MITSUBISHI GALANT · model year

1994 MITSUBISHI GALANT

284 NHTSA complaints, 46 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1994MITSUBISHIGALANT carries 284 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 46 crashes, 6 fires, 24 injuries, and 4 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 1994 GALANT is air bags:frontal with 32 filings, followed by suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint (30) and power train:automatic transmission (13). 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 1994 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.

284
Complaints
46
Crashes
6
Fires
24
Injuries
4
Deaths

Total Complaints

284 filings

Crashes Reported

46 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL32
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT30
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION13
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR12
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM11
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP10
AIR BAGS9
SUSPENSION:FRONT8
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE8
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS7
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH6
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE6
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT6
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL5
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER5

Recent Complaints

20160620WHEELS

PURCHASED 3 TIRES JUNE 18TH 2016. BY THE END OF THE DAY MY SPARE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY I TOOK IT BACK AND HAD A NEW ONE PUT BACK ON IT. JUNE 19TH THE TIRE THAT WAS PUT ON MY CAR ALSO WENT FLAT WHILE SITTING IN A PARKING LOT. I DECIDED TO FILE THIS FORMAL COMPLAINT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY REFUSED TO GIVE ME A REFUND OF $30 FOR THE BAD TIRE. ALSO DUE TO THE FACT THAT TWO OF THE THREE TIRES PURCHASED TWO WENT FLAT AND LESS THAN 48 HOURS OF PURCHASE DATE.

20091123AIR BAGS

FRONTAL AUTO ACCIDENT 1994 MITSIBISHI GALANT LS AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY! *TR

Mileage: 168

20070808SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

THE WHEEL OF MY DAUGHTER'S MITSUBISHI GALANT FELL OFF! WHILE PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY AT OUR HOME, THE GALANT'S BALL JOINT ON THE LOWER LATERAL CONTROL ARM FAILED. THE BALL JOINT PULLED OUT OF THE SOCKET AND THE TRANSAXLE PULLED OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION. THIS RESULTED IN THE WHEEL FALLING AGAINST THE WHEEL WELL (LITERALLY FALLING OFF THE CAR!) THERE WAS NO GREASE IN THE BALL JOINT SOCKET. THANKFULLY, THIS OCCURRED AT A VERY LOW RATE OF SPEED. IF IT HAD HAPPENED ON THE EXPRESSWAY, IT WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT! THIS 1994 GALANT HAS ONLY 86,000 MILES ON IT, AND HAS NO OPEN RECALLS. MY DAUGHTER HAD TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE THE INCIDENT BECAUSE SHE SOMETIMES HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE WHEEL AREA. THE SHOP WRONGLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS TIE ROD ENDS. THEY SAID THERE WERE NO IMMEDIATE SAFETY CONCERNS. *JB

Mileage: 86,000

20061124SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

A NEAR MISS. THE NUT ON THE LOWER CONTROL ARM CAME OFF ON DRIVERS SIDE. 75 MPH AND THANK GOODNESS I WAS STRONG TO PULL THE ASPHALT EATING FRONT END TO THE SIDE. GOING DOWNHILL HEARD WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE A PEBBLE HIT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR AND THEN WAS BEING PULLED UNDER THE ONCOMING SEMI. UPON FINALLY STOPPING ON THE SHOULDER, I GOT OUT LOOKED AT MY TIRE SITTING PERPENDICULAR TO THE CAR, THE CARS FRONT END SITTING ON THE GROUND,(I HAVE PHOTO'S) I LOOKED BACK TO SEE A GROVE AND A BLACK LINE TRAVELING FROM THE LEFT LANE TO THE CENTER LINE BACK TO THE LEFT LANE AND TO MY GALANT'S RESTING PLACE. AT 48 YEARS OLD I HAVE DRIVEN MANY A CAR, NEVER HAVE I COME SO NEAR TO MEETING MY MAKER. THE MECHANIC, 300 MILES FROM MY HOME SAID THE BALL JOINT BOOT FAILED AND ALLOWED THE BOLT TO BECOME LOOSE AND THE TRAVEL JUST UNSCREWED THE NUT. ALL THE THREADS WERE THERE, NON WERE STRIPPED. 3 DAYS LATER I BRAVELY LOADED MYSELF AND MY YOUNGER SISTER INTO THE CAR WITH SOME MAKE DUE REPAIRS AND A NEW LOWER C

20051018SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

DURING REPLACEMENT OF STRUTS SERVICE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT BALL JOINTS HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY. *TS THE MANUFACTURER HAS RECALLED MANY BALL JOINTS RECALL #SR-04-001 ACCORDING TO ALLDATA. *NM

20051017ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

PURSUANT TO THE BALL JOINT RECALL FOR MY 1994 MITSUBISHI GALANT, I TOOK MY CAR TO OURISMAN MITSUBISHI IN 2004 WHO THEN INSPECTED THE BOOT, NOTICED THE BOOT WAS BROKEN YET THE SERVICEMAN RESEALED THE BOOT AND INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR WAS CHECKED AND THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS WERE INTACT. IN AUGUST 2005, WHILE I WAS HAVING MY CAR SERVICE FOR A WATER PUMP PROBLEM, THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE IT REPLACED. *JB

