IllustrationHAD TO PULL FUSE TO GET THE ALARM TO QUIT.*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 reportsHARMONIC BALANCER FAILED, DISCONNECTING BELT PULLY FROM CRANKSHAFT. BELTS ALL BECAME DRAILED. IF NOT IN PARKING LOT AT 5MPH NOT SURE WHAT ENGINE DAMAGE MIGHT HAVE OCCURRED.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION IN WHICH REAR SEATS FELL FORWARD, CAUSING CHILD IN REAR TO BECOME CRUSHED BY WEIGHT OF THE SEATS. CHILD WAS PROPERLY RESTRAINED. AS A RESULT, CHILD SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 30 MPH FRONT END COLLISION IN WHICH FRONT DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES BECAUSE OF AIRBAG FAILURE. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WHILE 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
THIS WAS FOUND BY THE DEALER WHICH INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULDN'T BE COVERED UNDER ANY TYPE OF WARRANTY. I SPOKE WITH MITSUBISHI, AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING, BUT IF THIS FULLY CRACKED KNUCKLE BROKE WHILE DRIVING, THERE COULD BE SERIOUS INJURY TO MYSELF AND OTHER PEOPLE. I HAVE ALSO COPIED A LETTER TO THE BE…
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THIS WAS FOUND BY THE DEALER WHICH INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULDN'T BE COVERED UNDER ANY TYPE OF WARRANTY. I SPOKE WITH MITSUBISHI, AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING, BUT IF THIS FULLY CRACKED KNUCKLE BROKE WHILE DRIVING, THERE COULD BE SERIOUS INJURY TO MYSELF AND OTHER PEOPLE. I HAVE ALSO COPIED A LETTER TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU REGARDING THIS MATTER. PLEASE ASSIST. THANK YOU.
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
WHEN CONSUMER STARTED UP VEHICLE IT SHOOK AND VIBRATED. ALSO A LEAK WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH OF VEHICLE. TIRES WERE REPLACED BECAUSE THERE WERE BUBBLES LOCATED ON OUTER SIDE OF TIRES. VEHICLE JERKED WHEN IN DRIVE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*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.