Most common 1997 Mitsubishi Galant problems
Share of the 80 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 →
1997 Mitsubishi Galant recalls (1)
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.
What 1997 Mitsubishi Galant owners say
Suspension
I purchased a used car in 2004. 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. This vehicle should have been jumked which I eventually ended up doing. The vehicle was very dangerous to drive on the freeway and I only drove it on city streets only. The dealership I believe should have given me a loaner car insead of me risking myself in a dangerous vehicle. The wynn's extended warranty should have returned the vehicle to the original dealer when I purchased the vehicle. The dealer should have assisted me more in pursuing the correct repair of this vehicle which should have been salvaged from a previous accident. …
Tl contact owns a 1997 Mitsubishi Galant. The contact stated that the lower ball joints were in pieces. The vehicle is steering to the left extremely badly and the contact hears metal rubbing together. The dealer stated that the vehicle was no longer under warranty and the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign id number 00V421001 (suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint). The purchase date and VIN were unknown. The current mileage was 85,000 and failure mileage was 78,000. Updated 03-25-08 the failure was not obvious to spin investigation until 84,000 failure happened in a parking lot at low speed. Updated 03/25/08
Transmission & drivetrain
1997 Mitsubishi Galant es w/ automatic transmission ("transaxle"): vehicle's gearshift can be accidently bumped from drive to neutral because this gear change does not require the brakes to be pressed nor the gearshift button to be pressed. I have twice now bumped the car into neutral from drive by reaching over the gearshift, both times while the car was in motion (once while trying to merge onto the interstate). This could have lead to an accident both times had I not quickly discovered that my car was no longer in drive. I believe this to be a defect as the owner's manual states that the car can be shifted from drive to neutral without pressing the brakes or the shift button. Incident on 02/15/2004 was while going 55mph, incident on 04/18/2004 was while going 20mph.
Car stalls when stopping, and vibrates. Fells like car is not getting gas. RPM's go up while driving. After 3 attemps, two different dealers claim they cannot come up with a code, so not sure what to do. Any suggestions? What other complaints have you received?
Brakes
The brakes and steering wheel shake when the brakes are applied. The brakes seem to make a popping noise when making a left or right hand turn. I have to apply brakes at a far distance to prevent from running into other vehicles. The problem has existed for awhile and noted to service dealership on numerous occasions. In addition, noise can be heard from the gas tank when braking. You can hear the gas shaking from in the tank. This is a concern when transporting passengers in the rear compartment. Don't know if the tank will eventually explode or ignite a fire.
Vehicle brakes have been fixed twice by dealer with same problem and dealer insists that there is nothing wrong with the braking system. 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.
1997 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 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Mitsubishi Galant a good car?
Based on 80 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Galant rates use caution: 1.4× 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 1997 Mitsubishi Galant?
The suspension — 18 complaints, 23% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front › control arm › lower ball joint. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (15) and brakes (13).
How many recalls does the 1997 Mitsubishi Galant have?
There is 1 recall for the 1997 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 1997 Mitsubishi Galant problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 95,000 miles; 6% 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.