1994 Mitsubishi Galant

PURSUANT TO THE BALL JOINT RECALL FOR MY 1994 MITSUBISHI GALANT, I TOOK MY CAR TO OURISMAN MITSUBISHI IN 2004 WHO THEN INSPECTED THE BOOT, NOTICED THE BOOT WAS BROKEN YET THE SERVICEMAN RESEALED THE BOOT AND INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR WAS CHECKED AND THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS WERE INTACT. IN AUGUST 2005, WHILE I WAS HAVING MY CAR SERVICE FOR A WATER PUMP PROBLEM, THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE IT REPLACED. *JB

THE BALL JOINT TO DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN ROAD AT 50MPH, THE CAR VEERED TO LEFT AND SKIDDED ABOUT 500 FEET BEFORE I COULD GET VEHICLE TO STOP. WHEN I DID THE DRIVER TIRE WAS PERPENDICULAR TO THE CAR AND THE BASE OF MOTOR WAS RESTING ON THE GROUND. AFTER MITSIBUSHI REPAIRED THE BALL JOINT AND HALF SHAFT THAT ALSO BROKE. I TRANSPORTED IT TO OCALA FLORIDA FROM ODESSA TEXAS ON A CAR CARRIER SINCE THAT POINT I HAVE LEARNED ALL 4 MOTOR MOUNTS WERE BROKEN. I CONTACTED MITSIBUSHI BECAUSE IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT FOR ALL 4 TO BREAK SUBSTANTIAL TRAUMA WOULD HAVE HAD TO OCCUR, THE CAR HAS NOT OTHER TRAUMA EXCEPT THE WRECK IN ODESSA WHEN THE BALL JOINT SNAPPED. MITSIBUSHI TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO A LOCAL DEALER HERE, I DID AND NOW THEY ARE DECLINING TO FIX MOTOR MOUNTS THAT I CONTEND WERE BROKEN DURING THAT WRECK. I HAVE A COMPLETE FILE OF EVENTS AND RECEIPTS AND NAMES I WOULD LIKE TO SEND VIA MAIL TO YOUR ASSOCIATION IF POSSIBLE PLEASE PROVIDE ME WITH A MAILING ADDRESS SO I CAN FULLY EXPLAIN THE SITUATION AND PROVIDE THE PROOF I HAVE RELATING TO THE ENTIRE SITUATION. I HAVE BEEN SO FINANCIALLY AND EMOTIONALLY STRAINED ON THIS INCIDENT THAT I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR SINCE 8 DAYS AFTER I PURCHASED IT USED, BUT PURCHASED TO HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION AND YET I HAVE HAD MORE UNCERTAINTY WITH THIS CAR THAN ANYTHING ALL RELATED T A BALL JOINT RECALL. THANKS SINCERELY [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

I EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE CRANK PULLY THAT WHEN I WAS DRIVING THAT THE CAR LOST ALL CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND POWER, MITSUBISHI TOWED MY VEHICLE AND REPAIRED THE PART BECAUSE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THIS SAME PROBLEM OCCURED AGAIN IN 2001 WITH MY WIFE AND CHILDREN WERE IN THE CAR AND LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND COULD NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE, I WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR WHEN IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS NOT NORMAL TO HAPPEN THAT MANY TIMES TO ONE VEHICLE EVEN AFTER IT WAS JUST RECENTLY REPAIRED AND THAT IT WAS NOT EVEN THAT LONG OF A TIME THAT THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH THE SAME PART THAT WAS REPLACED NEW BY MITUBISHI.ALSO I BELIEVE THAT THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE REPORTED IMMEDIATELY TO THE MANUFACTURER BECAUSE LOSS OF STEERING CAN CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT AT ANY SPEED IN THE WRONG PLACE WHERE AN ACCIDENT CAN OCCUR. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON ANOTHER MAKE OF THE MITSUBISHI BUT NOT ON THE. *AK

WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A RECALL INSPECTION OF MY FRONT BALL JOINT BOOT I WAS INFORMED BY THE MITSUBISHI SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT BOTH OF MY FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND BALL JOINTS WERE DANGEROUSLY WORN. THIS WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL BECAUSE THE BOOTS WERE INTACT, HOWEVER. IT SEEMS THAT, GIVEN THAT THE PARTS HAVE CLEARLY HAD OTHER FAILURES AS EVIDENCED BY THE RECALL, THEY ARE PRONE TO PREMATURE WEAR THAT SHOULD BE THE MANUFACTURERS RESPONSIBILITY. THIS SEEMS UNACCEPTABLY PREMATURE FOR THIS KIND OF FAILURE, AND I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED OR HEARD OF THESE PARTS FAILING AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE ON OTHER VEHICLES. I THINK THE SITUATION INDICATES THAT THE PARTS OR DESIGN ARE DANGEROUSLY INADEQUATE, BUT THAT MITSUBISHI IS TRYING TO TIE IT TO BOOT FAILURE TO MINIMIZE THEIR FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (THE COST FOR REPLACEMENT WAS $479). I WAS ALSO INFORMED BY THE MITSUBISHI SERVICE ADVISOR AT THE DEALER (ERIK REKDAL) THAT HE HAS EXPERIENCED THESE EARLY CONTROL ARM/BALL JOINT FAILURES AS A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON VEHICLES LIKE MINE.

CONSUMER HAS PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES/CLUTCH AND STEERING WHEEL. SHE SAID THAT STEERING WHEEL WANDERED ON IT'S OWN. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL STAYED UP HIGH, AND ON OTHER TIMES, BRAKES PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. EVERY SIX MONTHS, SHE HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES. ALSO, CLUTCH STUCK, AND MOVED INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT PROBLEM CANNOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK

AFTER VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN PARKING LOT FOR AN HOUR, CONSUMER STARTED TO PULL OUT AND HEARD LOUD NOISE. STOPPED VEHICLE & NOTICED WHEEL HAD COME OFF THE DRIVER'S FRONT SIDE. BALL JOINTS & TIE ROD ENDS WERE COMING OUT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP & CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE PROBLEM WAS NOT A DEFECT, BUT WAS REPAIRABLE. *AK

LOWER LATERAL ARMS AND TIE RODS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 35,100 MILES. WHEN PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 60 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL - VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS APPROACHING IN THE OTHER LANE. ALSO VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTS INTERMITTENTLY ON A FREQUENT BASIS. POWER WINDOW REGULATOR ON RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE FAILED AT 35,100 MILES.