IllustrationHARMONIC BALANCER FELL APART. THIS IS THE SECOND FAILURE OF THIS OEM PART. I THINK THEY ARE MADE FROM OLD TUNA CANS.*AK
1990 Mitsubishi Galant
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1990 Mitsubishi Galant do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 26.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Galant years →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: 1 of 21 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.
- Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
6 reportsI PULLED INTO GAS STATION. SMOKE WAS COMING OUT FROM UNDER HOOD. SMALL FIRE AROUND FUEL LINE, IGNITION WIRES, COIL, WIRE HARNESS CONTAINING INJECTOR WIRES. PUT OUT W/ EXTINGUISHER. ONLY 2 WIRES TO 1 INJECTOR DAMAGED, FUEL LINE/PLUG WIRES DAMAGED, COMPUTER FAILED. HAVE HAD ALOT OF LARGE COSTLY PROBLEMS W/ THIS CAR IN THE PAS…
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I PULLED INTO GAS STATION. SMOKE WAS COMING OUT FROM UNDER HOOD. SMALL FIRE AROUND FUEL LINE, IGNITION WIRES, COIL, WIRE HARNESS CONTAINING INJECTOR WIRES. PUT OUT W/ EXTINGUISHER. ONLY 2 WIRES TO 1 INJECTOR DAMAGED, FUEL LINE/PLUG WIRES DAMAGED, COMPUTER FAILED. HAVE HAD ALOT OF LARGE COSTLY PROBLEMS W/ THIS CAR IN THE PAST, INCLUDING DAMAGE TO DIFFERENTIAL TWICE, TRANSAXLE/TRANSMISSION/TRANSFER CASE. TIMING BELT FAILURE 18 MONTHS AGO, CAUSED DAMAGE TO VALVES (GOT A RECALL NOTICE ON THIS THE DAY B4 THE FIRE). DEALER WEATHERFORD HAS BEEN WORKING ON MY CAR SINCE AUG 1996 AND TIMING BELT RECALL JUST CAME (MAILED FEB 1 1999) PLEASE ADVISE. THANKS! JKM
1,LESS THAN 20,000 MILES THE CAR NEEDED A HEAD GASKET,TIMING BELT AND A WATER PUMP MIND YOU THE CAR NEVER OVERHEATED ONCE. 2,AT 30,000 MILES THE FIRST TRANSMISSION WENT. 3,AT 59,000+ MILES THE SECOND TRANSMISSION WENT. 4,NOW THE CAR BURNS 2 QUARTS OF OIL A MONTH. HELP,I CAN'T AFFORD TO PUT ANYMORE MONEY INTO THIS CAR IT'S NO…
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1,LESS THAN 20,000 MILES THE CAR NEEDED A HEAD GASKET,TIMING BELT AND A WATER PUMP MIND YOU THE CAR NEVER OVERHEATED ONCE. 2,AT 30,000 MILES THE FIRST TRANSMISSION WENT. 3,AT 59,000+ MILES THE SECOND TRANSMISSION WENT. 4,NOW THE CAR BURNS 2 QUARTS OF OIL A MONTH. HELP,I CAN'T AFFORD TO PUT ANYMORE MONEY INTO THIS CAR IT'S NOT WORTH IT.
TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE. HAVE NOTED SEVERAL OTHER MITSUBISHI VEHICLES OF THE SAME YEAR WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. HAS THERE BEEN A RECALL FOR EMISSIONS FROM THIS ENGINE?
TIMING BELT FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL/DIE. *AK
VEHICLE ACCELERATES WHEN PUT IN REVERSE AND FOOT REMOVED FROM BRAKE.
Official recalls
198V168000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Jul 22, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ALL WHEEL DRIVE PASSENGER VEHICLES. LOCKUP OF THE TRANSFER CASE CAN OCCUR DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR ADEQUACY OF THE TRANSFER CASE OIL VOLUME, TRANSFER CASE OIL LEAKAGE, AND OPERATIONAL DEGRADATION OF THE TRANSFER CASE MECHANISM. IF OIL VOLUME IS INSUFFICIENT, THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF OIL WILL BE ADDED. IF THERE IS TRANSFER CASE OIL LEAKAGE, AFFECTED COMPONENTS WILL BE REPLACED. IF THE TRANSFER CASE SHOWS OPERATIONAL DEGRADATION, THE TRANSFER CASE WILL BE REPLACED.
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
3RQ98007 · Transfer Case Leakage
Opened May 11, 1998 · Closed Aug 28, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission
THE TRANSFER CASE OF THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD), MITSUBISHI GALANT, ALLEGEDLY LEAKS OIL CAUSING ONE OR MORE WHEELS TO LOCKUP; OR THE INABILITY TO TRANSMIT ENGINE POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS.THE VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME TRANSFER CASE DESIGN AS THE ECLIPSE VEHICLES WHICH HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME ALLEGED DEFECT.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Power Train:automatic Transmission
THE TRANSFER CASE OF THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD), MITSUBISHI GALANT, ALLEGEDLY LEAKS OIL CAUSING ONE OR MORE WHEELS TO LOCKUP; OR THE INABILITY TO TRANSMIT ENGINE POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS.THE VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME TRANSFER CASE DESIGN AS THE ECLIPSE VEHICLES WHICH HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME ALLEGED DEFECT.
Power Train:automatic Transmission
THE TRANSFER CASE OF THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD), MITSUBISHI GALANT, ALLEGEDLY LEAKS OIL CAUSING ONE OR MORE WHEELS TO LOCKUP; OR THE INABILITY TO TRANSMIT ENGINE POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS.THE VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME TRANSFER CASE DESIGN AS THE ECLIPSE VEHICLES WHICH HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME ALLEGED DEFECT.
EA98002 · Transfer Case Lockup
Opened Jan 30, 1998 · Closed Apr 30, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Wheels
No summary supplied.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Wheels
Wheels
EA95004 · Takata Seat Belt Buckle Failure
Opened Mar 10, 1995 · Closed Aug 1, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
There is no summary currently available