2003 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE Complaints

2003 DIAMANTE ISSUES. STARTED SMELLING A SYRUPY TYPE SMELL, COOLANT SMELL THROUGHOUT THE CABIN AND HAD FUMES ESCAPING THROUGH THE VENT IN THE CAR. COOLANT LEVEL DROPPING WITH NO VISIBLE SIGNS ON THE GROUND. LOOKS TO BE THE HEATER CORE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET. SEEN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE AND ON THIS SITE. WONDERING WHY SO MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN SENT, BUT NOTHING DONE YET? *TR

HEATER CORE (AND A/C CONDENSATE) LEAKS INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CAUSING WINDOW TO "FOG UP". THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS AS IT IMPAIRS THE DRIVERS SIGHT. *TR

REGULAR USE. FAILURE CAUSES AN ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND A FILM WHICH INHIBITS VISIBILITY ON THE WINDSHIELD. *TR

FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS OUR CAR HAS HAD A VERY PUNGENT FOWL SMELLING ODOR WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER OR HEATER IS ENGAGED THAT HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I TOOK THE CAR FOR REPAIRS PRIOR TO THE TERMINATION OF THE WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD (BY THE DEALERSHIP) THAT THEY DID NOT NOTICE A SMELL, AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. SIX MOTHS AGO THE CAR BEGAN TO RUN HOT AND I TOOK THE CAR TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MECHANIC. UNDER PRESSURE HE NOTICED A SMALL LEAK IN THE COOLANT PIPING AND REPLACED A SECTION OF PIPE ($150.00). I ASKED IF THIS COULD BE CAUSING THE ODOR (AS MENTIONED EARLIER AND HE STATED MAYBE, OR IT COULD BE THE HEATER CORE).WITHIN THE PAST TWO WEEKS THE 'CHECK ENGINE SOON' LIGHT HAS COME ON AND UPON CHECKING THE MESSAGE AND INSPECTION OF MY CAR I'VE BEEN TOLD THE HEATER CORE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MY NEIGHBORHOOD MECHANIC WAS AT A LOSS BECAUSE TOLD ME IT WAS VERY ODD FOR THE HEATER CORE TO FAIL SO EARLY IN A CAR. I'VE CHECKED THE INTERNET AND HAVE COME ACROSS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN THE SAME SITUATION (WITH MITSUBISHI'S). I AM VERY UPSET WITH THE FACT THAT THE MITSUBISHI DEALER MAY HAVE LIED TO ME (WHEN THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY). I ASKED FOR MULTIPLE ITEMS TO BE FIXED (UNDER WARRANTY) AND THEY REFUTED EVERY REQUEST. THE HEATER CORE WILL BE REPLACED WITHIN TWO WEEKS. *TR

MAPLE SYRUP SMELL FROM AIR VENTS THEN CAR STARTED TO OVERHEAT HEATERCORE FAILURE, ANTIFREEZE IN FLOORBOARDS ON WINDSHIELD AND COMING THROUGH AIR VENTS. A NEW HEATERCORE INSTALLED VERY COSTLY HAD TO DO WORK MYSELF BECAUSE WARRANTY EXPIRED. HAD TO SHAMPOO CARPETS AND BUY NEW FLOORMATS BECAUSE THE ANITFREEZE RUINED THEM. AFTER READING MANY COMPLAINTS YOU WOULD THINK THAT A RECALL WOULD BE MADE. JUST BECAUSE NO DEATHS THE CONSUMER SHOULD SUFFER. WHAT ABOUT THE MONEY THAT IT TOOK TO MAKE THE REPAIR. THAT WAS MONEY TAKEN FROM MY FAMILY THAT WE USE TO FEED US AND HAVE SHELTER. COME ON YOU HAVE TO AUTHORITY TO DO SOMETHING SO WHY DON'T YOU. *TR

