Mitsubishi Lancer equipment problems

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MITSUBISHI LANCER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS TURNED ON, IT BLEW WARM AIR AFTER APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

NHTSA complaint #10733982 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL FAILED TO SWITCH FROM AIR CONDITIONER TO HEAT. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint #10659849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

ON WEDNESDAY MORNING 4/24/2013 AFTER NIGHT SHIFT I WENT OUTSIDE TO START MY CAR 5-10 MINUTES EARLY JUST LIKE ANY OTHER TIME PRIOR TO DRIVING. I PUT MY CAR IN GEAR TO PULL AWAY AND A SERVICE SIGNAL WENT OFF STATING "MAINTNENCE REQUIRED" WITH A DEPICTION OF A TRANSAXEL AND THE FRONT SUSPENSION IN "MOTION". I THEN PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BREAK TO INSPECT. THE AWC FUNCTION WOULD NOT WORK, "TARMAC" TO "GRAVEL" TO "SNOW". THE NEXT DAY I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE TO D'AMBROSIO MITSUBISHI FOR THEIR TECHNICIANS TO LOOK AT IT AND REPAIR IT. THEY DID THE USUAL MAINTNENCE OIL CHANGE, FLUID CHECK, TIRE ROTATION ETC LIKE I HAVE DONE EVER 2500 MILES. THE TECHNICIANS DISCOVERED THE S-AWC PUMP HAD SEIZED UP AND THAT THE PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HE STATED IT WOULD COST $2500.00 TO REPLACE, I ASKED WHAT I HAD DONE TO CAUSE SUCH A CATASTROPHIC EVENT; THE SERVICE MANAGER ADVISED ME THAT IT WAS A FLAW CAUSED BY MITSUBISHI AND THERE WAS NOTHING I HAD DONE OR DID NOT DO TO CAUSE THIS. I THEN LEFT AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M GOING TO DO NOW THAT I HAVE A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CAR THAT IS MEANT TO BE A FULL TIME ALL WHEEL DRIVE CAR, NOW ITS SITTING UNDER A TARP AND I TAKE THE BUS OR GET A RIDE.

NHTSA complaint #10509727 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

I HAVE AN 09 MITSUBISHI LANCER ES SPORT WITH THE SUN AND SOUND PACKAGE. THE AMPLIFIER, WHICH IS UNDER MY DRIVERS SIDE SEAT, FOR THE SOUND SYSTEM STARTED SMOKING AND SPARKING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO REPLACED IT, AND A WEEK AGO, WHILE I WAS DRIVING, IT STARTED SMOKING AND SPARKING AGAIN, BUT STOPS WHEN YOU POWER OFF THE RADIO, IF THE POWER IS ON IN THE RADIO, IT CONTINUES TO SMOKE AND SPARK. I BELIEVE THERE MAY BE A WIRING DEFECT IN MY CAR THAT IS CAUSING THIS TO HAPPEN AND FEAR THAT IF IT CONTINUES MY CAR MAY EVENTUALLY CATCH ON FIRE. DEALER WILL NOT LOOK AT IT AGAIN UNLESS I PAY $120 INITIAL FEE.

NHTSA complaint #10493442 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

I HAVE TWO ISSUES WHICH SEEM TO HAVE BOTH ALREADY BEEN REPORTED. 1. WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION WILL IDLE HIGH WHILE DRIVING, BUT THE VEHICLE IS NOT SPEEDING UP. THEN WITHOUT WARNING THE TRANSMISSION CATCHES, AND THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD. THIS IS A RANDOM ISSUE THAT HAPPENS DAILY WITH THE VEHICLE. SERVICING THE TRANSMISSION HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM AND CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM TO THIS DAY. 2.THE HEATER/AC CONTROL KNOW BECAME VERY DIFFICULTY TO CHANGE BETWEEN HEATER AND A/C. THE SWITCH HAS FINALLY BROKE OFF, AND NOW I'M UNABLE TO SWITCH BETWEEN HEATER AND A/C. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND THIS ALSO SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. I HAVE FOUND MOST OTHER AUTO OWNERS HAVE PAID FOR THE REPLACEMENT, BUT ONLY TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM OCCUR AGAIN. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON BOTH OF THESE ISSUES AND IS HAS BEEN REPORTED AS FAR BACK AS 2004, AND AT THIS POINT I DO SEE ANY RECALLS BY MITSUBISHI TO FIX EITHER OF THE PROBLEMS.

NHTSA complaint #10401304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

MITSUBISHI 2003 HEATING KNOB IS NOT WORKING..

NHTSA complaint #10370316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

MY 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER HEATER KNOB BROKE OFF AND I AM UNABLE TO GET THE DEFROSTER TO WORK. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM AS THIS IS A MATERIAL DEFECT IN HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF LANCER AUTOMOBILES. PLEASE HELP FORCE MITSUBISHI TO RECALL AND FIX THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10368147 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

I TURNED THE KNOB TO HEAT. IT WAS PRETTY STIFF BUT IT WOULD MOVE TO COLD TEMPERATURE FINE. I TRIED IT AGAIN AND THE KNOB AND PART OF THE SHAFT BROKE OFF. I HAD TO DRIVE TO WORK IN THE COLD. GOOD THING I WORKED ABOUT 10 MINUTES AWAY. TODAY I WAS SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET TO SEE HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST. THAT'S WHEN I SAW A COMMENT SAYING THERE WAS A TSB ISSUE ON 04 MODEL LANCERS. LUCKILY I FOUND THIS WEBSITE. HOPE MITSUBISHI WOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, ITS OCTOBER AND I REALLY NEED MY HEATER.

