2003 Mitsubishi Outlander Visibility Problems

SINCE THE SECOND YEAR SINCE I'VE OWNED THIS CAR THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB HAS BEEN FROZEN. THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN TURN THE KNOB IS TO HAVE A MECHANIC MANUALLY TURN THE KNOB UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. MITSUBISHI MOTORS ADMITTED THIS WAS A DESIGN FLAW IN 2002 TO 2007 MITSUBISHI LANCERS AND OUTLANDERS. I HAVE CALLED MITSUBISHI MANY TIMES AND SENT LETTERS OF COMPLAINTS BUT THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BUT LEAVE THE VEHICLES OWNER IN WHAT CAN BE A DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. I'VE HAD TO DRIVE IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS BEFORE AND THE KNOB WAS STUCK ON AIR CONDITIONING IT WAS FREEZING TEMPERATURES WHERE I WAS DRIVING IN AND YOU COULD NOT USE THE DEFROSTER BE CAUSE IT WAS ON COLD AIR! YOU HAD TO PULL OVER AND SCRAPE THE WINDOW AND CONTINUALLY WIPE THE CLOUDED OVER WINDOW. I PAID $23,000 FOR THIS VEHICLE AND NOT TO HAVE CONTROL OF THE HEAT AND AIR IS REDICULUS! YOU CANNOT ALWAYS GET YOUR VEHICLE INTO A MECHANIC AND HAVE THEM MANUALLY TURN THE HEAT AND AIR KNOB. AND THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE A CHOICE OF IS EITHER HEAT OR COLD AIR. THE HVAC SYSTEM WAS INAPPROPRIATELY DESIGNED BY MITSUBISHI AND THE CABLE FROM THE KNOB BUNCHES UP AND DOES NOT WORK ANYMORE. I THOUGHT NOT BEING ABLE TO USE THE DEFROSTER IS A SAFETY HAZARD. MITSUBISHI NEEDS TO OWN UP TO THIS AND RECALL WHAT HAS AFFECTED 1000S OF VEHICLES. YOU CAN BE IN AN AREA OF THE COUNTRY WHERE YOU NEED THE AIR CONDITIONING AND THEN DRIVE INTO A SNOW STORM AND YOU CAN'T USE THE DEFROSTER UNLESS YOU FIND A MECHANIC IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO CHANGE IT OVER TO HEAT. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE NOT BEING ABLE TO TURN THE KNOB TO THE SETTING YOU NEED AT WILL FOR THE DEFROSTER. VEHICLE OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED TO MITSUBISHI BUT WILL NOT FIXIT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH MY CAR SINCE 2004. THE PHOTO SHOWS THE HEAT AND AIR CONDITIONING KNOB THAT CAN ONLY BE MANUALLY TURNED BY A MECHANIC.

NHTSA ID

11193003

Incident

Jan 1, 2004

Mileage

10,000 mi

THE ISSUE BEGAN IN 2004 WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS 1 YEAR OLD. THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB BECAME FROZEN AND YOU COULD NOT TURN IT FROM HEAT TO AIR CONDITIONING OR THE OTHER WAY. I SPENT $23,000 ON THIS CAR AND YOU COULD NOT TURN FROM AIR CONDITIONING TO HEAT AT WILL ONLY A MECHANIC CAN MANUALLY TURN IT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND THEN ONLY PUT IT ON HOT OR COLD. ONE TIME I WAS DRIVING 600 MILES FOR AN EMERGENCY WITH THE KNOB STUCK ON AIR CONDITIONING AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN IT TO HEAT. IT WAS BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND THE WINDOW FOGGED UP BECAUSE I WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT THE DEFROSTER ON. I HAD TO CONTINUALLY PULL OVER TO WIPE OFF THE WINDOW AND THE FROST. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT IF I HAD NOT CONTINUALLY PULLED OVER. 2002 TO 2007 LANCERS AND OUTLANDERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW BY THE MANUFACTURER BUT THEY WILL NOT OWN UP TO THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD IT TO A MECHANIC MANY TIMES BUT THEY CANNOT FIX IT. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY MITSUBISHI IS NOT FORCED TO FIX THIS FOR CONSUMERS WHEN THIS IS CLEARLY A DANGEROUS PROBLEM IF YOU CANNOT USE THE DEFROSTER. I SHOULD NOT BE MADE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING WHEN IT IS A MANUFACTURING FLAW. THERE ARE 1000S OF VEHICLES ON THE ROAD WITH THIS PROBLEM AND MITSUBISHI WILL NOT OWN UP THAT THIS IS A CLEARLY SAFETY ISSUE. THE CONSUMER HAS NO POWER IN THIS SITUATION I HAVE CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE AND AM TOLD THEY WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT UNLESS IT'S RECALLED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP IN THIS MATTER I HAVE NO PLACE ELSE TO GET HELP WITH THIS AND I CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS IS WRONG MITSUBISHI ALLOWS CARS ON THE ROAD WITH THIS PROBLEM AND TURNS A BLIND EYE TO POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.

