2000 Mitsubishi Mirage

ATTORNEY IS WRITING ON BEHALF CLIENT WHO WAS INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY PRECIPITATED BY A DEFECTIVE TAKATA SEAT BELT IN A 2000 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE HE RENTED FROM ENTERPRISE RENT-A-CAR. THE BUCKLE LOCKED SHUT, MAKING THE SEAT BELT UNUSABLE. HOWEVER, THE POLICE REPORT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT. DRIVER SUSTAINED SERIOUS HEAD WOUNDS, AND THERE WAS HEAVY DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *TT

THE DASHBOARD GAUGES TOTALLY WENT OUT... FIRST, THE GAUGES WOULD POP ON AND OFF RIGHT AFTER I STARTED THE CAR AND PROCEEDED TO WORK OFF AND ON FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. IT COMPLETELY STOPPED COMING ON AFTER ABOUT 4 WEEKS. NOW, I CANNOT TELL MY SPEED, HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE IN THE TANK, HOW MANY MILES THE ODOMETER HAS, OR THE TEMP. EVERY GAUGE ON THE DASH DOES NOT WORK AT ALL--- WHICH IS VERY FRUSTRATING. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $300. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT A NUMBER OF MITSUBISH MIRAGES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN FOR THE SAME REASON AS MINE. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON SUCH A FAILURE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS TRUE OR NOT. ANY HELP IN THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU.*AK

WE HAD THE CAR ALIGNED SEVERAL TIMES AFTER THE CONTROL ARM WAS REPLACED ON THE RIGHT SIDE FRONT WHEEL. IT WAS BROKE WHEN CAR WAS PURCHASED. THE CAR STALLED ABOUT 5 DIFFERENT TIMES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I ASKED THE REPAIR DEPARTMENT TO CHECK BUT THEY SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE RIGHT WINDOW MOTOR WENT OUT AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED. THE ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON 2-13-2001 HAPPENED BECAUSE THE ENGINE STALLED AND WHEN THE CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT MY DAUGHTER WENT OFF THE ROAD AND WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT BEFORE HITTING A TREE AND FENCE AT AROUND 60 MPH THE CAR WAS TOTALLED AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. LUCKILY MY DAUGHTER WAS NOT SEVERELY INJURED. SHE SUFFERED SOME CUTS, BRUISING AND BACK PAIN FROM THE ACCIDENT. A PASSENGER WITH HER AT THE TIME WAS SHOOK UP, BUT WAS UNHURT. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED HAD THEY FIXED THE CAR WHEN IT WAS TAKEN IN. I WAS NEVER TOLD THAT THERE HAD BEEN RECALLS ON CARS MADE IN JAPAN WHICH IS WHERE THIS CARS PARTS CAME FROM AND ASSEMBLY TOOK PLACE. I HAVE CONTACED CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY ONLY GIVE ME THE RUN AROUND SAYING THEY WANT PROOF THE CAR FAILED. I WOULD THINK PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE AND OUR STATEMENTS WOULD SAY SOMETHING. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE CAR AND THE AIRBAG AREA.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON A OFF RAMP AND STARTED TO DOWNSHIFT, APPLIED BRAKES WITH VEHICLE IN RIGHT LANE, AND IT DRIFTED OFF INTO LEFT. CONSUMER STARTED TO STEER, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN AT ALL, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE, HE COULD NOT, THEN DOWN SHIFTED VEHICLE TO TRY AND SLOW IT DOWN WHICH DID NOT HELP, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE STEERING. *SLC

AFTER BUYING THE CAR, THE FIRST WEEK, THE TRANSMISSION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WOULD CUT OUT. TOOK IT TO THE APPLEWAY MITSUBISHI REPAIR CENTER, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION, YET ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IT STILL CUTS OUT, USUALLY RIGHT AFTER LEAVING FROM A STOPPED POSITION. THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN HAVE A DEFINITE VIBRATION BETWEEN THE SPEED OF 70 TO 80 MILES PER HOUR, YET THE REPAIR FACILITY SAID THAT THEY HAD TEST DROVE IT AT THOSE SPEEDS AND INFORMED ME THAT IT DID NOT VIBRATE.*AK

VEHICLE SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL FROM DRIVE WHILE TRAVELING @ VARIOUS SPEEDS 100% OF THE TIME SHIFTS BY IT'SSELF 50% OF TIME 50% OF TIME W/ SLIGHTEST TOUCH, WHEN CAR SHIFTS OUT OF GREAR YOU LOOSE ALL CONTROL OF VEHICLE & HAVE TO FORCE IT TO GO BACK INTO DRIVE OR LOWER GREAR, THE BUTTON THAT IS SUPOSED TO BE USED TO SHIFT DOESN'T WORK & THE LOCK MECHANISM TO PREVENT SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL/PARK WHILE CAR IS MOVING DOESN'T WORK - IT'S IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION.