IllustrationTHE VEHICLE ENGINE STARTED QUITING SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY LEAVING DRIVER WITHOUT POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. IT IS A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION IN BUSY METROPOLIS (HOUSTON, TX) WHERE CAR IS DRIVEN. ALSO THE CAR CAN LEAVE PASSENGERS STRANDED IN REMOTE OR DANGEROUS LOCATIONS WITHOUT WARNING.*AK
1998 Mitsubishi Galant
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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: 12 of 53 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.
- Power Train. Review the 12 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 →
- Suspension. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
6 reportsBATTERY FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. *ET
WHEN USING ELECTRICAL WINDSHIELD WIPERS HEADLIGHTS WILL DIM. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS UNSAFE BECAUSE MECHANIC TOLD HIM IT COULD CAUSE AND ELECTRICAL FIRE, OR LIGHTS COULD KEEP FLICKERING. *AK
LIGHTS DIM VERY FREQUENTLY AT NIGHT. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. PROBLEM IS STILL PRESENT. TAKEN TO BE FIXED 3 TIMES, COULD NOT BE FIXED. THIS WAS REPORTED TO DEALER WITHIN A MONTH OF PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING. MITSUBISHI HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING INTO THE PROBLEM. THE CAUSE IS STI…
Read full complaint
LIGHTS DIM VERY FREQUENTLY AT NIGHT. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. PROBLEM IS STILL PRESENT. TAKEN TO BE FIXED 3 TIMES, COULD NOT BE FIXED. THIS WAS REPORTED TO DEALER WITHIN A MONTH OF PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING. MITSUBISHI HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING INTO THE PROBLEM. THE CAUSE IS STILL UNKNOWN.
LIGHTS DIM FREQUENTLY AT NIGHT TOOK TO DEALER, DEALER REPLACED ALTERNATOR UNDER WARRANTY. PROBLEMS STILL PERSIST. ALSO TIRES SQUEEL UNUSUALY LOUD WHEN TAKING TURNS AT NORMAL SPEEDS. BRAKES SHAKE WHEN APPLIED. STRONGLY CONSIDERING TRADING IN FOR OTHER BRAND OF CAR. WILL NEVER BY MITSUBISHI EVER AGAIN!
VEHICLE'S KEYS CAN BE REMOVED IN EVERY GEAR EXCEPT PARK, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL INTO OTHER VEHICLE.
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.