NHTSA ID

11192997

Incident

Jan 1, 2004

Mileage

15,000 mi

I AM REFERRING TO A WELL KNOWN "STICKY HVAC MIX DOOR" ISSUE IN THE MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER AND LANCER VEHICLES IN MODEL YEAR 2003 (PERHAPS AMONG OTHER YEARS AND MODELS). THIS ISSUE CAN RESULT IN AN INABILITY TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD DURING COLD WEATHER DRIVING. I HAVE HAD THE "STICKY" ISSUE FOR SOME TIME, WHICH, WHILE IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN THE KNOB, WAS NOT A HUGE ISSUE. HOWEVER, RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING, THE DOOR WENT FROM "STICKY" TO "STUCK," ON THE "COLD" SETTING. MY WINDOWS GRADUALLY STARTED TO FOG AND I WAS UNABLE TO DEFOG THEM SINCE THE SYSTEM COULD NOT BLOW HOT AIR DUE TO THE STUCK MIX DOOR. I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY (I-39) IN CENTRAL WISCONSIN AT THE TIME, ON AUGUST 27, 2016 IN THE EVENING. IN LATE SUMMER / EARLY AUTUMN, THERE IS A WIDE TEMPERATURE SWING DURING THE DAY AND NIGHT, SO FLIPPING FROM HOT TO COLD SETTINGS IS VERY COMMON. FORTUNATELY IT WAS NOT EXTREMELY COLD SO I WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF THE HVAC AND OPEN ALL MY WINDOWS IN ORDER TO GET BY DURING MY SHORT DRIVE. HOWEVER, IN THE WINTER, I NEED TO HAVE IT SET ON "HOT" AT ALL TIMES: THEREFORE, FOR WINTER DRIVING, MY CAR WILL NOT BE DRIVABLE AT ALL DUE TO THIS ISSUE. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL IN COLD WEATHER STATES ASAP. THIS IS A VERY WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES, BUT ONLY AT THIS TIME DID IT BECOME A SERIOUS CAUSE OF CONCERN: WHEN THE HVAC MIX DOOR IS STUCK ON THE COLD SETTING, THE INABILITY TO DEFOG THE WINDSHIELD IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE DRIVER AS WELL AS FOR ANYONE ELSE SHARING THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID

10905695

Incident

Aug 27, 2016

Mileage

134,000 mi

HVAC KNOB HAS ALWAYS BEEN HARD TO TURN FROM HEAT TO COOL, BUT IT HAS NOW COMPLETELY BROKEN. IF YOU TURN IT TO HEAT IT BOUNCES BACK TO COOL. I HAVE NO HEATER OR DEFROST! I WAS QUOTED $1,500 TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE HVAC CABLE AND DOOR ARE STUCK SHUT. THE DEALER KNEW MY EXACT PROBLEM AND THE PART NUMBER OFF THE TOP OFF HIS HEAD! HE SAID IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM, BUT THEY DON'T RECALL IT BECAUSE IT ISN'T A SAFETY HAZARD. I DON'T SEE HOW THIS IS SO. WE WERE PLUMMETED WITH SNOW AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES THIS WEEK AND I HAD TO USE AN ICE SCRAPPER ON THE INSIDE OF MY WINDOWS WHILE STOPPED AT LIGHTS! FREEZING AND NO VIABILITY SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY CONCERN TO ME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10654554

Incident

Nov 11, 2014

Mileage

103,700 mi

TEMPERATURE KNOB BROKE OFF AFTER GETTING STUCK. SOUNDS LIKE THIS HAPPENS QUITE FREQUENTLY. I GOT AN ESTIMATE TO FIX IT FROM THE DEALER. OVER $2000. MAJOR ISSUE IN THE WINTER FOR DEFROST/HEAT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10548666

