DOOR FROZE, CAUSING DOOR FRAME TO CRACK. DOOR HANGS DOWN WHICH DAMAGED FENDER. PASSENGERS SIDE DOOR FRAME IS ALSO CRACKING. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK *YD

NHTSA ID

8008458

Incident

Apr 18, 2002

DOOR HINGES ARE NOT PROPERLY ROTATING CAUSING THE HINGE TO HAVE BENT THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR DOOR AND CAUSE TROUBLE BEING ABLE TO CLOSE THE CAR. THE HINGE IS OBSTRUCTING THE CLOSURE OF THE DOOR AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO IT. DEALERSHIP IS CLAIMING THAT THE DOOR WAS PREVIOUSLY BENT FROM STRONG WINDS OR BY A STRONG OPENING OF THE CAR DOOR. NOTHING OF THIS SORT HAS HAPPENED- NO WINDS STRONG ENOUGH IN CHICAGO TO MAKE SUCH A BEND IN THE DOOR FIXTURE AND MY OWN STRENGTH COULD NOT CAUSE THE DAMAGE THAT IS IMPLICATED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THIS SHOULD BE A WARRANTIED ISSUE AND RISKS OUR SAFETY BECAUSE THE DOOR PROGRESSIVELY RELEASES THE HINGE AND DOES NOT PROVIDE A SECURE INTERIOR BY NOT BEING ABLE TO CLOSE SHUT. DRIVER'S SIDE IS WORSE, I SUSPECT BECAUSE OF MORE FREQUENT USE. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR IS SHOWING THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM AND WILL PROGRESSIVELY BEGIN TO BE A HASSLE TO TRY TO CLOSE. I SUSPECT THAT IT WILL ALSO CAUSE THE PROBLEM EXPERIENCED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. *AK

NHTSA ID

724282

Incident

Jun 15, 2000