IllustrationI WAS AT A STOP SIGN AND I PRESSED ON THE GAS, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR JUST STOPPED MOVING. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, SHUT IT OFF, TURNED IT BACK ON, SHIFTED IT INTO DRIVE, AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS STUCK IN NEUTRAL. IT HAS NOT MOVED EVER SINCE. *TR
1997 Mitsubishi Galant
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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: 18 of 80 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.
- Suspension. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports
Power Train complaints
15 reports1997 MITSUBISHI GALANT-AUTO TRANSMISSION FLOOR SHIFT PROBLEMS. THE TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHAULED ON 08/03/2006 AND COST AROUND 2 GRAND. I NOTICED THAT VEHICLE'S GEAR SHIFT CAN BE ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL BECAUSE THIS GEAR CHANGE DOES NOT REQUIRE THE BRAKES TO BE PRESSED NOR THE GEAR SHIFT BUTTON TO BE PRESSED. I…
Read full complaint
1997 MITSUBISHI GALANT-AUTO TRANSMISSION FLOOR SHIFT PROBLEMS. THE TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHAULED ON 08/03/2006 AND COST AROUND 2 GRAND. I NOTICED THAT VEHICLE'S GEAR SHIFT CAN BE ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL BECAUSE THIS GEAR CHANGE DOES NOT REQUIRE THE BRAKES TO BE PRESSED NOR THE GEAR SHIFT BUTTON TO BE PRESSED. I FEEL THAT THIS IS UNSAFE. I WOULD LIKE TO PRESS THE BUTTON AND SHIFT GEARS BY MYSELF. MY TEENAGER NORMALLY SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, I AM REALLY WORRIED. *NM
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLES RIGHT FRONT WHEEL LITERALLY CAME OFF THE AXLE. THIS HAPPENED WHEN CONSUMER WAS PULLING INTO OFFICE DRIVEWAY. THERE WAS NO RESULT IN INJURY. CONSUMER'S BACK SEATS MOVE FRONT AND BACK, ESPECIALLY WHEN COMING TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP. IT CAME TO THE POINT WHERE CONSUMER HAD TO TIE THE…
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLES RIGHT FRONT WHEEL LITERALLY CAME OFF THE AXLE. THIS HAPPENED WHEN CONSUMER WAS PULLING INTO OFFICE DRIVEWAY. THERE WAS NO RESULT IN INJURY. CONSUMER'S BACK SEATS MOVE FRONT AND BACK, ESPECIALLY WHEN COMING TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP. IT CAME TO THE POINT WHERE CONSUMER HAD TO TIE THEM TOGETHER SO THEY WOULDN'T MOVE. THERE WAS A CHILD SEAT BEING USED IN THE BACK SEAT OF THIS VEHICLE.*AK
1997 MITSUBISHI GALANT ES W/ AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ("TRANSAXLE"): VEHICLE'S GEARSHIFT CAN BE ACCIDENTLY BUMPED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL BECAUSE THIS GEAR CHANGE DOES NOT REQUIRE THE BRAKES TO BE PRESSED NOR THE GEARSHIFT BUTTON TO BE PRESSED. I HAVE TWICE NOW BUMPED THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL FROM DRIVE BY REACHING OVER THE GEARSHIFT, B…
Read full complaint
1997 MITSUBISHI GALANT ES W/ AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ("TRANSAXLE"): VEHICLE'S GEARSHIFT CAN BE ACCIDENTLY BUMPED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL BECAUSE THIS GEAR CHANGE DOES NOT REQUIRE THE BRAKES TO BE PRESSED NOR THE GEARSHIFT BUTTON TO BE PRESSED. I HAVE TWICE NOW BUMPED THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL FROM DRIVE BY REACHING OVER THE GEARSHIFT, BOTH TIMES WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION (ONCE WHILE TRYING TO MERGE ONTO THE INTERSTATE). THIS COULD HAVE LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT BOTH TIMES HAD I NOT QUICKLY DISCOVERED THAT MY CAR WAS NO LONGER IN DRIVE. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A DEFECT AS THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT THE CAR CAN BE SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKES OR THE SHIFT BUTTON. INCIDENT ON 02/15/2004 WAS WHILE GOING 55MPH, INCIDENT ON 04/18/2004 WAS WHILE GOING 20MPH.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH TRANSMISSION BLEW OUT. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
CAR STALLS WHEN STOPPING, AND VIBRATES. FELLS LIKE CAR IS NOT GETTING GAS. RPM'S GO UP WHILE DRIVING. AFTER 3 ATTEMPS, TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS CLAIM THEY CANNOT COME UP WITH A CODE, SO NOT SURE WHAT TO DO. ANY SUGGESTIONS? WHAT OTHER COMPLAINTS HAVE YOU RECEIVED?
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLOOR SHIFT LEVER CAN BE MOVED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL JUST BY TOUCHING IT WHILE DRIVING. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WENT TO DEALER TO HAVE CHECKED, EXPLAINED THEY SAID THE LITTLE DELAY AND THUNK IT HOW THE TRANSMISSION OPERATES. WENT ABOUT 6 MONTHS OR LESS BEFORE DEFAULT. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Official recalls
100V421001 · 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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.