Body complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1 | 11% | 179,000 miles |
| 2009 | 4 | 25% | 35,000 miles |
| 2008 | 2 | 33% | 25,000 miles |
| 2007 | 2 | 8% | 108,000 miles |
| 2006 | 3 | 13% | 67,000 miles |
| 2005 | 6 | 23% | 40,000 miles |
| 2004 | 16 | 26% | 74,000 miles |
| 2003 | 21 | 17% | 60,000 miles |
| 2002 | 19 | 14% | 68,000 miles |
| 2001 | 16 | 11% | 57,000 miles |
| 2000 | 25 | 18% | 75,000 miles |
| 1999 | 16 | 7% | 88,000 miles |
| 1998 | 3 | 6% | 52,000 miles |
| 1997 | 2 | 3% | — |
| 1996 | 13 | 10% | 150,000 miles |
| 1995 | 3 | 1% | 183,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I was driving about 60 miles per hour on the highway around 3:00 pm on a weekday and my sunroof just shattered into thousands of pieces, it sounded like a gunshot when it broke. I swerved into the next lane, nothing happened but this incident could of been a lot worse. At the time no one else was on the highway so it couldn't have been a rock or something else that May have caused this to happen and regardless of the triple digit summer texas weather the glass was suppose to be heat tempered. I had to pull over because chunks of glass started to fly off and was hitting the back of my trunk, scratching the paint job.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Mitsubishi Galant. The contact stated that the air bag compartment was fractured. The contact took the vehicle to the don harring Mitsubishi dealer where it was diagnosed that the air bags needed to be replaced and the air bag compartment needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 96,923.
The wheel covers on my car flew off random times going down the interstate. Tires were in good condition but it seems that anytime I went over 70mph I would lose a hubcap. This could cause an accident or car damage. Headliner in back window has started to come down blocking rear view. The dashboard passenger side has come loose from behind glove box. This houses the air bag could prevent proper deployment or dangerous deployment if its ever needed. Lastly, the clear coat on the trunk has chipped away. I know at one point there was a recall on (black) cars for this specific reason. Except my car is gold. :( on the positive note the engine and transmission have been great.
In hot weather the doors stick causing the outer door and inner panel to separate making it unable to be opened from outside nor inside. Have to keep pushing on door to make it unstuck before you can enter or get out. Large risk of being stuck inside car in heat.
Dt*: the contact stated, on two separate occasions there have been multiple times the ABS/tcl (traction control) has disengaged without warning. Each occurrence was at different speeds. The dealer's service technicians have inspected the vehicle on several occasions. Updated 8/9/2006 - the traction control light disengages while at speed with or without cruise control on, the consumer feels that the ABS system is also at question. The dealer inspected the vehicle and did a diagnostic check. There were no signs of corrosion, DTC's and all PCM's were OK. The passenger rear door makes noise when opening.
I have a 2006 Mitsubishi Galant that is out of warranty and only has 65K miles on the odometer. It a black Galant and the paint is fading in spots, it looks like oxydation is setting in, I've tried over the counter polishes to correct the problem to no avail. This imho, is a paint defect and I feel that Mitsubishi should correct the problem. The car looks like like crap now and I am not likely to purchase another Galant if this is not remedied.
Drivers inside door panel loose; panel re-attached with clips by cool spring Mitsubishi second incident July 25, 2008; drivers inside door loose again, re-attached with clips by hallmark Mitsubishi third incident September 12, 2012 drivers inside door panel loose, could not re-attached with clips; need to order new inside door panel. Panel ordered and re-installed by (ntb) national tire and battery fourth incident, July 2014, passenger inside door panel loose; ntb and Firestone could not fix, need panel replaced. I have receipt for all these incidents. I cannot understand why the door panels will not stay attached on this car. Mitsubishi should reimburse me for all the expenses associated with previous repair of these panels and fix the panel for the rear door. I also need assurance and proof that they will repair at no cost any future panels that come loose as long as I own this car. …
Purchased a used 2004 mitusbishi Galant July 2007. Memorial day weekend 2007 passenger door jammed, unable to open or get out of door. Dealer replaced door panel out of "goodwill" November 07. Approx 2 months later, both front doors sticking and hard to open. Dealer replaced both door panels. Approx 1 month ago or less , driver door panel stuck again. Had to crawl across seats for approx one week to be able to drive. Dealer did not replace door panel even though last door panel still under warranty, merely reattached panel. First 2 cases, clips on door panels broke. 3rd case clips were not broken. Last weekend 5/24/08 passenger door panel stuck again. Cannot open passenger door. Have not returned to dealer yet, intend to go next couple days. First doing research. On last situation, service department saying mitusbishi claiming I am tearing up doors. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Mitsubishi Galant years have body problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2000 (25), 2003 (21), 2002 (19), 1999 (16) and 2001 (16) model years. Body complaints make up 18% of all complaints for the 2000.
Is there a recall for Mitsubishi Galant body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure 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 body problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 73,000 miles; 33% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the body (68 mentions), followed by the body › door (21).
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.