2004 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.

THE DIAMANTE HAS AN ODD ISSUE WHERE THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS CORRECTLY WHICH AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ISSUE FOR DRIVERS. THE INFORMATION BOARD SHOWS THE TRANSACTION RAPIDLY SWITCHING FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE EXCESSIVELY. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE MECHANIC SHOPS LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE FROM TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS, TO ELECTRICAL SPECIALIST AND HAVE HAD NO POSITIVE RESULTS.

CPSC#I11B0131A. 2004 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. F4A51 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAS CONCERNS WITH THE SAFETY AND RELIABILITY OF MITSUBISHI AND DODGE VEHICLES AND THEIR OWNERS THAT HAVE THE MITSUBISHI F4A51 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN CERTAIN MAKE/MODELS. THE MAIN ISSUES SEEMED TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE WAVE/CUSHION SPRING LOCATED IN THE TRANSMISSION DESIGNED THE WAVE SPRING AS A FRAGILE TWO COIL PIECE WHICH HAS BEEN KNOWN TO REPEATEDLY BREAK CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN THE WAVE BREAKS, ACTUAL PIECES OF THE WAVE SPRING MAKE IT THROUGH MITSUBISHI'S ALSO FAULTY TRANSMISSION FILTER AND LODGE THEMSELVES IN THE PUMP GEAR,CAUSING THE HEAR TO ACTUALLY BREAK. AFTER THE PUMP GEAR HAS BEEN BROKEN INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION, ALL FORWARD AND REVERSE GEARS IMMEDIATELY STOP FUNCTIONING AND IN MOST INSTANCES THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAD THE F4A51 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN HER VEHICLE, WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

THE MAIN ISSUE SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE WAVE/CUSHION SPRING LOCATED IN THE TRANSMISSION. MITSUBISHI HAS DESIGNED THE WAVE SPRING AS A FRAGILE TWO COIL PIECE WHICH HAS BEEN KNOWN TO REPEATEDLY BREAK CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IN TURN POSES A THREAT ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. WHEN THIS WAVE SPRING BREAKS, ACTUAL PIECES OF THE WAVE SPRING MAKE IT THROUGH MITSUBISHIS ALSO FAULTY TRANSMISSION FILTER AND LODGE THEMSELVES IN THE PUMP GEAR, CAUSING THE GEAR TO ACTUALLY BREAK. AFTER THE PUMP GEAR HAS BEEN BROKEN INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION, ALL FORWARD AND REVERSE GEARS IMMEDIATELY STOP FUNCTION AND IN MOST INSTANCES THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. THIS COULD RESULT IN POTENTIAL HARM OR EVEN DEATH OF THE DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGER AS THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL MOVING POWER WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WITH OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. MITSUBISHI HAS RECENTLY CREATED AN UPDATED VERSION OF THE WAVE SPRING WITHOUT ISSUING A RECALL, WHICH NOW IS A ONE PIECE INSTEAD OF THE COIL SETUP AND HAS A LESS CHANCE OF BREAKING.THIS UPDATE WAS DISCOVERED AFTER THEY I HAD MY VEHICLE IN A TRANSMISSION SHOP WITH A HEFTY BILL TO PAY ($3,700) EVEN THOUGH IT WAS MITSUBISHIS FAULT FOR ENGINEERING A FAULTY PART IN THEIR TRANSMISSION. ALL ONE PERSON WOULD NEED TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS ISSUE IS SEARCH THE INTERNET WITH THE TRANSMISSION CODE (F4A51) AND THIS ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED, EVEN RESEARCHED BY TRANSMISSION DIGEST (A SPECIALTY MAGAZINE). NOT ONLY IS THIS A LARGE INCONVENIENCE, IT