MITSUBISHI GALANT · model year

1992 MITSUBISHI GALANT

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

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1992MITSUBISHIGALANT carries 43 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 2 fires, 0 injuries, 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 1992 GALANT is power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift with 14 filings, followed by power train:transfer case (4-wheel drive) (7) and engine and engine cooling:engine (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 1992 GALANT. 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.

43
Complaints
1
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

43 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
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT14
POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES1
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION1
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
SEAT BELTS1
POWER TRAIN1

Recent Complaints

20090518SUSPENSION:REAR

I WAS DRIVING MY MOTHER-N-LAWS 1992 MITSUBISHI GALANT AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CAR JUST STARTED TO SWERVE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT MAKING A WEIRD SCRAPPING SOUND MAKING ME THINK THE BRAKES WERE PROBABLY LOCKED UP. SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE SMOKE KEPT COMING OUT EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS PARKED FOR MORE THAN 10 MINUTES. MY KID'S AND I WERE ALL AFRAID TO GO NEAR THE CAR. BUT THE SMOKE STARTED TO SUBSIDE AND I TOOK A CHANCE TO GO VIEW WHAT MAY BE THE PROBLEM. THE BRAKES WERE OKAY BUT I HAD SEEN SOME THICK OIL WITH SMALL GRAINS OF METAL IN IT PROTRUDING OUT FROM THE CENTER OF THE I GUESS WAS THE HEAD OF THE AXLE. I TOOK THE HUB CAP OFF TO GET A BETTER LOOK. I WAS ONLY FIVE MINUTES OR LESS FROM HOME AND TOOK A CHANCE TO DRIVE IT THERE....BUT WHEN I HAD ARRIVED AND TRIED TO PARK IT. THE WHOLE FRIGGIN TIRE CAME RIGHT OFF. I STARTED TO DO SOME INVESTIGATION AND FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINT SITES. SO NOW I AM HERE WRITING UP ONE A

Mileage: 133,582

20090518TIRES

I WAS DRIVING MY MOTHER-N-LAWS 1992 MITSUBISHI GALANT AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CAR JUST STARTED TO SWERVE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT MAKING A WEIRD SCRAPPING SOUND MAKING ME THINK THE BRAKES WERE PROBABLY LOCKED UP. SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE SMOKE KEPT COMING OUT EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS PARKED FOR MORE THAN 10 MINUTES. MY KID'S AND I WERE ALL AFRAID TO GO NEAR THE CAR. BUT THE SMOKE STARTED TO SUBSIDE AND I TOOK A CHANCE TO GO VIEW WHAT MAY BE THE PROBLEM. THE BRAKES WERE OKAY BUT I HAD SEEN SOME THICK OIL WITH SMALL GRAINS OF METAL IN IT PROTRUDING OUT FROM THE CENTER OF THE I GUESS WAS THE HEAD OF THE AXLE. I TOOK THE HUB CAP OFF TO GET A BETTER LOOK. I WAS ONLY FIVE MINUTES OR LESS FROM HOME AND TOOK A CHANCE TO DRIVE IT THERE....BUT WHEN I HAD ARRIVED AND TRIED TO PARK IT. THE WHOLE FRIGGIN TIRE CAME RIGHT OFF. I STARTED TO DO SOME INVESTIGATION AND FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINT SITES. SO NOW I AM HERE WRITING UP ONE A

Mileage: 133,582

20060922FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

1992 MITSUBISHI GALANT CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *KB A NEW ENGINE HAD BEEN INSTALL 3000 MILES PRIOR TO THE FIRE. *NM

20051202POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS NHTSA RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN 98V168000 CONCERNING THE TRANSFER CASE. RECALL REPAIRS WAS PERFORMED ON 10-20-03. IN NOVEMBER 2005 WITH ONLY 8000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE THE TRANSFER CASE BEGAN TO LEAK FLUID, AND ALL FOUR WHEELS LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOUSE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED, AND THEY TOLD HIM THEY WOULD CALL HIM BACK FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEE CONTACTED. *AK

Mileage: 8,000

20050921POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)

DT: THE CONTACT STATES IN AUGUST 04 HE HAD H CAR INSPECTED AND IT PASSED INSPECTION, AND THEY TOLD HIM THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSFER CASE IN TRANSMISSION. HE HEARD THERE WAS A RECALL ON TRANSFER CASE, HE HAD IT CHECKED. ABOUT THREE DAYS AGO THE REAR WHEELS ON 1992 MITSUBISHI GALLANT LOCKED UP. HE HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, AND THEY ARE REFUSED TO DO RECALL REPAIRS BECAUSE THEY TOLD HIM THERE WAS A DRAIN PLUG MISSING FROM THE TRANSFER CASE. NEITHER THE PREVIOUS OWNER NOR THE CURRENT OWNER HAS EVER TOUCHED THE TRANSFER CASE. *AK

Mileage: 113,049

20040322POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)

CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 98V168000 CONCERNING TRANSFER CASE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE , BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

