1996 Mitsubishi Galant Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Galant years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 136 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Mitsubishi Galant. That ranks 4th out of 18 Galant model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (36 complaints, 26%), typically at around 93,474 miles. Complaints mention 27 crashes, 4 fires, 23 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 136owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 27complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Mitsubishi Galant problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 36 | 26% | 93,474 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 28 | 21% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 20 | 15% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 19 | 14% | 88,762 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 16 | 12% | 90,450 | — | — |
| Structure | 13 | 10% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 8 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 6 | 4% | 98,600 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Mitsubishi Galant recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the rubber boots on the lower lateral arm ball joints of the front suspension were damaged during assembly, dirt and water can intrude. Also, mmc has added the potential of leaking moisture, which can cause the ball stud to corrode.
Risk: This condition could cause the lower lateral arm ball joint to separate, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. This campaign supercedes mmc's previous safety recall campaign, see 99v-066.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the lower lateral arm ball joint for wear. Ball joints that exhibit wear beyond the established tolerance will be replaced with newly designed lateral arm ball joints. Ball joints that are within the established tolerance will be cleaned and a special sealant will be applied to prevent intrusion of moisture.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Cracks can occur in the top of the fuel tank due to an improper spot weld on the baffle plate to the top portion of the fuel tank.
Risk: A crack in the fuel tank could allow fuel or fumes to escape. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the upper surface of the fuel tank for any signs of cracking. If no cracking or leaking is found, dealers will install a sealing protector plate. If any cracking or leakage is found, dealers will replace the fuel tank assembly.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the rubber boots on the lower lateral arm ball joints of the front suspension were damaged during assembly, dirt and water can intrude.
Risk: This condition could cause the lower lateral arm ball joint to separate, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rubber boots, and if the boot is damaged, they will replace the lower lateral arm and ball joint on the affected vehicles.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Lower contrtol arm ball joint (RQ00015) — opened Aug 2, 2000, closed Apr 20, 2001, led to recall 00V421001.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 mitsubishi galant. The contact stated that routine maintenance was being performed on the vehicle when she was notified that the frame was corroded. The mechanic stated that the vehicle needed to be destroyed and was no longer safe to operate. The damage was beyond…
I currently bought the 1996 mitsubishi galant for my wife and 11 month old daughter. The dealer told me i needed a front end alignment to get the pull and shake out of my front end. I took it to an alignment shop and the ase master tech. Told me my control arms were bent due to corrosion of the…
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 mitsubishi galant. While attempting to change a flat tire, the jack went straight through the frame while the vehicle was being lifted. The contact had the vehicle towed to a shop and they informed him that there was excessive rust in the rear subframe. The contact sold…
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 mitsubishi galant. The rear wheel assembly is attached to the subframe, which is attached to the body. The entire part is extremely rusted and prevented the contact from jacking the vehicle and changing the tire. The dealer notified the contact of this failure. The…
The rear undercarriage of my 1996 mitsubishi galant has severe rust damage to the point that you cannot even jack up the car as the jack penetrates they sub frame. The strut from the right rear also came loose from the tower. The rear wheels that are attached to the sub frame are extremely unsafe…
Other Mitsubishi Galant years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Galant | 9 | 0 |
| 2011 Galant | 3 | 0 |
| 2010 Galant | 9 | 1 |
| 2009 Galant | 16 | 0 |
| 2008 Galant | 6 | 0 |
| 2007 Galant | 24 | 1 |
| 2006 Galant | 24 | 1 |
| 2005 Galant | 26 | 3 |
| 2004 Galant | 61 | 1 |
| 2003 Galant | 126 | 2 |
| 2002 Galant | 135 | 2 |
| 2001 Galant | 151 | 7 |
| 2000 Galant | 136 | 6 |
| 1999 Galant | 215 | 5 |
| 1998 Galant | 53 | 1 |
| 1997 Galant | 80 | 1 |
| 1996 | 136 | 3 |
| 1995 Galant | 209 | 5 |
See all Mitsubishi Galant problems by year, every Mitsubishi model, or the Mitsubishi VIN decoder.
Similar Mitsubishi models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Mitsubishi Galant?
Owners most often report power train, service brakes, hydraulic, air bags problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 36 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Mitsubishi Galant?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Mitsubishi Galant a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Galant model years, the 1996 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.