NHTSA complaint #10359620 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

THE HEAT/AC KNOB IN MY 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER WILL NOT TURN. IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR YEARS, BUT FOR FALL/WINTER 2009 I HAD TO HAVE A MECHANIC CRAWL UNDER THE DASH AND FORCE IT WITH PLIERS, THEN I LEFT IT THAT WAY ALL WINTER. NOT VERY SAFE OR CONVENIENT. I'M LOOKING AT A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR FROM MITSUBISHI WHICH THEY SHOULD PAY FOR. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, YOU CAN'T DEFROST YOUR WINDOWS WITHOUT HEAT, NOR SHOULD YOU HAVE TO USE SUCH LOUSY EQUIPMENT. MITSUBISHI NEEDS TO STEP UP AND ISSUE A RECALL, I'VE SEEN THIS COMPLAINT ALL OVER THE INTERNET.

NHTSA complaint #10342615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

MITSUBISHI 2003 LANCER ES PROBLEM: AC KNOB WON'T SWITCH ALL THE WAY OVER TO HEAT?IT KINKS. IF YOU TURN IT TOO HARD, IT BREAKS AND YOU REQUIRE TO CHANGE THE WHOLE CONSOLE WHICH COSTS AROUND $388.00 PLUS THE LABOR REQUIRED TO INSTALL IT, THEN THE TOTAL WILL BE AROUND $675.00! THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2008 BUT IT WORSENED WITH TIME TO THE POINT OF BREAKING RECENTLY. THE TWO OUTSIDE KNOBS ON THE HVAC UNIT (THE KNOBS THAT CONTROL THE TEMPERATURE AND WHERE THE AIR FLOWS OUT FROM) ARE CONNECTED TO THE HEATER CORE VIA METAL WIRES. WHEN YOU TURN THE TEMPERATURE KNOB TO THE RIGHT THE WIRE PUSHES OUT AND WHEN YOU TURN IT BACK TO THE LEFT THE WIRE PULLS IN. THIS WIRE IS CONNECTED TO A PIECE OF PLASTIC ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE HEATER CORE. THIS PIECE OF PLASTIC IS CONNECTED TO A GEAR AND IS SUPPOSED TO WORK HARMONIOUSLY WITH THE PIECE OF PLASTIC THE AIRFLOW KNOB (RIGHT OUTSIDE KNOB ON HVAC UNIT) IS CONNECTED TO. THAT IS WHERE THE PROBLEM IS. THESE TWO PIECES OF PLASTIC, BLEND LINK AND LEVER, WHICH ARE SUPPOSED TO SLIDE BACK AND FORTH WITH THE TURNING OF THE KNOBS, DON'T WORK WELL AND THE WIRE ISN'T STRONG ENOUGH TO FORCE THE PIECE INTO THE HEAT POSITION. THE RESULT IS THE WIRE OFTEN KINKS. ON THE DRIVER SIDE, UNDER THE DASH, UP AND TO THE RIGHT THERE ARE TWO PIECES OF WHITE PLASTIC, ONE CLOSER TO THE FIREWALL THEN THE OTHER. THERE IS A METAL WIRE CLIPPED TO EACH. THIS IS THE PART YOU HAVE TO TURN TO CHANGE IT TO HEAT. THE 'BOTTOM' IS THE TEMPERATURE KNOB. YOU CAN EITHER GRAB THE WIRE OR THE PIECE OF PLASTIC IT CONNECTS TO AND TURN IT TOWARD THE FIREWALL MOST PEOPLE SIMPLY TURN THE DEVICE BY HAND NOW BUT THAT?S NOT SAFE TO DO WHILE DRIVING! I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN BY MITSUBISHI THAT RESULTS IN A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN THE WIND SHIELD FOGS UP AND YOU CAN?T TURN THE KNOB BECAUSE IT KINKS. MITSUBISHI NEEDS TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT?S HAPPENING TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE.

NHTSA complaint #10333924 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER - DIFFICULTY TURNING THE TEMPERATURE KNOB. HAD IT FIXED AT THE DEALER JUST ENOUGH SO THAT I COULD TURN THE KNOB, BUT IS STILL VERY DIFFICULT AND HE WARNED THAT IF I USE IT TOO MUCH IT WILL LIKELY BREAK. APPARENTLY MITSUBISHI IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10329851 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

HEATER CONTROL KNOB WAS HARD TO TURN SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE AND EVENTUALLY BROKE OFF. NOW I AM FORCED TO ADJUST TEMPERATURE USING PLIERS (OR SUFFER PAYING $1,000 TO FIX PROBLEM). NOT EASY TO ADJUST WITH PLIERS WHILE DRIVING AND EXPERIENCING A CHANGE IN WEATHER CONDITIONS. NOW ALSO FEARFUL OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK WHEN TRYING TO ADJUST TEMPERATURE WITH PLIERS. KNOWN DEFECT WILL NOT BE REPAIRED OR COVERED BY MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY.

