2002 Mitsubishi Lancer complaints

I WAS INVOLVED IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT YESTERDAY 8/26/04 AND NEITHER OF MY FRONTAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. WITH THE IMPACT THAT THE CAR TOOK THERE IS NO WAY THAT THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY! *AK

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE ACCELERATED. IN ORDER TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN CONSUMER HAD TO ENGAGE THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL, AND SHUT THE IGNITION OFF. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER AND PUT ON THE DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER. THE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT NO CODES WERE DISPLAYED INDICATING A PROBLEM. *NM

MITSUBISHI LANCER ES 2002, VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAKING AN ANNOYING SQUEEKING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OT THE CAR. THREE ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE DEALER TO CORRECT PROBLEM, TO NO AVAIL. IT SEEMS THAT EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS WORKED ON THE SOUND DISSAPPEARS FOR SEVERAL MINUTES (30 MNS.) AND THAN IT RETURNS. THEY CLAIM TO BE STEMMING FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM TO POOR BUSHINGS TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. THEY CLAIM THAT ALLL OF THE ABOVE HAVE BEEN REPAIR OR REPLACED BUT NOT SUCCESSFULLY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEED CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKES AND HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. CONSUME INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND NOTICED BLACK DUST COVERING THE RIMS. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY DEALERSHIP SIX TIMES. TECHNICIAN REPLACED ROTOR CAP, PINS,SHIMS, AN DBRAKE PADS.*AK

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A STREET IN MY 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER AND AS I APPROACHED A GREEN LIGHT I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER OF AN ACURA WAS NOT STOPPING FOR HIS RED LIGHT. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES BUT UNFORTUNATELY I HIT THE PASSENGER SIDE OF HIS CAR. THE ACCEDENT CAUSED MY CAR TO TURN 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT. I GOT OUT OF MY VEHICLE AFTER CHECKING ON MY PASSENGER AND THATS WHEN I REALIZED THAT THE AIRBAGS IN MY VEHICLE DIDN'T DEPLOY. MY PASSENGER AND I WERE BOTH INJURED AND ARE BEING TREATED FOR INJURIES. I AM NOT VERY HAPPY WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF MY VEHICLE IN THAT IT FAILED TO PROVIDE THE PROTECTION THAT THE AIRBAGS WERE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE. IF THE AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED MY PASSENGER AND I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THROWN AROUND LIKE RAGDOLLS IN THE VEHICLE. MY CAR WAS TOTALED AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. *AK

WHILE SITTING AT AN INTERSECTION VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED OUT INTO TRAFFIC. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 33 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PASSENGER SUSTAINED A BROKEN COLLAR BONE. *AK

PAINT IS CHIPPING ALL OVER THE BODY, ESPECIALLY ON THE HOOD. THE COMPANY REFUSES TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CHEAP PAINT. THE PAINT WILL CHIP FOR NO REASON OR WHENEVER BIRD DROPPINGS OR TREE SAP COME IN CONTACT, EVEN IF YOU CLEAN IT RIGHT OFF. I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH BAD PAINTG. *AK

THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED AT 15000 AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AT 32000 MILES. *AK THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL WEAR. *NM

VEHICLE WAS TOTALED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION, BUT AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *LA THE DRIVER DIDN'T SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. CONSUMER QUESTIONED WHY DIDN'T THE AIR BAGS DEPLOY. (FATHER ON BEHALF ON HIS DAUGHTER). *PH

