1997 Mitsubishi Galant Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the front lower ball joints: joint wear, noise, steering pull, and frustration about recall work (campaign 00V421001) that they say was declined, delayed for parts, or limited to lubrication. Transmission complaints center on the automatic floor shifter slipping out of Drive into Neutral without a button or brake press, plus harsh shifting and outright failures. Brake reports describe a low or spongy pedal, long stopping distances, and repeat rotor and pad work, usually at moderate mileage.

1. 1
   Suspension

   Front lower ball joint wear and recall service problems

   • 13 complaints (16%)
   • median 78,000 mi at 11.2 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2001–2016

   Complaints describe clunking or grinding from the front end, steering that wanders or pulls, and in some cases a joint that came apart. Several owners say their vehicle was repaired at their own cost before they knew about the recall, and they asked for reimbursement; others report that a dealer declined the campaign because the VIN was not covered or because no damage was seen, and one says the joints were only lubricated and later failed anyway. A few reports note rust around the shock towers and wheel wells as well. Mostly reported between about 75,000 and 170,000 miles, with a few at very low mileage.

   Recall 00V421001

   What to check: Ask for documentation that recall 00V421001 was performed, and have a shop check both front lower ball joints and the tie rod ends for play. Look for rust at the shock towers and inner wheel wells.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Took my 1997 Mitsubishi to cherry hill triplex dealership and was told that I needed my front lateral arms replaced; that they were about to fall off. I've only had the car for a year; that's not damage I could do in a year. I want to request that Mitsubishi covers the cost or reimburses me for this significant defect.”

   NHTSA complaint #10216860, filed 2008-02, 169,865 miles

   “I felt the car steering wasn't tracking and delayed while I was making a turn into a curve on the road and the steering was delayed in responding to the turn. I took the car to the dealer and he replaced the lf lower lateral arm because of play in ball joint. But the dealer never informed me that there was a recall about this problem and he charged me to have the lf lateral arm replaced.”

   NHTSA complaint #744101, filed 2001-04
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Automatic shifter slips from Drive to Neutral

   • 8 complaints (10%)
   • median 99,862 mi at 7.4 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1997–2012

   Owners describe the floor shifter moving out of Drive and into Neutral from a light touch, with no need to press the shift button or the brake, sometimes while merging or reaching across the console. Other transmission complaints describe harsh or delayed shifting, the engine racing between gears, and units that stopped moving or failed outright, with one owner reporting an overhaul. Reports span roughly 67,000 to 120,000 miles, with some earlier failures shortly after purchase.

   What to check: On a test drive, try shifting between Drive and Neutral with and without the button and confirm the lever holds firmly in Drive. Ask about transmission service history and check for delayed or harsh shifts when cold.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “1997 Mitsubishi Galant es w/ automatic transmission ( transaxle ): vehicle's gearshift can be accidently bumped from drive to neutral because this gear change does not require the brakes to be pressed nor the gearshift button to be pressed. I have twice now bumped the car into neutral from drive by reaching over the gearshift, both times while the car was in motion (once while trying to merge onto the interstate). This could have lead to an accident both times had I not quickly discovered that my car was no longer in drive. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10066496, filed 2004-04, 80,800 miles

   “I was at a stop sign and I pressed on the gas, all of a sudden the car just stopped moving. I put the car in park, shut it off, turned it back on, shifted it into drive, and it would not move, it seemed like it was stuck in neutral. It has not moved ever since.”

