2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER Complaints
View complaints related to 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 280 complaints submitted for the 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.
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2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION- SAN JOSE, CA
ECU REGISTERS P0300 (MULTIPLE CYLINDER MISFIRE) OBDII ERROR CODE. ERROR CODE IS THROWN, SES LIGHT COMES ON, AND CAR STUMBLES UNTIL THROTTLE IS RELEASED. THIS TYPICALLY OCCURS AT LIGHT THROTTLE OR CRUISING (STEADY) THROTTLE. IT CAN OCCUR UNDER LOAD (ACCELERATION) BUT NEVER OCCURS ON DECELERATION. KNOWN FACETS OF THIS PROBLEM THUS FAR ARE: 1) MITSUBISHI IS AWARE OF 2 ISSUES: STICKY (DIRTY) INJECTORS AND A TRANSMISSION HARMONIC RESONANCE, WHICH THROWS THE KNOCK SENSOR 2) THE CAR IS UNDRIVEABLE WHEN THIS OCCURS UNTIL THE THROTTLE IS RELEASED. 3) MY VEHICLE IN PARTICULAR IS ALMOST 100% UNDRIVEABLE ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO THIS PROBLEM RECURRING EVERY 10-15 SECONDS DURING ANY SORT OF HIGHWAY DRIVING PERIOD. 4) IT _IS_ A SAFETY ISSUE AS I HAVE HAD THIS OCCUR UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION ATTEMPTING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC, ONLY TO BE MET WITH WHAT FEELS LIKE A WALL WHEN THE ERROR CODE IS THROWN AND THE ECU RETARDS THE TIMING BECAUSE IT IS DETECTING KNOCK (WHICH IS NOT ACTUALLY OCCURRING). 5) MITSUBISHI (MMNA) IS APPARENTLY AWARE OF AN ECU REFLASH FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM (THE HARMONIC RESONANCE ISSUE, NOT THE INJECTOR ISSUE). THEY HAVE CLAIMED THAT THE FLASH WILL BE OUT "WITHIN 3-6 WEEKS" SINCE NOVEMBER 2003, AND IT IS STILL NOT OUT NOR AVAILABLE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS HELD UP IN EPA CERTIFICATION. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED FOR ME LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF TIMES, AND NO DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT BECAUSE MITSUBISHI WILL NOT AUTHORIZE ANY WARRANTY WORK ON MY VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM, CITING THAT "A FIX IS ALREADY ON THE WAY, WAIT FOR IT." *NM
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION- SPRING, TX
PREMATURE CLUTCH WEAR ON NEW VEHICLE. EXPERIENCING CLUTCH SLIPPAGE AT 3000 MILES. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN NOTED BY MANY OTHER DRIVERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER (MITSUBISHI) HAS NOT EQUIPPED THE VEHICLE WITH A STRONG ENOUGH CLUTCH. *NM
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION- LAS VEGAS, NV
THE CLUTCH WENT OUT ON MY 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION THAT I BOUGHT NEW AND HAS 3200 MILES ON IT. *JB
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER- CHALMETTE, LA
YOKOHAMA , AVID, P235/45R17, DOT EHX8BEM0803. CONSUMER STATED THE TIRES WORE OUT JUST ON REGULAR WEAR AND TEAR . THE TIRES WERE 9 MONTHS OLD WITH LESS THAN 10,000 MILES. *AK
Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE -
2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION- NEWPORT COAST, CA
1. THIS CAR IS COMPLETELY STOCK AND DRIVEN BY AN ADULT WHO DOES NOT RACE OR ABUSE ANY OF THE CARS MECHANICAL SYSTEMS. 2. THE ISSUE I HAVE IS WITH A OBD-II 'ENGINE WARNING' CODE CELL 0300 I REPEATEDLY GET WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I EXPERIENCE THIS WARNING UP TO 5 TIMES A DAY DURING MY 20 MILE FREEWAY COMMUTE. THE CEL WARNING COMES ON MOST OFTEN DURING VERY LIGHT ACCELERATION INPUTS (5-15% THROTTLE) WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN SPEED WITH THE OTHER TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD. WHILE GENTLY TOUCHING THE THROTTLE, THERE IS A SUDDEN AND VIOLENT ENGINE MISFIRING THAT SLOWS THE CAR DOWN CONSIDERABLY. THIS MAKES ME A SAFETY HAZARD ON THE STREETS BECAUSE THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE AGAIN UNTIL I LET OFF THE THROTTLE COMPLETELY THEN JAB IT VIOLENTLY (50% OR MORE THROTTLE). THIS ERROR REPEATS EACH TIME I USE GENTLE THROTTLE INPUTS ON THE FREEWAY. AS A RESULT, I DRIVE AROUND WITH MY "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT LIT ALMOST 100% OF THE TIME. IN THE STATE OF CA, IF YOUR ENGINE LIGHT IS ON WHEN YOU GO FOR YOUR ANNUAL SMOG/EMISSIONS TEST, YOU ARE INSTANTLY FAILED! MY CAR WOULD FAIL AN EMISSIONS TEST IN THIS STATE BECAUSE THE EQUIPMENT IS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. 