IllustrationROTORS AND REPLACEMENTS ARE DEFECTIVE...ROTORS WARP WITHIN 3 MONTHS OF REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. *AK
1992 Mitsubishi Expo
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Expo 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
Limited mileage data: 3 of 41 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Seat Belts. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
41 reportsVEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH FUEL LEAKAGES FROM SEAM OF TANK. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPAIRS MADE AT NO COST. PROBLEM REOCCURRED AGAIN WITH ONLY 27000 MILES AND DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY. *AK *SLC
MICRO SWITCH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. AUTOMATIC RETRACTOR UNSECURES ITSELF WHEN A BUMP IS HIT. DEALER SAYS IT JUST WEARS OUT.*AK
THERE IS A CURRENT RECALL #98V168002 DESCRIBING THE VERY SIMILAR SYMPTOMS, NAMELY LOCKUP DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE PARTS WEAR. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER, THE RECALL DOES NOT COVER MY VIN EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE YEAR AND THE MODELS ARE IDENTICAL. ALSO THE NUMBER OF THE UNITS POTENTIALLY AFFECTED EXCE…
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THERE IS A CURRENT RECALL #98V168002 DESCRIBING THE VERY SIMILAR SYMPTOMS, NAMELY LOCKUP DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE PARTS WEAR. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER, THE RECALL DOES NOT COVER MY VIN EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE YEAR AND THE MODELS ARE IDENTICAL. ALSO THE NUMBER OF THE UNITS POTENTIALLY AFFECTED EXCEEDS 9500. IT IS MY OPINION THAT DUE TO THE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS NATURE OF THE DEFECT, POTENTIAL LOCKUP AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, THE RECALL HAS TO BE EXPANDED. *AK
MANUFACTURING SAFETY DEFECT WHICH MITSUBISHI IS FULLY RESPOPNSIBLEDEALER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE STATED THIS IS OUT OF WARRENTY, BUT WOULD FIX IT FOR 50% OF THE COST, TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT. ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER, BUT PROMISED CALL WAS NEVER RETURNED. THIS IS A SEVERE PROBLEM. *AK
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER RESTRAINT COMES UNDONE ON THE PASSENGER' SIDE FOR NO REASON. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK
REPLACED TRANSMISSION 1997/GONE AGAIN 1999
REPORTING AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH SLIDING DOOR KEEPS COMING OFF. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPAIRED DOOR ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. ASKING NHTSA HELP ON THIS MATTER. *AK
THERE WAS A MANUFACTURE RECALL ON THE SEATBELT ASSEMBLY, WHICH I COMPLIED TO IN NOVEMBER OF 1998. AS OF MARCH 1999 THE PRODUCT HAS FAILED AND THE DEALER/MANUFACTOR REFUSES TO REPAIR AT THEIR COSTS.
ENGINE BURNS 1-2 QT OF OIL EVERY 2-3 GAS FILLUPS & TRANSMISSION BANGS INTO GEAR WHEN AT FULL STOP SHIFTING FROM DRIVE-NEUTRAL-REVERSE, ALSO EXPERIENCED AUTOMATIC ENGINE DELAY TO SHIFT INTO NEXT GEAR ON HIGHWAY WHILE EXCELERATING & MAINTAINING SPEED. PROBLEM FIRST TOLD TO DEALERSHIP SERVICE WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, WAS TOLD THERE W…
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ENGINE BURNS 1-2 QT OF OIL EVERY 2-3 GAS FILLUPS & TRANSMISSION BANGS INTO GEAR WHEN AT FULL STOP SHIFTING FROM DRIVE-NEUTRAL-REVERSE, ALSO EXPERIENCED AUTOMATIC ENGINE DELAY TO SHIFT INTO NEXT GEAR ON HIGHWAY WHILE EXCELERATING & MAINTAINING SPEED. PROBLEM FIRST TOLD TO DEALERSHIP SERVICE WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, WAS TOLD THERE WASN'T ANYTHING WRONG, NEXT YEAR (8/1998) CAR OUT OF WARRANTY, COMPLAINED OF SAME GEAR SHIFTING PROBLEM W/ NEW PROBLEM OF BURNING OIL IN ENGINE & NO OIL LEAK FROM CAR, DEARLERHSIP SERVICE SAID CAR NEEDED NEW TRANSMISSION & COMPLETE VALVE JOB. CAR HAD ONLY 55,000 MILES. WE HAD TO PAY FOR LABOR ON TRANSMISSION & PARTS & LABOR ON VALVE JOB (OVER $2000 REPAIR). CAR UNDER DEALER SERVICE WARRANTY IS BURNING 2 QTS OIL EVERY 3RD GAS FIL-UP & SHIFTING GEAR PROBLEM STARTING TO RETURN. NEED ADVICE WHAT TO DO.
Official recalls
298V168000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Jul 22, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ALL WHEEL DRIVE PASSENGER VEHICLES. LOCKUP OF THE TRANSFER CASE CAN OCCUR DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR ADEQUACY OF THE TRANSFER CASE OIL VOLUME, TRANSFER CASE OIL LEAKAGE, AND OPERATIONAL DEGRADATION OF THE TRANSFER CASE MECHANISM. IF OIL VOLUME IS INSUFFICIENT, THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF OIL WILL BE ADDED. IF THERE IS TRANSFER CASE OIL LEAKAGE, AFFECTED COMPONENTS WILL BE REPLACED. IF THE TRANSFER CASE SHOWS OPERATIONAL DEGRADATION, THE TRANSFER CASE WILL BE REPLACED.
97V063001 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Apr 18, 1997
EXCESS LUBRICATION CAN CAUSE THE RUBBER DOOR LATCH SWITCH COVER TO DEFORM, AND THE DOOR LATCH SWITCH TO MALFUNCTION, SO THAT THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHORAGE WOULD REMAIN AT THE A-PILLAR WHEN THE DOOR WAS CLOSED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DOOR LATCH SWITCH.
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
1EA98002 · Transfer Case Lockup
Opened Jan 30, 1998 · Closed Apr 30, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Wheels
No summary supplied.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Wheels
Wheels