2002 Mitsubishi Lancer

OWN A 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER, CODE P0421, SHOWED AFTER FAILURE OF EMISSIONS TEST. I CALLED MITSUBISHI MOTORS AFTER FINDING THIS CODE WAS FOR A RECALL IN AUG. 05 EMR-05-001/003, AN EMISSION RECALL ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, "MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED DAMAGE TO THE WARM-UP CAT CONVERTER AND SUBSEQUENT ILLUMINATION OF THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LAMP." MITSUBISHI INFORMED ME THIS RECALL WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY RECALL TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BUT THAT IT EXPIRED IN 2006, ALSO, THAT IT EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 8 YRS OR 100,000 MI. I EXPLAINED TO THEM I HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF ANY RECALLS ON THIS CAR. THEY INFORMED ME IT WAS MY FAULT FOR NOT INFORMING THEM I WAS THE OWNER, SO I COULD BE NOTIFIED. HOWEVER, NHTSA SAYS OWNERS ARE NOTIFIED THROUGH REGISTRATION RECORDS. THEY LATER STATED THEY HAD SENT ME A RECALL NOTICE IN AUG. 2005. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON ANY OF THE THREE RECALLS FOR MY CAR. THIS CAR HIT 100,000 MI ON 5/10/2008 WHICH WAS BEFORE THE 8YR LIMIT. THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY STARTED TO FLASH 2/5/2010, AT 122592 MILES, STILL BEFORE THE 8YR LIMIT. WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE GAS CAP NOT SCREWED ON ALL THE WAY BECAUSE IT DIDN'T ILLUMINATE CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL 06/2011. MITSUBISHI HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE THE CAT, BECAUSE THE CAR IS NOW OVER 100,000 MILES AND THE 8YR LIMIT, OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. WE HAVE PERFORMED A TUNE-UP OF THE ENGINE, OIL CHANGE, BELT REPLACEMENT, VALVE GASKET REPLACEMENT, AND FLUID FLUSH TO HELP REMEDY THE SITUATION. THE FAN CONTROL, AND PCM REFLASH WERE PERFORMED PER THE OTHER TWO RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE. *TR

MY SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT TURNED ON AND I WENT TO AUTO ZONE AND GOT A CODE : P0421 OEM BRAND: DOMESTIC DEFINITION: CATALYST EFFICIENCY LOW BANK 1 EXPLANATION: THE OXYGEN SENSORS MONITOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ABILITY TO STORE OXYGEN. PROBABLE CAUSES: 1- CATALYTIC CONVERTER DEFECTIVE (FAILURE POSSIBLY DUE TO #2, 3, OR 4.) 2- ENGINE MISFIRE OR RUNNING CONDITION. 3- LARGE VACUUM LEAK. 4- ENGINE OIL LEAKAGE INTO EXHAUST-VALVE GUIDE SEALS, PISTON RINGS. I CALLED MITSU AND THEY SAID SINCE MY CAR IS AT 93500 THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED...THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY....MY CAR IS NOT ACCELERATING AS IT WAS SUPPOSE TOO...ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEM....AFTER 90 MILES...THIS IS RIDICULOUS. *TR

MY SLAVE CYLINDER FAILED DUE TO LEAKAGE FROM THE TRANSMISSION. AS I WAS DRIVING UPHILL AND TRIED TO SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR THE CLUTCH PEDAL JUST WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR AND MY CAR GOT STUCK IN NEUTRAL. ITS COSTING ME 1000 DOLLARS TO FIX IT. THERE IS A TSB OUT ON THIS PROBLEM AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS HASN'T BEEN MADE A RECALL YET??? IT LOOKS LIKE A QUITE COMMON PROBLEM FOR PEOPLE AND A COSTLY ONE AT THAT. VERY UNFAIR THAT WE ARE HAVING TO PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS WHEN THIS WAS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE DEFROSTER/HEATER CONTROL MECHANISM FRACTURED AT THE TOUCH WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER/HEATER CONTROL MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 114,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLIMATE CONTROL KNOB HAD BROKEN. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO USE THE HEAT OR DEFROST OPTION AS A RESULT. THE CONTACT HAD NOTICED THAT THE KNOB WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENTIRE CLIMATE CONTROL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 580,000.

THE HVAC CONTROL UNIT IN MY 02 MITSUBISHI LANCER HAS A MECHANICAL FLAW STARTING WITH THE HEAT /AC KNOBS. THE VACUUM LINE BEHIND THE KNOB IS TOO WEAK TO ACTIVATE THE HEATER CORE LEVER AND DEFROST CONTROLS MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE WHEN DRIVING. THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BY MITSUBISHI AS I HAVE READ THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS IN FORUMS AROUND THE WEB.THE DEFROST ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE OF THESE CONTROLS AND VISIBILITY IS REALLY POOR DURING FALL AND WINTER MONTHS AND THIS IS SOMETHING I CANT FIX MYSELF AND I AM POSTING TO HELP OTHER LANCER DRIVERS AS WELL AS IT IS A PERSISTENT UNDERLYING PROBLEM. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER AND THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB IN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO TURN SINCE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND HAS SINCE DETERIORATED. THE KNOB BROKE OFF TWO WEEKS AGO. I CONTACTED MY DEALER WHO STATED THAT I CAN NOT JUST CHANGE THE KNOB I HAVE TO CHANGE THE WHOLE UNIT WHICH WILL COST ME AROUND $ 400.00 PLUS SERVICES FEES TO INSTALL IT. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM, SINCE HEATING (AND COOLING) A VEHICLE ALLOWS IT TO BE OPERABLE DURING HOT AND COLD TEMPERATURES. IT IS NOW BEGINNING TO GET COLD. I HAVE SEARCHON THE INTERNET FOR A CHEAPER TEMPERATURE CONTROL UNIT BUT HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR