IllustrationTHE DRIVER'S HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD AFTER RUNNING INTO A DITCH WHILE TRYING TO MISS HITTING A DEER ON THE ROAD BECAUSE THE FRONT SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK UPON IMPACT, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
1996 Mitsubishi Galant
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Galant years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Mitsubishi Galant are substantially higher than 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: 15 of 136 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 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
27 crash reports4 fire reports18 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
20 reportsVEIHCLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL INPACT COLLISION AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *AK
DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING FRONT END COLLISION, VEHICLE REARENED ANOTHER VEHICLE, SPEED 40 MPH, CAUSE UNKNOWN.
THE NEW VEHICLE SRS LIGHT (AIR BAG SYSTEM) COMES ON; TOOK IT TO THE DEALER 7 TIMES AND THEY DIDN'T FIX IT, CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. REPLACED BOTH AIR BAGS BUT SRS LIGHT STILL COME ON. *AK
AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN HIT ON FRONT RIGHT SIDE AT 40MPH, CAUSE UNKNOWN, VEHICLE IN SHOP FOR REPAIRS. *AK
DURING FRONTAL IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN, SLAMMED ON BRAKES AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. ALSO THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND VEHICLE HAD A HEAD-ON ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS HAPPENED ALL IN THE SAME DAY. *AK
INVOLVED IN THREE VEHICLE COLLISION THAT RESULTED IN FRONT SMASHED. NEITHER DRIVER'S NOR PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ALONG W/SHOULDER BELT NOT RESTRAINING. *AK THERE WAS ONE INJURY IN ACCIDENT. *SLC
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
WHILE TRYING TO STOP VEHICLE THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE , WHEN THE TWO VEHICLES HIT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK
Official recalls
300V421001 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
Dec 18, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, DIRT AND WATER CAN INTRUDE. ALSO, MMC HAS ADDED THE POTENTIAL OF LEAKING MOISTURE, WHICH CAN CAUSE THE BALL STUD TO CORRODE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. THIS CAMPAIGN SUPERCEDES MMC'S PREVIOUS SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN, SEE 99V-066.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT FOR WEAR. BALL JOINTS THAT EXHIBIT WEAR BEYOND THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY DESIGNED LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS. BALL JOINTS THAT ARE WITHIN THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE CLEANED AND A SPECIAL SEALANT WILL BE APPLIED TO PREVENT INTRUSION OF MOISTURE.
00V237000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Aug 25, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. CRACKS CAN OCCUR IN THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK DUE TO AN IMPROPER SPOT WELD ON THE BAFFLE PLATE TO THE TOP PORTION OF THE FUEL TANK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A CRACK IN THE FUEL TANK COULD ALLOW FUEL OR FUMES TO ESCAPE. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE FUEL TANK FOR ANY SIGNS OF CRACKING. IF NO CRACKING OR LEAKING IS FOUND, DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SEALING PROTECTOR PLATE. IF ANY CRACKING OR LEAKAGE IS FOUND, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY.
99V066001 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
Apr 5, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, DIRT AND WATER CAN INTRUDE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE RUBBER BOOTS, AND IF THE BOOT IS DAMAGED, THEY WILL REPLACE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM AND BALL JOINT ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.
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
1RQ00015 · Lower Contrtol Arm Ball Joint
Opened Aug 2, 2000 · Closed Apr 20, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (3)
Suspension
There is no summary currently available
Suspension
There is no summary currently available
Suspension
There is no summary currently available