20051017SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

PURSUANT TO THE BALL JOINT RECALL FOR MY 1994 MITSUBISHI GALANT, I TOOK MY CAR TO OURISMAN MITSUBISHI IN 2004 WHO THEN INSPECTED THE BOOT, NOTICED THE BOOT WAS BROKEN YET THE SERVICEMAN RESEALED THE BOOT AND INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR WAS CHECKED AND THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS WERE INTACT. IN AUGUST 2005, WHILE I WAS HAVING MY CAR SERVICE FOR A WATER PUMP PROBLEM, THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE IT REPLACED. *JB

20051017STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

PURSUANT TO THE BALL JOINT RECALL FOR MY 1994 MITSUBISHI GALANT, I TOOK MY CAR TO OURISMAN MITSUBISHI IN 2004 WHO THEN INSPECTED THE BOOT, NOTICED THE BOOT WAS BROKEN YET THE SERVICEMAN RESEALED THE BOOT AND INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR WAS CHECKED AND THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS WERE INTACT. IN AUGUST 2005, WHILE I WAS HAVING MY CAR SERVICE FOR A WATER PUMP PROBLEM, THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE IT REPLACED. *JB

20050817SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR MY 1994 MITSUBISHI GALANT LS ,AND I TOOK MY CAR TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP, OURISMAN MITSUBISHI, LAST YEAR CONCERNING THE LOWER ARM BALL JOINT. IT WAS DETERMINED THERE THAT THE BALL JOINT WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. AFTER HAVING MY CAR INSPECTED BY MY PRIVATE AND CERTIFIED MECHANIC HE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT I REPLACE THIS VERY PART. THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE BALL JOINT IS IN SERIOUS NEED OF REPLACEMENT.*AK

Mileage: 71,904

20050621ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

DT: CALLER SAYS THE CAR STALLED AT ANY SPEED. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH VEHICLE. THEY COULD NOT REPLACE PARTS UNTIL THEY FIND THE ONE THAT WORKED MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TWICE. *AK

Mileage: 124,000

20050312CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN A REAR END ACCIDENT. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOTALED WITH NO EXPLANATION OF WHY THE BRAKES FAILED.*AK

Mileage: 161,500

20050126ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS

I BOUGHT MY 94 MITSUBISHI GALANT IN DECEMBER OF 1998. THE FIRST TIME MY ALTERNATOR BELT BROKE WAS AUGUST OF 1999. SINCE THEN MY BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED 12 TIMES (7 TIMES THE BELT WAS REPLACED BY A MECHANIC). MOST OF THE TIME, MY HUSBAND OR MYSELF HAVE BEEN DRIVING WHEN THE BELT BRAKES LEAVING US STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE BELT ALSO SQUEAKS REALLY BAD. I'VE TRIED TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED, BUT NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT TO SQUEAK. I'VE HAD ALTERNATOR'S REPLACED, BELTS REPLACED, AND THE PULLEY ADJUSTED. NONE OF IT WORKED, BUT I STILL HAD TO PAY FOR IT. PLEASE HELP ME.*AK

Mileage: 70,000

20041119SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR RECALL 00V421003 REPAIRS. UPON LEAVING THE DEALER CONSUMER GOT INTO THE VEHICLE TO TAKE AN HOUR RIDE AND VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE ERRATICALLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO TWO OTHER MECHANICS, WHO DETERMINED THAT DEALER HAD DONE SOMETHING THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE TO THE VEHICLE. *AK

20040722SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

THE CONSUMER TOOK HIS VEHICLE IN TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED AND UPON ENTERING THE BAY AT THE SHOP, THE LOWER BALL JOINT FELL OFF. RECALL NO. 00V421001. *JB

Mileage: 126,572

20040521SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT

THE RIGHT SIDE BALL JOINT SEPARATED ALMOST CAUSING CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT.*MR *LA

20040521SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

THE RIGHT SIDE BALL JOINT SEPARATED ALMOST CAUSING CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT.*MR *LA

20040420ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE OVERHEATED, DEALERSHIP URGED CONSUMER TO CALL NHTSA TO REPORT THE PROBLEM. *AK

20040407SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

LEFT FRONT BALL JOINT FELL OFF. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY STOP AND FALL FLAT TO THE GROUND. *AK

Mileage: 98,000

20031112SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT

WHILE TURNING 5 MPH, THE FRONT BALL JOINT AND AXLE SNAPPED. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE GEARS TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED. CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *PH

Mileage: 121,000

20031112POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

WHILE TURNING 5 MPH, THE FRONT BALL JOINT AND AXLE SNAPPED. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE GEARS TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED. CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *PH

Mileage: 121,000

Compare 1994MITSUBISHIGALANT to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1994 MITSUBISHI GALANT have?
The 1994 MITSUBISHI GALANT has 284 NHTSA complaints, 46 crashes, 6 fires, 24 injuries, and 4 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 MITSUBISHI GALANT?
The most-complained component for the 1994 MITSUBISHI GALANT is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 32 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1994 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.