2000 Mitsubishi Diamante

Defect. CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Risk. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Remedy. MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL CURRENT 2000-2004 NATIVA OWNERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG ALERT LABELS FOR THE SUN VISORS. THIS RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH OR APRIL 2005. THE NOTIFICATION TO THE NATIVA OWNERS IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL OR MAY 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-787-251-8715.

Defect. CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT CONTAIN A STEP-BY-STEP DESCRIPTION FOR HEADREST ADJUSTMENT WHEN INSTALLING A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM (CRS) TETHER STRAP.

Risk. IF THE TETHER STRAP IS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED TO THE TETHER ANCHOR, THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT RESTRAINED. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE CHILD COULD BE INJURED.

Remedy. A LETTER OUTLINING THE PROBLEM WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS ALONG WITH A STICKER CONTAINING THE CORRECT INSTRUCTIONS AS WELL AS INSTRUCTIONS ON WHERE TO AFFIX THE STICKER IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 29, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-888-648-7820.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEAD OF THE SCREW THAT HOLDS THE RETAINING CLIP FOR THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE CAN BECOME BRITTLE AND BREAK OFF.

Risk. IF THE SCREW HEAD BREAKS OFF, THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE RETAINER CLIP CAN BECOME DISLODGED AND COULD RESULT IN THE PARKING BRAKE DRAGGING AND/OR FAILURE OF THE PARKING BRAKE TO PROPERLY HOLD. SEIZURE OF THE PARKING BRAKE SHOE, ESPECIALLY ON WET OR SNOW COVERED ROADS, COULD RESULT IN LOCKUP OF ONE OF THE REAR WHEELS.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE RETAINING CLIP SCREW AND IN THE PROCESS INSPECT THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM OF ANY POSSIBLE RELATED DAMAGE. ANY RELATED DAMAGE THAT MAY BE FOUND WILL ALSO BE REPAIRED.

2000 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN LEAVING A PARKING LOT AND ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE BARELY MOVED AT 5 MPH, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE RPM WAS NOT MOVING. AFTER GOING ABOUT 1/4 OF A MILE, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE JUMPED INTO GEAR AND THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. THE NEXT DAY, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM MITSUBISHI WENT TO THE CONSUMER'S WORKPLACE AND EXAMINED THE VEHICLE. THE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THE THROTTLE CABLE NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED AND SUGGESTED THE CONSUMER TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION TO ORDER A NEW CABLE AND THE HIS VEHICLE STILL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. *JB

WHEN I FIRST START THE CAR, DRIVE ABOUT A HALF BLOCK, OBTAIN DESIRED SPEED, TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR, AND THEN WHEN THE CAR SLOWS DOWN, I PRESS DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR, NOTHING HAPPENS. SO I PRESS DOWN FURTHER ON THE GAS PEDAL, AND SUDDENLY THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD OUT OF CONTROL. SO THEN I HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND BRAKE SLIGHTLY UNTIL THE CAR GOES THE RIGHT SPEED. THIS HAS HAPPENED ONLY WHEN THE CAR WAS COLD AND ONLY INTERMITTENTLY, ABOUT SEVEN TIMES IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. MY MECHANIC SUPPOSEDLY FIXED IT, BUT THE ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK AGAIN AFTER THE ALLEGED REPAIR. THERE WERE NO CONSEQUENCES EXCEPT FOR A NAGGING FEAR IN THE BACK OF MY MIND FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS. ANOTHER INTERMITTENT PROBLEM IS THAT THE LIGHTS FOR TCL AND FIX ENGINE SOON WILL COME ON WHILE I AM DRIVING, GO OFF WHEN I TURN OFF THE CAR, AND THEN STAY OFF FOR SEVERAL CAR TRIPS AND ONE OR THE OTHER LIGHT WILL COME ON AGAIN INTERMITTENTLY. *TR

MY WIFE AND I NOTICED ANTIFREEZE ODOR COMING IN THROUGH VENTS. WHEN OUR WINDOWS WOULD FOG, OUR DEFROSTER WOULDN'T WORK. THEN OUR PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR WAS SOAKED WITH ANTIFREEZE. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, OUR HEATER CORE WAS LEAKING. COST WAS $1300 TO REPAIR. MITSUBISHI SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE!! TOO MANY COMPLAINTS. *TR

FOR OVER 2 YEARS NOW I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH AN ODOR IN MY 2000 DIAMANTI AND THE DEFOGGER NEVER SEEMED TO WORK ON THE WINDOWS. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I SAW SOMETHING LEAK ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE RUG BUT DIDN'T' T GUESS THAT THIS COULD HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE HEATER CORE. UPON TAKING IT TO MY DEALER I WAS TOLD THIS WAS HOLE IN THE HEATER CORE THAT HAD TO BE FIXED IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE IT WAS DANGEROUS AND HAZARDOUS TO MY HEALTH TO BREATH THE FUMES THAT WERE COMING OUT OF THE CORE. THE COST WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $1200. I NOTICED I OFTEN HAD HEADACHES WHEN I DROVE LONG DISTANCES BUT WAS VERY CONCERNED WHEN MY GRANDCHILD BECAME VERY CAR SICK (WHICH HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE) UPON RIDING IN MY CAR. I STILL DIDN'T ASSOCIATE THE HEATER WITH OUR PROBLEMS. I THINK THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SOMETHING SHOULD BE RECALLED ON THESE. I RESENT THAT AFTER ONLY 40,000 MILES I MUST SPEND $1200 ON SOMETHING THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A MISTAKE ON MITSUBISHI'S PART SINCE IT IS NOT A WEAR FACTOR. *TR

