MITSUBISHI 3000GT · model year

1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT

26 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1996MITSUBISHI3000GT carries 26 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 3000GT is seat belts:front:retractor with 8 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (6) and vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 1996 3000GT. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

26
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

26 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR8
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION6
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL2
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT2
POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)2
SEAT BELTS2
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS1
WHEELS:RIM1

Recent Complaints

20080825SEAT BELTS

SEATBELT DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, LEAVING SLACK IN THE BELT SO IT DOES NOT HOLD DRIVER IN CASE OF CRASH. *TR

20080229SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

NORMAL EVERYDAY USAGE OF SEAT BELTS. THE FRONT SEAT BELTS DO NOT WORK ANY MORE THEY PULL OUT BUT DO NOT RETRACT BACK. MITSUBISHI SAYS TO WIPE THE BELT DOWN WITH A DAMP CLOTH THEN DRY OFF TO REMOVE DIRT. THIS DOES NOT WORK NOW MY FRONT SEATBELTS DO NOT WORK AT ALL THEY STAY FULLY EXTENDED AND WILL NOT RETRACT TO PROVIDE ANY RESTRAINT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR ANY RESTRAINT AT ALL FOR THAT MATTER. (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=1996, MAKE=MITSUBISHI, MODEL=3000GT). *TR

Mileage: 92,000

20070614SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

SEAT BELT DOESN'T RETRACT PROPERLY TO PERFORM SAFELY. IT IS SLACK WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE TIGHT AGAINST MY CHEST. *TR

20070331SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

I HAVE A 96 MITSUBISHI 3000GT AND MY FRONT SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT AFTER BEING PUT ON OR TAKEN OFF. IF I WERE TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT THEY WOULD DO VERY LITTLE TO PROTECT ME. I TRIED TO SEE IF MITSUBISHI WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM BUT THEY SAID THEY ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. JUST FIGURED I WOULD LET SOME ONE KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THE MITSUBISHI SEAT BELTS. *JB

20070310SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT VR4 - DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT AFTER USE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE I'VE OWNED THE CAR - PURCHASED IN 07/2000. *JB

20070110SEAT BELTS

THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM IN MY 1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT VR-4 DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE BELTS DO NOT RETURN TO THEIR RETRACTED STATE AFTER USE. MOREOVER, USING THE SEAT BELT IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE OVER-THE-SHOULDER LOOP THE BELT PASSES THRU CAUSES THE BELT TO BE "TIED UP".*JB

20061229SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

I OWN A 1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT THAT HAS HAD BOTH FRONT SEATBELTS FAIL TO OPERATE CORRECTLY. I HAVE REPLACED THESE BELT TWICE NOW AND THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO COME BACK AFTER A FEW MONTHS. I FEEL THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE PRODUCT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER AS A RECALL. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT.

Mileage: 40,000

20061024SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT FULLY AND DO NOT LOCK IN PLACE. I FEEL THIS IS VERY UNSAFE IF AN ACCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR. THE SEAT BELT IS ONLY FUNCTIONAL AS A WAIST HARNESS, BECAUSE THIS RENDERS THE SHOULDER HARNESS USELESS. *NM

Mileage: 70,000

20060504SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT ON MY 1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT VR-4 HAS PROBLEMS RETRACTING. IF I LEAN FORWARD, IT WON'T AUTOMATICALLY RETRACT TO PICK UP THE SLACK. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN MAY 2003. SINCE THE BELT WON'T AUTOMATICALLY RETRACT, I HAVE TO PHYSICALLY PULL IT OUT, THEN LET IT GO FOR IT TO TAKE IN ALL THE SLACK. THE PROBLEM HASN'T BEEN FIXED BECAUSE MITSUBISHI DOESN'T THINK IT IS A PROBLEM. IF IT FAILS DURING AN ACCIDENT, MY DEATH COULD RESULT. *NM

Mileage: 80,000

20060412SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. *JB

20041022POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)

TRANSFER CASE SEIZED UP DUE TO LEAK N TRANSFERCASE. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO UPHOLD RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM. DURING SEIZE UP CSR LOSTCONTROL AND SPUN OUT OF CONTROL ON I-25 LUCKLY NO ONE WAS INJUERD BUT I STILL HOLD MITSUBISHI AND DEALERS RESPONSIBLE. THEY STILL HAVE YET TO CONTACT MY LAWYER. *AK

