MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE · model year

1997 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE

51 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1997MITSUBISHIDIAMANTE carries 51 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 1 fire, 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 1997 DIAMANTE is power train:automatic transmission with 10 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor (5) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (4). 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 1997 DIAMANTE. 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.

51
Complaints
3
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

51 filings

Crashes Reported

3 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION10
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR5
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP2
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY2
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
PARKING BRAKE1

Recent Complaints

20080707CrashTIRES:TREAD/BELT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. THE VEHICLE HAS COOPER LIFELINER CLASSIC II TIRES, SIZE 115/60/15. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE SPONTANEOUSLY BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. PRIOR TO THE CRASH, SHE NOTICED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS NORMAL AND THAT THE TREAD DEPTH WAS 8/32. AFTER INSPECTING THE TIRE, AN OFFICER CONCLUDED THAT THE TREAD WAS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE CHUNKS OF THE TREAD WERE MISSING AND WIRES WERE HANGING OUT OF THE TIRES. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES OF THE FAILED COMPONENT. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000. UPDATED 09/10/08 *BF UPDATED 09/16/08. *JB

Mileage: 151,000

20080211VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIATOR LEAKED DUE TO THE HEATER CORE. THE RADIATOR LEAKED ONTO THE CARPET WHEN THE HEAT WAS ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE AND HIS FAMILY HAVE INHALED TOXIC FUMES FROM THE RADIATOR LEAKING ONTO THE CARPET AND THEY ARE CONCERNED OF FUTURE HEALTH RISKS. IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE LEAK, THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD HAD TO BE REMOVED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

Mileage: 112,000

20080121ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE HEATER CORE GOING OUT. MINE WENT OUT A FEW DAYS AGO AND WAS INFORMED BY MITSUBISHI IT WILL COST ME 965 TO REPLACE. EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM INCLUDING WITH PEOPLE THAT HAVE AS LOW AS 30-45K ON THEIR VEHICLE. PLEASE LOOK AT THIS FORUM WHICH SHOW MANY MITSUBISHI OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THEIR VEHICLE.. HTTP://WWW.DIAMANTEOWNERS.COM/FORUM/LOFIVERSION/INDEX.PHP?T3615-0.HTML PLEASE HELP ME AND HELP THESE POOR OWNERS. RECALL THIS MAJOR ERROR MISTUBISHI KNOWS ABOUT BUT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND KEEP SILENT. THIS ALSO CAN CAUSE DEATH BECAUSE WHEN THE HEATER CORE FAILS IT LEAKS AND CAUSES A BAD ODOR OF ANTIFREEZE. YOU WOULDN'T WANT YOUR KIDS BREATHING ON THAT WOULD YOU. ON THE WEBSITE I HAVE PROVIDED YOU IT WILL SHOW A CASE IN WHICH A PERSON WENT INTO RESPIRATORY FAILURE DO TO INHALING ANTI FREEZE.. MANY OF THESE OWNERS TILL THIS DAY FACE A DANGER BECAUSE THE

Mileage: 111,132

20070617ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

HEATER CORE RANDOMLY CRACKED ONE DAY, CAUSING A TEAR-LIKE SPILL OF ANTI-FREEZE THROUGH THE TOP OF THE RADIATOR. CAR WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND WE TRIED WELDING THE CRACKS. ANTI-FREEZE STILL SPILLED OUT AND ANTI-FREEZE SMELL CAME IN THROUGH AIR EVENTS AND THE LIQUID ALSO BURNED, CAUSING SMOKE TO COME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. *AK

20050921STRUCTURE

THE PAINT ON THE ROOF AND TRUNK DECK OF MY 1997 DIAMANTE IS FADING WITH WHITE PATCHES. THE HOOD AND BODY PAINT LOOKS GOOD AS NEW. I WAXED MY VEHICLE AT LEAST 3 TIMES A YEAR. IS THIS A DEFECT FROM THE FACTORY I HAVE NOTICE SEVERAL SIMILAR MODELS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT THE PROBLEM? *JB

