Most common 1996 Mitsubishi Galant problems
Share of the 136 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mitsubishi Galant complaints by model year
Best Galant years: 2008, 2010, 2012. Years to avoid: 1999, 2001, 2000, 2002, 2003. Compare all years →
1996 Mitsubishi Galant recalls (3)
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the rubber boots on the lower lateral arm ball joints of the front suspension were damaged during assembly, dirt and water can intrude. Also, mmc has added the potential of leaking moisture, which can cause the ball stud to corrode.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the lower lateral arm ball joint for wear. Ball joints that exhibit wear beyond the established tolerance will be replaced with newly designed lateral arm ball joints.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Cracks can occur in the top of the fuel tank due to an improper spot weld on the baffle plate to the top portion of the fuel tank.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the upper surface of the fuel tank for any signs of cracking. If no cracking or leaking is found, dealers will install a sealing protector plate.
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the rubber boots on the lower lateral arm ball joints of the front suspension were damaged during assembly, dirt and water can intrude.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rubber boots, and if the boot is damaged, they will replace the lower lateral arm and ball joint on the affected vehicles.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1996 Mitsubishi Galant:
Lower contrtol arm ball joint
There is no summary currently available
What 1996 Mitsubishi Galant owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 36 →
Transmission failed suddenly @ 96,498 miles in 1996 Mitsubishi Galant VIN# [redacted].....coleman taylor transmission/memphis tn attempted to rebuild transmission for 3 weeks.....had to remove and get another rebuilt transmission......4 days after picking car up.....gears 1-3 slam severely in and out of gears up and down......gears 4-5 OK an expressway......reported prob to coleman taylor....suggested (on a Saturday) to remove ground from battery to re-set computer and told to test drive....test drove and transmission began slamming in and out of gears 1-3 severely and making a terrible noice, causing driver to run into a ditch.....car is expected to be determined a totaled by progressive ins today...........air bag did not deploy either.........caused a $75.00 towing and fine by memphis police dept for failing to maintain outlook (they felt sorry for us!)...
Car was running in park; my 8 year old daughter got in car; I was standing right outside of car; she climbed into the front of car to retrieve an object, her foot was caught between the drink holder and the gear shifter; car went into reverse with my daughter inside and crashed into a mailbox; the shift lock cable did not work as it should (the brake pedal must be depressed for the car to be put into reverse); manufacturer does not care, and will not fix damages to car; manufacturer just wants to make more money by replacing the shift lock cable for $300.00; does not care about the damage to my car
Brakes all 30 →
While driving 60 MPH the vehicle's brake failed without warning. As a result the vehicle hit a brick wall. Air bags deployed. The driver sustained severe injuries to the back. Please provide additional information.
While driving in the rain, slammed on brakes and the engine shut off. Also the steering locked up and vehicle had a head-on accident and the air bag did not deploy. This happened all in the same day.
Air bags all 20 →
A truck dropped some boxes on the freeway. A car stopped suddenly to avoid the boxes, another car hit them, finally we hit that car. It was a 3 car pileup. I was driving and my wife was in the passenger seat. We were the last car in the line and hit at about 45+ MPH. We were in a 1996 Mitsubishi Galant with only 78K miles and we were both wearing our seatbelts. Neither airbag deployed! It was a direct hit right in the front of our car at over 45 MPH. Now my wife May have permanent back pain. I can get the VIN number if you need it. I just dont have access to it today.
Consumer has experienced problems with driver's and passenger's side airbags. During a head-on collision in which the consumer was driving 20 MPH, and other vehicle was going 60 MPH, airbags failed to deploy. The manufacturer has been contacted.
1996 Mitsubishi Galant engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 28 / 23 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 26 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1996 Mitsubishi Galant a good car?
Based on 136 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1996 Galant rates avoid: 2.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the Galant at the same age. It is one of the Galant years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Mitsubishi Galant?
The transmission & drivetrain — 36 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the brakes (30) and air bags (20).
How many recalls does the 1996 Mitsubishi Galant have?
There are 3 recalls for the 1996 Mitsubishi Galant, the most recent from December 18, 2000 (lower ball joint). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mitsubishi Galant?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2008, 2010 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999, 2001, 2000, 2002 and 2003. See the full Mitsubishi Galant years comparison.
At what mileage do 1996 Mitsubishi Galant problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 99,000 miles; 0% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.