U.S. public vehicle records

1996 Mitsubishi Caribbean GALANT: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

6 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

129,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1996 model year. Data updated: 2026-10-01 (October 1, 2026). 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 6 complaints (16.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	1	16.7%
Steering behavior	1	16.7%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags:Frontal

Engine And Engine Cooling

Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor

Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint

Tires

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Air Bags:Frontal	1
Engine And Engine Cooling	1
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch	1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor	1
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint	1
Tires	1

Air Bags:Frontal: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 1; Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint: 1; Tires: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 4 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1999

2004

2005

1999: 2; 2004: 1; 2005: 3

Pattern summary

Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10100004 · 2004-11-03 (November 3, 2004)

A RED LIGHT FLASHED ON LEFT SIDE OF STEERING WHEEL. VEHICLE WAS LOSING POWER, THEN GRAY SMOKE FROM FRONT. CAR CAUGHT FIRE AND TOTALED. *BF *TC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10100004 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10107326 · 2005-01-13 (January 13, 2005)

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE IRE BLEW. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND CHANGED THE TIRE. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. GOODYEAR TIRE SIZE 18570R/14 PLEASE PROVIDE THE DOT NUMBER. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 128,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10107326 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10111487 · 2005-02-14 (February 14, 2005)

THE LEFT REAR PASSENGER DOOR CAME OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING. THERE WERE CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TIED THE DOOR WITH DOME STRING. LATER, THE RIGHT PASSENGER DOOR OPENED. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE LATCHES ON BOTH DOORS WERE DEFECTIVE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 131,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10111487 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10144274 · 2005-11-29 (November 29, 2005)

BOTH BALL JOINTS ON THE CONSUMERS 1996 MITSUBISHI GALANT FAILED, BREAKING THE DRIVE AXLE. *TS AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE BALL JOINTS. THE CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED ANY TYPE OF NOTIFICATION. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE RECALL WORK HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE, HOWEVER THAT PROVED TO BE NOT TRUE AND SINCE THEN THE MANUFACTURER HAS AGREED TO PAY FOR THE COST OF THE BALL JOINT, BUT NOTHING ELSE WHICH WOULD BE A LITTLE OVER 200.00, HOWEVER THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR BILLS WE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10144274 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 850489 · 1999-10-12 (October 12, 1999)

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED, APPROXIMATELY 65MPH AND APPLYING BRAKES, BRAKES SHIMMY OR VIBRATE VERY BADLY. CONTACTED DEALER AND WAS TOLD NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ROTORS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 850489 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 852497 · 1999-11-03 (November 3, 1999)

AIR BAGLIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON. CONTACTED THE DEAL, THEY FIXED IT. IT WORKED FOR THREE DAYS, BUT STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 852497 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

00V421003 · Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint

Reported: 2001-04-06 (April 6, 2001)

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: 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.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

99V066004 · Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint

Reported: 1999-05-19 (May 19, 1999)

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.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE RUBBER BOOTS, AND IF THE BOOT IS DAMAGED, THEY WILL REPLACE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM AND BALL JOINT ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

