2007 Mitsubishi Galant: common problems

Owners of the 2007 Mitsubishi Galant filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 24
involving a crash: 5

What fails most often

1 Air bags 33% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 17% of all complaints
3 Engine 13% of all complaints
4 Fuel/propulsion system 8% of all complaints
5 Structure 8% of all complaints
6 Engine and cooling 4% of all complaints
7 Equipment 4% of all complaints
8 Exterior lighting 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.

Air bags: 8 complaints (33% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 4 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine: 3 complaints (13% of all).
Fuel/propulsion system: 2 complaints (8% of all).
Structure: 2 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
automatic, 5-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 24 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

airbags did not deploy3 · 13%
door locks, latches, handles2 · 8%
vibration2 · 8%
warning lights, check engine2 · 8%
airbag warning light1 · 4%
brake failure1 · 4%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 4%
headlights and tail lights1 · 4%
won't start1 · 4%
knocking, grinding or other noise1 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Air bags	8	4
Service brakes	4	1
Engine	3	0
Fuel/propulsion system	2	0
Structure	2	0
Engine and cooling	1	0
Equipment	1	0
Exterior lighting	1	0
Fuel system	1	0
Powertrain	1	0
Seat belts	1	0
Steering	1	1
Tires	1	0
Visibility	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.

The contact stated that the brakes failed to work several times and the failure progressed intermittently. Due to the failure, the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy.
Air bags · crash · 2014-12-15 · NHTSA complaint #10664236
I was in a front end collision in my 2007 mitsubishi galant and my air bags did not deploy. When the car was fixed they could not explain why my air bags did not deploy or that was not hit in the correct spot.
Air bags · crash · 2011-01-09 · NHTSA complaint #10375262
2007 mitsibusi galant 4 door 6 cylinder steering column locked while driving down street at 30-35mi per hr air bag came out causing facial damage, chest injury, loss of 6 teeth and totaled car.
Steering · crash · 2010-06-24 · NHTSA complaint #10339815
The air bags failed to deploy. The driver and passenger sustained injuries. The dealer was unable to explain the cause of failure. The vehicle was destroyed. Police report number [phone]070003 was filed. The dealer information was unavailable. The current and failure mileages were 9,000.
Air bags · crash · 2007-08-06 · NHTSA complaint #10198637
The contact stated that the transmission slipped and would not shift into any other gear. When the vehicle was turned off and restarted, it operated normally. There were no warning indicators illuminated.
Powertrain · 2019-01-11 · NHTSA complaint #11166561
My check engine light was on; so the mechanic replaced the egr valve w/gassket. I have driven my car about 500 miles and it still does not pass the smog test. The oxygen sensor is not ready. I've been told that I need to drive the car more.
Engine · 2017-05-30 · NHTSA complaint #10992340
On may 26, 2016 while traveling about 50 mph going up a straight stretch of highway I heard loud banging coming from the engine compartment, then quiet for a second then more loud clanging. I immediately released the accelerator. My battery light immediately came on.
Engine · 2016-06-13 · NHTSA complaint #10873899
Left headlight keeps burning out. Replaced socket and bulb 3 times. About to do it again. Suspect over-current somewhere
Exterior lighting · 2015-11-05 · NHTSA complaint #10788744

When owners complained

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

20071
20083
20093
20103
20112
20142
20153
20163
20171
20181
20191
20231

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 7,585 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Galant has 64 complaints (28 years in the data). This year has 24, below average.

What to check before buying

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.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2007 Mitsubishi Galant?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, service brakes, engine. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbags did not deploy (13%), door locks, latches, handles (8%), vibration (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2007 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 2007 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 2007 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.