IllustrationWHILE 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
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
What owners actually said
80 reportsI WAS SLOWLY BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AT A LOCAL SHOPPING CENTER WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOYED. THE FORCE WAS ENOUGH TO BREAK MY ARM. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, AS NO WARNING LIGHT OR MESSAGE APPEARED AT ANY TIME. MOREOVER, I HAD NEVER…
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I WAS SLOWLY BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AT A LOCAL SHOPPING CENTER WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOYED. THE FORCE WAS ENOUGH TO BREAK MY ARM. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, AS NO WARNING LIGHT OR MESSAGE APPEARED AT ANY TIME. MOREOVER, I HAD NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT WITH THIS CAR PRIOR TO THIS OCCASION. *JB
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?
WHILE DRIVING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL GOT STUCK. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. NO IMPACT REPORTED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH CONSUMER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRES MELTED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 15 MPH VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC, …
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WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH CONSUMER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRES MELTED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 15 MPH VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC, WHO DISCOVERED THAT THE FLYWHEEL AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, RADIATOR HOSE SPLIT. *AK
VEHICLE'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. *MR AS THE CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER ENTERED THE GARAGE, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING, AND BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE INJURED. THERE WAS NO IMPACT WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, BUT AFTERWARDS THE VEHICLE HIT THE WALL. *SCC *JB
THE BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL SHAKE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE BRAKES SEEM TO MAKE A POPPING NOISE WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT HAND TURN. I HAVE TO APPLY BRAKES AT A FAR DISTANCE TO PREVENT FROM RUNNING INTO OTHER VEHICLES. THE PROBLEM HAS EXISTED FOR AWHILE AND NOTED TO SERVICE DEALERSHIP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. IN ADDITIO…
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THE BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL SHAKE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE BRAKES SEEM TO MAKE A POPPING NOISE WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT HAND TURN. I HAVE TO APPLY BRAKES AT A FAR DISTANCE TO PREVENT FROM RUNNING INTO OTHER VEHICLES. THE PROBLEM HAS EXISTED FOR AWHILE AND NOTED TO SERVICE DEALERSHIP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. IN ADDITION, NOISE CAN BE HEARD FROM THE GAS TANK WHEN BRAKING. YOU CAN HEAR THE GAS SHAKING FROM IN THE TANK. THIS IS A CONCERN WHEN TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT. DON'T KNOW IF THE TANK WILL EVENTUALLY EXPLODE OR IGNITE A FIRE. *NLM
NOTICED "SQUEAKING" NOISE WHEN DRIVING AT MINIMAL SPEED-ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. AUTO MECHANIC SAID THE STEERING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, BRAKES HAVE BEEN CONSTANT PROBLEM WITH ROTOR DAMAGE. *NLM
THE VEHICLE BECAME HARD TO STEER.*JB
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, AND THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.*JB *TS
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.