6 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

33.3%Usable mileage2 / 6 records

100.0%Valid incident date6 / 6 records

100.0%Valid filing date6 / 6 records

100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates6 / 6 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	1987	1989	1990	1991	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 844816 WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH RPMS WENT UP, VEHICLE STARTED JERKING. PULLED OVER PUT IN PARK. THEN HAD THE CAR TOWED. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK Look up ODI 844816 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 10131291 2001 GALANT ES DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION.*MR THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF GEAR, WHICH RESULTED IN THE CONSUMER HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BECAUSE OF THE RECURRING TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. IT WAS DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED UNDER THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER STATED THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION IS NOW SLIPPING, HOWEVER THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND O… Look up ODI 10131291 at NHTSA ↗
Unknown Or Other	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 10204915 1999 MITSUBISHI GALANT WITH FOUR RECALLS. CUSTOMER STATES THAT HE FOUND FOUR RECALLS ONLINE. HE SAID HE CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD HIM THERE WERE NONE FOR HIS CAR. *KB Look up ODI 10204915 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 10153032 2001 GALANT PAINT WAS PEELING AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER ENGINE CONTROL MODULE CAME ON WEEK AFTER PURCHASE. TS JB Look up ODI 10153032 at NHTSA ↗
Air Bags:Frontal	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	116.7% ODI 852497 AIR BAGLIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON. CONTACTED THE DEAL, THEY FIXED IT. IT WORKED FOR THREE DAYS, BUT STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK Look up ODI 852497 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Engine And Engine Cooling	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	116.7% ODI 10100004 A RED LIGHT FLASHED ON LEFT SIDE OF STEERING WHEEL. VEHICLE WAS LOSING POWER, THEN GRAY SMOKE FROM FRONT. CAR CAUGHT FIRE AND TOTALED. BF TC Look up ODI 10100004 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 10153032 2001 GALANT PAINT WAS PEELING AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER ENGINE CONTROL MODULE CAME ON WEEK AFTER PURCHASE. TS JB Look up ODI 10153032 at NHTSA ↗
Equipment	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 10158826 COMPLAINT #1 - LEFT FRONT AXLE I AM IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING MY LEFT FRONT AXLE ON A 1997 MITSUBISHI GALANT FOR THE 3RD TIME. 1ST REPAIR DATE - 9/25/01 2ND REPAIR DATE - 6/5/03 3RD REPAIR DATE - 6/2/06 THERE IS NO REASON THE SAME AXLE SHOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED REPEATEDLY WITHIN A FIVE YEAR PERIOD OF TIME. I WOULD LIKE AN EXPLANATION AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR THIS REPAIR. THERE SHOULD ALSO BE A RECALL ON THIS PART BECAUSE OF THE FREQUENCY. COMPLAINT #2 - FRONT STRUTS I AM REPLACING THE FRONT STRUTS FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 4 YEARS. IS THIS… Look up ODI 10158826 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 10115187 · 78,850 mi WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH DRIVER APPLIED THE TURN SIGNAL AND IT FELL OFF THE STEERING COLUMN ONTO THE FLOOR. DRIVER MUST USE HAND SIGNALS WHEN TURNING. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK Look up ODI 10115187 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	116.7% ODI 10111487 · 131,000 mi THE LEFT REAR PASSENGER DOOR CAME OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING. THERE WERE CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TIED THE DOOR WITH DOME STRING. LATER, THE RIGHT PASSENGER DOOR OPENED. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE LATCHES ON BOTH DOORS WERE DEFECTIVE.*AK Look up ODI 10111487 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch	Too few reports for a range	131,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10111487 · 131,000 mi THE LEFT REAR PASSENGER DOOR CAME OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING. THERE WERE CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TIED THE DOOR WITH DOME STRING. LATER, THE RIGHT PASSENGER DOOR OPENED. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE LATCHES ON BOTH DOORS WERE DEFECTIVE.*AK Look up ODI 10111487 at NHTSA ↗
Tires	Too few reports for a range	128,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10107326 · 128,000 mi WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE IRE BLEW. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND CHANGED THE TIRE. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. GOODYEAR TIRE SIZE 18570R/14 PLEASE PROVIDE THE DOT NUMBER. *NM Look up ODI 10107326 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

2000: 0 complaints · 2001: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
2000	0	0	0
2001	0	0	0

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
2000	1	0	0
2001	3	0	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Air Bags:Frontal	Engine And Engine Cooling	Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch	Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor	Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint	Tires
Air Bags:Frontal	—	0	0	0	0	0
Engine And Engine Cooling	0	—	0	0	0	0
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch	0	0	—	0	0	0
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor	0	0	0	—	0	0
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint	0	0	0	0	—	0
Tires	0	0	0	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

0 patterns with matching reports.

No narratives match the published patterns.