2004 Mitsubishi Galant: common problems

Owners of the 2004 Mitsubishi Galant filed 61 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and visibility. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 61
involving a crash: 5

What fails most often

1 Structure 26% of all complaints
2 Visibility 18% of all complaints
3 Air bags 10% of all complaints
4 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
5 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
6 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
7 Powertrain 5% of all complaints
8 Seat belts 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.

Structure: 16 complaints (26% of all).
Visibility: 11 complaints (18% of all).
Air bags: 6 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 6 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 5 complaints (8% 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
3.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 61 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

windows, sunroof11 · 18%
warning lights, check engine4 · 7%
airbag warning light3 · 5%
A/C or heater3 · 5%
knocking, grinding or other noise3 · 5%
rollaway, parking brake3 · 5%
seat belts3 · 5%
rust, corrosion2 · 3%
airbags did not deploy1 · 2%
battery drain1 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Structure	16	0
Visibility	11	0
Air bags	6	1
Service brakes	6	1
Engine and cooling	5	0
Electrical system	4	0
Powertrain	3	0
Seat belts	3	0
Fuel system	2	0
Vehicle speed control	2	2
Equipment	1	0
Exterior lighting	1	0
Fuel/propulsion system	1	0
Latches, locks, linkages	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.

My son's car had been in the shop twice for the same thing. He said he was driving down the highway and the car would rapidly accelerate to a high rate of speed. He tried braking, but the car would not slow down. After several tries, he was able to stop the car. This happened to him 2 different times.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2012-03-01 · NHTSA complaint #10450903
2004 mitsubishi galant tire blew out. This caused the consumer to lose control of the vehicle and drive off the left side of the road and hit a wall. According to the police report, there were 3 holes in the sidewall of the left front tire. (ohio traffic crash report)
Tires · crash · 2007-11-15 · NHTSA complaint #10209415
Dt*: the contact stated while in a parking lot, the vehicle accelerated without warning causing a crash into a wall. The wall sustained minor damage and a police report was taken. The vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop. The dealer was not contacted.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2006-12-05 · NHTSA complaint #10175155
Upon impact air bags did not deploy. Vehicle struck concrete wall head on. Accident occurred about 6:30 pm. Vehicle was equipped with both passenger and driver side air bags but neither deployed. Colorado state patrol rated damage to front end a 3 on a scale of 1 to 3, 3 being most severe.
Air bags · crash · 2005-06-17 · NHTSA complaint #10125667
After spending money on drained battery and ruined alternator the mechanic noticed the security system being at fault . Pep Boys did not offer refund of almost $500.00
Air bags · 2022-07-09 · NHTSA complaint #11473098
The wiriing connected to to air conditioner under dash board passenger side keep burning. Had to replace wire numerous times.
Electrical system · 2016-06-25 · NHTSA complaint #10876579
The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, the front driver side window became inoperable without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front driver side window needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred.
Visibility · 2015-08-24 · NHTSA complaint #10758784
Also srs light is on .ihave to payu for all repairs out of pocket . It has been expensive . The insurance company for the claim for the repairs only paid to fix the bumper and very little else. Front end damage nothing undercarriage. Its has been very expensive.
Suspension · 2015-07-26 · NHTSA complaint #10743529

When owners complained

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

20041
20057
20062
20075
20087
20097
20104
20115
20125
20132
20142
20157
20163
20171
20201
20222

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 4,799 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 13% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Galant has 64 complaints (28 years in the data). This year has 61, about average.

What to check before buying

Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2004 Mitsubishi Galant?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, visibility, air bags. Total complaints: 61. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: windows, sunroof (18%), warning lights, check engine (7%), airbag warning light (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 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 2004 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 2004 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.