IllustrationCONSUMER STATES THERE IS A RECALL CAMPAIGN 00V421001 CONCERNING THE LOWER ARM BALL JOINTS ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION BEING DAMAGE. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FROM MANUFACTURER. *TT
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
Suspension complaints
18 reportsWHILE MAKING REPAIRS DEALER NOTICED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT REAR WHEEL KNUCKLE HAD CRACKS ALL AWAY AROUND, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED OR THE WHEEL WOULD COME OFF. *AK *YD
FRONT BRAKES DOING 100% OF BRAKING, REAR BRAKES NEVER SET TO CONTACT DRUMS. ROTORS REPLACED 7 TO 8 TIMES IN PAST FEW YEARS WHILE REAR BRAKES HAVE NEVER BEEN REPLACED. I STOPPED GOING TO BOCH MITSUBISHI AND WENT TO A BRAKE SPECIALIST WHO TOLD ME THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS NO GOOD AND THE REAR BRAKES HAD ZERO WEAR ON THEM AFTER 3 YEARS.…
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FRONT BRAKES DOING 100% OF BRAKING, REAR BRAKES NEVER SET TO CONTACT DRUMS. ROTORS REPLACED 7 TO 8 TIMES IN PAST FEW YEARS WHILE REAR BRAKES HAVE NEVER BEEN REPLACED. I STOPPED GOING TO BOCH MITSUBISHI AND WENT TO A BRAKE SPECIALIST WHO TOLD ME THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS NO GOOD AND THE REAR BRAKES HAD ZERO WEAR ON THEM AFTER 3 YEARS. I HAVE BEEN LIED TO BY THIS DEALER TOO OFTEN. I WENT IN FOR A LOWER BALLJOINT RECALL AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE FINE BUT MY INNER TIERODS NEEDED REPLACING DUE TO LOOSENESS. I WENT TO MY BRAKE MAN WHO TOLD ME THE TIERODS WERE IN PROPER WORKING ORDER AND DID NOT NEED REPLACING.*AK
THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO WORN OUT LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT, PRIOR TO RECALL. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *YH
NHTSA RECALL 00V421001/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 98V020000 FOR LOWER BALL JOINTS. DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED FOR REMEDY, BUT WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM REPAIRS DUE TO LACK OF PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
I FELT THE CAR STEERING WASN'T TRACKING AND DELAYED WHILE I WAS MAKING A TURN INTO A CURVE ON THE ROAD AND THE STEERING WAS DELAYED IN RESPONDING TO THE TURN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND HE REPLACED THE LF LOWER LATERAL ARM BECAUSE OF PLAY IN BALL JOINT. BUT THE DEALER NEVER INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ABOUT THIS …
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I FELT THE CAR STEERING WASN'T TRACKING AND DELAYED WHILE I WAS MAKING A TURN INTO A CURVE ON THE ROAD AND THE STEERING WAS DELAYED IN RESPONDING TO THE TURN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND HE REPLACED THE LF LOWER LATERAL ARM BECAUSE OF PLAY IN BALL JOINT. BUT THE DEALER NEVER INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HE CHARGED ME TO HAVE THE LF LATERAL ARM REPLACED.*AK
VEHICLE DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT DUE TO FRONT CASTER VALUES NOT BEING WITHIN SPECIFICATION. AS OF O8/18/97, LEFT FRONT CASTER WAS 2.6 DEGREES AND RIGHT FRONT CASTER WAS 3.9 DEGREES. MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFIED RANGE IS 2.8 TO 5.8 DEGREES, A DIFFERENCE OF 1.3 DEGREES. *AK
WHEN BRAKES ARE LOCKED, VEHICLE HAS AN INORDINATE TENDENCY TO SKID ON ROADS THAT ARE BARELY WET EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS (20-30 MPH).
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.