IllustrationRECALL RECEIVED ON BALL JOINT, BALL JOINT BOOT. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CHECKED IT AND SAID IT WAS OK ON 7/28/00. ON 9/4/00 THE BALL JOINT BROKE, CAUSING THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL TO TURN SIDEWAYS AND CAUSING A CRASH. *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
What owners actually said
136 reportsTRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO GEAR AFTER STARTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND THEN FROM SECOND TO FIRST. GOT DIAGNOSTICS TEST DONE AT CANTINS IN LACONIA THEY STATED THAT THE PARK/NEUTRAL SWITCH WAS WET THEY CLEANED IT THEN STATED IT WAS FINE. PICKED CAR UP AND THEY HADN'T FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND REMAINS …
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TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO GEAR AFTER STARTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND THEN FROM SECOND TO FIRST. GOT DIAGNOSTICS TEST DONE AT CANTINS IN LACONIA THEY STATED THAT THE PARK/NEUTRAL SWITCH WAS WET THEY CLEANED IT THEN STATED IT WAS FINE. PICKED CAR UP AND THEY HADN'T FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND REMAINS ON WITH THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURING. ALSO, HAD A RECALL ON THIS CAR FOR THE LATERAL CONTROL ARM BOOT ASSEMBLY . CANTINS SAID IT WAS FINE ON THE CAR BUT THINK THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH IT FOR WHEN I BRAKE IT HAS A GRINDING SOUND TO IT.
MY 1996 MITSUBISHI GALANT HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS INCLUDING, BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE CHANGED MORE THAN USUAL, TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED WHILE PARKED. IN ADDITION, THE WINDOWS /WINDSHIELD WERE CONSTANTLY FOGGY. THE START KEY COULD ONLY BE TAKING OUT BY PRESSING THE BREAK. I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER LOCKS, THEY WILL NOT OPEN, LE…
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MY 1996 MITSUBISHI GALANT HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS INCLUDING, BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE CHANGED MORE THAN USUAL, TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED WHILE PARKED. IN ADDITION, THE WINDOWS /WINDSHIELD WERE CONSTANTLY FOGGY. THE START KEY COULD ONLY BE TAKING OUT BY PRESSING THE BREAK. I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER LOCKS, THEY WILL NOT OPEN, LEAKS FROM THE SUNROOF. THE HORN COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING AFTER THREE YEARS. THE MITSUBISHI DEALER NEVER ISSUED A BALL JOINT RECALL WHICH I NOW FOUND OUT WAS DEFECTIVE WITH THE CAR AND AFTER RETURNING MY VEHICLE UPON MY LEASE TERMINATION THEY ARE REQUESTING 1000 + DOLLARS FOR WEAR AND TEAR ETC. THE DEALER HAS NOT PROPERLY FOLLOWED GUIDELINES AND ARE BEEN SUED BECAUSE OF THESE FAILURES AND THE CUSTOMERS WHO PURCHASED THESE CARS ARE BEEN CHARGED MORE MONEY BY THE DEALER.
RECALL 99V066001. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WANTED TO CHARGE OWNER TO REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM.*AK THE DEALER FOUND OUT THE PROBLEM TO BE STRUTS (SHOCKS) AND INNER TIE ROD FAILURES. *YH
DISC BRAKE ROTORS NEED TO BE TURNED OR REPLACED EVERY 5000 MILES. *AK
TRANSMISSION FLUID RAN OUT FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR/INSURANCE DID NOT FIX TRANSMISSION. *AK
CAR WOULD NOT STOP APPROACHING RED LIGHT/NO AIR IN LINE DETECTED. *AK
CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK TIRES, TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
WHEN DRIVING AND WITHOUT USING THE DOOR LOCKS, DOOR LOCKS WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK WITHOUT CONSUMER OPERATING THE LOCKS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHEN DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL TURNED OFF, AND UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THEN, CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *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