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Mitsubishi GalantModel year report

1999 Mitsubishi Galant Problems

Complaints
215filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
80,000miles, 27 complaints with mileage
Recalls
5campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
21 mpgcombined, 2.4L 4-cyl FWD · 19 city / 26 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1999 Mitsubishi Galant (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year report front brake vibration and shudder most often, typically followed by repeated rotor replacement or resurfacing that only helps briefly. A second common theme is steering-wheel shake and front-end vibration at highway speeds, often tied by dealers to the front suspension or tires. Paint clear-coat peeling and occasional electrical fires in the wiring harness also appear in the complaints.

  1. Brakes

    Brake shudder and repeated rotor replacement

    • 85 complaints (40%)
    • median 77,500 mi at 5.5 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
    • 13 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1999–2006

    Complaints describe vibration or pulsation through the pedal and steering wheel when braking, sometimes with grinding or a longer stopping distance. Owners report repeated rotor replacement or resurfacing, often within months, after which the shaking returns. Some say dealers acknowledged warped rotors but declined warranty repair, or told owners aftermarket wheels contributed. Reported from very low mileage up through roughly 130,000 miles, often within the first 15,000 to 30,000 miles.

    What to check: Test-drive at highway speed and brake firmly from about 60 mph to feel for pedal or wheel pulsation. Ask for service records showing how often rotors and pads were replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I've been replacing my brakes and rotors since 93 about every 6 months it's getting out of hand, the dealer tells me I've had my recalls fixed and we argued over it but I know it hasn't been fixed. I think because it's to many of them which the dealer will lose out on time and money. I tired of replacing my brakes. Pls help!”

    NHTSA complaint #10135815, filed 2005-09, 75,000 miles

    “Front rotors warped at around 15000 miles. At the first incident, I had the rotors turned and bought high quality pads. Shortly thereafter, the rotors warped again. I bought another set of rotors, and things were okay for about 10000 miles. Afterwards, braking vibration came back. I decided to buy brembo slotted rotors in case the factory rotors were not good enough. I finally found an internet site that had them for this car, but I probably cannot write the name here. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10049642, filed 2003-12, 55,000 miles
  2. Suspension

    Highway-speed vibration and front-end shake

    • 59 complaints (27%)
    • median 92,400 mi at 5.8 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1999–2007

    Owners describe steering-wheel shake or a violent vibration of the front end at highway speeds, sometimes beginning around 50 mph. Several report the dealer pointed to the front suspension, tires or lower control arms, with repairs that did not always resolve it. One owner reported a rusted lower control arm breaking at low speed. Mostly reported from moderate to higher mileage, often above 50,000 miles, with vibration appearing at highway speeds.

    Recall 00V225001

    What to check: Drive at 55-65 mph on a smooth road and watch for wheel shake, and have the front suspension and control arms inspected for rust or play before purchase.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have had problem after problem...had rotors replaced 3 mos after purchase, complained of violent shaking numerous times. I was told this was b/c I had after factory wheels that were too big for my car. I learned to live with it. The next thing to occur was a loud noise while driving coming from front end wheels. In june of 2001, I had an A/C idler pulley replaced for $150. As soon as I drove away, the noise presented again. I finally gave up on sitting at the dlrshp for 3 hrs w/a 3 yr old, so I've learned to live with it...yet again. …”

    NHTSA complaint #757657, filed 2002-02

    “There is a violent vibration of steering wheel when vehicle is traveling above 50 MPH. All recalls have been repaired in vehicle, front suspension was redone, replaced lower control arms/balance dand rotated on numerous occasions. Dealership just replaced front tires, and stated that tires were causing vibration. Please provide any additional information/attachments.”

