2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

I OWN A 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION WITH 10,500 MILES. THE CLUTCH APPEARS TO HAVE PREMATURELY WORN OUT AS ENGAGEMENT IS VERY ROUGH AND CAUSES THE CAR TO JUMP AND LURCH FROM A STAND STILL. COMING FROM A START IN FIRST GEAR IS THE PRIMARY PROBLEM. THIS "CLUTCH SHUTTER/CHATTER" IS VERY COMMON IN THE EVO VIII COMMUNITY AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. THE DEALER TELLS ME IT IS DUE TO A WORN CLUTCH PLATE AND IS A "WEAR ITEM" AND THUS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN AGGRESSIVELY LET ALONE ABUSED. FROM THE INFO I GATHER MANY EVO VIII OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME SYPTOMS WITH EVEN LESS MILEAGE THAN MINE. THIS DEFINETELY SHOULD BE CAUSE FOR A RECALL!!!! THANKS . *AK

I HAVE A 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION-8, AND AT APPROXIMATELY 2,400 MILES I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY TRANSMISSION, AND NO MODIFICATIONS HAD BEED DONE TO THE CAR. IT STARTED OUT AS A 4TH TO 5TH GEAR SHIFTING PROBLEM(GRINDING). IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S RPM SENSITIVE. I HAD THE DEALERSHIP LOOK AT IT, AND THEY SAID IT WASN'T BAD ENOUGH NEED FIXING, HOWEVER, DID AKNOWLEDGE AFTER THEY DROVE IT THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING "OUT OF PLACE" WITH MY TRANSMISSION AND DID EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I WAS HAVING. I HAVE HAD THE CAR IN THREE TIMES FOR THIS, BUT IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THEY HAVE NO DESIRE TO FIX THIS. THEN AROUND 4,500 MILES IT STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS GOING INTO SECOND GEAR, AND THIRD GEAR WITH A VERY NOTCHY AND ROUGH ENGAGEMENT. I NOW HAVE 12,500 MILES ON MY CAR AND THE SHIFTING IS GETTING MUCH WORSE. AFTER BROWSING THE INTERNET, I FOUND MANY LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON THIS YEAR AND MODEL OF CAR WITH THE END RESULT BEING THAT THE OWNER OF THE CAR IS AT FAULT AND NOT THE MANUFACTURER/DEALER. ONE REFERENCE # IS 10063730 NHTSA COMPLAINT ID: 464401 ENTERED MARCH 23, 2004.*AK

ROCK CHIPS BEHIND THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR DOOR. MANY LITTLE CHIPS RUNNING UP THE DOOR FRAME. THE CHIPS ARE IN THE CREASE OF THE DOOR JAMB. I CAN PROVIDE PICTURES. I TOOK THE CAR (2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION) TO HALL MITSUBISHI IN NEWPORT NEWS VIRGINIA AROUND JANUARY OR FEBRUARY. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT WAS ROCKS KICKED UP FROM THE ROAD AND DIRECTED ME TO CALL A TOUCH UP PAINT REPAIR SPECIALIST. I HAVE TALKED TO MANY OTHER LANCER EVOLUTION OWNERS AND SEEN FIRST HAND THAT ALMOST EVERY EVOLUTION HAS THIS PROBLEM. I CAN PROVIDE PICTURES OF THE AREA IN QUESTION. THE CHIPS ARE TINY, BUT THEY ARE IN A PLACE ON THE CAR THAT WILL BE VERY SUSCEPTABLE TO RUST. I STARTED NOTICING THE PROBLEMS ABOUT A MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY A IMPROPERLY ALIGNED REAR DOOR. SO FAR I HAVE ONLY NOTICED THE PROBLEM ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE CAR. *AK