2004 Mitsubishi Galant Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe body and door problems: interior door panels that loosen or fall off, doors that stick or will not open, and paint that oxidizes or peels, especially on dark colors. Power window failures are the other frequent theme, with rear windows dropping into the door frames on their own. Mechanical complaints are fewer and more mixed, covering brake and ABS warning lights, a persistent SRS light, and fuel filler or cooling issues at higher mileage.

1. 1
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Rear and front windows drop or fail

   • 8 complaints (13%)
   • median 86,935 mi at 6.6 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2008–2015

   Complaints describe power windows, most often the rear ones, dropping down into the door frame without being touched and then refusing to go back up, sometimes requiring the glass to be wedged in place. A few owners report screeching or grinding before a window stopped working, and one reported a driver's window shattering while the car was parked, which a glass technician linked to a slipped regulator cable. Dealers and shops variously replaced window regulators or motors, and in some cases could not duplicate the fault before the warranty ended. Typically reported between roughly 60,000 and 120,000 miles, with a few at lower mileage.

   What to check: Raise and lower each window several times, listen for scraping or uneven movement, and ask whether any regulator or window motor has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Well shortly after buying the car,the drivers side rear window fell down in the door. Then a couple days ago the other rear window fell also. I'm not sure what happened,but the window wasn't even being used at the time it fell. I don't know what part inside the door went bad,but I feel it should never have done that.”

   NHTSA complaint #10543212, filed 2013-09, 113,000 miles

   “On sept. 23, 2008, I was waiting at a traffic light prior to getting on the freeway when my driver's door window shattered. The sound was as if it was hit by a large rock or tire iron. It seems the stress on the glass came from a failed window regulator. During the attempt to replace the window it was discovered that a window regulator cable had jumped/slipped off its plastic tracking roller. According to the auto glass repair tech, this created a tremendous amount of pressure and stress on the glass causing it to shatter. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10243966, filed 2008-09, 86,935 miles
2. 2
   Body and structure

   Door panels loosen and doors stick or jam

   • 6 complaints (10%)
   • median 61,962 mi at 4.8 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2007–2014

   Owners describe interior door panels coming loose or detaching, which can catch on the door frame and make the door difficult or impossible to open from inside. Several reports mention repeated repairs, with dealers reattaching panels with clips, replacing clips, or replacing whole panels, and the problem returning after months. One owner reported having to enter and exit through another door for about a week. A dealer reportedly attributed it to the door panel design, and another said the repair would not be covered under warranty. Reported from as low as a few thousand miles up through roughly 120,000 miles, with several owners describing repeat occurrences over multiple years.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Open and close every door several times and look for loose, misaligned, or clipped-back interior panels, then ask whether any door panel or clip has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “In oct. 2006 I took my vehicle in because the right front and rear doors were sticking and not opening at times. The dealer replaced the door panels. In july 2008 I took the vehicle to a different dealer for the same problem with right front and rear doors. They replaced the clips that hold the door panel to the frame, sighting poor design of the door panels. Currently (jan. 2010) I am again having this problem with the right front and rear doors again and now the driver's front door. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10303019, filed 2010-01, 73,925 miles

   “Driver side and passenger side front inside door panels are repeatedly falling off and creating the doors to jam and not allow passengers to get in or out of vehicle. Was told by dealer that Mitsubishi motors will not cover this under warranty even though this has happened repeated mount of times.”

   NHTSA complaint #10178633, filed 2007-01, 2,500 miles
3. 3
   Body and structure

   Paint oxidizes, fades, or peels

   • 8 complaints (13%)
   • median 61,000 mi at 4.6 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2008–2014

   Owners report paint oxidizing, fading, or peeling on the roof, hood, trunk, and side panels, often showing dull or chalky patches and exposed undercoat. Several describe black cars in particular, and one owner said a dealership repainted the car only for the finish to oxidize again months later, while another was told the paint could not be repaired because they were not the original owner. A few owners note the vehicle was garaged and still affected. Mostly reported from around 50,000 to 120,000 miles, with some owners noticing the change within a few years of new purchase.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Inspect horizontal surfaces such as the roof, hood, and trunk lid in good light for dull, chalky, or lifting paint, and ask whether the car has been repainted.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “At about 50k miles both rear windows failed, went down on their own and won't go back up, I had to wedge them up to keep the in place. The paint on the rear bumper is oxidizing rapidly, this car has been parked in a garage for the entire time I have owned it. At about 90k miles I took my car in for a check engine light, it was a catalytic converter, I was told that the recall had expired and I would have to pay $1100 to replace the part. I sent an email to Mitsubishi that was unreturned.”

