Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (air conditioning, heater, defroster, HVAC controls).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Mitsubishi Galant owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Fall of 2007 I flipped from ac to heat. There was clicking inside the dash and it finally switched over. Had to switch back to ac on warm day and the clicking was there again and it eventually went from heat to cold. Finally I flipped it back a week or two ago on a cold morning, no clicking and no heat at all. I've reached under the dash pushing the white lever back and forth thinking maybe it was just the cable that's stretched but that's not the case. I took the white lever off (just 1 screw) and turned the little gear by hand. Clockwise is to cold and when it gets all the way it stops. Counter-clockwise is heat and when I get to the end it clicks like the earlier clicking like it's stripped out somewhere in the dash. There's a lot of complaints about this on the internet and I believe one other similar complaint on this site. …
2003 Galant es. V-6 motor. Had to replace heater control valve due to no heat. Clicking noise from time to time then nothing as well as no heat. No sooner did I replace that and then heat selector quit working. Can not change from vents to defrost. Mechanic said heater box warped and cost about 2500.00 to fix this. Now pulling into the driveway, the radiator burst open on the front side. About a 4 inch opening just to the right side of cap if you are facing the car. Mechanic has said all of this is very common in these cars and Mitsubishi should have done something to take care of these problems as every Galant made has had same issues..
My 2003 Mitsubishi Galant has a failed heater control motor. It started going bad over a year ago (clicking noises on actuation) and has finally stopped working altogether. It is stuck on 'cold' and does not switch over to heat under any conditions. On researching this problem, it seems many other people are experiencing the same issue. The volume of similar complaints and relatively high expense of fixing the problem on cars that aren't that old seems to indicate a fault in the design of this mechanism. A recall by Mitsubishi which would cover the costs of repair should be issued.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Mitsubishi Galant. The contact stated that while traveling at approximately 40 MPH, the defroster failed to activate. The contact attempted to use the temperature controls and suddenly there was an abnormal noise. The failure occurred when the defroster, A/C, or heater was activated. As a result, the contact's visibility was impaired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 87,000.
Temperature control was making weird grinding noises when adjusting from cold to hot or vice versa. Temperature initially would change as desired. Grinding noises eventually ceased as well as no heat available. Period or lapse of time was roughly 1 to 2 months before heat didn't work. Corrective action is being looked at in 1 week. Understand other 2003 galants have been having this same issue. With the heater control motor and other parts needing to be replaced.
It started with a clicking noise when I turned the temperature control knob from cold to hot. Now the heater only blows cold air. This happened in a matter of 2 days. The windshield fogged up creating a very dangerous situation. I live in a town where nobody wants to work on a Mitsubishi. Looks like I'll drive 100 miles to get it fixed. How many more have to break before Mitsubishi fixes their problem?
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Mitsubishi Galant. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the heat control module was activated but cold air began to circulate out of the vents. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was awaiting a diagnosis of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
I have a 2003 Mitsubishi Galant v6. In this car I have an issue with the heating system in the cabin. It seems this is a common failure in all 1999-2003 models. Please let Mitsubishi motors of America know about it as its very common in these particular models. Please refer to the link http://www.Mitsubishi-forums.com/t11076-no-heat.htm again overall, Mitsubishi are very good cars.
Consumer complained about a heat problem. With the heat. While driving, the heat blew out from the vents in the top of the dashboard, but when directing it to the floor, it did not come out of the lower portion of the vehicle. Consumer was told that this was normal. Consumer added that with the control knob on off position, air or heat camed out from the vent.
I have a 2003 Mitsubishi Galant and already the heater is gone in it, I have searched the internet and learned that many others that have this vehicle has the same problem I think Mitsubishi should pay for this defect since we paid money out of a-- to replace thermostat,water hoses,etc and the problem still exist the heater only blows out cold air.
AC & Heater complaints in other Galant years
Frequently asked questions
How common are ac & heater problems on the 2003 Mitsubishi Galant?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the a/c & heater of the 2003 Mitsubishi Galant, 26% of the model year's 126 complaints. The component named most often is defroster/defogger/hvac system › heater core (21 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Mitsubishi Galant ac & heater problems?
No. NHTSA lists no a/c & heater recall for the 2003 Mitsubishi Galant, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Mitsubishi Galant ac & heater problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 75,000 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.