FaultScore report
Owners have filed 26 complaints about the 1996 Mitsubishi 3000GT with NHTSA between 1996 and 2008. The largest single group is the transmission & drivetrain. Across this model's run it ranks 6 of 7 worst.
FaultScore 26/100
Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Mitsubishi 3000GT.
How this is worked out26
Complaints
1
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
70,000 mi
Median mileage at failure
Half of reported failures happened before this
0%
Failed under 36,000 miles
Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
1 crashes, 0 fires
Median failure at 63,000 miles
NHTSA files every complaint against a named sub-assembly, not just a system. This is the difference between knowing it was "the engine" and knowing which part of it — the list to hand a mechanic.
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
TRANSFER CASE LOCKUP
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A CONDITION EXISTS THAT ALLOWS OIL TO LEAK FROM THE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE TRANSFER CASE.
Risk: LOW OIL LEVELS IN THE TRANSFER CASE COULD CAUSE BEARING DAMAGE AND RESULT IN DRIVE TRAIN LOCKUP, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
WHEELS:RIM
BOUGHT CAR WITH 46,000 MILES AND ALL 4 RIMS HAD THE CHROME PEELING OFF. THE CHROME PEELING WAS EXTREMELY BAD FROM THE BACK OF THE RIM BUT THE FRONT SHOWS MAJOR SIGNS OF PEELING. I CUT MY FINGERS/HAND MULTIPLE TIMES CHANGING THE TIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10047532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
THE CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE TRAVELING 50-55 MPH WHEN DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL TO GAIN SPEED, THE PEDAL BECAME STUCK WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH.
NHTSA complaint #10017909 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
SEAT BELTS
SEATBELT DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, LEAVING SLACK IN THE BELT SO IT DOES NOT HOLD DRIVER IN CASE OF CRASH.
NHTSA complaint #10239665 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
NORMAL EVERYDAY USAGE OF SEAT BELTS. THE FRONT SEAT BELTS DO NOT WORK ANY MORE THEY PULL OUT BUT DO NOT RETRACT BACK. MITSUBISHI SAYS TO WIPE THE BELT DOWN WITH A DAMP CLOTH THEN DRY OFF TO REMOVE DIRT. THIS DOES NOT WORK NOW MY FRONT SEATBELTS DO NOT WORK AT ALL THEY STAY FULLY EXTENDED AND WILL NOT RETRACT TO PROVIDE ANY RESTRAINT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR ANY RESTRAINT AT ALL FOR THAT MATTER. (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=1996, MAKE=MITSUBISHI, MODEL=3000GT).
NHTSA complaint #10219645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
SEAT BELT DOESN'T RETRACT PROPERLY TO PERFORM SAFELY. IT IS SLACK WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE TIGHT AGAINST MY CHEST.
NHTSA complaint #10193380 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
I HAVE A 96 MITSUBISHI 3000GT AND MY FRONT SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT AFTER BEING PUT ON OR TAKEN OFF. IF I WERE TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT THEY WOULD DO VERY LITTLE TO PROTECT ME. I TRIED TO SEE IF MITSUBISHI WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM BUT THEY SAID THEY ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. JUST FIGURED I WOULD LET SOME ONE KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THE MITSUBISHI SEAT BELTS.
NHTSA complaint #10186619 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT VR4 - DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT AFTER USE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE I'VE OWNED THE CAR - PURCHASED IN 07/2000.
NHTSA complaint #10184726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM IN MY 1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT VR-4 DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE BELTS DO NOT RETURN TO THEIR RETRACTED STATE AFTER USE. MOREOVER, USING THE SEAT BELT IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE OVER-THE-SHOULDER LOOP THE BELT PASSES THRU CAUSES THE BELT TO BE "TIED UP".
NHTSA complaint #10178372 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
I OWN A 1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT THAT HAS HAD BOTH FRONT SEATBELTS FAIL TO OPERATE CORRECTLY. I HAVE REPLACED THESE BELT TWICE NOW AND THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO COME BACK AFTER A FEW MONTHS. I FEEL THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE PRODUCT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER AS A RECALL. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #10177335 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT FULLY AND DO NOT LOCK IN PLACE. I FEEL THIS IS VERY UNSAFE IF AN ACCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR. THE SEAT BELT IS ONLY FUNCTIONAL AS A WAIST HARNESS, BECAUSE THIS RENDERS THE SHOULDER HARNESS USELESS.
NHTSA complaint #10171719 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT ON MY 1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT VR-4 HAS PROBLEMS RETRACTING. IF I LEAN FORWARD, IT WON'T AUTOMATICALLY RETRACT TO PICK UP THE SLACK. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN MAY 2003. SINCE THE BELT WON'T AUTOMATICALLY RETRACT, I HAVE TO PHYSICALLY PULL IT OUT, THEN LET IT GO FOR IT TO TAKE IN ALL THE SLACK. THE PROBLEM HASN'T BEEN FIXED BECAUSE MITSUBISHI DOESN'T THINK IT IS A PROBLEM. IF IT FAILS DURING AN ACCIDENT, MY DEATH COULD RESULT.
