Problems · NHTSA complaints

2009 Mitsubishi Galant problems

Owners filed 16 complaints about the 2009 Mitsubishi Galant with NHTSA between Dec 2008 and Jan 2024. The most-cited component is air bags (10).

Complaints
16
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags10
  2. Structure4
  3. Wheels3
  4. Tires2
  5. Seat belts1
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic1
  7. Power train1
  8. Other / unknown1

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
20081
20090
20102
20112
20121
20130
20141
20151
20163
20171
20181
20190
20201
20210
20220
20231
20241

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

Air bags

10 reports3 crashes
“The contact owns a 2009 Mitsubishi Galant. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the front driver's side air bag deployed inadvertently and struck the contact’s face and chest. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact immediately slammed on the brake pedal and then pulled into a parking spot. The contact stated there was no collision before the air bag deployment. The contact stated that she sustained pain in the face and on the chest but did not seek medical assistance. The dealer was contacted and advised the contact to cut the air bag off the steering wheel and to take the vehicle to their location. The contact stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive because the seat belt was inoperable after the air bag had been deployed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 16, 2024Air bagsODI 11565746

Structure

4 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MITSUBISHI GALANT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG COMPARTMENT WAS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DON HARRING MITSUBISHI DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE AIR BAG COMPARTMENT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,923.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 26, 2017Air bags, StructureODI 10991790

Wheels

3 reports
“Shannon bell private dealer is selling this car with a unrepairable cv axel. I purchased it and di my home work he rolled the miles back. He's falsely advertising it as clean tie and 190 something miles. That's even less then when I had it. Air bag lights are on and he unplugged the wires along with seatbelt so the lights don't show.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 3, 2023Air bags, Seat belts, WheelsODI 11520188

Tires

2 reports
“I PURCHASED MY CAR BRAND NEW BACK IN DEC OF 2008. NOT EVEN THREE YEARS LATER, THREE (3) OF THE FOUR (4) TIRES HAVE SEVERE CRACKING WHERE THE TREAD MEETS THE SIDEWALL. THE ONLY REASON THE FOURTH TIRE WASN'T DAMAGED THE SAME WAY IS I HAD A NAIL STUCK IN THE SIDEWALL PRIOR THE FIRST TIRE FAILURE AND HAD TO REPLACE IT, SO I CAN ONLY ASSUME IT WOULD HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUES. I HAD A SLOW LEAK AND NOTICED THE CRACKING ON ONE OF THE TIRES WHEN FILLING WITH AIR. THE MECHANIC WAS THE ONE WHO POINTED OUT THE OTHER TIRE STARTING TO CRACK THE SAME WAY. TONIGHT I NOTICED THE THIRD TIRE (LAST ORIGINAL TIRE) ALSO HAD THE SAME CRACKING. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 27, 2012Tires, WheelsODI 10449510

Seat belts

1 report

Service brakes, hydraulic

1 report
“WHEN GOING IN REVERSE THE CAR MAKES A HORRIBLE LOUD NOISE. THE CAR IS STILL IN FACTORY CONDITION AND NOT USING ANY AFTERMARKET PARTS. DEALER STATES THEY HAVE TORE DOWN THE REAR END OF ANOTHER CAR AND LUBED AND OILED AND SAT FOR OVERNIGHT AND DID THE SAME NOISE. SEEMS TO BE A VERY BIG DEFECT IN SOMETHING USED. CANNOT UNDERSTAND HOW A BRAND NEW CAR WITH VERY LOW MILES WILL MAKE SUCH A NOISE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 3, 2011Service brakes, hydraulic, Power train, WheelsODI 10438206
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.