ACCELERATOR PEDAL OR THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS BACKING UP AND THE CAR REVVED REALLY HIGH AND CRASHED ME INTO A POLE. I THEN TRIED TO PULL FORWARDS AND THE CAR REVVED AGAIN AND LUNGED FORWARD, SMASHING INTO 2 CARS. I DID NOT EVEN HAVE MY FOOT ON THE GAS AT THE TIME. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE ONLY WAY THAT I COULD MAKE THE CAR STOP WAS TO PUT IT IN PARK. I HAD NO DAMAGE TO MY OWN CAR BUT DID CAUSE QUITE A BIT TO THE OTHER CARS. I HAD A FRIEND WHO IS A MECHANIC LOOK AT MY CAR AND HE SEEMS TO THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I ONLY BOUGHT THE CAR 7 MONTHS AGO AT A DEALER AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IS ALREADY DARK BROWN. I'M NOT SURE WHY THIS WOULD BE, I HAVE HAD 3 OIL CHANGES ON MY CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT AND I'VE ONLY PUT 9000 MILES ON IT SINCE I BOUGHT IT 7 MONTHS AGO. THERE SHOULD NOT BE THAT KIND OF WEAR ON THE TRANNY AFTER THAT LITTLE OF USE. I KNOW THAT I DID NOT ACCELERATE SO IF THE CAR IS DOING IT ON ITS OWN, I REALLY DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN.*AK

VEHICLE 'T-BONED' A TAXI CAUSING EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH DRIVER'S SIDE CONTROL ARM POPPED OFF THE WHEEL . HOWEVER, DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT. VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED DUE TO BENT CHASSIS. *AK

JUNE 17, 2003 TO: PERUZZI MITSUBISHI ATTENTION: [XXX] 165 LINCOLN HWY FAIRLESS HILLS, PA 19030 DEAR [XXX], WE PURCHASED A MITSUBISHI LANCER IN SEPTEMBER 2002 FROM PERUZZI MITSUBISHI, LOCATED AT 165 LINCOLN HWY, FAIRLESS HILLS, PA 19030. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE THE VEHICLE HAD 2,074 MILES ON IT. WHEN I ASKED, THE SALESMAN TOLD US THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BRAND NEW AND THE MILES WERE FROM USING THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP AS A DEMONSTRATION CAR. SINCE THEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER THREE SEPARATE TIMES FOR SERVICE. IT WAS DRIVEN IN ON ONE OCCASION AND TOWED IN TWICE. THE DATES OF SERVICE ARE AS FOLLOWS 02/25/03, 06/09/03 AND 06/17/03. THE PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME, THE CAR STALLS OUT, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND IT WILL NOT START AGAIN. THIS VEHICLE HAS STALLED SEVERAL TIMES IN TRAFFIC, CAUSING MY FIANCE TO FEAR DRIVING IT. ALSO, BETWEEN OIL CHANGES (EVERY 3,000 MILES) THE CAR LOOSES BETWEEN ONE AND ONE HALF QUARTS OF OIL. WHEN I ASKED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO CHECK THIS PROBLEM I WAS TOLD, ALL THREE TIMES, THAT THIS IS NORMAL OIL LOSS. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE THEY HAVE STILL NOT CHECKED FOR OIL LEAKS. ON 6/18/2003, AFTER BEING TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, I DECIDED TO CHECK INTO THE VEHICLE'S HISTORY. I USED CARFAX.COM AND FOUND SOME VERY DISTURBING NEWS. MY VEHICLE HAS HAD AT LEAST THREE PREVIOUS OWNERS AND IS NOT THE BRAND NEW CAR I WAS LEAD TO BELIEVE. IT STARTED OUT IN PLEASANTVILLE NJ, AND THEN

THE BRAKES WORE OUT PREMATURELY. THE PART WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED EXISTS. *AK THE VEHICLE LEFT BLACK OIL SPOTS ON THE GARAGE GROUND NEAR ALL FOUR TIRES THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT WAS FROM EXCESS FACTORY OVER COATING. THE BRAKES SQUEALED CONTINUOUSLY, THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WORE OUT PREMATURELY AND A NAIL WAS IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE REAR TIRE AND COULDN'T BE REPAIRED BECAUSE TO THE FRONT AND REAR STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO LEAKAGE, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER WAS GETTING DIFFERENT OPINIONS REGARDING THE STRUTS. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CALIPERS AND OR BRAKE DESIGN WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO PREMATURELY WEAR OUT. *SCC THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED *JB