20040114ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

MY CAR HAD BEEN STALLING SINCE AUGUST 2003. THE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT IT INTO HAVE IT SERVICED AT FIRESTONE, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. IN NOVEMBER 2003 MY CAR WAS STALLING AGAIN AND I LOST POWER DRIVING IT, AS THE CAR ENGINE SHUT OFF. I HAD BROUGHT MY CAR IN AGAIN TO A DIFFERENT FIRESTONE. I TRUST THE MECHANIC, I HAVE BEEN BRINGING MY CAR THERE FOR YEARS. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION CONTROL MODULE. I HAVE A MITSUBISHI GALANT 1992. ACCORDING TO FIRESTONE THERE HAS BEEN MANY OTHER MITSUBISHI CARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS, BUT THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN RECALLED FOR ECM. A COMPANY IN TEXAS HAS DATA SHOWING OTHER ECM THAT HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THIS COMPANY IS: ECM TO GO AUTOMOTIVE COMPUTER SUPPLY, 2280 EAST MAIN SUITE B-7, LEAGUE CITY TEXAS 77573 1 888-326-8646. WHEN I HAD TO REPLACE THE ECM ON MY CAR IT WAS VERY COSTLY, $755.03 TOTAL. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO PLEASE INVESTIGATE WHY MITSUBISHI HAS NOT RECALLED ECM'S. THANK YOU, SANDRA PELLICORI. *AK

Mileage: 111,580

20031023POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS SMOKE CAME FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE. INITIALLY THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY A DEALER THAT THE REAR TRANS AXLE SHOULD BE REPLACED. CONSUMER WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER TO GET A SECOND OPINION. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT VEHICLE WAS COVERED UNDER RECALL 98V168000 CONCERNING TRANSFER CASE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER, WHO REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL. *AK

20031023POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS SMOKE CAME FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE. INITIALLY THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY A DEALER THAT THE REAR TRANS AXLE SHOULD BE REPLACED. CONSUMER WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER TO GET A SECOND OPINION. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT VEHICLE WAS COVERED UNDER RECALL 98V168000 CONCERNING TRANSFER CASE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER, WHO REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL. *AK

20021022STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM

THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED IN JAPAN (JULY 2000) AND IN FEBRUARY (2001) CITING SAFETY REASONS DUE TO THIS AND RELATED PROBLEMS. IT WAS NOT RECALLED IN AMERICA. WAITED ALL THESE MONTHS TO SEE IF IT WILL BE RECALLED. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN JAPAN, I FULLY EXPECTED TO SEE THIS VEHICLE IN MITSUBISHI'S RECALL EFFORT. CONTACTED THEM AT 1-888-648-782002 BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. THEY COULD NOT GIVE ME A NUMBER TO CONTACT AT MITSUBISHI AMERICA ON HOW TO GO ABOUT GETTING THIS SAFETY PROBLEM FIXED. THEREFORE CONTACTING NHTSA AS THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR WHICH VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECALLED IN JAPAN DUE TO QUALITY CONTROL PROBLEMS. MR

20021018ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE WILL NOT START. HAD VEHICLE SERVICED THIS WAS A RESULT OFF THE MAIN COMPUTER CONTROL MODULE MALFUNCTIONING. HAD IT REPLACED PROBLEM REACCURED. MR

20020116ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

BURNS OIL DIED RIGT ON HIGWAY NOW I OWN ANTHE R ONE ND IT DOES HE SAMETHING. *AK

20011004POWER TRAIN

DEALER SAID THE RECALL WAS DONE, A LEAK CAN OCCUR AND POTENTIALLY LOCK UP ALL WHEELS AT ANY GIVEN SPEED. DUE TO INADEQUATE REPAIRS THIS PROBLEM STILL IS OCCURING.

20010822POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

THE DEALERS ARE NOT FIXING THE RECALL PROPERLY AND REFUSING YOU WHEN YOU GO BACK. THIS AFFECTS ALL AWD MITSUBISHI 1990'-1999. I AM IN NEED OF A NEW TRANSFER CASE (MITSU$1800) AND SUPPORTING YOKES AND SEALS AS DAMAGE RESULTS FROM LEAKING WHEN NOT PROPERLY FIXED AND CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE REAR WHEEL LOCKUP.*AK (TIRESIZE: 15)

20000718POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

RECALL 98V168001/TRANSFER CASE: WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY AT SPEED OF 55 MPH REAR WHEELS COMMENCED TO LOCK UP AND CAUSED STEERING TO BE UNCONTROLLABLE. LATER ON RECEIVING A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NOTICE CONCERNING TRANSFER CASE, DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

19991026POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER IN REFERNCE TO RECALL NUMBER 98V168001, DEALER MADE, RECALL REPAIRS TO VEHICLE. CONSUMER IS CURRENTLY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSFER CASE, NEARLY LOCKING UP WHEN DRIVING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED BOTH DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. BOTH REFUSED TO CORRECT RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

19991010ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

OIL SEALS NEED REPLACING ABOUT EVERY TWO YEARS ST 75,000 MILES THEN AT 130,000 THEN AT 160,000. REPAIR IS $400-$500

19990903CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH AND WAS HIT HEAD ON BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

19990903SEAT BELTS

MOTORIZED SEAT BELT CABLE FELL OFF THE TRACK, AND THE BELT IS DANGLING FROM THE HOOD OF CAR. SEATBELT DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. *AK

19990217POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)

OWNER BELIEVES VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE TRANSFER CASE LOCK UP RECALL FOR SIMILAR MODELS LIKE TALON AND ECLIPSE (98V069003).

Compare 1992MITSUBISHIGALANT to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1992 MITSUBISHI GALANT have?
The 1992 MITSUBISHI GALANT has 43 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1992 MITSUBISHI GALANT?
The most-complained component for the 1992 MITSUBISHI GALANT is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT with 14 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE) and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 1992 MITSUBISHI GALANT 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.