Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
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).
I was driving at 33 MPH on a main street when car on my right goes through stop sign and drives into my car. He hit the front of my car near, but not including, the passenger door. After impact (he never brake) he continued to move my car with his thereby folding the front of my car in half, taking off front wheels, fenders and bumper, gas tank (smoking but not on fire), and moving my car two lanes to the left via impact and push. No air bags deployed. Driver's door, mine, would not open. Seat belt pulled in very tight. Impact slammed my chest, knee and ankle. Fractured sternum, cuts and bruises on leg and foot. Back pain at site of crash. Could not walk up ambulance steps. Hospital stay 2 days with multiple tests. Drs. Visits required this week, one day after release. Car totaled. Physical therapy and pain management put into place upon hospital discharge.
I am an owner of a 2003 Mitsubishi black Galant. I am the original owner of the vehicle and it is garage-kept. About a year ago, I started noticing the paint on my vehicle started to fade/oxidize. I reported this to Mitsubishi and they did nothing. I did my research and there are thousands of other Galant owners that are experiencing the same problem. I believe a recall needs to be done. It wasn't even a month after my vehicle was paid off that the paint started to faint. First on the roof, then on the hood, now it's spreading like a rash. Something needs to be done and Mitsubishi will not fix the problem because they claim the vehicle is out of warranty.
About a year after purchasing this vehicle in 2007, the paint began to wear off. It started chalking and chipping and I've noticed pretty much every Mitsubishi I see on the road has the same issue. This is ridiculous that they are allowed to put out such cars and be neglegent on the paint job. We all pay good money for these and Mitsubishi only recalled the "black paint" they need to recall them all because all of them are in horrible shape. Mitsubishi needs to be held accountable.!!!!!!! I shouldnt have to pay thousands of dollars to get my car painted...it shouldnt even need painted yet. I'll never purchase another.
I own a 2003 mitzubishi Galant. The exterior paint started fading approximately one year after I purchased the vehicle and now the entire hood, roof, and trunk area have oxidized and faded to the metal. The car only has 40,000 miles on it! There was clearly negligence on the part of the manufacturer in completing the paint process. I have checked with other owners of this year and make vehicle and have found that they have the same complaint. It would be nice if the manufacturer would at least pay half if not all the cost of repainting this vehicle.
Faded paint noticed on left side of hood about a month and half ago, looked like oxidation, a couple weeks later another spot on the right side of hood appeared, both spots appear to be getting larger (about the size of a dessert plate) and more pronounced. Dealership says no defect and not under warranty, according to many website there is a huge issue with the black Mitsubishi cars and the clearcoat failing, causing chipping, paint wear, and oxidation to spread throughout the entire car.
I have a 2003 black mitusbishi Galant es. The problem with it is the paint...the top of my hood is disgustingly white and faded, also the roof of the car, and the top of the trunk. The fade is spreading and I don't know what to do. My car is not the only one..I searched for this problem online and found that there are thousands of complaints about Mitsubishi paint. There has to be a recall for this. It's embarrassing driving around with the paint that hideous.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Mitsubishi Galant. On the driver side of the roof and hood, the paint is fading from dark black to light gray. The fading worsens after the vehicle is washed. She took the vehicle to an auto body shop and was informed that the clear coating on top of the black paint was causing the failure. The vehicle has not been repaired. The manufacturer has not been notified. The failure and current mileages were 55,000.
I am an owner of a 2003 Mitsubishi Galant (black). My paint started fading/oxidizing about a year ago. I went to the dealership, they took pictures and had me submit my maintenance records and jump through a bunch of hoops just to tell me my vehicle was out of warranty and they weren't going to do anything to help me!
Water leaks into the interior cab on the passenger side of car from the air conditioning unit located under the glove compartment. When making a left turn, the water pours inside cab causing water to pool under the carpet. Also wets the wires and has caused the radio to short out so far.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Mitsubishi Galant. While the contact was examining his vehicle he noticed that the black paint on the vehicle began falling off. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. The current mileage was 113000 and the failure mileage was 95000.
Body complaints in other Galant years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2003 Mitsubishi Galant?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the body & structure of the 2003 Mitsubishi Galant, 17% of the model year's 126 complaints. The component named most often is body (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Mitsubishi Galant body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure 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 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 9% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.