1990-2012 Mitsubishi Galant Problems: 8 Known Issues

Mitsubishi recalled 1994-1998 Galant sedans under NHTSA campaign 00V421001 for a front suspension defect. On affected Galants, the rubber boots covering the lower lateral arm ball joints may have been damaged during vehicle assembly, letting dirt and water get inside the joint. Mitsubishi Motors also identified the potential for moisture to leak into the joint, which corrodes the ball stud. A corroded ball stud can allow the lower lateral arm ball joint to separate from the suspension, and losing that joint on a front-wheel-drive car like the Galant means losing control of the wheel it holds - NHTSA states this increases the risk of a crash. The campaign covers 567,432 vehicles in total across every Mitsubishi model included in it, not the Galant alone. This campaign supersedes Mitsubishi's earlier safety recall 99V-066, so a Galant that was previously handled under the 1999 campaign is still covered here and should be re-checked.

NHTSA recall campaign 99V066001 covers 1994-1996 Mitsubishi Galant sedans (the campaign as a whole covers roughly 307,000 vehicles across all models included in it). On affected Galants, the rubber boots sealing the lower lateral arm ball joints in the front suspension may have been damaged during assembly at the factory. A torn or split boot no longer seals the joint, so dirt and water can work their way inside. NHTSA states that this can lead the lower lateral arm ball joint to separate, which increases the risk of a crash. Because the lower lateral arm locates the bottom of the front wheel on this generation of Galant, a separated joint is a serious front-suspension failure rather than a nuisance defect.

The 4-speed automatic in the 1990s Galant is prone to premature internal failure, especially when the fluid is never serviced and no auxiliary cooler is fitted. Documented failure modes include slipping (notably losing drive or slipping in reverse), harsh or delayed 2-3 shifts, flaring, and eventual loss of a gear as clutch packs and valve-body components wear and hydraulic pressure drops. RepairPal lists premature automatic failure as a recognized Galant complaint pattern.

The 2004-2012 Galant used different automatics depending on engine and year. 2.4L four-cylinder cars have the F4A4B 4-speed. 3.8L V6 cars used the F4A5A 4-speed through 2007, and later V6 cars, including the GT and Ralliart, got a 5-speed automatic. Owners report harsh or flaring shifts, slipping, and in some cases a transmission that slips and won't shift into another gear until the car is turned off and restarted. One 2007 owner's car did this, and an independent mechanic found the transmission had failed and ordered a new one. A 2006 owner reported a stutter when first shifting into reverse, and a stutter in Drive that lasted as long as the car was cold. For 2004-2005 cars, Mitsubishi issued service bulletin 0523004 for a flare on the 2-3 upshift (engine revs rise without the car pulling). For 2004 cars it also issued bulletin 0423002, a service manual revision giving the procedure for resetting the transmission's learned values. Repairs range from a fluid service or valve body/solenoid work to a full rebuild or replacement, and replacement is expensive.

The 4G63 (2.0L) and 4G64 (2.4L) four-cylinders in the 1990s Galant are interference engines driven by a rubber timing belt on a strict 60,000-mile / 7-year replacement interval. On a neglected belt the valves collide with the pistons the instant the belt lets go, bending valves and often cracking piston crowns. A well-documented secondary failure mode is unique to this engine family: the smaller balance-shaft belt (which spins the counter-rotating balance shafts) shreds first, and the debris can be pulled into the main timing belt, snapping it and taking out the valvetrain. Because of this, the balance-shaft belt and its tensioner should always be replaced together with the main timing belt.

As the Galant's 4G63/4G64 engines age, the valve cover gasket hardens and leaks oil onto the exhaust manifold, producing a burning-oil smell after warmup and oil pooling in the spark plug wells (which can cause misfires). A related age issue is hardened valve stem seals, which let oil seep past the valves while the engine is off and produce a puff of blue/white smoke on startup. Both are common, low-severity wear items on these high-mileage engines.

Like many 1990s Mitsubishis, the Galant uses a radiator with plastic end tanks that grow brittle with age and heat-cycling. The top tank is a very common crack point, producing coolant loss, steam, and overheating. On the turbo 4G63 an overheating event is especially damaging because it can lead to head-gasket failure and warping. Enthusiast community guides call the cracked top tank a frequent, expected age-related failure and recommend switching to an all-metal radiator.

The crankshaft position sensor on the 2.4L (4G64) Galant fails with age and heat, sometimes intermittently. Because the ECU uses this signal to fire spark and injection, a failing sensor typically produces a hard-start, an engine that cranks but will not start (often after the engine warms up), or sudden stalling while driving; the PCM rarely sets a crank sensor code, so a missing check-engine light does not rule it out. The sensor is a three-wire unit mounted behind the timing belt at the front of the engine, with its connector visible on top of the engine.