SUDDEN HEATER CORE GASKET LEAK, INSTANTANEOUS FOGGING OF ALL WINDOWS, CAUSING A SEVERE DRIVING HAZARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT HAPPENS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR

FRONT WINDSHIELD FOGS UP, STRONG SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE, CAN'T CLEAR THE FOG WITH DEFOGGER, READ POTENTIAL RISKS TO HEALTH BECAUSE OF THE CONTACT TO ANTI-FREEZE FUMES. *JB

HEATING CORE IS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE ONTO OTHER COMPONENTS UNDER THE DASH; STRONG SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE WITHIN THE CAR; WINDOWS FOG UP UPON USING ANY OF THE VENTILATION SYSTEMS. *NM

I CURRENTLY HAVE WHAT IS DESCRIBED TO BE A "HEATER CORE FAILURE" IN MY 2000 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THIS ISSUE IS FAIRLY COMMON AMONGST DIAMANTES. ANY TIME I TURN ON THE HEATER, MY AUTOMOBILE IS FILLED WITH A NOXIOUS ODOR THAT I'M LEAD TO BELIEVE MIGHT BE DETRIMENTAL TO MY HEALTH. I AM ALSO UNABLE TO DEFROST MY WINDOWS BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. THIS CAUSES A DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITION AS I'M FORCED TO CONSTANTLY WIPE THE WINDSHIELD WITH A PAPER TOWEL.*JB

VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND LOCKED INTO THIRD GEAR. NOTICED SMELL OF COOLANT INSIDE DRIVERS COMPARTMENT AND HAZING OF THE WINDSHIELD. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE PROBLEM IMPROPERLY DIAGNOSED AND HAD TO HAVE IT RE-TESTED TWO WEEKS LATER. HEATER CORE LEAKAGE HAS CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE ECU AND NOW BOTH HAVE TO BE REPLACED. TOTAL COST OF REPAIR FOR BOTH WAS $3,357.62. COOLANT FUMES ARE VERY TOXIC AND CAUSE A SIGNIFICANT HEALTH RISK AND ECU FAILURE COULD EASILY RESULT IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY OR ELSEWHERE. THE "FOGGING" OF THE WINDSHIELD IS A VISIBILITY HAZARD AS WELL CAUSED BY THE HOT COOLANT IN THE DEFROST VENTS. *JB

THE HEATER CORE HAS FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME. I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM A DEALER WITH 54,000 MILES ON IT AND AFTER 500 MILES THE HEATERCORE IS FRIED. THE WORST PART IS THAT WHEN I WENT TO THE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP TO GET MY REMOTE REPROGRAMMED I GOT THE PRINTOUT OF ALL THE PREVIOUS SERVICE THAT WAS DONE ON IT. THE HEATER CORE WAS ALREADY REPLACED AT 24,000 MILES!!! DOES THIS MEAN THAT I WILL HAVE TO SPEND AROUND $1,000 EVERY 25K MILES THAT I DRIVE THE CAR??? MITSUBISHI, PLEASE ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM! REGARDING TO THE PROBLEM ITSELF... I GOT ALL THE USUAL SYMPTOMS - THE WINDSHIELD WAS FOGGING UP, THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF THE ANTIFREEZE IN THE CAR AND NOW THERE'S A POOL OF ANTIFREEZE BY THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. THIS CANNOT BE GOOD FOR MY RESPIRATORY SYSTEM... ANTIFREEZE IS A POISON. I'VE HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH MY LUNGS BEFORE AND IF IT GETS WORSE AFTER THIS PROBLEM, MITSUBISHI WILL LOOK AT A HUGE LAWSUIT. *NM

DT: CONSUMER HAS 2000 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE WHOSE GAS TANK LEAKS CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER FOUND GAS LEAKAGE, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY HOLE IN THE GAS TANK. *AK

THE FUMES OF ANTIFREEZE FOGGED UP THE WINDOWS SEVERELY, REDUCING VISIBILITY OF THE DRIVER. IT WAS RAINING ONE NIGHT AND MY WINDOWS ALL OF A SUDDEN GOT FOGGY. I TURNED ON THE DEFROSTER, WHICH MADE MY WINDOWS EVEN FOGGIER. THE POOR VISIBILITY CAUSED ME TO RUN OFF THE ROAD INTO THE GRASSY MEDIAN. I WAS OUT OF TOWN WHEN THIS OCCURRED. IN DOING RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM I FOUND THAT IT WAS COMMON ALL DIAMANTES (92 -2001). IN MANY CASES, THE DRIVER IS NOT AWARE THAT THIS IS A SEVERE PROBLEM. THE ANTIFREEZE WILL STARTED LEAKING ON THE PASSENGER?S SIDE AREA. CAUSING MORE STRONG SMELL OF TOXIC ANTIFREEZE. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

