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1998 Mitsubishi Diamante

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Mitsubishi Diamante do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 31.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 13 of 27 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Visibility. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Visibility complaints

15 reports
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132,000 miles · Sep 17, 2008
Visibility

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE HEATER CORE HAS STARTED TO LEAK. IT WAS REPLACED 40K MILES AGO AND I WAS CHARGED $ 1,000 FOR REPAIR COSTS. HAVING RESEARCHED THIS, IT IS DUE TO FAULTY HEATER CORE GASKETS WHICH MITSUBISHI REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE GASKETS WITH A REDESIGNED ONE. THE CAR IS UNDRIVABLE DUE TO THE TOXIC FUMES FROM THE E…

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THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE HEATER CORE HAS STARTED TO LEAK. IT WAS REPLACED 40K MILES AGO AND I WAS CHARGED $ 1,000 FOR REPAIR COSTS. HAVING RESEARCHED THIS, IT IS DUE TO FAULTY HEATER CORE GASKETS WHICH MITSUBISHI REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE GASKETS WITH A REDESIGNED ONE. THE CAR IS UNDRIVABLE DUE TO THE TOXIC FUMES FROM THE ETHYLENE GLYCOL COMING OUT OF ALL THE VENTS AND I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO GET IT REPAIRED. MITSUBISHI REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, AND NEARLY EVERY DIAMANTE ON THE ROAD HAS HAD THIS HAPPEN. THE CARPET IS RUINED FROM THE COOLANT LEAK AS WELL, AND MANY HAVE HAD THE ECU FOR THE TRANSMISSION FAIL DUE TO COOLANT LEAKING ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10242656

Mileage unknown · Nov 9, 2007
Visibility

EVERYTIME THE HEATER IS SWITCHED ON, I CAN FEEL A WEIRD SMELL WHICH WILL LAST FOR ABOUT 10 MINS. THIS SMELL SEEMS LIKE SUFFOCATING AND HAVE TO OPEN THE WINDOWS FOR THE FRESH AIR TO ENTER. THERE IS SOME KIND OF LEAK IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, I AM NOT SURE WHERE THE LEAK IS FROM. I AM BIT WORRIED ABT THE SMELL. THANKS *TR

NHTSA ODI #10208520

131,000 miles · May 1, 2006
Visibility

FAILURE OF HEATER CORE GASKETS RESULTING IN FUMES INSIDE THE CAR FROM ANTI-FREEZE; THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS VEHICLE IN THE LAST 35,000 MILES AND THE REPAIR LABOR IS ESTIMATED AT 6 HOURS, WHICH IS AROUND $1,000. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10156551

74,000 miles · Jan 5, 2006
Visibility

1998 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE HEATER CORE LEAKING FOGGING WINDSHIELD DURING FREEWAY TRAVEL. HAZARD TO HEALTH WITH WHILE OPERATION AUTO. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10147032

50,000 miles · Mar 24, 2005
Visibility

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED A BAD ODOR COMING FROM THE HEATER CORE. HEATER SYSTEM WAS LEAKING COOLANT. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. THE SEAL HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE VEHICLE'S HEATER CORE AND REFRIGERANT WERE REPLACED. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10109306

78,000 miles · Feb 23, 2005
Visibility

WINDOWS FOG UP AND CANNOT BE CLEARED BY THE DEFROSTER. VERY STRONG SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE INSIDE THE CAR. SMOKEY VAPORS COME OUT OF THE HEATING VENTS. I'M HAVING DIFFICULTY BREATHING WHILE DRIVING MY CAR, AND BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF MY NAUSEA AND HEADACHE IS DUE TO BREATHING ANTI-FREEZE VAPORS. STAIN ON PASSENGER SIDE OF CARPET. ALL …

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WINDOWS FOG UP AND CANNOT BE CLEARED BY THE DEFROSTER. VERY STRONG SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE INSIDE THE CAR. SMOKEY VAPORS COME OUT OF THE HEATING VENTS. I'M HAVING DIFFICULTY BREATHING WHILE DRIVING MY CAR, AND BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF MY NAUSEA AND HEADACHE IS DUE TO BREATHING ANTI-FREEZE VAPORS. STAIN ON PASSENGER SIDE OF CARPET. ALL THESE SYMPTOMS INDICATE A HEATER CORE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10112060

58,000 miles · Nov 30, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or OtherVisibility

I OWN A PREOWNED 1998 MISTUBISHI DIAMANTE LS. WHEN THE CLIMATE CONTROL, PARTICULARLY THE HEATER IS ENGAGED, THE SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE BECOMES QUITE APPARENT. DEALER CLAIMED 2 YEARS AGO WHEN I BOUGHT IT THAT IT WAS THE SMELL OF THE CHEMICALS USED TO CLEAN THE CAR DURING "MAKE-READY." ETHYLEN GLYCOL FUMES ARE TOXIC AND THIS IS A…