   NHTSA complaint #10481062, filed 2012-10
3. 3
   Brakes

   Brake pedal fading low and repeat rotor work

   • 10 complaints (13%)
   • median 60,000 mi at 5.6 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2003

   Complaints describe the pedal traveling near the floor on hard stops, longer stopping distances, humming or popping noises, and shaking through the wheel when braking. Several owners say pads, rotors, and in some cases the master cylinder were replaced more than once without solving it, and a few report the front brakes doing most of the work with little wear at the rear. Reported from very low mileage up to about 60,000 miles and beyond.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check pedal feel and travel on a hard stop, look for scored or heavily worn rotors, and ask whether the rear brakes have been inspected and adjusted, not just the fronts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Front brakes doing 100% of braking, rear brakes never set to contact drums. Rotors replaced 7 to 8 times in past few years while rear brakes have never been replaced. I stopped going to boch Mitsubishi and went to a brake specialist who told me the brake system was no good and the rear brakes had zero wear on them after 3 years. I have been lied to by this dealer too often. I went in for a lower balljoint recall and was told they were fine but my inner tierods needed replacing due to looseness. …”

   NHTSA complaint #752353, filed 2001-09

   “The brakes and steering wheel shake when the brakes are applied. The brakes seem to make a popping noise when making a left or right hand turn. I have to apply brakes at a far distance to prevent from running into other vehicles. The problem has existed for awhile and noted to service dealership on numerous occasions. In addition, noise can be heard from the gas tank when braking. You can hear the gas shaking from in the tank. This is a concern when transporting passengers in the rear compartment. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10014304, filed 2003-04, 60,000 miles
4. 4
   Air bags

   Air bags deploy without a crash or fail in a crash

   • 8 complaints (10%)
   • median 100,000 mi at 7.0 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2023

   Owners report both directions of the problem: air bags firing with no impact, including while parked or slowly backing out, and frontal air bags that did not deploy in moderate-speed front-end collisions. Several describe injuries and a cracked windshield from the deployment, and some note no warning light beforehand. Reported across a wide mileage range, from older vehicles to ones over 300,000 miles.

   What to check: Ask whether the air bag warning light works and check for any stored air bag codes or signs of previous deployment, such as replaced covers or a replaced windshield.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was slowly backing out of a parking spot at a local shopping center when my steering wheel airbag suddenly and unexpectedly deployed. The force was enough to break my arm. There was no indication of any problem with the airbag prior to this incident, as no warning light or message appeared at any time. Moreover, I had never been involved in any automobile accident with this car prior to this occasion.”

   NHTSA complaint #10054985, filed 2004-01, 100,000 miles

   “While driving at approximately 45 MPH another vehicle backed out into consumer's driving path, resulting in a crash. Both frontal air bags in consumers vehicle failed to deploy during this impact. Consumer sustained back injuries. *note: consumer stated that vehicle had been in a front end collision prior to his ownership of vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #887670, filed 2001-05
5. 5
   Electrical system

   Electrical shorts, dead power and dash smoke

   Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe sudden total loss of electrical power while driving, with lights and hazard flashers out and the car unable to restart, as well as smoke or burning from the wiring under the dash and a radio that caught fire. Owners report towing and wiring repairs, and in one case melted wiring along with a failed harmonic balancer and split radiator hose. Reported across a wide mileage range, including vehicles with 50,000 miles and above.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Inspect under-dash wiring for splices, scorching, or a burning smell, confirm all lights and the horn work, and ask whether the alternator and battery have been replaced recently.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving at 20 MPH consumer saw smoke coming from under the dashboard and under the hood. The vehicle was taken to a repair shop, and mechanic informed consumer that all of the electrical wires melted. On another occasion while driving at about 15 MPH vehicle completely shut down. Vehicle was taken to the mechanic, who discovered that the flywheel and associated pulleys had to be replaced. Also, radiator hose split.”

   NHTSA complaint #10048058, filed 2003-11, 50,000 miles

   “The engine has an uneven idle and hesistates at 2200 RPM. Four lifters were replaced under warranty at 23k miles. The engine was remanufactured under warranty to fix an oil consumption problem at 28k miles. The car now has 75k miles and is again burning oil at 1 quart/1k miles. The caster alignment is off by 1.2 degrees and cannot be fixed. The front bumper is falling off because the thin metal plate that holds it on has rusted off. The horn has stopped working seven different times, due to a problem with the ground and wiring in general.”

   NHTSA complaint #10000048, filed 2002-12

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.