Incident

Jan 27, 2012

Mileage

95,000 mi

I PURCHASED MY 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER IN FEBRUARY, 2013 WITH 104,000 MILES ON IT. AT FIRST EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE, BUT AFTER 2 WEEKS THE BACK END OF THE CAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SQUEAKS AND MAKES LOTS OF NOISE. AT FIRST IT WOULD ONLY DO IT A LITTLE BUT IT GOT WORSE AND WORSE WITHIN A COUPLE WEEKS IT CONSTANTLY MAKES NOISE, WHICH IS VERY ANNOYING. I THINK THE DEALERSHIP MUST HAVE DONE A QUICK CHEAP FIX ON IT SO WHEN I TEST DROVE IT, IT WOULD NOT DO IT UNTIL IT WAS PURCHASED. I ALSO HAVE WATER SEEPING IN IN THE FLOOR NEXT TO THE DOOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND WATER COMING THROUGH THE DASH AREA ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEN IT RAINS OR IN A CAR WASH. I READ ONLINE THAT THAT CAN CAUSE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH WORRY'S ME. MY HEAD LIGHTS ALSO HAVE CRACKS AND FOGGED UP AND MAKES IT HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT, WHICH I'VE SEEN TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS CAR WAS NEVER RECALLED FOR ALL THE PROBLEMS IT HAS, THIS IS RIDICULOUS! *TR

NHTSA ID

10507543

Incident

Mar 2, 2013

Mileage

104,000 mi

I OWN A MITSUBISHI 2003 OUTLANDER - THE HEATING COOLING KNOB IS VERY HARD TO TURN AND EVENTUALLY BROKE OFF - I SPENT OVER $300 TO FIX IT - THEY INSTALLED A $150.00 PART BUT SAID I WOULD NEED A MORE EXTENSIVE FIX TO GET THE KNOB TO TURN FROM HEATING TO COOLING. THAT WOULD COST OVER $1500 ALSO TO TURN IT I HAVE TO GET DOWN ON THE FLOOR AND PUSH ON A PART UNDER THE HEATING SYSTEM - THIS IS DANGEROUS WITH A RISK OF BURNS BECAUSE IT GETS HOT DOWN THERE. I FEEL THAT THE COMPANY SHOULD RECALL THESE CARS - NOT REALISTIC TO HAVE SUCH AN EXPENSIVEFIX FOR WHAT SHOULD BE A SIMPLE PROBLEM WITH A TIGHT CABLE . THEY KNOW ABOUT IT - OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED . *TR

NHTSA ID

10364210

Incident

Nov 5, 2010

Mileage

81,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, SMALL STONES FELL OFF OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AND STRUCK THE SUNROOF OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, DEBRIS AND GLASS SHATTERED INSIDE OF HER VEHICLE. TWO PASSENGERS WERE MODERATELY INJURED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER WITHOUT AN IMPACT OR CRASH OCCURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000. UPDATED 6/18/09 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE SUN ROOF WAS NOT TEMPERED. UPDATED 06/22/09. *JB

NHTSA ID

10269738

Incident

Mar 31, 2009

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE TEMPERATURE KNOB ON THE MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER 2003 IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN ON FOR HEAT. SOMETIMES I CAN'T GET IT TO MOVE AT ALL, AND I HAVE TO DRIVE IN THE COLD. I SUFFER FROM ARTHRITIS, AND THIS MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO DRIVE AS MY FINGERS FREEZE-UP IN THE COLD WEATHER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10259091

Incident

Jan 20, 2009

I AM HIGHLY UPSET ABOUT OUR 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER. WE TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF OUR CAR. THE HEATER KNOB WAS HARD TO TURN FROM HOT TO COLD AND EVENTUALLY BROKE. I WENT IN TO VIVA MITSUBISHI AND THE INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT ON THE OUTLANDERS AND LANCERS. THEY HAVE NOT RECALLED THE CARS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THEY ALSO INFORMED THAT IT WOULD COST $1300 TO FIX IT. WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT. I HAVE TO LITTLE BOYS AND IT GETS COLD HERE AND MY BOYS HAVE TO FREEZE. ALSO, WHEN WE NEED TO DEFROST THE WINDOWS, WE CAN'T CHANGE THE TEMP AND IT DOESN'T WORK. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD FOR US. I CAN'T BELIEVE MITSUBISHI IS WILLING TO PUT OUR LIVES, EVEN CHILDREN'S LIVES, IN DANGER ALL BECAUSE THEY WON'T RECALL THIS PART. *TR

NHTSA ID

10257441

Incident

Feb 3, 2009

Mileage

75,000 mi

THE CONSUMER MADE A LEFT TURN AND THE ENGINE HAD RUN AWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FOUR DEALERSHIPS AND WAS TOLD THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE. THE WIPERS DID NOT CLEAR THE WINDOWS OR OPERATE ON HIGH SPEED, THE KEYLESS REMOTE SYSTEM DID NOT OPERATE WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE ENGINE, AND THE FUEL CAP DID NOT LOCK. RECALL#03V0S8000-THE PCM WAS REPROGRAMMED. MR SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10015967