Illustration2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE - HEATER CORE, BOUGHT USED FROM MITSU DEALER, FOUND HEATER CORE HOSES DISCONNECTED & BYPASSED. EVIDENCE OF PAST LEAK ON/NEAR ECU. $1000.00 TO REPAIR AT INDEPENDENT GARAGE. *NM
2002 Mitsubishi Diamante
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Diamante years
Owner complaints for the 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante are substantially higher than the model-year median of 31.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Diamante years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
80–25K
1925–50K
3750–75K
2075–100K
7100–150K
1150K+
92 reports with mileage · 31 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Visibility. Review the 71 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports0 fire reports8 injury reports
What owners actually said
123 reportsWINDOWS WERE NOT CLEARING PROPERLY AND SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE WAS VERY STRONG. UPON CALLING THE MITSUBISHI DEALER, I WAS TOLD, IT'S PROBABLY THE HEATER CORE. I ASK IF THIS IS NORMAL FOR A CAR THREE YEARS OLDS WITH APPROXIMATELY 45,000 MILES. DEALER SAID THEY HAD SEEN A FEW. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN MUCH HELP YET. *NM
WINDOWS FOGGED UP, MAPLE SYRUP SMELL COMING FROM HEATER. RESPIRATORY SICKNESS AFTER INCIDENT. *NM
HEATER CORE IN '02 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE LEAKED CAUSING WINDOWS TO FOG AND ANTI-FREEZE TO LEAK INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *JB
I HAVE A 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE WITH A FAILED HEATER CORE. SMELLED ANTIFREEZE FOR AWHILE, THEN ONE EVENING, IT WAS COMING OUT OF MY AIR VENTS AND FOGGING UP MY WINDSHIELD - EXCEPT IT WASN'T "FOG" BUT ANTIFREEZE MIST THAT WOULD NOT GO AWAY, SO I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH MY HEAD OUT THE WINDOW TILL I GOT IT HOME AND WIPED IT DOWN. APP…
Read full complaint
I HAVE A 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE WITH A FAILED HEATER CORE. SMELLED ANTIFREEZE FOR AWHILE, THEN ONE EVENING, IT WAS COMING OUT OF MY AIR VENTS AND FOGGING UP MY WINDSHIELD - EXCEPT IT WASN'T "FOG" BUT ANTIFREEZE MIST THAT WOULD NOT GO AWAY, SO I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH MY HEAD OUT THE WINDOW TILL I GOT IT HOME AND WIPED IT DOWN. APPARENTLY THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM, AND I BELIEVE MITSUBISHI IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REFUNDING MY 800+ DOLLAR SHOP BILL FOR REPAIRING THIS DEFECT. *NM
HEATER CORE LEAKING....CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON....WELL KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH THE DIAMANTE....PAID CLOSE TO 800 TO HAVE REPAIRED...COOLANT LEAKED ON THE COMPUTER AND CAR WENT INTO FAIL SAFE DRIVING MODE. *NM
HEATER CORE LEAKING. *NM
2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE PURCHASED FROM WALLACE MITSUBISHI IN KINGSPORT TN. IN JULY 2006. MILEAGE 45000 MILES. FOUL ODOR FROM VENTS, WINDOWS FOGGED WITH GREASY FILM, IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THROUGH WINDOWS. GARAGE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE CAUSE TO BE HEATER CORE MALFUNCTION. REPAIRS TO COST BETWEEN $700.00 TO $800.00 . I'M NOT THE ONL…
Read full complaint
2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE PURCHASED FROM WALLACE MITSUBISHI IN KINGSPORT TN. IN JULY 2006. MILEAGE 45000 MILES. FOUL ODOR FROM VENTS, WINDOWS FOGGED WITH GREASY FILM, IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THROUGH WINDOWS. GARAGE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE CAUSE TO BE HEATER CORE MALFUNCTION. REPAIRS TO COST BETWEEN $700.00 TO $800.00 . I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *JB
I NOTICED A MAPLE-SYRUP TYPE SMELL AND FOG COMING OUT OF THE VENTS EVEN WHEN OFF. UPON INVESTIGATION, COOLANT WAS FOUND LEAKING ONTO DRIVERS' SIDE FLOOR. WAS TOLD BY GARAGE THAT IT WAS THE HEATER CORE AND IT WILL COST $800 TO REPAIR. WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IF IT'S NOT REPAIRED IT COULD DAMAGE THE COMPUTER. I WILL HAVE TO GET IT …
Read full complaint
I NOTICED A MAPLE-SYRUP TYPE SMELL AND FOG COMING OUT OF THE VENTS EVEN WHEN OFF. UPON INVESTIGATION, COOLANT WAS FOUND LEAKING ONTO DRIVERS' SIDE FLOOR. WAS TOLD BY GARAGE THAT IT WAS THE HEATER CORE AND IT WILL COST $800 TO REPAIR. WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IF IT'S NOT REPAIRED IT COULD DAMAGE THE COMPUTER. I WILL HAVE TO GET IT FIXED SOON AS MY SON HAS ASTHMA AND BREATHING IN ANTIFREEZE VAPORS IS PROBABLY NOT A GOOD THING. *NM
LEAKING ANTIFREEZE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. FOGGED WINDOWS, WITH A NEAR MISS ON HIGHWAY BEFORE I COULD GET OFF. *NM
Official recalls
304V428000 · Equipment:other:labels
Sep 1, 2004
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
04V067000 · Equipment:other:owners/service/other Manual
Feb 11, 2004
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
02V100001 · Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood
Apr 7, 2002
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE MAIN UNDER HOOD ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS MAY HAVE INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE ENGINE CONTROL HARNESS AND THE EXHAUST HEAT SHIELD. AS A RESULT, THE HARNESS COULD COME IN CONTACT WITH THE HEAT SHIELD, WHICH COULD RESULT IN MELTING OF THE HARNESS INSULATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE MELTING OF THE HARNESS INSULATION COULD RESULT IN GROUNDING OF THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR WIRING, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO RUN ERRATICALLY OR STOP SUDDENLY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE HARNESS FOR DAMAGE AND, IF NONE IS EVIDENT, WILL TIE THE HARNESS BACK TO PREVENT THE HARNESS FROM EVER COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE HEAT SHIELD. ANY HARNESS THAT SHOWS EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE WILL BE REPAIRED AS NECESSARY AND THEN TIED BACK TO PREVENT FUTURE DAMAGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 13, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-800-222-0037.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.