IllustrationNHTSA RECALL 00V421001/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 98V020000 FOR LOWER BALL JOINTS. DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED FOR REMEDY, BUT WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM REPAIRS DUE TO LACK OF PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
1997 Mitsubishi Galant
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Mitsubishi Galant do not stand out strongly from 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: 18 of 80 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 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
80 reportsWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL CONSUME OVER ONE QUART OF OIL EVERY THOUSAND MILES. CONSUMER HAS NOTED THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE VEHICLE HAD 23 THOUSAND MILES ON IT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE BACKED OUT INTO CONSUMER'S DRIVING PATH, RESULTING IN A CRASH. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS IN CONSUMERS VEHICLE FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING THIS IMPACT. CONSUMER SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES. *NOTE: CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN A FRONT END COLLISION PRIOR TO HIS OWNERSH…
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WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE BACKED OUT INTO CONSUMER'S DRIVING PATH, RESULTING IN A CRASH. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS IN CONSUMERS VEHICLE FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING THIS IMPACT. CONSUMER SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES. *NOTE: CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN A FRONT END COLLISION PRIOR TO HIS OWNERSHIP OF VEHICLE.*AK *SLC
I FELT THE CAR STEERING WASN'T TRACKING AND DELAYED WHILE I WAS MAKING A TURN INTO A CURVE ON THE ROAD AND THE STEERING WAS DELAYED IN RESPONDING TO THE TURN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND HE REPLACED THE LF LOWER LATERAL ARM BECAUSE OF PLAY IN BALL JOINT. BUT THE DEALER NEVER INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ABOUT THIS …
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I FELT THE CAR STEERING WASN'T TRACKING AND DELAYED WHILE I WAS MAKING A TURN INTO A CURVE ON THE ROAD AND THE STEERING WAS DELAYED IN RESPONDING TO THE TURN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND HE REPLACED THE LF LOWER LATERAL ARM BECAUSE OF PLAY IN BALL JOINT. BUT THE DEALER NEVER INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HE CHARGED ME TO HAVE THE LF LATERAL ARM REPLACED.*AK
REPLACED BRAKES TWICE REPLACED ROTORS ONCE BRAKES STILL PULSATING, HORN WAS REPLACED, TRANSMISSING SLAMS INTO GEAR. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON HWY WITH FAMILY AT 65MPH CAR LOST ELECTRICAL POWER. CAME TO A HALT IN REAL BUSY TRAFFIC. NO LIGHTS INCLUDING EMERGENCY FLASHERS WOULD TURN ON. CAR WOULD NOT START AND STALLED. FORCED TO VEAR OFF HIGHWAY NOT TO CAUSE ACCIDENT. TOTAL COST OF TOWING 155 DOLLARS AND TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS 900 DOLLARS. LUCKY WE ARE ST…
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WHILE DRIVING ON HWY WITH FAMILY AT 65MPH CAR LOST ELECTRICAL POWER. CAME TO A HALT IN REAL BUSY TRAFFIC. NO LIGHTS INCLUDING EMERGENCY FLASHERS WOULD TURN ON. CAR WOULD NOT START AND STALLED. FORCED TO VEAR OFF HIGHWAY NOT TO CAUSE ACCIDENT. TOTAL COST OF TOWING 155 DOLLARS AND TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS 900 DOLLARS. LUCKY WE ARE STILL ALIVE AND NO ONE ELSE GOT HURT.*AK
WHEN DRIVING AND UPON DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, NOTICED A NOISE COMING FROM FRONT END WHEN STOPPING. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED THE PADS AND ROTORS, PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. *AK THE BRAKES FAILED CAUSING ACCIDENT AND DAMAGE TO THE VEH…
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WHEN DRIVING AND UPON DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, NOTICED A NOISE COMING FROM FRONT END WHEN STOPPING. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED THE PADS AND ROTORS, PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. *AK THE BRAKES FAILED CAUSING ACCIDENT AND DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *YH
THE VEHICLE HAS A DEFECTIVE COMPRESSOR. *MJS
POSSIBLE TRANSMISSION FAILURE IS CAUSING THE VEHICLES MOTOR TO RACE INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING, IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN WITH THE SHIFTING OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. NLM
THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED ENGINE RACING FOR NO APPARENT REASON. YH
Official recalls
100V421001 · 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.
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.