20050609FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

DT: CONSUMER HAD 1997 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER,. VEHICLE HAD A GAS LEAK, DEALER COULD NOT FIND HOLE IN GAS TANK, CONSUMER REPLACED GAS TANK, ABOUT 8 MONTHS AFTER GAS TANK WAS REPLACED THE VEHICLE EXPLODED. *AK

Mileage: 78,000

20020225FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

SAFETY - TRANSMISSION: AT 9,500 MILES MY CAR STARTED LURCHING WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS FROM A STOP. IT SUPPOSEDLY WAS REPAIRED BUT HAS CONTINUED TO BE PROBLEM AND EACH TIME I BRING IT IN FOR SERVICE THE DEALER CAN NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM. SINCE I HAD NOT HEARD THAT THIS HAS BEEN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL, I THOUGHT IT MUST BE SOMETHING THAT I HAD DONE. UPON REVIEWING THE INFORMATION OF NHSTA, I REALIZE THAT THE DEALERS AND MITSUBISHI ARE DELIBERATELY HIDING THIS PROBLEM. SAFETY - FUEL TANK: MY FUEL TANK BEGAN LEAKING AT 59,560 MILES AND WHEN THE DEALER REMOVED IT HAD 3 STRESS WHOLES. THE TANK HAD TO BE SENT OUT FOR WELDING. OF COURSE, I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR EVEN THOUGH I SPOKE DIRECTLY TO THE MITSUBISHI COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT. SINCE IT WAS NOT A RECALL ITEM, MITSUBISHI OR THE DEALER WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE DANGEROUS FUEL LEAK IS ANOTHER ONGOING HIDDEN PROBLEM. ALTERNATOR PULLEY: HAS BEEN MAKING NOISE FROM THE BEGINNING AND I HAVE COMPLAINED EACH SERVICE.

20020225POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

SAFETY - TRANSMISSION: AT 9,500 MILES MY CAR STARTED LURCHING WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS FROM A STOP. IT SUPPOSEDLY WAS REPAIRED BUT HAS CONTINUED TO BE PROBLEM AND EACH TIME I BRING IT IN FOR SERVICE THE DEALER CAN NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM. SINCE I HAD NOT HEARD THAT THIS HAS BEEN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL, I THOUGHT IT MUST BE SOMETHING THAT I HAD DONE. UPON REVIEWING THE INFORMATION OF NHSTA, I REALIZE THAT THE DEALERS AND MITSUBISHI ARE DELIBERATELY HIDING THIS PROBLEM. SAFETY - FUEL TANK: MY FUEL TANK BEGAN LEAKING AT 59,560 MILES AND WHEN THE DEALER REMOVED IT HAD 3 STRESS WHOLES. THE TANK HAD TO BE SENT OUT FOR WELDING. OF COURSE, I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR EVEN THOUGH I SPOKE DIRECTLY TO THE MITSUBISHI COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT. SINCE IT WAS NOT A RECALL ITEM, MITSUBISHI OR THE DEALER WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE DANGEROUS FUEL LEAK IS ANOTHER ONGOING HIDDEN PROBLEM. ALTERNATOR PULLEY: HAS BEEN MAKING NOISE FROM THE BEGINNING AND I HAVE COMPLAINED EACH SERVICE.

