2002 Mitsubishi Diamante

FOG AND MIST ON THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. COOLANT LEVELS DROPPED AND REFILLS WERE REQUIRED, FOLLOWED BY A PROBLEM IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTING AND FINALLY A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WARNING. MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION RELAY HAD BEEN DAMAGED BY COOLANT LEAKING ONTO THE ECU FROM THE HEATER CORE. COOLANT WAS ALSO FOUND TO HAVE LEAKED UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE CARPETING. *JB

THE HEATER CORE HAS DEVELOPED A LEAK THAT ALLOWS ANTI-FREEZE TO ENTER AND COLLECT ON THE INSIDE FLOOR OF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THIS MOISTURE INSIDE THE VEHICLE MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD WITH THE DEFROSTER, MAKING FOR A RATHER DANGEROUS EXPERIENCE. THIS IS ON A 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE WITH FAIRLY LOW MILES. I'VE OWNED A LARGE NUMBER OF VEHICLES IN MY LIKE AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME A HEATER CORE HAS EVER FAILED. *NM

I PURCHASED 2002 MITUSBISHI DIAMANTE LS WITH 35000 MILES FROM THE MITSUBISHI DEALER IN SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA. AFTER DRIVING OFF I NOTICED A SMELL OF MAPLE SYRUP. I ALSO NOTICED THAT MY EYES BURNED AND ITCHED WHEN THE HEATER WAS ON. THIS WAS LIKELY DUE TO THE WHITE CLOUD THAT CAME FROM THE HEATER DUCT. IT WAS ALSO CAUSING CLOUDY WINDOWS THAT MADE SAFE NAVIGATION IMPOSSIBLE. THE CARPET I STARTING TO PUDDLE WITH ANTIFREEZE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I TOOK IT IN FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, AND HAD THE DEALER MECHANIC CHECK THE SMELL. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE HEATER CORE WAS LEAKING, AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THEIR QUOTE WAS $1060 AND WAS NOT COVERED BY MY BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. THIS IS A HEALTH HAZARD AND THE LEAKY HEATER CORE COULD CAUSE MASSIVE DAMAGE TO THE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE ENGINE. THEY WILL NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUG IT WA A PROBLEM AT DRIVE OFF.*AK

2002 MITSHUBISHI DIAMONTE AUTO HEATER CORE FAILS AND LEAKS; WINDOWS REMAIN FOGGED FOR A LONG PERIOD. VENTS AND AC FIRST FAILED 5/2004. AN AUTHORIZED DEADER REPAIRED SYMTOM W/O A ROOT CAUSE. BY 4/1/2005, DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE UNTIL VISIBILITY WAS UNSAFE AND THE VENTS EMITTED AN ODOROUS SMELL. ORIGINAL DEALER DISCONTINUED SERVICE AND AN AUTHORIZED DEALER INITIALLY REFUSE TO COVER THE REPAIR. NOTHING WAS DONE OR DIAGNOSED AFTER 6 HOURS, REPORTING THE VENTS WORKED OK. I RE-OPENED A CASE BY CONTACTING THE MFG WHO ACKNOWLEDGED GROWING SAFETY REPORTS WITH THE HEATER CORE. THE DEALER WAS GIVEN 2-3 WORKING DAYS OR REVIEW. MEANWHILE. *AK

WINDOWS FOGGED UP AND WOULD NOT CLEAR UP. THERE WAS A KIND OF SWEET BURNING SMELL. DID RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT IS WAS THE HEATERCORE LEAKING ANTIFREEZE AND ALL THE SYMTOMS LISTED ON SITE MATCHED MY CAR. CHECKED THE PASSENGER SIDE AND FOUND PUDDLE OF ANTIFREEZE SOAKED IN THE CARPET. ALSO THE ANTIFREEZE IN THE RADIATOR WAS VERY LOW. MY WIFE DRIVES THIS CAR AND SHE IS 8 MONTHS PREGNANT! SHE HAD BEEN UNKNOWINGLY INHALING THE ANTIFREEZE VAPORS SINCE THE LEAKAGE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT COST ME $690 TO FIX (3/10/05). I HAD TO WAIT 3 DAYS BEFORE THE PARTS CAME IN AND 1 DAY TO HAVE IT FIXED. THIS CAR IS ONLY A 2002 AND HAS 52,000 MILES! WHAT A COINCEDENCE THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I AM CURRENTLY DRIVING THE CAR SINCE MY WIFE IS PREGNANT AND THE CAR STILL SMELLS LIKE ANTIFREEZE! I HAVE TO DRIVE IT WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN SINCE THE SMELL OF ANTIFREEZE VAPORS ARE STILL STRONG. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE AFFECTS OF BREATHING THE ANTIFREEZE VAPORS.*AK

HEATER CORE HAS FAILED. ANTI-FREEZE LEAKS AND, AS THE RESULT, SYRUP-LIKE SMELL IS EVERYWHERE INSIDE THE CAR! WINDOWS FOG UP. POSSIBLE DAMAGES ARE NOT TO BE IGNORED!. IF THE PROBLEM ISN'T TAKEN CARE OF, IT CAN UNDOUBTEDLY LEAD TO LONG TERM HEALTH PROBLEMS DUE TO ANTI FREEZE FUMES, AS WELL AS ELECTRICAL DAMAGES TO THE COMPUTER. *JB

MY WIFE NOTICED LITTLE CLOUDS OF WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE VENTS WHEN THE HAETER/DEFROSTER WAS TURNED ON, WE COULD ALSO SMELL SOMETHING THAT SMELLED LIKE SYURP OR ANTIFREEZE. THE WINDOWS DO NOT DEFROST ANYMORE, WHICH IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. I AM TOLD THAT THIS MOST LIKELY FROM A BROKEN HEATER CORE. IF NOT REPLACED ANTIFREEZE CAN LEAK INTO THE CARS COMPUTER, WHICH COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BY SHUTTING DOWN THE ENTIRE CAR. THE ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR IS $400-$1000. I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I HOPE SOMETHING CAN BE DONE TO FIX THIS SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY SITUATION. *AK