   NHTSA complaint #10364041, filed 2010-11, 90,000 miles

   “Soon after I paid off my 2004 Mitsubishi Galant I noticed that the paint was oxidizing so I took it to a Mitsubishi dealership and they repainted it for me. It has been about 7 months since the paint job and the paint is oxidizing again. I have seen other black galants around which have had the same issue, what can be done about this?”

   NHTSA complaint #10429314, filed 2011-10
4. 4
   Brakes

   ABS and traction control lights with brake noise

   • 5 complaints (8%)
   • median 16,000 mi at 1.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2005–2008

   Complaints describe the ABS and traction control warning lights coming on, sometimes after a loud noise or grinding from the brakes, and occasional shaking or long stopping distances when braking. Owners report wheel speed sensors being replaced, in one case twice and in another case the light returning within a day. One owner noted front brake squealing at low mileage that a dealer could not reproduce. Reported from about 3,000 to 38,000 miles in several cases, and again around 20,000 to 90,000 miles in others.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check that the ABS and traction control lights come on and go out normally at startup, listen for brake squeal or grinding on a test drive, and ask about any wheel sensor or brake work.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have developed a consistent squealing of my front brakes with only 12,500 miles on my 2004 Galant ls. I recently took my car back to dealer for scheduled maintenance and reported this to dealer. Dealer said they could not recreate this problem. When bringing the TSB's for this vehicle and complaints similar to this problem, advisor said to bring it back and he would investigate it further. When pulling out of dealership, the squealing began immediately. What is up with this inattention to what could be a potentially serious problem? …”

   NHTSA complaint #10144398, filed 2005-12, 12,000 miles

   “I bought my 2004 Galant about 4 months ago. Everything was great till one day I tried to stop and I heard a loud grinding noise from my brakes. Then my traction light and my ABS light came on. I took it to the dealer where they said it was a sensor and it fixed the problem for 1 day. I have taken it back and they say there is nothing wrong. I thought I was buying a reliable car, but I guess not. I guess someone will have to die before the will get off their butts and fix the problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10212947, filed 2007-12
5. 5
   Air bags

   SRS airbag warning light stays on

   • 5 complaints (8%)
   • median 113,500 mi at 12.0 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2022

   Owners report the SRS warning light staying lit continuously, sometimes after unrelated electrical or charging system repairs, and one owner noticed a crack above the glove box with the airbag visible behind the dash. One complaint describes airbags not deploying in a severe frontal impact, though that vehicle was not inspected to identify a cause. Several owners say the light was never diagnosed or repaired. Reported from about 62,000 to 81,000 miles in the reports that list mileage, with some complaints not stating mileage.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Confirm the SRS light behaves normally at startup, inspect the dash above the glove box for cracks, and ask whether the airbag system has been scanned for stored codes.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car started showing the srs light three weeks ago.I waited if it will go off by itself but never did. I bought it in 2014 at the auction but later to discover some issue on it,the front manifold is broken:I was able to fix that.the AC condenser is not in the car which I ve not fix:I guest that could be result of accident from the last user.it has braking issue:I was able to fix that.the engine give ratling noise doing cold start and the the transmission shift forcefully.”

   NHTSA complaint #10722120, filed 2015-05

   “In 2015 my vehicle was back into by a snow plow. After that the the total suspension has almost replaced. The sway bar breaks now working on bearings and control arms. On each side of the vehicle. The suspension before the incident has been a problem. Also srs light is on .ihave to payu for all repairs out of pocket . It has been expensive . The insurance company for the claim for the repairs only paid to fix the bumper and very little else. Front end damage nothing undercarriage. Its has been very expensive.”

   NHTSA complaint #10743529, filed 2015-07, 165,000 miles

Buying note. The recurring themes here are body hardware and trim rather than major drivetrain faults, so budget time for a thorough door, window, and paint inspection on any example you consider. Ask for service records showing whether door panels, window regulators, or brake sensors have already been addressed, since owners often describe repeat repairs.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 53 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.