IllustrationTHE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED, AFTER REPLACEMENT FRONT BRAKES REQUIRED REPLACEMENT A SECOND TIME WHICH WAS CAUSING GRINDING NOISES, 2 REPAIRS WITHIN 17000 MILES SEEMS EXCESSIVE. *MJS
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 reportsWHEN APPLYING BRAKES, THE STEERING SHAKES. BRAKE SHOES AND ROTORS ARE WORN OUT AT 19,000 MILES (VERY PREMATURE); BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON CONSTANTLY IN VEHICLE - REPLACE W/ BRAKE FLUID, WHEELS SCREECH WHEN MAKING A SLOW TURN - MITSUBISHI WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ARE GIVING A HARD TIME ABOUT REPLACING THE BRAKES W/19,000 MILES. *AK
BRAKES PADS AND ROTORS ARE PREMATURLY WEARING OUT, CASUING CONSUMER TO RPLACE THE BRAKE SYSTEM 4 TIMES. *AK
BRAKES REPLACED X 2 AND PADS X1 AND BRAKES ALSO MACHINED ONCE W. LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON THE CAR.*AK
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. NLM
I STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR EARLIER IN THE YEAR AND HAD BROUGHT THE CAR TO TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS TO SEE IF IT WAS THE BRAKES BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS AT FIRST. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE PROPERLY AFTER I HAD STOPPED AT A SIGNAL LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN, IT HAD FELT AS IF THE BRAKES WERE STILL ON WHEN I PUSHED …
Read full complaint
I STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR EARLIER IN THE YEAR AND HAD BROUGHT THE CAR TO TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS TO SEE IF IT WAS THE BRAKES BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS AT FIRST. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE PROPERLY AFTER I HAD STOPPED AT A SIGNAL LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN, IT HAD FELT AS IF THE BRAKES WERE STILL ON WHEN I PUSHED MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL, YET THE CAR WOULD STAND STILL. ANOTHER TIME WHEN WE WERE SLOWING FOR A CORNER AT AROUND 5MPH, THE CAR HAD JERKED BACK AND FORTH UNTIL I HAD GAVE IT GAS AND IT WORKED OUT FINE. SOME DAYS THE CAR WAS FINE AND OTHER DAYS THE CAR WOULD ACT UP. SO, WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE CAR CHECKED OUT AND THEY HAVE SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS PROBLEMS BUT DIDN'T SAY AS TO WHAT. THEY ASKED FOR THE MAINTENACE RECORDS TO SEE IF THE CAR WAS PROPERLY MAITAINED AND RELATED THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS,LABOR,ESTIMATE,ECT WHILE THE CAR IS STILL UNDER THE 60 THOUSAND MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. WE DID HAVE THE CAR SERVICE AT A JIFFY LUBE NEAR US RATHER THAN GO 35 MILES SOUTH FROM HERE TO DO THE SAME. SO FAR I FEEL THAT I'M BEING TAKEN FOR A RIDE.
WHILE DRIVING NOTICED TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & INFORMED BY MECHANIC TRANSMISSION WAS GOING BAD. HAD THE FLUID & SCREEN CHANGED FOR THE 3RD TIME. WOULD BE MAKING NOISES & GETTING SLUGGISH. ALSO HAVING METAL SHAVINGS IN OIL PAN. *AK
LEFT & RIGHT FRONT AXLE SHAFTS FAILED. *ET
WHEN USING ELECTRICAL WINDSHIELD WIPERS HEADLIGHTS WILL DIM. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS UNSAFE BECAUSE MECHANIC TOLD HIM IT COULD CAUSE AND ELECTRICAL FIRE, OR LIGHTS COULD KEEP FLICKERING. *AK
WAS DRIVING 40MPH WHEN SMALL TRUCK IN FRONT STOPPED. NO REAR LIGHTS WERE SHOWING WHILE DRIVING. APPLIED BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN. AFTER NOTICING THE RED TAIL LIGHTS, REARENDED SMALL TRUCK. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DRIVER WAS INJURED. VEHICLE IS REPAIRABLE ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP. *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.