2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder

BODY PAINT ON HOOD AND TRUNK ARE DETERIORATING TO THE POINT THAT THERE ARE HUGE WHITE PATCHES SHOWING THROUGH THE BLACK PAINT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN WASHED AND WAXED AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH FOR THE PAST 6 YEARS. THE PAINT WAS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE WHEN IT WAS APPLIED TO THE VEHICLE IN THE FACTORY. I CONTACTED MITSUBISHI AND THEY DECLINED TO TAKE ACTION. *TR

I. THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE ARE: 1. I WASHED AND WAXED MY CAR ON A REGULAR BASIS. 2. I DROVE MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 70 MILES PER HOUR. *TR II. FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES: 1. THE PASSENGER SIDE MOLDING ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD OFFICIALLY CALLED THE A PILLAR SEPARATED FORM THE BOLTS WHICH HELD IT TO THE FRAME OF THE CAR AND FLEW OFF STRIKING AND DENTING THE PASSENGER DOOR. 2. THE BOLDS THAT HELD THIS MOLDING TO THE FRAME ARE STILL ATTACHED TO THE CAR SHOWING THAT THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN OF THE ADHESIVE MATERIAL THAT ORIGINALLY HELD THIS PART TO THE BOLTS. III. WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE? NOTHING 1. AFTER GOING TO THE DEALER, THEY CONTACTED THE FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE, NOTHING WAS DONE. 2. AFTER SPEAKING TO A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE FROM MITSUBISHI MOTORS OF NORTH AMERICA, NOTHING WAS DONE. 3. AFTER WRITING TO THE PRESIDENT OF MITSUBISHI MOTORS OF NORTH AMERICA ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2007, I HEARD NOTHING. 4. ON OCTOBER 8, 2007, I SENT A SECOND LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF MITSUBISHI MOTORS OF NORTH AMERICA AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. I COINCIDENTALLY RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE FROM MITSUBISHI MOTORS OF NORTH AMERICA THE SAME DAY WHO SAID THAT MY SITUATION HAD BEEN REVIEWED AND THE DECISION WAS THE SAME. TO DO NOTHING. 5. I HAVE WRITTEN TO THE PRESIDENT AGAIN ON OCTOBER 10, 2007. AS OF TODAY I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ANYONE. 6. TO THIS DAY NO ONE, INCLUDING THE FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE, HAS INSPECTED MY VEHICLE TO SEE WHAT CAUSED THIS FAILURE.

MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE RIGHT MOLDING ON THE FRONT WINDOW FLEW OFF THE CAR.(IT IS CALLED THE A PILLAR.) IT SHOT BACK, BANGING AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE CAR DENTED THE DOOR. WHEN WE GOT TO OUR DESTINATION I LOOKED AND THE BOLTS WERE STILL IN THE FRAME, BUT THE MOLDING WAS GONE. THE NEXT DAY I WENT TO THE DEALER (COCONUT CREEK MITSUBISHI IN COCONUT CREEK, FLORIDA) TO ASK IF THIS WAS NORMAL. THEY OF COURSE SAID NO. I ASKED WHAT THEY WOULD DO TO GET IT REPLACED. THEIR FIRST RESPONSE WAS TO SELL ME A NEW ONE AT A COST OF $163.70 PLUS TAX, BUT THEY WOULD INSTALL IT FOR FREE BECAUSE THEY ADMITTED THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. A WEEK LATER I SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER MICHAEL SEE AT COCONUT CREEK MITSUBISHI AND FIND OUT WHAT THE FACTORY REP TOLD HIM. MICHAEL TOLD ME THAT JOHN HACKWORTH THE FACTORY REP SAID I'M NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING. THE FACTORY REP NEVER LOOKED AT THE CAR OR INSPECTED THE BOLTS TO SEE WHY THE MOLDING FLEW OFF. HE HEARD THE AGE OF THE CAR AND THE MILEAGE AND THAT WAS THE BASIS FOR HIS FINAL DECISION. THE STORY THAT MICHAEL SEE AND THE ASSISTANT MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP STANLY ANDERS KEEP TELLING ME IS THAT THE CAR IS SIX YEARS OLD AND HAS 95,000 MILES ON IT AND THINGS BREAK. FIRST MR. ANDERS SAID THAT IT WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE FACT THAT THE FACTORY REP NEVER CALLED TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE AND INSPECT THE BOLTS TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED, IN MY OPINION IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE FACT THAT MITSUBISHI MOTORS OF NORTH AMERICA HAS NO INFLUENCE OVER THE DECISIONS OF A FACTORY REP IS ABSURD. IN ADDITION, THE DASHBOARD IS SLOWLY FALLING APART. THE DASHBOARD HAD APPROXIMATELY SEVEN CRACKS IN IT WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR. THE DEALER SAID THAT THIS IS NORMAL ON CONVERTIBLES AND THAT THEY WILL NOT REPLACE IT. YOUR CAR, YOUR PROBLEM WE DID MORE THEN ENOUGH FOR A USED CAR. TODAY THERE ARE ABOUT ELEVEN OR TWELVE CRACKS AND I SUPPOSE THAT ONE DAY IT WILL JUST FALL APART COMPLETELY, BUT ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THAT'S NORMAL. *TR

EVERY TIME THERE IS A HEAVY RAIN MY CAR LEAKS ONTO THE DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR BOARD. THIS IS NOT A LITTLE WATER ITS MORE LIKE PUTTING YOUR FEET INTO A LAKE. I BELIEVE THE WATER IS COMING THOUGH THE OUTSIDE VENT BY THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SINCE THE WATER IS RUNNING DOWN THE INSIDE WALL. IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE COMING IN THOUGH THE ROOF. *NM

SEALS AROUND THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LEAK WHEN DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN. WATER RUNS DOWN INTO THE DASHBOARD AND CAUSES INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS DASH LIGHTS TURNING ON AND OFF AND RADIO/STEREO/CD MALFUNCTION. THE PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED ONCE BY THE DEALER AND THE RADIO/CD UNIT REPLACED ANOTHER TIME BECAUSE OF LEAK PROBLEMS. NOW THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED WITH WATER ON THE DASH AND FLOORBOARDS AND THE RADIO HAS AGAIN MALFUNCTIONED. *NLM