20040830POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR AUTOMATIC 1996 3000GT AT APPROX. 60 MILES PER HR WHEN CAR SURGED FORWARD 4 TIMES IN A ROW. SHE ALMOST HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER! CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SHE WAS LESS THAN A MILE HOME AND DROVE CAR VERY SLOWLY HOME. VEHICLES REVERSE NO LONGER WORKS AT ALL!!! CAR IS ABLE TO GO INTO DRIVE BUT WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR AND WILL NOT GO OVER 20 MILES PER HR NOW! CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO DEALER BUT NO WORD ON WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT YET.*AK

20040527POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION SEIZED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

Mileage: 104,000

20031125WHEELS:RIM

BOUGHT CAR WITH 46,000 MILES AND ALL 4 RIMS HAD THE CHROME PEELING OFF. THE CHROME PEELING WAS EXTREMELY BAD FROM THE BACK OF THE RIM BUT THE FRONT SHOWS MAJOR SIGNS OF PEELING. I CUT MY FINGERS/HAND MULTIPLE TIMES CHANGING THE TIRE. *LA

Mileage: 63,000

20030430CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

THE CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE TRAVELING 50-55 MPH WHEN DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL TO GAIN SPEED, THE PEDAL BECAME STUCK WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH. *JB

20030311POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

I OWN A 1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT VR-4 WITH A 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. MY FRIEND, BRIAN WATSON AND I WERE TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON HIGHWAY 20, JUST ABOUT 50 MILES EAST OF BEND, OR. I MADE AN ATTEMPT TO SHIFT FROM 5TH TO 6TH GEAR, BUT BECAUSE OF SOME PROBLEMS WITH WHAT I NOW UNDERSTAND TO BE THE SYCROS, IT WENT INTO 4TH GEAR. NOT NOTICING IT WAS IN 4TH GEAR BECAUSE I HAD SHIFTED IT INTO THE POSITION OF 6TH, I LET OUT THE CLUTCH AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR. SHORTLY AFTER, I HEARD THIS POP. I LOOKED DOWN AND NOTICED THE RPM'S WERE PAST THE RED LINE, THIS IS WHEN I FIGURED OUT THAT THE CAR WAS IN 4TH GEAR. I SHIFTED IT BACK INTO 5TH GEAR AND BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN, CONCERNED ABOUT THE POP SOUND I HAD HEARD. I ASKED BRIAN, IF HE HAD HEARD IT AND HE TOLD ME NO. I ASKED HIM IF HE WAS SURE HE DIDN'T HEAR IT, HE TOLD ME NO, SO I KEPT DRIVING. SHORTLY AFTER, I STARTED HEARING CLANKING SOUNDS COMING FROM WHAT SOUNDED LIKE THE TRANSMISSION. THE ENGINE STOPPED, THE VEHICLE STARTED SLOWING DOWN RA

Mileage: 66,000

20021108POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)

WHILE DRIVING AT 80 MPH THE VEHICLE TRANSFER CASE FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE REAR WHEELS TO LOCK UP RESULTING IN CONSUMER LOSING CONTROL OF VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS

20021015POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP ON VEHICLE LEAVING THE VEHICLE IN 3RD GEAR, THEREFORE KEEPING VEHICLE FROM MANUEVERING AND DRIVING PROPERLY. WAS REASON FOR POTENTIAL ACCIDENT. TS

20020925POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THE VEHICLE IS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID AND WHILE SHIFTING GEAR THE VEHICLE ARE HARD. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.

20020205POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

THIS IS MY 2ND TRANNY BECAUSE THE FIRST TRANNY WAS GRINDING FROM A 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. THE PROBLEM WAS THE 1-2 GEAR SYNCHRO THAT GOT WORN OUT DUE TO THE MANUFACTURER'S POOR DESIGN. UPON FAILURE AT 55MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED AND THE TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE LOCKED UP. THE BAY RIDE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP ASKED ME TO REPLACE TO A NEW TRANSMISSION WHICH COST ME $3000. I DID AND THE CAR RAN FINE FOR THE FIRST 15K MILES THEN THE SHIFTING BECAME NOTCHY AND THAT'S WHEN MY TRANSFER CASE GAVE UP AND I BOUGHT A NEW ONE AND INSTALLED IT MYSELF. SOMETHING OUGHT TO BE DONE ABOUT MITSUBISHI'S POOR TRANSMISSION DESIGN.*AK

Compare 1996MITSUBISHI3000GT to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT have?
The 1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT has 26 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT?
The most-complained component for the 1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR with 8 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
Is the 1996 MITSUBISHI 3000GT safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.