NHTSA complaint #10156811 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY.
NHTSA complaint #10155120 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
TRANSFER CASE SEIZED UP DUE TO LEAK N TRANSFERCASE. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO UPHOLD RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM. DURING SEIZE UP CSR LOSTCONTROL AND SPUN OUT OF CONTROL ON I-25 LUCKLY NO ONE WAS INJUERD BUT I STILL HOLD MITSUBISHI AND DEALERS RESPONSIBLE. THEY STILL HAVE YET TO CONTACT MY LAWYER.
NHTSA complaint #10096236 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR AUTOMATIC 1996 3000GT AT APPROX. 60 MILES PER HR WHEN CAR SURGED FORWARD 4 TIMES IN A ROW. SHE ALMOST HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER! CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SHE WAS LESS THAN A MILE HOME AND DROVE CAR VERY SLOWLY HOME. VEHICLES REVERSE NO LONGER WORKS AT ALL!!! CAR IS ABLE TO GO INTO DRIVE BUT WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR AND WILL NOT GO OVER 20 MILES PER HR NOW! CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO DEALER BUT NO WORD ON WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT YET.
NHTSA complaint #10088858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION SEIZED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10074390 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS:RIM
BOUGHT CAR WITH 46,000 MILES AND ALL 4 RIMS HAD THE CHROME PEELING OFF. THE CHROME PEELING WAS EXTREMELY BAD FROM THE BACK OF THE RIM BUT THE FRONT SHOWS MAJOR SIGNS OF PEELING. I CUT MY FINGERS/HAND MULTIPLE TIMES CHANGING THE TIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10047532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
THE CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE TRAVELING 50-55 MPH WHEN DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL TO GAIN SPEED, THE PEDAL BECAME STUCK WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH.
NHTSA complaint #10017909 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
I OWN A 1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT VR-4 WITH A 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. MY FRIEND, BRIAN WATSON AND I WERE TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON HIGHWAY 20, JUST ABOUT 50 MILES EAST OF BEND, OR. I MADE AN ATTEMPT TO SHIFT FROM 5TH TO 6TH GEAR, BUT BECAUSE OF SOME PROBLEMS WITH WHAT I NOW UNDERSTAND TO BE THE SYCROS, IT WENT INTO 4TH GEAR. NOT NOTICING IT WAS IN 4TH GEAR BECAUSE I HAD SHIFTED IT INTO THE POSITION OF 6TH, I LET OUT THE CLUTCH AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR. SHORTLY AFTER, I HEARD THIS POP. I LOOKED DOWN AND NOTICED THE RPM'S WERE PAST THE RED LINE, THIS IS WHEN I FIGURED OUT THAT THE CAR WAS IN 4TH GEAR. I SHIFTED IT BACK INTO 5TH GEAR AND BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN, CONCERNED ABOUT THE POP SOUND I HAD HEARD. I ASKED BRIAN, IF HE HAD HEARD IT AND HE TOLD ME NO. I ASKED HIM IF HE WAS SURE HE DIDN'T HEAR IT, HE TOLD ME NO, SO I KEPT DRIVING. SHORTLY AFTER, I STARTED HEARING CLANKING SOUNDS COMING FROM WHAT SOUNDED LIKE THE TRANSMISSION. THE ENGINE STOPPED, THE VEHICLE STARTED SLOWING DOWN RAPIDLY. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER OFF THE PAVEMENT ONTO THE GRAVEL ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR. I'M WORRIED THAT MY CAR IS ABOUT TO CATCH ON FIRE. I BEGAN POURING THE WATER ONTO THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH WAS BOILING THE WATER AT THIS POINT, BUT IT SEEMED TO BE ENOUGH TO STOP THE ENGINE AREA FROM SMOKING. LATER I FOUND OUT THAT THE TRANSAXLE WAS BAD AND THAT IT COSTS $4414.29 NEW, PLUS $696.00 FOR LABOR. I ASKED IF THEY COULD GET THE TRANSAXLE REPLACED CONSIDERING THE DRIVE TRAIN HAS A 60,000-MILE WARRANTY ON IT AND MY MILEAGE IS ONLY 66,000-MILES. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID NO AND SO DID THE PERSON THAT MADE THE DECISION AFTER I CALLED MITSUBISHI. SO I AM WRITING IN HOPES THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ASSIST ME IN THIS MATTER. THE TRANSAXLE SHOULD NOT HAVE SHIFTED INTO THE WRONG GEAR, IT ALSO SHOULD HAVE NOT EXPLODED BECAUSE IT WAS IN ABOVE RED LINE.
