AI Damage1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT filed 12 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 12
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 50% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 17% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 8% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 8% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 6 complaints (50% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (17% of all).
- Engine: 1 complaints (8% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (8% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 12 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
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. The vehicle was returned to the insurance and was sold at auto auction.
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.
Tl 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…
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.
I purchased my 99 mitsubishi 3000gt used and it's seat belt has rarely worked. I sold my 94 mitsubishi 3000gt which has the same exact problem. While driving the belt always becomes slack and doesn't retract.
Seat belts in my '99 mitsubishi 3000gt fail to retract and tighten themselves automatically. This slack in my seat belts lead me to believe they wouldn't be effective in the case of an accident. I know many 3000gt owners which have the same issue.
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.
Passenger side mirror changes position when door is closed.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 10,160 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 28% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 3000GT has 39 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 12, below average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, powertrain, engine. Total complaints: 12. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (50%), knocking, grinding or other noise (8%), vibration (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1999 Mitsubishi 3000GT from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1999 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.