1990 Mitsubishi Galant: common problems

Owners of the 1990 Mitsubishi Galant filed 21 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 21

What fails most often

1 Powertrain 43% of all complaints
2 Engine and cooling 29% of all complaints
3 Seat belts 29% of all complaints
4 Vehicle speed control 10% of all complaints
5 Electrical system 5% of all complaints
6 Structure 5% of all complaints
7 Tires 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Powertrain: 9 complaints (43% of all).
Engine and cooling: 6 complaints (29% of all).
Seat belts: 6 complaints (29% of all).
Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (10% of all).
Electrical system: 1 complaints (5% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD, AWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 21 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

seat belts5 · 24%
overheating, coolant loss1 · 5%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 5%
stalls while driving1 · 5%
unintended acceleration1 · 5%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Powertrain	9	0	0
Engine and cooling	6	0	0
Seat belts	6	0	0
Vehicle speed control	2	0	0
Electrical system	1	0	0
Structure	1	0	0
Tires	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.

Drivers lap seat belt will not retract. While extending it to buckle, a noise like a tape measure rapidly closing was heard, then it would not retract. It extends out to its full extent, and is apparently worthless in case of an accident.
Seat belts · 2003-09-04 · NHTSA complaint #10037227
When the accelerator pedal was pressed, the vehicle surged forward at a rapid speed.
Vehicle speed control · 2003-04-08 · NHTSA complaint #10015418
Harmonic balancer fell apart. This is the second failure of this oem part. I think they are made from old tuna cans.
Engine and cooling · 2002-08-21 · NHTSA complaint #765807
Drivers side seat belt is not working properly, consumer is having difficulty "latching" the lap belt, sounds as if something is popping on the inside of the latch.
Seat belts · 2002-02-07 · NHTSA complaint #564125
Recall 98v168000/ manufacturer's recall sr-98-003/ transfer case failure. In december consumer took vehicle to dealer for recall repairs. Vehicle seemed to be making loud noises and locking up. Dealer blamed it on wheel bearing, and valve cover that might be leaking.
Powertrain · 2001-02-14 · NHTSA complaint #880537
1,less than 20,000 miles the car needed a head gasket,timing belt and a water pump mind you the car never overheated once. 2,at 30,000 miles the first transmission went. 3,at 59,000+ miles the second transmission went. 4,now the car burns 2 quarts of oil a month.
Powertrain · 1999-03-25 · NHTSA complaint #700125
Smoke was coming out from under hood. Small fire around fuel line, ignition wires, coil, wire harness containing injector wires. Put out w/ extinguisher. Only 2 wires to 1 injector damaged, fuel line/plug wires damaged, computer failed.
Powertrain · 1999-02-16 · NHTSA complaint #703370
Seat belt does not open after engagement. Sometimes does not engage at all. Requires several attempts.
Seat belts · 1998-08-25 · NHTSA complaint #825381

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19954
19962
19971
19983
19995
20011
20023
20032

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 8,077 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Galant has 64 complaints (28 years in the data). This year has 21, below average.

What to check before buying

Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1990 Mitsubishi Galant?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, engine and cooling, seat belts. Total complaints: 21. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (24%), overheating, coolant loss (5%), smoke, burning smell, fire (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1990 Mitsubishi Galant?

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 1990 Mitsubishi Galant 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 1990 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.