Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 Mitsubishi Galant problems

Owners filed 218 complaints about the 1999 Mitsubishi Galant with NHTSA between Oct 1998 and May 2019. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (87).

Complaints
218
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
30
Reported by owners
Fires
10
Reported by owners
Injuries
17
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes, hydraulic87
  2. Suspension26
  3. Electrical system20
  4. Power train16
  5. Steering15
  6. Structure15
  7. Engine and engine cooling13
  8. Air bags12
  9. Vehicle speed control9
  10. Exterior lighting7
  11. Service brakes, air6
  12. Wheels5
  13. Visibility5
  14. Equipment4

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 Nov 7, 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
19982
199946
200061
200145
200216
20035
20048
20059
200612
20077
20082
20091
20101
20111
20120
20130
20141
20150
20160
20170
20180
20191

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

Service brakes, hydraulic

87 reports12 crashes
“I OWN A GREEN 99 MITSUBISHI GALANT AND THE CLEAR COAT IS COMING OFF CAUSING MY CAR TO LOOK LIKE IT HAS ALLIGATOR SKIN IT STARTED ON THE ROOF AND HAS NOW SPREAD TO THE TRUNK AND HOOD. I CALLED MITSUBISHI TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY COMPLAINS ABOUT THE PAINT AND I WAS TOLD NO. THE OPERATOR THEN ASKED WHAT STATE I LIVE IN AND WHEN I TOLD HER THAT I LIVE IN TEXAS, SHE TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED TO HAVE PAINT PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE BECAUSE THE TEXAS SUN IS SO HARSH. I HAVE ALSO BEEN INVOLVED IN 3 ACCIDENTS IN THE VEHICLE AND MY AIRBAGS HAVE NEVER DEPLOYED. I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM KEEPING WHEEL COVER ON ALL IT TAKES IS A SLIGHT BUMP IN THE ROAD AND OFF THEY COME. THIS YEAR MODEL ALSO HAS MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE ROTORS WARPING. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 10, 2006Service brakes, hydraulic, Air bags, StructureCrash reportedODI 10161945

Suspension

26 reports
“MY GALANT HAS HAD WHEEL VIBRATION PROBLEMS SINCE I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW IN 2000. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP A COUNTLESS NUMBER OF TIMES TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THEY ALWAYS TOLD ME THAT IT NEEDED TO BE BALANCED AND THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ROTORS, PADS AND BUSHINGS ON THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL. I STILL HAD THE WHEEL VIBRATIONS AND CONTINUED TO ARGUE WITH THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM WHILE LOOSING TIME AT WORK AND SPENDING MY WEEKEND MORNINGS AND AFTERNOONS AT THE DEALERSHIP. EVERY SIX MONTHS I'VE BEEN TAKING MY CAR TO GET THE TIRES BALANCED AND ALIGNED TO AT LEAST LIMIT THE VIBRATIONS TO A MINIMUM. THE CAR VIBRATES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND HAS MORE TIRE WEAR ON THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE THAN ON THE REST OF THE CAR. 68,000 MILES AND 5 YEARS WITH ONLY 8 MORE PAYMENTS LEFT TO GO AND I FEEL THAT I'VE BEEN MISTREATED BY MITSUBISHI AFTER THIS BEING MY SECOND MITSUBISHI CAR. DUE TO MITSUBISHIS' POOR SERVICE AND UNWILLFULNESS TO HELP A 2 TIME BUYER OF THEIR CARS I AM NO LONGER LOYAL TO MITSUBISHI. I OWN A 1996 NISSAN ALTIMA THAT RUNS 2 TIMES BETTER THAN MY GALANT THAT I BOUGHT BRAND NEW IN 2000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 26, 2005Suspension, Service brakes, airODI 10126610

Electrical system

20 reports6 fires1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MITSUBISHI GALANT. THE CONTACT STATED THE TURN SIGNAL AND HAZARD LIGHTS FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 99V333001, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: BATTERY: CABLES RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 106,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 25, 2011Electrical systemODI 10414980

Power train

16 reports1 crash1 related recall
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED AND HAD WORSENED OVER TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A POWER FLUSH PERFORMED, ALL RELATED FILTERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER EXPRESSED THAT IF PROBLEMS CONTINUED, THE TORQUE CONVERTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE NECESSARY WORK WAS PERFORMED, BUT THE PROBLEMS WORSENED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 17, 2006Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10173721

Steering

15 reports3 crashes1 related recall
“I PURCHASED A '99 MITS GALANT FOR MY DAUGHTER FOR HER 16TH B'DAY IN NOVEMBER OF 2004. SHE CONTINUALLY COMPLAINED OF STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION WHICH I DID FEEL ON THE COUPLE OF OCCASIONS I DROVE THE VEHICLE. IN LATE 2005 SHE WENT TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STEER LEFT. SHE SUBSEQUENTLY HIT A RETAINING WALL. I DID NOT TURN IT INTO MY INSURANCE SINCE IT WAS PURELY COSMETIC. SHE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE VERY LITTLE. SHE SAVED HER MONEY UNTIL LAST MONTH WHEN SHE HAD THE FRONT END REPAIRED. WITHIN WEEKS OF GETTING THE VEHICLE BACK SHE AGAIN WENT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN OFF OF OUR STREET AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STEER LEFT AGAIN. SHE HIT A TRAILER AND PUSHED IT INTO A FENCE. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS TIME SHE WAS INJURED AND HAD TO BE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. DUE TO THIS 2ND OCCURRENCE I DECIDED TO CHECK FOR RECALLS THAT DEAL WITH THE STEERING ON THESE VEHICLES. I FOUND RECALL #00V225001 DATED 8/10/2000 THAT DESCRIBES HER PROBLEMS PERFECTLY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I WAS NOT MADE AWARE THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE THIS CHECKED WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I THINK THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THE CURRENT REPAIRS ON THE VEHICLE OR REPLACE IT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 6, 2007SteeringCrash reportedODI 10192557

Structure

15 reports1 crash
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MITSUBISHI GALANT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXTERIOR PAINT WAS OXIDIZED WITH CHIPPING ON THE HOOD, ROOF AND TRUNK LID. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THE CONCERN OF WARRANTING A RECALL RELATED TO THE EXTERIOR PAINT DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 7, 2010StructureODI 10354198
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026

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