2002 Mitsubishi Galant Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Galant years
- Far more complaints than other years 6th of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 135 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Mitsubishi Galant. That ranks 6th out of 18 Galant model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (27 complaints, 20%), typically at around 22,236 miles. Complaints mention 21 crashes, 10 fires, 19 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 135owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 21complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 27 | 20% | 22,236 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 26 | 19% | 87,250 | — | — |
| Visibility | 21 | 16% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 19 | 14% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 17 | 13% | 112,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 13 | 10% | 83,072 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 5% | 8,390 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 4% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 5 | 4% | 82,948 | — | — |
| Steering | 5 | 4% | 15,503 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 4% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 3% | 33,308 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 2% | 83,072 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 2% | 59,980 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 97,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | 33,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Mitsubishi Galant recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: 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.
Risk: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
Fix: Mitsubishi caribbean will mail a customer notification letter containing a written description and a graphic of the bi-lingual dashboard air bag warning label. In addition, all current 2000-2004 nativa owners will also receive replacement air bag alert labels for the sun visors. This recall is expected to begin during march or april 2005. The notification to the nativa owners is expected to begin during april or may 2005. Owners should contact mitsubishi caribbean at 1-787-251-8715.
Electrical system:wiring:front underhood
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, routing of the vehicle's front harness can allow it to come in contact with a rough edge, allowing abrasion. This could result in grounded circuits.
Risk: There could be a loss of stop or turn signal lamp operation or engine hesitation.
Fix: Dealers will install a protector, eliminating any harness contact. Owner notification began july 8, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037.
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
- Passenger door fire (EA08011) — opened Jul 1, 2008, closed Aug 21, 2009.
- Passenger door fire (PE08014) — opened Mar 4, 2008, closed Jul 1, 2008.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2002 Mitsubishi Galant. The contact stated that while his son was being chased by another motorist at 40 MPH, he lost control of the vehicle as he attempted to brake. The vehicle veered off the road and initially hit a garbage can that ricocheted and broke another vehicle's…
I've had this 2002 mitsubishi galant for a number of years and have always had a problem with the lights. They don't shine bright enough to clearly see the road ahead. It is a constant problem. I thought it was just a problem with my car, but it seems like other people have had the same problem.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mitsubishi galant. While driving at various speeds, the low beam headlights and the signal lamp failed to operate when activated. The failure recurred constantly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuse failed and needed to be replaced…
Tl* the contact owned a 2002 mitsubishi galant. While driving approximately 25 mph, another vehicle crashed into the front driver side of the contact's vehicle at approximately 55 mph. The contact's vehicle went airborne and landed on all four wheels. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact…
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mitsubishi galant. The contact stated that the cruise control light illuminated on the instrument panel without it being manually activated. The vehicle was not diagnosed and the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure…
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 | 135 | 2 |
| 2001 Galant | 151 | 7 |
| 2000 Galant | 136 | 6 |
| 1999 Galant | 215 | 5 |
| 1998 Galant | 53 | 1 |
| 1997 Galant | 80 | 1 |
| 1996 Galant | 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 2002 Mitsubishi Galant?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, electrical system, visibility problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 27 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Mitsubishi Galant?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 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 2002 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.