    NHTSA complaint #887518, filed 2001-05
  3. Body and structure

    Paint clear-coat peeling (black and dark colors)

    • 15 complaints (7%)
    • median 52,000 mi at 5.0 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2004–2010

    Several owners of black or dark-colored cars report the clear coat peeling, oxidizing or flaking from the hood, roof and trunk within about four to six years. They describe dealers saying the car was outside warranty and that no paint recall existed. One owner also reported a door that would not open properly from inside. Usually noted around four to six years old, from roughly 30,000 to 55,000 miles.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Inspect hood, roof and trunk edges in daylight for dulling, chalking or lifting clear coat, and check that every door opens easily from the inside.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Paint flaw ,the clear coat is coming off. It has spread all over the car.my whole car looks as if it is camoflouge.I was wondering if anyone else has complained of this happening to their black Galant.my local dealer says that there is no recall on the paint.I think it should be.a paint job should last longer than4 years.the car had a little spot on it when I bought it, but it spread over the whole thing in less than a year.sounds like a defect to me.”

    NHTSA complaint #10067748, filed 2004-04, 52,000 miles

    “Started to notice that the clear coat on my 1999 black Mitsubishi Galant was peeling off on the hood. Now my hood, roof, and trunk are totally peeling off. Noticed this on a lot of other black galants. I know the car was about 5 years old when I first noticed it, but the paint shouldn't of got so bad so quick. Any recalls on Mitsubishi paint?”

    NHTSA complaint #10173525, filed 2006-11
  4. Steering

    Steering pull and vibration tied to steering gear

    • 40 complaints (19%)
    • median 51,280 mi at 4.8 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1999–2007

    Complaints describe the vehicle pulling to one side, steering-wheel vibration, or difficulty turning, with some owners linking this to the steering gear recall. A few report the recall repair was performed but the pull or vibration continued, and one reported the car turned the wrong way at low speed. Reported across a wide mileage range, from near-new through roughly 150,000 miles.

    Recall 00V225001

    What to check: Confirm with a dealer whether recall 00V225001 was completed, and check for any pull while driving straight on a level road.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My car driving ability seems okay but at times it tends to pull to the side as if I'm about to make a turn. Secondly, it's been making a clinging sound. I took it to a Mitsubishi dealership and they can't seem to find the problem where the noise is coming from and I'm concerned about my safety at times driving my car because this has been an ongoing process every since I got my car, know one seems to know what's going on.”

    NHTSA complaint #10146974, filed 2006-01, 47,560 miles

    “Recall 00v225001; vehicle has been to dealer three times in reference to recall . Recall repairs did not correct problem, vehicle continued to vibrate and severely pull to right. Please give any further details.”

    NHTSA complaint #890433, filed 2001-06
  5. Electrical system

    Under-hood electrical fires and wiring damage

    • 13 complaints (6%)
    • median 137,755 mi at 9.7 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
    • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1998–2009

    Complaints describe smoke or flames from the engine compartment or wiring harness area, sometimes noticed at startup or while driving, with damage to the harness, alternator or fuse box. One owner reported the battery cable harness was heat damaged near the exhaust manifold; another reported an alternator and harness fire. Reported across a wide mileage range, from low mileage up to about 140,000 miles.

    Recall 99V333001Recall 99V3050011 related service bulletin

    What to check: Ask whether recall 99V333001 was completed, and inspect the battery cable and alternator wiring for brittle, melted or chafed insulation.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Alternator and wire harness caught on fire on my 1999 Mitsubishi Galant. Harness and alternator plug were totally burnt. Had to replace both at my cost. Also had to replace radiator while at the shop. Lost 1 day of work due to this.”

    NHTSA complaint #10208738, filed 2007-11, 141,203 miles

    “While driving the vehicle noticed smoke coming from under the hood. Opened the hood and notice a fire coming from the wiring harness out of the fuse box. Disconnectted the battery and towed it home.”

    NHTSA complaint #10286969, filed 2009-10, 134,308 miles

Buying note. This model year attracts repeated brake and front-end vibration complaints, so a thorough test drive at highway speed and a suspension and brake inspection are worthwhile. Ask for recall and service records, especially for the steering gear and battery cable campaigns, and check the paint condition closely on dark-colored cars.

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.

NHTSA recorded 215 consumer complaints for the 1999 Mitsubishi Galant. 27 of the complaints include a mileage, and 26% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 80,000 miles. Of all complaints, 30 involved a crash, 10 a fire, 17 an injury, 1 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 24 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Exterior lighting (7), Wheels (6), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (5), Equipment (4), Seat belts (3), Tires (3), Fuel system (2).