20011129STEERING:RACK AND PINION

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

20010924SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 2 MONTHS AGO AND HAVE MADE 5 TRIPS BACK TO THE DEALER DUE TO BRAKES, TIRES & ENGINE TAPPING AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO BE SLIPPING. *AK (DOT NUMBER: N/A TIRESIZE: P21560R16)

20010924TIRES

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 2 MONTHS AGO AND HAVE MADE 5 TRIPS BACK TO THE DEALER DUE TO BRAKES, TIRES & ENGINE TAPPING AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO BE SLIPPING. *AK (DOT NUMBER: N/A TIRESIZE: P21560R16)

20010924POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 2 MONTHS AGO AND HAVE MADE 5 TRIPS BACK TO THE DEALER DUE TO BRAKES, TIRES & ENGINE TAPPING AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO BE SLIPPING. *AK (DOT NUMBER: N/A TIRESIZE: P21560R16)

20010924ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 2 MONTHS AGO AND HAVE MADE 5 TRIPS BACK TO THE DEALER DUE TO BRAKES, TIRES & ENGINE TAPPING AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO BE SLIPPING. *AK (DOT NUMBER: N/A TIRESIZE: P21560R16)

20010125SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

WHEN CONSUMER APPLIES BRAKES THERE IS SMOKE COMING FROM WHEEL, AND BRAKES DO NOT WORK. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

20001023SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR SHUTTERING AT 19,800 MILES. DEALER TURNED ROTORS, VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHUTTER, BUT STILL WOULD NOT STOP VERY WELL. CONSUMER HAD TO REALLY PRESS HARD TO STOP, CURRENTLY, TOOK IN VEHICLE FOR OIL CHANGE, AND DEALER SAID PADS WERE WORN OUT AT 22,000 MILES. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS DANGEROUS, AND MAY HIT SOMEONE OR SOMETHING.*AK

20000920SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK

THE BRAKE PADS, L/R ROTORS, L/R CALIPER HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES ON THIS CAR. I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING TO THE DEALER, OCEAN MITUBISHI, ABOUT THE BRAKE SYSTEM ON THIS CAR FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS. THEY HAVE CONTINUALLY IGNORED MY COMPLAINTS AND SAID THAT IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. I HAVE OWNED MANY OTHER CARS AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THE BRAKE PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE HAD WITH THIS DIAMANTE. WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THAT MITUBISHI HAS HAD IN JAPAN, I EMAILED THE DEALER, WHO SAID THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEMS. I EMAILED THE ARTICLES FROM THE NEWSPAPER AND CALLED THEM TO FOLLOW UP. AT THAT TIME THEY ACKNOWLEDGED PROBLEMS WITH THE DIAMANT BRAL

20000911SEAT BELTS

WHEN EXITING VEHICLE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER ADJUSTED THE BELTS, PROBLEM STILL OCCUR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK THE BRAKES MAKE NOISE DUE TO FRONT PADS WEAR AND FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPING. THE TRANSMISSION SHUTTERS OCCASINALY WHEN TAKING OFF AND WAS REPLACED WITH NEW ONE. *YH

20000911SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

WHEN EXITING VEHICLE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER ADJUSTED THE BELTS, PROBLEM STILL OCCUR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK THE BRAKES MAKE NOISE DUE TO FRONT PADS WEAR AND FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPING. THE TRANSMISSION SHUTTERS OCCASINALY WHEN TAKING OFF AND WAS REPLACED WITH NEW ONE. *YH

20000911SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

WHEN EXITING VEHICLE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER ADJUSTED THE BELTS, PROBLEM STILL OCCUR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK THE BRAKES MAKE NOISE DUE TO FRONT PADS WEAR AND FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPING. THE TRANSMISSION SHUTTERS OCCASINALY WHEN TAKING OFF AND WAS REPLACED WITH NEW ONE. *YH

20000911POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHEN EXITING VEHICLE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER ADJUSTED THE BELTS, PROBLEM STILL OCCUR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK THE BRAKES MAKE NOISE DUE TO FRONT PADS WEAR AND FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPING. THE TRANSMISSION SHUTTERS OCCASINALY WHEN TAKING OFF AND WAS REPLACED WITH NEW ONE. *YH

Compare 1997MITSUBISHIDIAMANTE to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1997 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE have?
The 1997 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE has 51 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE?
The most-complained component for the 1997 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 10 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS.
Is the 1997 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE 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.