INTERMITTENTLY THE STEERING COLUMN COLLAPSED INTO DRIVER'S LAP WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. DEALER STATED THIS WAS UNUSUAL, WE NEVER HEARD A CASE LIKE THIS PROBLEM.*AK

CAR SHIFTS VERY HARD, NOT LIKE HOW A 4 CYLINDER ENGINE SHOULD. HAS A "POPPING" SOUND TO ACCOMPANY THE HARD SHIFT. SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE VEHICLE HAS "GRINDED" BETWEEN SHIFTS. ENGINE HAD REVED TO 4000-5000 RPM'S FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS BEFORE FINALLY SHIFTING INTO GEAR. THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS WITH 19000 MILES AND IT IS ONLY A YEAR OLD. HAS TAKEN OFF ON ME ONCE, WHERE I HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID SLAMMING INTO THE BACK END OF A CAR WITH CHILDREN IN THE BACKSEAT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE "PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED." MEANWHILE EVERY TIME I GET INTO THE CAR, THE SHIFTING GETS WORSE. TECH LINE SAYS THERE IS NO PROBLEM, AND TOLD THE DEALER THAT DROPPING OUT THE TRANNIE WOULD ACCOMPLISH NOTHING AND WOULD BE A WASTE OF TIME.*AK

HAVING A PROBLEM WITH REAR SUSPENSION. THE ENTIRE BACK END SOUNDS AS IF THE FRAME IS BROKEN. WAS ASSURED BY MITSU SERVICE THAT IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED BEARINGS AND BUSHINGS AND PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER. THIS IS A 2002 LANCER OZ WITH 30000 MILES THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO A CAR OF THIS AGE. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE I FEEL IF THERE ARE TWO COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE THERE ARE MOST CERTAINLY DOZENS MORE OUT THERE OR MORE TO COME.*AK

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE CAR HEAD-ON COLLISION INTO A DITCH. NEITHER THE FRONT DRIVER OR PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL FELL OFF, NUTS AND BOLTS BROKE AND THE SEAL CAME OFF. *AK

PAINT IS CHIPPING IN FRONT. PAINT ALL OVER THE CAR IS VERY EASILY CHIPPED,SCRATCHED ETC. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR WITH SUCH A LOUSY PAINT JOB. DEALERSHIP SAYS IT DRIVING CONDITIONS THAT ARE CAUSING THE PAINT CHIPS IN THE FRONT. BUT YOUR FINGERNAIL CAN SCRATCH THE PAINT ALL OVER THE CAR. IT'S WORTHLESS. *NLM

I HAD A 2002 MITS LANCER PURCHASE ON NOVEMBER 2001 HAS ONLY 14.800 MILES AND MY FRONT BRAKE PADS ARE GONE . *JB

VEHICLE REQUIRES EXTREME PEDAL PRESSURE TO STOP. VEHICLE HAS A LONG EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DOES NOT MATTER IF BRAKES ARE COLD OR HOT. ISSUE BEGAN WHEN CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 12000 MILES ON IT. BRAKES HAVE BEEN INSPECTED AND NO PROBLEMS FOUND WITH SYSTEM. VEHICLE NOW HAS 22000 AND CONDITION STILL EXISTS AND IS WORSENING. *JB

PAINT CRACKS AND CHIPS EASILY; TREE SAP AND BIRD DROPPINGS EAT THE PAINT EVEN IF WASHED OFF THE SAME DAY; PAINT IS VERY THIN. *NLM

I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION OF MY 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER. SERVICE TELLS ME THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED A BULLETIN FROM MITSUBISHI REGARDING AN ISSUE WITH THE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. APPARENTLY BOTH ARE BAD ON MY AUTOMOBILE. THE RECOMMENDED FIX TO THIS PROBLEM ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE BULLETIN IS A SPECIAL LUBE, HOWEVER AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. ALTHOUGH MY CAR IS UNDER A FULL BUMPER-TO-BUMPER WARRANTY, SERVICE HAS MADE NO ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM FOR OVER A MONTH, DESPITE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND PROTESTS BY ME. THEY ARE INSTEAD "WAITING FOR MITSUBISHI TO TELL THEM HOW TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM". IN THE MEANTIME I AM FORCED TO DRIVE A DEFECTIVE AUTOMOBILE. *JB