FIRST THE WINDSHIELD ON THE MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE 2003 LS FOGGED UP, LATER FUMES STARTED TO COME OUT OF THE VENTS. ALSO, NOTICED DAMP CARPET ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. CLOSE INSPECTION INDICATED COOLENT WAS LEAKING ON THE CARPET. *AK I TOOK THE CAR TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. SERVICE TECHNICIAN AT THE DEALERSHIP DIAGOSED THE PROBLEM WITH HEATER CORE AND THE HOSE CONNECTING TO THE HEATING SYSTEM FAULTY. COOLENT FUMES ARE TOXIC AND CAN CAUSE SEVERE INJURY. I AM HOPING THAT NHTSA WILL TAKE ACTION AND MITSUBHI WILL REIMBURSE ME AND OTHERS FOR THE CHARGES TO REPLACE FAULTY EQUIPMENT.

I NOTICED THE SMELL OF MAPLE SYRUP ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. TODAY, THE INSIDE WINDSHIELD AND SIDE WINDOWS OF THE DIAMANTE FOGGED UP WITH A GREASE FILM THAT WOULD NOT CLEAR. I WENT TO MY LOCAL MOBILE 1 AND HAD THE COOLANT SYSTEM FLUSHED. WHEN I DROVE OFF IT WAS ACTUALLY WORSE. IT GOT TO THE POINT THAT I COULD NOT SEE. I HAVE SUFFERED SEVERE HEADACHES FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS AS WELL AS NAUSEA. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE TO MY MITSUBISHI DEALER. AFTER ANALYSIS, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE HEATER CORE WENT OUT. AS WELL, AN OIL LEAK HAD FORMED AND THE TIMING BELT WAS GOING BAD. THEY SAID THAT COOLANT WAS LEAKING IN THE RIGHT PASSENGER FLOOR , I FELT IT AND NEVER ONCE DID IT FEEL DAMP, AND THEY NEEDED TO CLEAN THE CARPET AND REPLACE THE FLUX FOR $237.00. THE COST TO REPAIR THE HEATER CORE AND OIL LEAK, $1300.00. THE TIMING BELT REPAIR IS $700.00. THANK GOD I BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. ALL BUT THE TIMING BELT IS COVERED WITH A $100.00 DEDUCTIBLE. I ONLY HAVE 63,000 MILES ON THIS CAR. THIS IS MY FOURTH MITSUBISHI AND MAY POSSIBLY BE MY LAST, ESPECIALLY IF MY HEALTH IS JEOPARDIZED. *AK

2003 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE COOLANT LEAK INSIDE THE CAR. STEAM FOGGING THE WINDOWS AND STRONG CHEMICAL ODOR LEAVING RESIDUE ON WINDOWS. QUOTED $1000 TO REPAIR, THEY SAY IT NEEDS A NEW HEATER CORE. IT MAY NOT BE THE HEATER CORE, BUT JUST SEALS. I HAVE BYPASSED THE HEATER HOSES AND FORTUNATELY LIVE IN A WARM AREA. *JB

CAR SMELLS LIKE COOLANT. WINDOWS WON'T CLEAR UP WHILE IM DRIVING. VERY FOGGY. IT HAPPENED WHEN THE HEATERWAS NEEDED. THE ODOR WAS MAKING ME NAUSEOUS AND SICK. DEALER SAID I NEEDED A NEW HEATER CORE AT 20,000 MILES. *AK

THE CAR ONLY HAS 63,000 MILES. AN ANTIFREEZE ODOR WAS NOTICED INITIALLY AND BEGAN TO INTENSIFY WITH TIME. WHEN THE DEFROSTER IS RUNNING THE WINDSHIELD WILL FOG UP AND THE ANTI-FREEZE SMELL IS SO INTENSE THAT IT NAUSEATES MY WIFE AND KIDS. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE CARPET ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS DAMP. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE DIAMANTE DUE TO A FAILURE WITH THE HEATER CORE AND ITS CONNECTIONS. *JB