WE HAVE A FIVE-YEAR-OLD MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. FOR THE LAST WEEK, MY HUSBAND, SCOTT HAS SMELLED A SWEET SMELL IN HIS CAR AND HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE WINDOWS FOGGING. TUESDAY MORNING HE STARTED LOSING FORWARD POWER WHEN DRIVING TO WORK ON I480. HE NOTICED THAT HIS DASHBOARD TRANSMISSION LIGHTS WERE ACTING FUNNY SO HE CALLED OUR MITSUBISHI DEALER. THE SERVICE PEOPLE ASKED IF HE HAD NOTICED THAT THE WINDOWS WERE FOGGING OR IF HE SMELLED ANY ANTI-FREEZE COMING FROM THE HEATER. SCOTT WAS ASTONISHED THAT THE SWEET SMELL WAS ANTIFREEZE. THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THAT MOST LIKELY IT'S BECAUSE THAT DIAMANTE HAS EXPERIENCED HEATER CORES LEAKING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND DRIPPING ONTO THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER. THIS IS WHY HE WAS LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING ON I480. ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS WHAT HEALTH PROBLEMS CAN COME FROM DRIVING IN AN ENCLOSED ENVIRONMENT WHILE THE HEATING SYSTEM IS MIXING ANTIFREEZE FLUID IN THE AIR THAT MY HUSBAND IS BREATHING WHILE COMMUTING TO WORK. LATER ON THAT SAME TUESDAY, THE SERVICE ADVISOR CALLED HIM AND SAID THAT THEIR SERVICE MANAGER SPOKE DIRECTLY WITH THE REGIONAL MITSUBISHI SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AND HE SAID THAT THE HEATER CORE WAS TOO FAR OUT OF WARRANTY TO BE COVERED BASED ON 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER, WHILE COVERED UP TO 84,000 MILES, WOULD ALSO NOT BE COVERED BECAUSE THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO ANTIFREEZE DRIPPING ON THE COMPUTER CAUSING IT TO FAIL. *JB

HEATER CORE ON 2000 MITSHUBISHI DIAMANTE FAILED AND FOGGED UP MY WINDSHEILD. WHILE DRIVING HOME THE NIGHT OF THE FAILURE, A DEER JUMP IN FRONT OF MY CAR AND CAUSED 4 GRAND IN DAMAGE. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE HEATER CORE AT THE DEALERSHIP.*AK

ABOUT TWO MONTHS AFTER BUYING A 2000 DIAMANTE; IN OCT, 2004, I STARTED TO NOTICE THICK FOG ON THE WINDSHEILD THAT WOULDN'T GO AWAY BY USING THE DE-FOGGER AND WHEN USING THE HEATER, I WOULD ALSO NOTICE STRONG SMELL ON ANIT-FREEZE COMMING OUT FROM THE VENT. UPON INSPECTION, THE DEALERSHIP DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM AS FAULTY O-RING IN THE HEATER CORE. THE FIX WAS COSTLY, AROUND $1100.00 HOWEVER THE CAR HAS BEEN PROBLEM FREE SINCE THEN. *AK

WINDOWS FOG CONSTANTLY AND I CAN NOT GET THEM DEFROSTED. SMOKE AND SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE COMES INTO CABIN OF CAR. TOOK TO DEALER A YEAR AGO AND WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG, CAR NOW HAS 98,000 MILES AND THEY ARE TELLING ME IT WILL COST 672.00 TO REPLACE THE HEATER CORE. I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES. I BECAME ILL IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, THE DOCTORS (4 OF THEM AND THREE HOSPITALS, CT SCANS, ETC) COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS. TURNS OUT IT WAS BREATHING THE FUMES IN MY CAR. AT THAT TIME, THE SMOKE ONLY APPEARED A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT NOW IT HAS INCREASED CONSIDERABLY. I THINK IT'S SAD THAT MITSUBISHI WILL NOT REPAIR THIS PROBLEM, NOR HAVE THEY CORRECTED IT.*AK

WINDOWS FOGGING UP, HEATER NOT WORKING, ANTI-FREEZE LEAKING INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARD. *AK

STRONG ANTIFREEZE SMELL AND VAPORS COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE HEATER IS TURNED ON. WINDOWS ARE FOGGING CONSTANTLY. THE CAR STARTED OVERHEATING AND HAVE TO REFILL ANTIFREEZE. SERVICE CENTER SAID ANTIFREEZE IS LEAKING AND EVAPORATING AND THEY HEARD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. *AK

AN ANTI FREEZE AND SMOKE ODOR WAS COMING INTO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THIS WAS CAUSED BY A PROBLEM WITH THE HEATER CORE GASKET, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD HAS TO BE TAKEN APART TO REPLACE THE PART. THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. *AK *SC

2000 DIAMANTE MALFUNCTION, ESPECIALLY IN COLD OR WET WEATHER GAS PEDAL STICKS, REQUIRES ADDITIONAL PRESSURE TO OVERCOME. *BF THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *SC