CAR WAS HIT ON SIDE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED RESULTING IN DEATH OF PASSENGER. *NLM

CAR ACCELERATED TO FULL THROTTLE AND TOOK OFF WHILE TRANSMISSION WAS IN PARK. LOCAL DEALERSHIP MITSUBISHI OF ORANGE PARK JACKSONVILLE FLA KEPT CAR FOR FROM 3/11/03 UNTIL 3/25/03 TO TRY TO MAKE CAR DUPLICATE SITUATION BUT TO NO AVAIL. THEY KEPT IN TOUCH WITH MITSUBISHI TECH SUPPORT BUT NOTHING COULD BE DETERMINED TO WHY CAR DID SUCH A STRANGE THING. THIS HAS BEEN KNOWN TO HAPPEN ON CARS WHILE IN MOTION, ESPECIALLY ON OLDER MODELS.

THE ENGINE REVVED, AND THEN EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *JB

WITH THE AIR CONDITION ON, THE WINDOWS FOGGED UP, WHICH WAS BELIEVED TO BE FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE WINDOWS, ALSO THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DESIGNED TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. SCC *JB

CAR SHAKES WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED... WHAT IS CAUSING HAS NOT BEEN FOUND...

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON THE HIGHWAY ANOTHER VEHICLE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT HER. THE DUAL AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS

THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE REVVED WHILE SLOWING DOWN WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SURGE AND THE CAR TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. *TS *NLM

DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOWS WOULD FOG UP ON THE OUTSIDE WHENEVER THE AIR CONDITIONER IS TURNED ON. THE PROBLEM CAN HAPPEN WHILE VEHICLE IS IDLING. A RENTAL VEHICLE FROM ENTERPRISE. MR

VEHICLE IS RUSTING AT FACTORY SEAMS/WELDS FOR FRONT FRAME RAILS & APRON. DT

LUG NUTS. DT

PAINT CHIPS EASILY ON ANY PANEL. DT

RIGHT & LEFT REAR END LINKS/WHEEL BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. DT

SPRINGS IN SEAT ARE MAKING NOISE DUE TO RUSTING.

LOWER CONTROL ARM ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE BUCKLED UNDER RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE STRIKING A CURB AT ~55 MPH. DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO FIX UNDER WARRANTY CITING THERE IS NO PROOF THAT HITTING THE CURB DID NOT CAUSE THE DAMAGE. I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THERE HAD BEEN A SIMILIAR INCIDENT THE PREVIOUS WEEK INVOLVING ANOTHER LANCER. ON THIS VEHICLE THE FAILURE WAS ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS FAILURE ALSO RESULTED IN A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AS WELL AS STRIKING AN OBJECT WITH THE VEHICLE. DT

CONSUMER STATES TRAVELLING APPROX 25-30MPH AND REAR-ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. TS

MR

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NLM

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 30MPH DURING A HEAD ON COLLISION,NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK

WHILE ADJUSTING THE STEERING WHEEL THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN COLLAPSED INTO DRIVER'S LAP WHILE MAKING A TURN. MECHANIC STATED ADJUSTER WAS BROKEN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMAITON.*AK

THIS ENGINE HAS PISTON SLAP AND VALVETRAIN NOISE ON COLD STARTS. THE DISTRICT REP REFUSES TO ALLOW THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED LIMIT APPLIED BRAKES AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION.*AK

THIS NOISE HASN'T GONE AWAY NO MATTER WHICH BRAND OF OIL FILTER OR WEIGHT/BRAND OF OIL I USE. THE DEALER SAYS IT'S A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS ENGINE. I TEST DROVE AN IDENTICAL VEHICLE AND IT PURRED LIKE A KITTEN. SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE STALLING AND BRUSHING ME OFF.*AK