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I OWN A PREOWNED 1998 MISTUBISHI DIAMANTE LS. WHEN THE CLIMATE CONTROL, PARTICULARLY THE HEATER IS ENGAGED, THE SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE BECOMES QUITE APPARENT. DEALER CLAIMED 2 YEARS AGO WHEN I BOUGHT IT THAT IT WAS THE SMELL OF THE CHEMICALS USED TO CLEAN THE CAR DURING "MAKE-READY." ETHYLEN GLYCOL FUMES ARE TOXIC AND THIS IS A REOCCURING DEFECT IN THIS MODEL CAR FROM POSTS I HAVE SEEN ON VARIOUS WEBSITES. I WAS LATER TOLD THAT TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WILL COST CLOSE TO $1000 SINCE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. MITSUBISH ISSUED A TSB ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM, OBVIOUSLY THEY ARE AWARE OF IT. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD IS COVERED WITH A FILM THAT CANNOT BE WASHED OFF FROM THIS LEAK. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM, I AM NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT ON YOUR WEBSITE. THANK YOU.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10100757

56,231 miles · Oct 31, 2004
Visibility

1998 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. COOLANT LEAK FROM HEATER CORE O RING FAILURE. COOLANT LEAKING INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CAUSING EYE AND THROAT IRRITATION, FOGGING OF WINDOWS CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. LEAKING ONTO KEY CAR ELECTRONICS WHICH COULD CAUSE OTHER CAR COMPONENTS TO FAIL WITHOUT WARNING. HEATER CORE O RING WAS REPLACED AT…

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1998 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. COOLANT LEAK FROM HEATER CORE O RING FAILURE. COOLANT LEAKING INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CAUSING EYE AND THROAT IRRITATION, FOGGING OF WINDOWS CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. LEAKING ONTO KEY CAR ELECTRONICS WHICH COULD CAUSE OTHER CAR COMPONENTS TO FAIL WITHOUT WARNING. HEATER CORE O RING WAS REPLACED AT 55,000 MILES AT A COST OF $560.00. NOW AT 106,000MILES LEAKING HAS STARTED AGAIN AND MITSUBISHI WANTS $650.00 TO FIX WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT FIX IS PERMANENT. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10098067

52,300 miles · Sep 30, 2004
Visibility

HEATER CORE PROBLEM. WINDOWS STARTED TO FOG UP AND VERY STRONG SMOKE TYPE ORDER FROM THE VENTS. COMPUTER WAS COVERED WITH BROWN BURNT SUBSTANCE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10093396

91,000 miles · Jul 20, 2004
Visibility

THIS IS A MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE 1998 ES. I'M EXPERIENCING PUNGENT SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE INSIDE THE CAR AS SOON AS I TURN ON HEATING. THE DEALER I GOT THE PREOWNED CAR FROM WON'T FIX THE PROBLEM UNLESS I CAN SHOW THEM THE LEAK IN HEATER CORE. ANTI-FREEZE CONTAINS ETHYLENE GLYCON AND THE FUMES ARE HIGHLY TOXIC. FIXING THE THE HEATER …

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THIS IS A MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE 1998 ES. I'M EXPERIENCING PUNGENT SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE INSIDE THE CAR AS SOON AS I TURN ON HEATING. THE DEALER I GOT THE PREOWNED CAR FROM WON'T FIX THE PROBLEM UNLESS I CAN SHOW THEM THE LEAK IN HEATER CORE. ANTI-FREEZE CONTAINS ETHYLENE GLYCON AND THE FUMES ARE HIGHLY TOXIC. FIXING THE THE HEATER CORE WILL COST $1000. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT TO ASCERTAIN THAT THIS IS A VERY VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE AND MITSUBISHI MOTORS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THREE MAIN RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THIS: (1) THE DEFECT EXPOSES CUSTOMERS TO UNUSUAL LEVEL OF TOXIC ETHYLENE GLYCOL WHICH SHOULD NOT EXCEED 10-25 PPM LEVELS (CONSULT MSDS FOR ETHYLENE GLYCOL) (2) THE LEAK CAN AFFECT THE CAR'S MICROPROCESSOR AND POSES A SEVERE HAZARD FOR DRIVERS. (3) FAULTY HEATER CORE MAKES THE VISIBILITY DIFFICULT DUE TO FOGGING OF WIND SHIELD THUS PUTTING THE DRIVER AT GREATER RISK. I WILL EVENTUALLY FIX THE PROBLEM BY SPENDING $1000 AFTER THE SUMMER IF MITSUBISHI REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL. RIGHT NOW I AM TRYING SOME RADIATOR ANTI-LEAK TO DELAY THE COSTLY REPAIR. BUT I WANT NHTSA TO BE AWARE OF THE HAZARDS THAT HAS BEEN IGNORED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *LA

NHTSA ODI #10082271

Official recalls

1

04V428000 · Equipment:other:labels

Sep 1, 2004

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Remedy: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.