IllustrationAIR CONDITIONER BELT HAS BUSTED 3 TIMES. IF ENGINE PULLEY SITS STILL TOO LONG IT WEARS BELT OUT IF NOT REPAIRED IN TIME. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE ADD MORE INFORMATION.*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
Equipment complaints
4 reportsTHE CONSUMER HAS HAD 3 TRANSMISSIONS REPLACED IN ONLY FOUR YEARS, THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS THE TRANSMISSION WAS RECALLED BUT REFUSED REIMBURSEMENT. NLM
AC UNIT RELEASED A GASEOUS SMELL., SMOKE GUSHED OUT FROM HOOD....THERE WAS A LOUD POP SOUND THAT RESEMBLED A TIRE BLOWING OUT....THE COMPLETE SYSTEM TO MY CAR SHUT DOWN AND ENGINE INCLUDED. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART FOR APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS.....AND THAT WAS ONLY AFTER I HAD SPENT 165.00 ON A TOW TRUCK TO TOW THE CAR OVER 75 MI…
Read full complaint
AC UNIT RELEASED A GASEOUS SMELL., SMOKE GUSHED OUT FROM HOOD....THERE WAS A LOUD POP SOUND THAT RESEMBLED A TIRE BLOWING OUT....THE COMPLETE SYSTEM TO MY CAR SHUT DOWN AND ENGINE INCLUDED. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART FOR APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS.....AND THAT WAS ONLY AFTER I HAD SPENT 165.00 ON A TOW TRUCK TO TOW THE CAR OVER 75 MILES. *AK
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY.
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