2003 Mitsubishi Galant: common problems

Owners of the 2003 Mitsubishi Galant filed 126 complaints with NHTSA, most often about visibility and structure. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 126
involving a crash: 15

What fails most often

1 Visibility 37% of all complaints
2 Structure 17% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
4 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
5 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
6 Air bags 9% of all complaints
7 Powertrain 5% of all complaints
8 Seats 4% of all complaints

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

Visibility: 46 complaints (37% of all).
Structure: 21 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 17 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 16 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 14 complaints (11% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

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 cylnamed in 1 complaints
3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 126 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

A/C or heater46 · 37%
knocking, grinding or other noise10 · 8%
smoke, burning smell, fire9 · 7%
airbags did not deploy6 · 5%
infotainment or screen glitches6 · 5%
warning lights, check engine5 · 4%
windows, sunroof5 · 4%
seat belts4 · 3%
vibration3 · 2%
headlights and tail lights2 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Visibility	46	0
Structure	21	1
Electrical system	17	1
Engine and cooling	16	1
Service brakes	14	3
Air bags	11	10
Powertrain	6	0
Seats	5	4
Equipment	4	0
Suspension	4	0
Fuel system	3	1
Engine	2	0
Exterior lighting	2	0
Fuel/propulsion system	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.

Air bags didn't come out when accident occurred, there is smoke coming from exhaust not something is eating the gas up there is leakage coming from engine, oil, and radiator (unknown areas).
Engine and cooling · crash · 2014-05-02 · NHTSA complaint #10586268
After impact (he never brake) he continued to move my car with his thereby folding the front of my car in half, taking off front wheels, fenders and bumper, gas tank (smoking but not on fire), and moving my car two lanes to the left via impact and push. No air bags deployed. Driver's door, mine, would not open.
Structure · crash · 2013-08-12 · NHTSA complaint #10534802
I hit a deer due to not being able to stop because my seat unlocked and slid back all the way, than I hit the deer and wrecked my whole front end. Have dodged some major crashes due to my seat sliding.
Seats · crash · 2010-02-24 · NHTSA complaint #10313815
The vehicle was smashed and dented all over, but the air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. The driver was killed at the scene. The manufacturer and dealer were not notified. A police report was filed. The failure mileage was 66,803.
Air bags · crash · 2009-02-23 · NHTSA complaint #10259677
Since the first instance, there seems to be electrical problems, as the radio and clock always reset, the trip odometer resets to zero, and the interior lights do not work. There are no blown fuses, and no damage to the electrical system. No one or business can seem to find the source of the problem.
Electrical system · crash · 2008-08-19 · NHTSA complaint #10238826
Dt*: the contact stated the driver side air bag did not deploy in a frontal impact crash. The speed at the time of impact was 42 mph. There was pre-impact braking. The driver was wearing the seat belt, but the lock became unlatched.
Air bags · crash · 2006-11-24 · NHTSA complaint #10174171
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 40mph, the vehicle was involved in a crash and the air bags did not deploy. The collision occurred when another vehicle ran a red light. The contact tried to avoid an accident, but hit a tree head on. The impact was the complete front end of the vehicle.
Air bags · crash · 2006-04-12 · NHTSA complaint #10155123
This is turn caused the front rotors to overheat and become warped. The dealership turned the front rotors, and adjusted the back. One week later on november 18, 2005, I was driving on donald lee hollowell parkway, when a driver in front of me slammed on her brakes.
Service brakes · crash · 2005-11-21 · NHTSA complaint #10143404

When owners complained

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

20038
20046
20059
200615
200728
200815
200921
20106
20114
20122
20134
20144
20152
20211
20221

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 3,018 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 8% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Galant has 64 complaints (28 years in the data). This year has 126, above average.

What to check before buying

Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Mitsubishi Galant?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: visibility, structure, electrical system. Total complaints: 126. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (37%), knocking, grinding or other noise (8%), smoke, burning smell, fire (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 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 2003 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 2003 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.