2001 Mitsubishi Montero Sport

THIS WEEK I HAVE HAD TWO OCCURRENCES WHERE THE HORN JUST STARTS BLARING AND WON'T STOP. ONCE WAS IN THE AFTERNOON, AND THE OTHER WAS AT 5:00 AM. MY ONLY DIY ALTERNATIVES ARE TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY (OBVIOUSLY CAN'T USE THE VEHICLE), OR REMOVE THE FUSE (VERY UNSAFE). THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, NO WEATHER PROBLEMS, TEMPERATURE WAS MILD (AROUND 70 DEGREES). PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING, THE HORN RARELY WORKED AT ALL; AT LEAST NOT WHEN I WANTED IT TO WORK. I GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AND IT APPEAR TO BE VERY WIDESPREAD ON THIS VEHICLE. FROM WHAT I HAVE FOUND OUT, IT INVOLVES REMOVING THE AIRBAG ASSEMBLY, SO GETTING IT FIXED IS VERY COSTLY (OVER $1000). I EXPECT TO SPEND SOME MONEY ON A FEW ITEMS HERE & THERE ON A 16 YEAR OLD VEHICLE, BUT I DON'T EXPECT TO SPEND OVER $ 1000 ON A VEHICLE JUST TO MAKE THE HORN WORK RIGHT.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE ONTO SHOULDER. AFTER QUICKLY CHECKING TIRES, ETC. I NOTICED THE FRAME HAD RIPPED IN HALF. THE DRIVER SIDE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY ROTTED FOR 4-5 FEET. FROM THE FRONT DOOR TO THE REAR WHEEL WELL. AFTER INSPECTION OF THE ENTIRE FRAME THE PASSENGER SIDE IS UNAFFECTED WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE IT IS POOR METAL/FRAME FROM THE FACTORY. *TR

2001 MITSUBUSHI MONTERO SPORT...TIE ROD SLEEVE ON PASSENGER SIDE UNEXPECTEDLY CAME APART AS I WAS PULLING OUT FROM PARKING SPACE ONTO BUSY ROADWAY. THIS CAUSED ME TO NOT BE ABLE TO STEER CORRECTLY. MECHANIC REPLACED TIE ROD AND FEELS THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AS THREADS WHERE STILL INTACT JUST FITTING WAS NOT PROPER. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO SCREW TIE ROD TOGETHER AND PHYSICALLY PULL THEM APART BY HAND. HAD THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. BEFORE THIS INCIDENT THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM WITH THE TIE RODS THAT FAILED SO NEEDLESS TO SAY WHEN THEY CAME APART IT WAS A TOTAL SHOCK. I DO HAVE THE OLD PARTS THAT WHERE REMOVED FOR INSPECTION IF NECESSARY. THE REPAIR BILL WAS $285 I WAS HOPING TO BE ABLE TO RECOUP OUR EXPENSES. I'M HOPING YOU CAN ADVISE ME ON HOW TO DO THIS. THANK YOU. *TR

2001 MONTER SPORT XLS 2WD 46,000 MILES. WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AT ANY RATE OF SPEED THE STEERING FEELS LOOSE AND IS ALSO RATTLING. CAUSES EXTRA EFFORT IN STABILIZING VEHICLE IN A SINGLE DIRECTION. WAS TAKEN TO TWO SAN ANTONIO BASED DEALERS GILLMAN MITSUBISHI SAN ANTONIO AND NORTHPOINT MITSUBISHI. NORTHPOINT MITSUBISHI DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ALTHOUGH MITSUBISHI PROVIDES POWERTRAIN WARRANTY WHICH INCLUDES SUSPENSION, DRIVETRAIN TO 60,000 MILES MITSUBISHI CORP DENIED WARRANTY COVERAGE STATING THAT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. AFTER EXPLAINING TO MITSUBISHI CORP THAT THIS IS A MATTER OF HIGHWAY SAFETY THE STILL REFUSE TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM.*AK