2001 Mitsubishi Galant recalls and problems

The 2001 Mitsubishi Galant has 7 recalls and 151 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is service brakes.

How the 2001 compares

Highest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 13 Galant model years — the most of any year.

7recalls

151complaints

40crashes

11fires

22injuries

60,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

7 recalls

Equipment

Sep 1, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V428000 · 100,432 vehicles

Problem: Certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' the bilingual english/spanish removable air bag warning labels affixed to the dash and to the sunvisor do not meet the size requirements of the standard.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Risk: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Remedy & notes

Mitsubishi Caribbean will mail a customer notification letter containing a written description and a graphic of the bi-lingual dashboard air bag warning label. In addition, all current 2000-2004 nativa owners will also receive replacement air bag alert labels for the sun visors. This recall is expected to begin during March or April 2005. The notification to the nativa owners is expected to begin during April or May 2005. Owners should contact Mitsubishi Caribbean at 1-787-251-8715.

The manufacturer's petition which requested that NHTSA determine this FMVSS noncompliance does not create an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety was partially denied on January 26, 2005. Therefore, this manufacturer is obligated to conduct an owner notification and remedy campaign.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

Fuel System

Mar 8, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V069000 · 192 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Passenger vehicles. A bulge in the fuel tank caused by the manufacturing process resulted in thinning of the material during a welding operation, increasing the risk of fuel leakage.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A BULGE IN THE FUEL TANK CAUSED BY THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS RESULTED IN THINNING OF THE MATERIAL DURING A WELDING OPERATION, INCREASING THE RISK OF FUEL LEAKAGE.

Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the fuel tank assembly. Owner notification began March 26, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Power Train

Jan 16, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V011001 · 277,227 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. A hose was mis-manufactured and could weaken over time, which could result in leakage of the automatic transmission fluid.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. A HOSE WAS MIS-MANUFACTURED AND COULD WEAKEN OVER TIME, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LEAKAGE OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID.

Risk: Fluid leakage from the cooler hoses can cause transaxle driveability problems and smoke if the oil contacts the front exhaust pipe.

Original NHTSA wording

FLUID LEAKAGE FROM THE COOLER HOSES CAN CAUSE TRANSAXLE DRIVEABILITY PROBLEMS AND SMOKE IF THE OIL CONTACTS THE FRONT EXHAUST PIPE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the hose assembly for the automatic transmission oil cooler. Owner notification mailing will be phased over a five-month period starting March 26, through July 23, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Seats

Jan 8, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V005001 · 47 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Passenger vehicles. A number of incorrect driver side seat mounting bolts were installed into vehicles.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A NUMBER OF INCORRECT DRIVER SIDE SEAT MOUNTING BOLTS WERE INSTALLED INTO VEHICLES.

Risk: The rear anchor bolts securing the driver's seat May not properly secure the seat and could increase the risk of driver injury in an accident.

Original NHTSA wording

THE REAR ANCHOR BOLTS SECURING THE DRIVER'S SEAT MAY NOT PROPERLY SECURE THE SEAT AND COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF DRIVER INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the seat mounting bolts and then replace the bolts if necessary. Owner notification began February 15, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Fuel System

Oct 27, 2000 · NHTSA campaign 00V320001 · 10,510 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Passenger vehicles. The outer layer only of this 3-LAYER fuel return hose does not contain the desired ozone protection due to a processing error.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE OUTER LAYER ONLY OF THIS 3-LAYER FUEL RETURN HOSE DOES NOT CONTAIN THE DESIRED OZONE PROTECTION DUE TO A PROCESSING ERROR.

Risk: This hose is considered to be inadequate.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS HOSE IS CONSIDERED TO BE INADEQUATE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the fuel return hose.

Owner notification began January 15, 2001.owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Mitsubishi at 1-888-648-7820.also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Electrical System

Oct 24, 2000 · NHTSA campaign 00V339000 · 13,974 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Passenger vehicles. The routing of the wiring harness under the right and left side of the rear seat could allow the harness to contact the body. The wires in each harness control the stop lamp circuit, back-up lamp circuit, and the turn lamp circuit.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ROUTING OF THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE OF THE REAR SEAT COULD ALLOW THE HARNESS TO CONTACT THE BODY. THE WIRES IN EACH HARNESS CONTROL THE STOP LAMP CIRCUIT, BACK-UP LAMP CIRCUIT, AND THE TURN LAMP CIRCUIT.

Risk: If any of these wires become short-circuited, the interior lamps, turn signal lamps, and rear stop lamps could stop working. This would fail to warn a following driver that the vehicle is turning or braking and could lead to a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

IF ANY OF THESE WIRES BECOME SHORT-CIRCUITED, THE INTERIOR LAMPS, TURN SIGNAL LAMPS, AND REAR STOP LAMPS COULD STOP WORKING. THIS WOULD FAIL TO WARN A FOLLOWING DRIVER THAT THE VEHICLE IS TURNING OR BRAKING AND COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will re-route and secure the harnesses and, if necessary, repair any pre-existing wire insulation damage.

Owner notification is expected to begin during November 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Mitsubishi america at 1-800-222-0037. Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Engine

Oct 2, 2000 · NHTSA campaign 00V299001 · 6,037 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Passenger vehicles. The harness for the crankshaft position sensor could come in contact with a new protective shield causing a grounded circuit.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HARNESS FOR THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR COULD COME IN CONTACT WITH A NEW PROTECTIVE SHIELD CAUSING A GROUNDED CIRCUIT.

Risk: Prolonged wiring harness contact with the heat shield will cause the wiring insulation to wear and eventually to ground out. This could cause the engine to die-out, increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

PROLONGED WIRING HARNESS CONTACT WITH THE HEAT SHIELD WILL CAUSE THE WIRING INSULATION TO WEAR AND EVENTUALLY TO GROUND OUT. THIS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO DIE-OUT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will re-route the crankshaft position sensor harness.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Engine25

Vehicle Speed Control8

Unknown or other4

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

PASSENGER DOOR FIRE

EA08011 · opened Jul 1, 2008 · closed Aug 21, 2009

Summary

IN RESPONSE TO THIS INVESTIGATION, MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA (MMNA) INITIATED A SPECIAL PROGRAM ON JULY 31, 2009, TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY COVERAGE ON MODEL YEAR (MY) 2001-2003 GALANT VEHICLE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW SWITCHES TO 10 YEARS OR 120,000 MILES, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST.NOTIFICATION OF THIS SPECIAL COVERAGE PROGRAM TO ALL REGISTERED VEHICLE OWNERS IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN IN LATE-SEPTEMBER 2009.OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH (BLOWN FUSE, INTERMITTENT OPERATION OR POWER WINDOW MALFUNCTION) OR WHO SPILLED LIQUIDS OR BEVERAGES ONTO THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WINDOW SWITCH WILL BE ENTITLED TO HAVE THE SWITCH REPLACED AND ANY RELATED REPAIRS PERFORMED AT NO CHARGE.THE AGENCY IS AWARE OF 35 ALLEGED FRONT PASSENGER DOOR PANEL HEAT, SMOKE OR FIRE INCIDENTS, INCLUDING THREE REPORTED MINOR BURNS OR BRUISES.THERE ARE NO REPORTED CRASHES OR FATALITIES.THERE ARE 307 WARRANTY CLAIMS OF SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS OR SHORT CIRCUITS WITHOUT ANY REPORTED HEAT, SMOKE OR FIRE.MMNA INSPECTION AND ANALYSIS OF FIRE-DAMAGED DOOR PANELS/SWITCHES FOUND EVIDENCE OF SPILLED LIQUIDS WITH HIGH SUGAR CONTENT ON THE POWER WINDOW SWITCHES.MMNA CLAIMS THE RESIDUE OF THESE LIQUIDS LED TO A SHORTING/SMOKE/ FIRE CONDITION INSIDE THE SWITCH/DOOR PANEL ASSEMBLY.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE …

2001 vs. other Mitsubishi Galant years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2001. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2001 Mitsubishi Galant have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns covering the 2001 Mitsubishi Galant, the latest from Sep 1, 2004 (equipment). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2001 Mitsubishi Galant?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention service brakes (33), air bags (31), engine (25). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.