IllustrationTHE TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY. NLM
1994 Mitsubishi Galant
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Galant years
Owner complaints for the 1994 Mitsubishi Galant are substantially higher than the model-year median of 26.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Galant 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: 10 of 198 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.
- Suspension. Review the 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
33 crash reports5 fire reports16 injury reports
Power Train complaints
25 reportsAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DISENG, ONTO A CLOVER-LEAF, AND WERE BEGINNING TO MERGE ONTO A JUNCTIONING INTERSTATE. THE TRAFFIC WE WERE MERGING INTO WAS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED (APPX 70MPH,) AND WE WERE ALMOST REAR-ENDED WHEN THE CAR DISENGAGED FROM DRIVE AND BEGAN COASTING AND SLOWING DOWN. THIS EXACT SITUATION OCCURRED 22,000 …
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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DISENG, ONTO A CLOVER-LEAF, AND WERE BEGINNING TO MERGE ONTO A JUNCTIONING INTERSTATE. THE TRAFFIC WE WERE MERGING INTO WAS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED (APPX 70MPH,) AND WE WERE ALMOST REAR-ENDED WHEN THE CAR DISENGAGED FROM DRIVE AND BEGAN COASTING AND SLOWING DOWN. THIS EXACT SITUATION OCCURRED 22,000 MILES EARLIER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING A BOLT CAME OFF THE SUSPENSION, CAUSING THE FRONT TIRE TO NEARLY COME OFF. ALSO, CAUSED THE FRONT END TO LOCK UP DUE TO A TRANSMISSION ROD COMING OFF. *AK
LOWER LATERAL ARMS AND TIE RODS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 35,100 MILES. WHEN PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 60 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL - VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS APPROACHING IN THE OTHER LANE. ALSO VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTS INTERMITTENTLY ON A FREQUENT BASIS. POWER WINDOW REGULATOR ON RIGHT FRONT PA…
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LOWER LATERAL ARMS AND TIE RODS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 35,100 MILES. WHEN PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 60 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL - VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS APPROACHING IN THE OTHER LANE. ALSO VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTS INTERMITTENTLY ON A FREQUENT BASIS. POWER WINDOW REGULATOR ON RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE FAILED AT 35,100 MILES.
THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT BALL JOINTS ARE PREMATURELY WORN OUT, AND CV BOOT IS LEAKING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THE DRIVER'S SIDE AXLE BROKE, CAUSING THE TIRE TO FALL, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL. DEALER REPLACED THE SAME AXLE TWICE. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. REVERSE GEAR INOPERABLE.
VEHICLE VIBRATES IN IDLE WHEN IN GEAR. ALSO MISSES GEARS WHEN SLOWING DOWN. TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN GOING DOWN A HILL THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS TO NEUTRAL, CAUSING THE ENGINE RPMS TO JUMP UP INSTANTANEOUSLY. TRANSMISSION TENDS TO START IN THIRD GEAR NOT FIRST GEAR. *AK
TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED SIX TIMES.
TRANSMISSION SHIFTS DOWN FROM SECOND GEAR TO FIRST, AND SOUNDS AS IF THE BOTTOM IS FALLING OUT. DEALER CONTACTED, AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, STATES THIS IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. *AK
Official recalls
300V421001 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
Dec 18, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, DIRT AND WATER CAN INTRUDE. ALSO, MMC HAS ADDED THE POTENTIAL OF LEAKING MOISTURE, WHICH CAN CAUSE THE BALL STUD TO CORRODE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. THIS CAMPAIGN SUPERCEDES MMC'S PREVIOUS SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN, SEE 99V-066.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT FOR WEAR. BALL JOINTS THAT EXHIBIT WEAR BEYOND THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY DESIGNED LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS. BALL JOINTS THAT ARE WITHIN THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE CLEANED AND A SPECIAL SEALANT WILL BE APPLIED TO PREVENT INTRUSION OF MOISTURE.
99V066001 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
Apr 5, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, DIRT AND WATER CAN INTRUDE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE RUBBER BOOTS, AND IF THE BOOT IS DAMAGED, THEY WILL REPLACE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM AND BALL JOINT ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.
98V212000 · Exterior Lighting:tail Lights:switch
Sep 8, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. WHEN THE STOP LAMP SWITCH WAS ASSEMBLED, GREASE WAS INADVERTENTLY APPLIED TO THE CONTACT POINT. THIS CAN CAUSE THE CONTACT POINT TO HEAT UP CAUSING INTERNAL OPERATION ELEMENTS TO MELT ALLOWING THE SWTICH TO BECOME STUCK IN ON OR OFF POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RELAY AND REPLACE THE BRAKE LAMP 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
2RQ00015 · Lower Contrtol Arm Ball Joint
Opened Aug 2, 2000 · Closed Apr 20, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (3)
Suspension
There is no summary currently available
Suspension
There is no summary currently available
Suspension
There is no summary currently available
PE98032 · Stop Lamp Switch
Opened May 22, 1998 · Closed Sep 8, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
ALLEGED FAILURE OF THE STOP LAMP SWITCH PREVENTS ILLUMINATION OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS DURING BRAKING AND INHIBITS DISENGAGEMENT OF CRUISE CONTROL VIA THE BRAKE PEDAL