2001 Mitsubishi Galant

Typical pattern

14.9% of complaints about the 2001 Mitsubishi Galant came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2001 vehicle — around the middle of the 216 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 3.6 yr in service. The most-reported system is service brakes, hydraulic (35 complaints), typically at 2.1 yr or about 30,876 miles.

Complaints: 201
Median age at failure: 3.6 yr
Median mileage: 60,000 n=102
Crash / fire / tow: 33.3% of reports
Safety recalls: 8

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

09E025000 2009-05-11

Exterior lighting:headlights

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

04V428000 2004-09-01

Equipment:other:labels

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

01V069000 2001-03-08

Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A BULGE IN THE FUEL TANK CAUSED BY THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS RESULTED IN THINNING OF THE MATERIAL DURING A WELDING OPERATION, INCREASING THE RISK OF FUEL LEAKAGE.

FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

01V011001 2001-01-16

Power train:automatic transmission:cooling unit and lines

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. A HOSE WAS MIS-MANUFACTURED AND COULD WEAKEN OVER TIME, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LEAKAGE OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID.

FLUID LEAKAGE FROM THE COOLER HOSES CAN CAUSE TRANSAXLE DRIVEABILITY PROBLEMS AND SMOKE IF THE OIL CONTACTS THE FRONT EXHAUST PIPE.

01V005001 2001-01-08

Seats

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A NUMBER OF INCORRECT DRIVER SIDE SEAT MOUNTING BOLTS WERE INSTALLED INTO VEHICLES.

THE REAR ANCHOR BOLTS SECURING THE DRIVER'S SEAT MAY NOT PROPERLY SECURE THE SEAT AND COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF DRIVER INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT.

00V320001 2000-10-27

Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE OUTER LAYER ONLY OF THIS 3-LAYER FUEL RETURN HOSE DOES NOT CONTAIN THE DESIRED OZONE PROTECTION DUE TO A PROCESSING ERROR.

THIS HOSE IS CONSIDERED TO BE INADEQUATE.

00V339000 2000-10-24

Electrical system:wiring: rear compartment/trunk

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ROUTING OF THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE OF THE REAR SEAT COULD ALLOW THE HARNESS TO CONTACT THE BODY. THE WIRES IN EACH HARNESS CONTROL THE STOP LAMP CIRCUIT, BACK-UP LAMP CIRCUIT, AND THE TURN LAMP CIRCUIT.

IF ANY OF THESE WIRES BECOME SHORT-CIRCUITED, THE INTERIOR LAMPS, TURN SIGNAL LAMPS, AND REAR STOP LAMPS COULD STOP WORKING. THIS WOULD FAIL TO WARN A FOLLOWING DRIVER THAT THE VEHICLE IS TURNING OR BRAKING AND COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

00V299001 2000-10-02

Engine and engine cooling:engine

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HARNESS FOR THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR COULD COME IN CONTACT WITH A NEW PROTECTIVE SHIELD CAUSING A GROUNDED CIRCUIT.

PROLONGED WIRING HARNESS CONTACT WITH THE HEAT SHIELD WILL CAUSE THE WIRING INSULATION TO WEAR AND EVENTUALLY TO GROUND OUT. THIS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO DIE-OUT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

In owners’ own words

Engine cooling mileage not reported 3 mo in service

RECALL 00V299001/CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. CONSUMER HAS BEEN TRYING TO SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT TO HAVE VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER RECALL. FIRST DEALERSHIP DENIED KNOWLEDGE OF RECALL. CURRENTLY, NO ONE AT DEALERSHIP IS RESPONDING TO CONSUMER'S LETTERS AND TELEPHONE CALLS. POINT OF CONTACT AT DEALER IS RICK WEBER. *AK

Engine cooling mileage not reported 8 mo in service crash / fire / tow

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE BEGAN SPUTTERING, CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO SEE FLAMES AND SMOKE, THERE WAS A RECALL, C0104C, REGARDING SPARKING IN THE ENGINE WHICH COULD CAUSE A FIRE, ALSO, TRANSMISSION COOLER LINE WAS FOUND DEFECTIVE, THE FIRES CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT. *SLC

Engine cooling mileage not reported 1.4 yr in service

WHILE DRIVING, AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE STALLED, AFTER INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE DEALER DETERMINED THAT RADIATOR HAD A PINHOLE. *AK. *SLC

Air bags mileage not reported 3 mo in service crash / fire / tow

I RAN INTO A CENTER DIVIDER ONTHE HIGHWAY AND MY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AND SEATBELT DID NOT LOCK.CRASH CAUSED BY LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *AK

Other Galant model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2001 Mitsubishi Galant

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other Galant model years

How to read this