Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT problems

Owners filed 12 complaints about the 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT with NHTSA between Apr 2000 and May 2016. The most-cited component is seat belts (6).

Complaints
12
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Seat belts6
  2. Power train2
  3. Engine1
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic1
  5. Vehicle speed control1
  6. Visibility1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20001
20011
20022
20030
20040
20050
20065
20072
20080
20090
20100
20110
20120
20130
20140
20150
20161

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Seat belts

6 reports
“I HAVE A 1999 MISTUBSIHI 3000GT VR4 AND THE SEAT BELT TENSION SPRINGS DO NOT RETRACT OR LOCK-UP LIKE I BELEIVE THEY SHOULD. MY CAR HAS DONE THIS SINCE PURCHASED IN 2003, AND I'VE HAD AN INCEDENT WHERE THE LOCK SHOULD HAVE ENGAGED WHEN HARD BREAKING, BUT THE BELT DID NOT. ALSO, WHEN I EXIT THE VEHICLE I NEED TO FEED THE BELT BACK INTO THE SLOT BECAUSE THE SPRING IS TOO WEAK TO PULL IT IN LIKE EVERY OTHER CAR I'VE OWNED. MANY OTHER 3000GT OWNERS HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH BELT SPRINGS FAILING IN CAR CLUBS FOR THE 3000GT. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS SAFETY HAZARD WITH MITSUBISHI.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 21, 2007Seat beltsODI 10185731

Power train

2 reports1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MITSUBISHI 3000GT VR4 MODEL. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE WHEELS LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE SLID TO A STOP AS IF IT HAD BEEN REAR ENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V143001 (POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4WHEEL DRIVE)) HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN PERFORMED AT 50,000 MILES. THEY FURTHER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT OBLIGATED TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR AGAIN. THE CONTACT FELT AS IF HE HAD WHIPLASH IN HIS NECK AND BACK, BUT HE HAS NOT YET SEEN A DOCTOR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 93,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 17, 2007Power trainODI 10206014

Engine

1 report
“MITSUBISHI HAS MADE RECALLS ON THE '99 3000GT CONCERNING THE OIL ENGINE TRANSFER IN THE CRANK CASE IN THERE VR ENGINES; HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STEMS IN MOST 3000GT ENGINES INCLUDING MINE. THEY DENY THAT RESULT. WHEN CRANKING, THE ENGINE DOESN'T CONTAIN OIL WHICH HAS DRAINED BACK INTO THE OIL PAN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 27, 2016EngineODI 10871210

Service brakes, hydraulic

1 report
“ROTORS/BRAKE PADS DESIGNED FOR THE VEHICLE DO NOT HOLD UP TO NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS ROTORS GET TOO HOT AND WARP CAUSING EXCESSIVE SHAKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 30, 2002Service brakes, hydraulicODI 766453

Vehicle speed control

1 report1 crash
“WHILE PULLING OUT OF CAR WASH CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE IN GEAR, AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, WENT DOWN A 6 FEET DROP OFF, AND CAME TO A STOP AT A BARRIER FENCE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED, DAMAGE $ 20000.00. THERE WERE WITNESSES TO THIS ACCIDENT. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE INSURANCE AND WAS SOLD AT AUTO AUCTION. *YH”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 30, 2001Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 879287

Visibility

1 report
“PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR CHANGES POSITION WHEN DOOR IS CLOSED. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 13, 2000VisibilityODI 721410
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.