NHTSA complaint #10010290 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
WHILE DRIVING AT 80 MPH THE VEHICLE TRANSFER CASE FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE REAR WHEELS TO LOCK UP RESULTING IN CONSUMER LOSING CONTROL OF VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
NHTSA complaint #8022479 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP ON VEHICLE LEAVING THE VEHICLE IN 3RD GEAR, THEREFORE KEEPING VEHICLE FROM MANUEVERING AND DRIVING PROPERLY. WAS REASON FOR POTENTIAL ACCIDENT. TS
NHTSA complaint #767832 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE VEHICLE IS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID AND WHILE SHIFTING GEAR THE VEHICLE ARE HARD. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #8019500 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THIS IS MY 2ND TRANNY BECAUSE THE FIRST TRANNY WAS GRINDING FROM A 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. THE PROBLEM WAS THE 1-2 GEAR SYNCHRO THAT GOT WORN OUT DUE TO THE MANUFACTURER'S POOR DESIGN. UPON FAILURE AT 55MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED AND THE TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE LOCKED UP. THE BAY RIDE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP ASKED ME TO REPLACE TO A NEW TRANSMISSION WHICH COST ME $3000. I DID AND THE CAR RAN FINE FOR THE FIRST 15K MILES THEN THE SHIFTING BECAME NOTCHY AND THAT'S WHEN MY TRANSFER CASE GAVE UP AND I BOUGHT A NEW ONE AND INSTALLED IT MYSELF. SOMETHING OUGHT TO BE DONE ABOUT MITSUBISHI'S POOR TRANSMISSION DESIGN.
NHTSA complaint #757670 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
THIS IS MY 2ND TRANNY BECAUSE THE FIRST TRANNY WAS GRINDING FROM A 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. THE PROBLEM WAS THE 1-2 GEAR SYNCHRO THAT GOT WORN OUT DUE TO THE MANUFACTURER'S POOR DESIGN. UPON FAILURE AT 55MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED AND THE TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE LOCKED UP. THE BAY RIDE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP ASKED ME TO REPLACE TO A NEW TRANSMISSION WHICH COST ME $3000. I DID AND THE CAR RAN FINE FOR THE FIRST 15K MILES THEN THE SHIFTING BECAME NOTCHY AND THAT'S WHEN MY TRANSFER CASE GAVE UP AND I BOUGHT A NEW ONE AND INSTALLED IT MYSELF. SOMETHING OUGHT TO BE DONE ABOUT MITSUBISHI'S POOR TRANSMISSION DESIGN.
NHTSA complaint #757670 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
CONSTANT LEAKING FRONT TRANSFER CASE. DEALER REFUSES TO WORK ON COMPONENT AND HAS STATED THAT "TRANSMISSION" HAS BEEN OVERFILLED. CAR HAS SIT IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR THE PAST 3 WEEKS WITHOUT BEING DRIVEN. TRANSFER CASE IS NOW EMPTY OF FLUID.
NHTSA complaint #752614 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
THIS IS THE THIRD TRANSMISSION THAT I'VE HAD PUT IN MY CAR, AND I'VE ONLY OWNED THE CAR FOR TWO YEARS. FIRST TRANSMISSION WENT, AND WAS REPLACED. ONE MONTH LATER I HAD TO GO BACK IN BECAUSE OF THE TRANSFER CASE HAD GONE BAD. AND NOW, A YEAR LATER, MY SYNCHROS ARE GOING OUT ALREADY. IN ABOUT THREE MONTHS, I BELEIVE I WILL NEED A NEW TRANSMITION, ONCE AGAIN. IT'S AN ONGOING CYCLE. OR A WAY FOR THE COMPANY TO MAKE LOTS OF MONEY, FOR OUR TRANSMITIONS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.THIS IS THE THIRD TRANSMITION THAT I'VE HAD PUT IN MY CAR, AND I'VE ONLY OWNED THE CAR FOR TWO YEARS. FIRST TRANSMITION WENT, AND WAS REPLACED. ONE MONTH LATER I HAD TO GO BACK IN BECAUSE OF THE TRANSFER CASE HAD GONE BAD. AND NOW, A YEAR LATER, MY SYNCHROS ARE GOING OUT ALREADY. IN ABOUT THREE MONTHS, I BELEIVE I WILL NEED A NEW TRANSMITION, ONCE AGAIN. IT'S AN ONGOING CYCLE. OR A WAY FOR THE COMPANY TO MAKE LOTS OF MONEY, FOR OUR TRANSMITIONS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.
NHTSA complaint #751769 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION WAS UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME. FIRST THE HUB WENT OUT ON THE TRANSIMISSION BETWEENT THE FIRST AND SECOND SYNCHRO. ABOUT 50 MILES AFTER I HAD THE NEW TRANNY PUT IN, THE TRANSFER CASE WENT BAD.
NHTSA complaint #742190 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHEN USING THE POWER BUTTON TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE, ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR ACCELERATED TO (90) MPH . SHUTTING THE POWER BUTTON OFF OR STEPPING ON THE BRAKE, DID NOT DISENGAGE THE PEDAL.
NHTSA complaint #804822 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.