Example complaints

Brakes: “Abs failure- light is on after car was rear ended. Dealer charge me $218 us dollars to tell me that I needed an ABS system I was told that all me recall was done. By talking to the dealer none of my recalls was done and I had to bring the car few days letter and lost days of work and the ABS is still not fix. They said I have to pay 1000 dollars to fix my car and it is not car accident related. The fact is I did not had any problems before the accident nor I had ABS light on. Now I cant even drive the car the brakes are very bed rotor is noisy car is vibrate and brakes are down. …”

NHTSA complaint #10130708, filed 2005-07, 129,800 miles

Suspension: “Thermostat stuck causing engine overheating. Also, AC runs cold and then warm in city driving. On the highway it is cold. A severe vibration occurs in city driving with the air conditioner on also. I have to turn the air off to make it quit. I contacted the dealer about both of these problems and because it is not under 36k miles they will not do anything else about it.”

NHTSA complaint #749994, filed 2001-08

Electrical system: “The contact owns a 1999 Mitsubishi Galant. The contact stated the turn signal and hazard lights failed. The dealer stated the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign id number: 99v333001, electrical system: battery: cables recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 105,000. The current mileage was 106,000.”

NHTSA complaint #10414980, filed 2011-07, 5,100 miles

Body and structure: “Am writing to you because Mitsubishi motors was not taking responsibility for its products. On august 27,1999 I purchased the black Galant. This was my first new car purchased,, and while it has remained mechanically sound, for the last three years I have watched the paint disappear. I had service work performed at sam swope Mitsubishi. In 2003 I complained about the paint, and was told only if the vehicle was under the 3 year, 36,000 mile warrant, and over the past three years service department employees have seen the paint disappear. …”

NHTSA complaint #10191160, filed 2007-05, 40,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

26% of the 27 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 47,560 and 126,000 miles.

4%0–100%10–2522%25–5019%50–7519%75–10030%100–1507%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (27 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 80,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’9960’01’03’05’07’09’11’19
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1999 Mitsubishi Galant. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Galant · sedan not rated4 / 4———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1999 Mitsubishi Galant version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Galant FWD2.4L 4-cyl5-speed manual202823$2,900
Galant FWD2.4L 4-cyl4-speed automatic192621$3,200
Galant FWD3.0L 6-cyl4-speed automatic172520$3,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1999 Mitsubishi Galant → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 24 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 24 bulletins →

Other model years of the Mitsubishi Galant

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2012947,0000—24—Not enough data
2010995,6721—24—Not enough data
20091668,0000—23—Rising
2008680,0000—23—Not enough data
20072466,7501—23—Rising
20062465,0001—23—Falling
20052631,0003—23Not compared (before 2008)Rising
20046172,5001—23Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200312663,7502—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200213564,8952—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200115160,0007—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200013683,0006—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199921580,0005—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199853100,7051—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19978087,9441—22Not compared (before 2008)Rising
199613698,6003—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1995209119,5005—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1994198109,5003—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19939172,0000—21—Not enough data
199239112,3141—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199163112,5451—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199021143,0001—21—Stable
198919—1—22—Stable
19887—0—18—Not enough data
19879—1—20—Not enough data

All Mitsubishi Galant model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 1999 Mitsubishi Galant?

Owners of this model year report front brake vibration and shudder most often, typically followed by repeated rotor replacement or resurfacing that only helps briefly. The issues reported most often: Brake shudder and repeated rotor replacement; Highway-speed vibration and front-end shake; Paint clear-coat peeling (black and dark colors).

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1999 Mitsubishi Galant have?

NHTSA recorded 215 consumer complaints for the 1999 Mitsubishi Galant as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1999 Mitsubishi Galant is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 96 complaints (45% of the total), followed by suspension with 26.

Has the 1999 Mitsubishi Galant been recalled?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1999 Mitsubishi Galant get?

The EPA rates the 1999 Mitsubishi Galant (Galant, 2.4L 4-cyl) at 21 mpg combined, 19 city and 26 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,200 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1999 Mitsubishi Galant reported?

Among the 27 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 80,000 miles and the middle half falls between 47,560 and 126,000 miles; 26% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.