NHTSA complaint #10320918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

I OWN A 2004 MITSUBISHI LANCE RALLIART SEDAN. THE AIR CONTROL SWITCH (KNOB USED TO ADJUST THE TEMPERATURE) BEGAN STICKING/CATCHING ABOUT IN ABOUT 2006 (MY CAR WAS ALREADY OUT OF THE WARRANTY TIME FRAME DUE TO MILEAGE). THE SWITCH THEN BROKE COMPLETELY OFF IN 2008. TO FIX THE PROBLEM THE DEALERSHIP NEEDS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEATING CONTROL UNIT, MODIFY (CUT) THE DAMPER, AND INSTALL A NEW LEVER WHICH COSTS OVER $1600. I FOUND THAT THIS SAME HEATER CONTROL UNIT HAS BEEN USED SINCE 2002 IN LANCERS, GALANTS, ENDEAVORS, AND OTHER MODELS - ALL HAVING THE SAME ISSUE - IT EVENTUALLY FAILS AND THE OWNER IS STUCK PAYING MORE THAN $1600 TO FIX WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED IN LATTER MODELS OR SIMPLY FIXED WITH A NEW SWITCH.

NHTSA complaint #10311355 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

SINCE WE PURCHASED THE CAR WE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING; BUT TOLD THAT THE KNOBS ARE A LITTLE HARD TO TURN AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THE CONTROLS FINALLY BECAME INOPERABLE; WHICH PUTS OUR SAFETY AT RISK. HVAC CONTROLS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED WITH A MECHANICAL FLAW WHICH MAKES THE DEFROSTING, HEATING, AND AC COMPONENTS DIFFICULT TO OPERATE AND EVENTUALLY BECOME INOPERABLE. TSB 055-003 HAS BEEN ISSUED PUTTING THE REPAIR ON THE CONSUMER FOR A DESIGN FLAW WHICH PUT MOTORIST AT RISK ESPECIALLY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER.

NHTSA complaint #10307811 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

MITSUBISHI LANCER 2003 BASE MODEL AIR CONDITIONER (HEAT COOL) KNOB BROKE OFF DUE TO MALFUNCTION OF TURNING/WIRES. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO NUMEROUS PEOPLE AND YET NO RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10258285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

WHEN I BOUGHT THE LANCER IN 2003 THE FIRST THING I NOTICED WAS THE KNOB FOR THE AIR AND HEAT WAS REALLY HARD TO TURN. MY DAD AND I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND EXPLAINED IT WAS HARD TO TURN. THE SALESMAN GOT IN THE CAR AND TURNED THE KNOB HE SAID YEAH IT IS A LITTLE HARD TO TURN BUT THEY ARE MADE LIKE THAT. I TOLD HIM IT FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BREAK AND HE SAID IT WONT AND ONCE AGAIN THEY ARE ALL MADE LIKE THAT. I ONLY TURNED THE KNOB ONLY WHEN I HAD TO BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT IT TO BREAK. I TOOK IT BACK IN AND THE DEALER SAID THEY GET THIS COMPLIANT ALL THE TIME AND IT WOULD BE $800 DOLLARS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I TOLD HIM IF THEY GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS MAYBE THERE IS A DEFECT. IN 2006 I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM A TRIP AND I TURNED THE KNOB FROM AIR TO HEAT AND IT BROKE OFF. WHEN I GOT HOME THE NEXT DAY I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR A CHECK I EXPLAINED THAT I DID AND EVERY TIME THEY BLEW IT OFF. HE SAID WELL TO FIX IT, AND IT WILL COST $800-$900 DOLLARS. IS THIS CAUSE FOR COMPLAINT.

NHTSA complaint #10185862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

AFTER PURCHASING MY VEHICLE I NOTICED TWO THINGS, ONE THAT IS TROUBLESOME AND THE OTHER A MAJOR INCONVENIENCE. ONE DAY AFTER STEPPING OUT OF MY VEHICLE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING WITH THE A/C ON I HEARD A LOUD RATTLING SOUND EVERY TIME THE A/C KICKED ON. I TOOK IT INTO A DEALERSHIP WHILE I WAS HAVING THEM CHECK MY TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB (THE OTHER PROBLEM) AND TOLD THEM ABOUT IT. THEY JUST PUT GREASE ON THE KNOB AND TOLD ME THAT THE A/C IS SUPPOSED TO SOUND LIKE THAT. WELL, JUST THIS LAST FALL MY A/C COMPRESSOR (I THINK IT IS THE COMPRESSOR) BLEW OUT AND STARTED SMOKING. I THOUGHT THAT THE FREON WAS EMPTY BUT IT IS NOT. IS THIS LEGITIMATE FOR A COMPLAINT?

NHTSA complaint #10184871 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.