Airbag complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 | 11% | 200,000 miles |
| 2010 | 3 | 33% | 70,000 miles |
| 2009 | 10 | 63% | 97,000 miles |
| 2008 | 1 | 17% | — |
| 2007 | 8 | 33% | 108,000 miles |
| 2006 | 5 | 21% | 84,000 miles |
| 2005 | 2 | 8% | 139,000 miles |
| 2004 | 6 | 10% | 100,000 miles |
| 2003 | 11 | 9% | 65,000 miles |
| 2002 | 17 | 13% | 112,000 miles |
| 2001 | 31 | 21% | 43,000 miles |
| 2000 | 11 | 8% | 14,000 miles |
| 1999 | 12 | 6% | 115,000 miles |
| 1998 | 2 | 4% | 52,000 miles |
| 1997 | 8 | 10% | 100,000 miles |
| 1996 | 20 | 15% | 82,000 miles |
| 1995 | 30 | 14% | 142,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
My airbags released while driving on the highway. My safety was definitely at risk. My vehicle was inspected by the police on site and my car will also be inspected by the adjuster on my insurance claim. There were no prior warning signs on the car prior to the situation and I was told the vehicle was in great condition when I purchased it second hand.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Mitsubishi Galant. The contact was driving 35 MPH and crashed into the side of another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy nor did the seat belt restrain properly. The contact was thrown forward abruptly and sustained injuries to the neck. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was not filed of the incident. The failure and current mileage was 70,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Mitsubishi Galant. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the front driver's side air bag deployed inadvertently and struck the contact's face and chest. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact immediately slammed on the brake pedal and then pulled into a parking spot. The contact stated there was no collision before the air bag deployment. The contact stated that she sustained pain in the face and on the chest but did not seek medical assistance. The dealer was contacted and advised the contact to cut the air bag off the steering wheel and to take the vehicle to their location. The contact stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive because the seat belt was inoperable after the air bag had been deployed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Shannon bell private dealer is selling this car with a unrepairable cv axel. I purchased it and di my home work he rolled the miles back. He's falsely advertising it as clean tie and 190 something miles. That's even less then when I had it. Air bag lights are on and he unplugged the wires along with seatbelt so the lights don't show.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Mitsubishi Galant. The contact stated that while traveling approximately 30 MPH, the brake pedal became difficult to depress. 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. The contact sustained injuries to the head, neck, back, bruising on the left knee, and a black left eye. Medical attention was received and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
Tl contact owns a 2007 Mitsubishi Galant. While driving 72 MPH, the contact's vehicle struck a deer, drove over a median, and rolled over four times. 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 9008020623070003 was filed. The dealer information was unavailable. The current and failure mileages were 9,000.
I was in an accident I went down a ditch I hit a tree and the airbag did not display I want to know if there was a recall on the airbag because my airbag did not came out when I was in that bad accident and I didn't the front of my car
Tl* - the contact owns a 2006 Mitsubishi gallant. The consumer put the vehicle in drive and all of a sudden, the vehicle accelerated to 60 MPH and the steering wheel locked. The ocnsumer could not turn it at all. The contact used all of the strength in her arms to turn it a couple of inches avoid hitting a light post. When she tried to stop the vehicle by pumping the brakes they did not work, she could not turn the ignition off. The vehicle finally stopped when she ran up on the curb and hit a sign that was being held up by cement. The contact hit the curb in an attempt to keep from crashing into another vehicle. The contacts insurance agent suggested that she have the vehicle towed by the dealership, who refused the vehicle. The agent then had the vehicle towed to a collision center near where the vehicle had crashed. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Mitsubishi Galant years have airbag problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2001 (31), 1995 (30), 1996 (20), 2002 (17) and 1999 (12) model years. Airbag complaints make up 21% of all complaints for the 2001.
Is there a recall for Mitsubishi Galant airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for any Mitsubishi Galant model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Mitsubishi Galant airbag problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 86,000 miles; 36% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the frontal (107 mentions), followed by the frontal › sensor/control module (4).
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.