1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse suspension problems

“10/26/01 L FRONT LWR CONTROL ARM BROKE, THE CAR BOUNCED DOWN THE ROAD WHEN SUSP CAME APART. GVILLE MITZ REPLACED THE PARTS AT THE COST OF THE MANF. THE VEHICLE HAD 104000 MI AT THAT TIME. ITEMS LISTED ON REPAIR INVOICE: ARM ASSY (FR SUSP), SHAFT ASSY (FR AXL), SHIELD KIT SPLASH, AIR DAM SIDE FR LH, END ASSY, TIE ROD, FENDER FR LH 12/8/07 SUSP BROKE AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING I THOUGHT THE DRV SIDE FRONT TIRE HAD POPPED. I LET OFF THE GAS/ TRIED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER. I WAS IN THE L LANE NEAR AN INTERSTATE ENTRANCE. WHEN I WAS NEAR THE BARRIER THE VEHICLE JUMPED LEFT. IT MADE CONTACT WITH THE CONCRETE WALL, I PULLED THE WHEEL BACK TOWARDS THE RIGHT. WHEN I DID THIS THE BROKEN LEFT FRONT SUSP/TIRE WENT BENEATH THE CAR. THE AUTO WAS CATAPULTED ONTO THE CONCRETE BARRIER ON IT'S NOSE. THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY AIRBORNE AT THIS TIME (FOR APPX 150-200 FT) PART OF THE CAR HIT THE CONCRETE PILLAR OF THE UNDERPASS AND FLUNG MY CAR BACK TO THE GROUND. BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME DOWN. EVEN WITH MY RESTRAINT ON MY BODY SLID UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE CAR CATAPULTED ON THE CONCRETE LEDGE. WHEN THE DRIVERSIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED THE GOT THE LEFT SIDE OF MY HEAD…”

“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A DEALER AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS NEEDED REPLACED. A NHTSA RECALL, #00V421001 WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE CONCERNING, THE SUSPENSION HOWEVER, THE RECALL DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT OFFER A SECOND REPAIR WITHOUT CHARGE UNDER THE RECALL.”

“RE: DEALERSHIP COMPLAINT: REFUSAL TO HONOR EXISTING NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 00V421001, 99V066001 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE, SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT I RECENTLY TOOK MY 1996 ECLIPSE TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP (ARNOLD MITSUBISHI, ROSEVILLE, MI) TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THIS RECALL AS THERE IS SERIOUS 'CLUNKING' IN MY FRONT BALL JOINTS. I WAS TOLD MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALLS. YOUR DATABASE SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT THIS WAS AN 'ACROSS THE BOARD' RECALL. I'VE BEEN WARNED THAT THIS IS A LOUSY DEALERSHIP. ARE THEY CORRECT, OR AM I? AND WHAT SHOULD I DO? *NM”

“DT: FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BALL JOINT FAILURE. CONTACT SAID THE WHEEL AND BALL JOINT FELL OFF. CALLER RECEIVED RECALL 04V421001 CONCERNING BALL JOINTS WHEN CALLER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO THE DEALER SAID IT WAS OKAY. THEN ON T JULY 0, 2005 SHE HEARD A POP AND THE VEHICLE DROPPED. CALLER WAS GOING ABOUT 40 MPH. CALLER HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. SHE HAS NOT SPOKEN TO THEM YET. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK”

“WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE THE BALL JOINT SLIPPED OUT. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVERS SIDE TIRE TO FALL OFF AND THE VEHICLE FELL TO THE GROUND ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. *MR”

“CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR BALL JOINTS IN SEPTEMBER 2000. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, BUT DID NOT REPAIR THE BALL JOINTS. DEALER INDICATED BALL JOINTS DID NOT NEED REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR. HOWEVER, IN DECEMBER 2001 THE BALL JOINTS COLLAPSED. IN JANUARY 2002 DEALER REPAIRED THE BALL JOINTS, BUT DID NOT REPLACE THE ENTIRE BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY. CURRENTLY, FRONT END SQUEAKS. *AK”