IllustrationWHILE HAVING VEHICLE SERVICED AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, AND HAVING IT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS MECHANIC NOTICED THAT OIL FILTER/BRACKETS WERE DAMAGED AND RIGGED FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES. UNTIL VEHICLE WAS SOLD CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEM. DEALER STATED MALFUNCTION WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.*AK
1998 Mitsubishi Galant
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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: 12 of 53 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 12 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 →
- Suspension. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
53 reportsWHILE DRIVING 55-60 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD, AND SUDDENLY VEHICLE STARTED TO STALL. MECHANIC STATED RADIATOR CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
WHEN WINDSHIELD WAS HIT BYE A LITTLE TAR PELLET FROM A SHORT DISTANCE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD STARTED CRACKING BADLY.*AK
RECALL ON LOWER BALL JOINT BOOT WAS DONE IN JANUARY 2002. ON 30 APRIL CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO STEER AT SLOW SPEED. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP.*JB
THE VEHICLE ENGINE STARTED QUITING SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY LEAVING DRIVER WITHOUT POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. IT IS A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION IN BUSY METROPOLIS (HOUSTON, TX) WHERE CAR IS DRIVEN. ALSO THE CAR CAN LEAVE PASSENGERS STRANDED IN REMOTE OR DANGEROUS LOCATIONS WITHOUT WARNING.*AK
AT 41,500 MILES I HAD A BASIC FRONT BRAKE JOB PERFORMED ON MY CAR DUE TO THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKING SEVERELY WHILE BRAKING. APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS LATER I HAD THE ROTORS RESURFACED DUE TO THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKING SEVERELY WHILE BRAKING. APPROXIMATELY 7 MONTHS AFTER THAT I HAD THE ROTORS RESURFACED AGAIN DUE TO THE STEERING W…
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AT 41,500 MILES I HAD A BASIC FRONT BRAKE JOB PERFORMED ON MY CAR DUE TO THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKING SEVERELY WHILE BRAKING. APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS LATER I HAD THE ROTORS RESURFACED DUE TO THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKING SEVERELY WHILE BRAKING. APPROXIMATELY 7 MONTHS AFTER THAT I HAD THE ROTORS RESURFACED AGAIN DUE TO THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKING SEVERELY WHILE BRAKING. I HAVE CONTACTED MITSUBISHI FOR REIMBURSEMENT TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WILL NOT SINCE IT IS NOT A "SAFETY ISSUE". IT IS. HOW CAN MITSUBISHI SAY THIS ISN'T A "SAFETY ISSUE"? WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO GET A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM SO THAT LIVES DON'T HAVE TO BE LOST?*AK
BATTERY FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. *ET
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH VEHICLE LOST STEERING CONTROL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND INFORMED THAT PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT PULLEY. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED ,AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY AND NOT COVER UNDER A RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON …
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WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH VEHICLE LOST STEERING CONTROL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND INFORMED THAT PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT PULLEY. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED ,AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY AND NOT COVER UNDER A RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
THERE IS A VIBRATION THAT HAPPENS AT HIGHER SPEEDS, APPROXIMATELY 55 + MPH. DEALERSHIP HAS REPEATEDLY INFORMED HER THAT TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTIFICATION IN MAIL FOR LOWER CONTROL ARM/ BALL JOINT. CONSUMER HAD RECALL TAKEN CARE OF BY DEALERSHIP, BUT VIBRATION CONTINU…
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THERE IS A VIBRATION THAT HAPPENS AT HIGHER SPEEDS, APPROXIMATELY 55 + MPH. DEALERSHIP HAS REPEATEDLY INFORMED HER THAT TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTIFICATION IN MAIL FOR LOWER CONTROL ARM/ BALL JOINT. CONSUMER HAD RECALL TAKEN CARE OF BY DEALERSHIP, BUT VIBRATION CONTINUES TO OCCUR IN VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CALL ON AND STARTED TO STALL AT 60MPH. NO ADVANCE WARNING WAS GIVEN THAT THERE WAS PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. 30 DAY PRIOR CAR WAS IN THE SHOP FOR TUNE UP AND OIL CHANGE. CONTACTED DEALER STATED CAR WARRANTY IS NOT IN EFFECT BECAUSE OF MILEAGE, HOWEVER I STATED CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD.*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.