IllustrationWHEELS LOCKED UP UNDER MODERATE BRAKING CONDITIONS WITHOUT WARNING.
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 reportsDRIVING IN RAINING CONDITIONS AT APPROX 30-40 MPH REARENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT, AIR BAGS ON BOTH SIDES DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER CLAIMS WITH THAT IMPACT AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE. DID ABOUT $5,700 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO FRONT END ALONE. *AK
UNDER DASH WIRING HARNESS FAILED RESULTING IN BURNING AND THICK SMOKE TO COME FROM THE LEFT OF THE DASHBOARD, VENT AND STEERING COLUMN.
VEHICLE DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT DUE TO FRONT CASTER VALUES NOT BEING WITHIN SPECIFICATION. AS OF O8/18/97, LEFT FRONT CASTER WAS 2.6 DEGREES AND RIGHT FRONT CASTER WAS 3.9 DEGREES. MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFIED RANGE IS 2.8 TO 5.8 DEGREES, A DIFFERENCE OF 1.3 DEGREES. *AK
WHEN BRAKES ARE LOCKED, VEHICLE HAS AN INORDINATE TENDENCY TO SKID ON ROADS THAT ARE BARELY WET EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS (20-30 MPH).
WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES, CAUSING A COLLISION. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES AND TURNED THE ROTORS. *AK
VEHICLE RUNS OUT OF OIL EVERY 1000 MILES. TAKEN TO DEALER 5 TIMES, THEY CANT FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK
FIRST TRANSMISSION REPLACED IN JANUARY OF 1997, THE SECOND IN APRIL OF 1997 AND DURING THAT TEST DRIVE TRANSMISSION PROVED TO BE FAULTY AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 20MPH, REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT; UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NEITHER DRIVER/PASSENGER WAS INJURED. VEHICLE NOT AT DEALER. *AK
CENTER BUCKLE IS PLACED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SIDE IN ORDER TO BUCKLE UP IN THE CENTER OF THE REAR , SEATBELTS HAVE TO BE CRISS-CROSSED. *AK
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.