1997 Mitsubishi Galant: common problems

Owners of the 1997 Mitsubishi Galant filed 80 complaints with NHTSA, most often about suspension and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 80
involving a crash: 9

What fails most often

1 Suspension 23% of all complaints
2 Powertrain 19% of all complaints
3 Service brakes 16% of all complaints
4 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
5 Engine and cooling 11% of all complaints
6 Steering 11% of all complaints
7 Air bags 10% of all complaints
8 Equipment 3% of all complaints

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

Suspension: 18 complaints (23% of all).
Powertrain: 15 complaints (19% of all).
Service brakes: 13 complaints (16% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 9 complaints (11% of all).
Engine and cooling: 9 complaints (11% of all).

Engines and transmissions

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

2.4 L · petrol · 4 cyl
2.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 80 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

airbags did not deploy3 · 4%
brake failure3 · 4%
smoke, burning smell, fire3 · 4%
vibration3 · 4%
door locks, latches, handles2 · 3%
jerking, harsh shifts2 · 3%
rust, corrosion2 · 3%
infotainment or screen glitches2 · 3%
seat belts2 · 3%
stalls while driving2 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Suspension	18	0
Powertrain	15	0
Service brakes	13	2
Electrical system	9	0
Engine and cooling	9	0
Steering	9	1
Air bags	8	6
Equipment	2	0
Latches, locks, linkages	2	0
Seat belts	2	0
Structure	2	0
Vehicle speed control	2	0
Visibility	2	1
Engine	1	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Consumer was involved in an accident, and the airbags failed to deploy.
Air bags · crash · 2003-02-13 · NHTSA complaint #10007371
Consumer was involved in a 30 mph front end collision in which front driver's and passenger's airbags failed to deploy. Consumer sustained injuries because of airbag failure. Dealer has yet to be contacted. Please provide further details.
Air bags · crash · 2001-12-04 · NHTSA complaint #899803
Consumer was involved in a front end collision in which rear seats fell forward, causing child in rear to become crushed by weight of the seats. Child was properly restrained. As a result, child sustained minor injuries. Dealer has yet to be contacted. Please provide further details.
Seats · crash · 2001-12-04 · NHTSA complaint #899805
Had accident with braking problems april, 1997 when brakes failed to give good response. Car was fixed by dealer but has not been the same since. Always having problem with brakes. Replace brakes every 3 - 6 months.
Service brakes · crash · 1999-10-15 · NHTSA complaint #713339
While driving vehicle about 20mph, rearended another vehicle in front; upon impact, both air bags did not deploy. Neither driver/passenger was injured. Vehicle not at dealer.
Air bags · crash · 1997-06-20 · NHTSA complaint #813355
Later when I brought it in to the dealership for the balljoint recall, the dealership refused to get involve in assisting me in pursuing the extended warranty that I had purchased with the car regarding other critical issues with the drivability of the vehicle.
Suspension · 2016-08-30 · NHTSA complaint #10899397
Defective rear door lock assemblies; both sides. I have replaced with other used parts and those parts consistently failed too. I have found four assemblies, on other used galants, and they have all failed.
Latches, locks, linkages · 2009-12-15 · NHTSA complaint #10295783
Door latches have flown open or unlatched by them selves while driving on both rear doors. The rear door do not stay closed anymore. Passengers could have fallen out of the vehicle.
Latches, locks, linkages · 2009-06-11 · NHTSA complaint #10273515

When owners complained

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

19975
199810
19994
20006
200112
200210
200311
20049
20051
20062
20071
20085
20092
20121
20161
20231

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 4,081 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Galant has 64 complaints (28 years in the data). This year has 80, above average.

What to check before buying

Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1997 Mitsubishi Galant?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: suspension, powertrain, service brakes. Total complaints: 80. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbags did not deploy (4%), brake failure (4%), smoke, burning smell, fire (4%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 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 1997 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 1997 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.