3. I APPROACHED THE DEALER WITH THIS ISSUE. THEY REPLACED THE COIL PACKS AND THE SPARK PLUGS TO SEE IF THAT WOULD FIX THINGS. AND WHILE THEY WERE VERY CORDIAL ABOUT FINDING THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM, AND FIXING IT UNDER WARRANTY, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIX MY CAR. THEY ALSO DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING THE ECU TO THROW THIS ERROR CODE. SO I AM CURRENTLY DRIVING A 1 YEAR OLD CAR THAT IS STILL SHUDDERING VIOLENTLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CREATING A ROLLING ROADBLOCK WHEN SHUDDERING, AND IS AN INSTANT FAIL WHEN IT COMES TIME TO DO A SMOG CHECK. THIS PROBLEM OBVIOUSLY EFFECTS THE SAFETY OF MY VEHICLE AND THE RESALE VALUE OF MY VEHICLE AND NEEDS TO ADDRESSED RIGHT AWAY.*AK
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
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2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION- ASHEBORO, NC
ON JUNE 1ST THE CLUTCH FAILED COMPLETELY IT WAS COMPOSED OF THE CLUTCH SLIPPING AND THEN EXPLODING. THIS CAR WAS NOT ABUSED AND FROM THE 3RD DAY I BOUGHT THE CAR THE CLUTCH WAS SLIPPING. I TRIED TO GET THE FACTORY TO DO SOMTHING ABOUT IT THEN BUT HAD NO LUCK. I WAS TOLD I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF POCKET. I ENDED UP PAYING FOR THE CLUTCH REPLACEMENT OUT OF POCKET ANYWAY NOW THEY ARE THREATENING TO VOID MY WARRANTY BECAUSE I DIDNT REPLACE IT WITH THEIR STOCK REPLACEMENT! AFTER THE CLUTCH REPLACEMENT THE TRANSFER CASE AND TRANSMISSION IS GIVING ME TROUBLES AFTER ONLY 700 MILES. THE DEALER THAT I HAD THE CLUTCH REPAIR DONE THEN REFERED ME TO ANOTHER DEALER TO HAVE THE CAR FIXED. IT HAS DEVELOPED A HIGH PITCHED WHINE THAT STARTS ABOUT 40MPH IT SOUNDS LIKE A WWII BOMB SHELTER WARNING SIREN. THIS HAS BEEN A MISERABLE EXPERIENCE!*AK
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION- COTTAGE GROVE, MN
MY CLUTCH JUST GOES OUT AT 2K AND MITSUBISHI DOESN'T WANT TO REPLACE IT BECAUSE THEY SAY ITS BURN. *AK
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION- TURLOCK, CA
I'VE HAD A THROW OUT BEARING METAL TO METAL RUBBING NOISE FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT MY 2003 MITSUBISHI EVOLUTION VIII. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER TO ASK IF I SHOULD BE CONCERNED. I WAS STRAIGHTFORWARD TOLD NOT TO WORRY UNLESS THE NOISE GETS WORSE. SINCE THEN MY CLUTCH HAS BEGUN TO CHATTER IN COLD WEATHER VIOLENTLY, AND OCCATIONALLY IN WARM OR HOT WEATHER. MY PEDAL THROW HAS BEEN VERY FAR FROM THE FLOOR FROM DAY ONE AND I JUST ASSUMED THIS WAS THE NATURE OF THE CAR. I LATER FOUND FROM A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE EXACT SAME DEALERSHIP THAT UPON RECEIVING THE VERY FIRST SHIPMENT OF EVOLUTIONS, BOTH VEHICLES RECEIVED WERE TAKEN OUT AND DRIVEN BY ALL THE MANAGMENT AND EMPLOYEES AT THE DEALERSHIP AND VIOLENTLY ABUSED AND PRESSED FURTHER THEN THEY WERE MENT TO BE USED FOR. I HAVE TWO SEPARATE PEOPLE WITH MATCHING STORIES WHO WORKED AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP TELL ME THAT MY CAR WAS ONE OF THE TWO VEHICLES WHICH THEY TOOK OUT FOR A JOY RIDE. SO MY CLUTCH PROBLEM IS EITHER A: A DEFECTIVE DESIGN, OR B: ABUSE FRO MTHE DEALERSHIP. *AK
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION- ALEXANDRIA, VA
CLUTCH DEFECTIVE, WENT OUT AT 9000 MILES, HAD TO REPLACE WITH MY OWN MONEY AS DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY WILL NOT HONOR WARRENTY ON MY CAR, BUT PROVIDED NO PROOF OR REASON WHY.*AK
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE -
2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION- EL MONTE, CA
UNDER THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF OWNERSHIP OF MY 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION, MY CLUTCH BEGAN TO SLIP. I IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED MY DEALER AND WENT IN TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. I SPOKE DIRECTLY WITH THE DISTRICT MANAGER BUT BEFORE ANY QUESTIONS HE ASSUMED I HAD ABUSED THE VEHICLE AND SAID THEY WOULD ONLY CHECK FOR PROBLEMS IF I PAID TO THE COST OF A TEARDOWN BEFORE ANYTHING. I EXPLAINED THAT I WAS STILL IN THE "BREAK-IN" PERIOD AND DRIVING VERY CAREFULLY. HE DID NOT CARE AND SAID MANY PEOPLE ABUSE THIS CAR, SO HE STILL WOULD NOT TRY TO UNDERSTAND. FURTHERMORE, WHILE BEING AT THE DEALER FOR OTHER PROBLEMS, SOMEONE HAD TAKEN MY CAR FOR 20 MILES WITHOUT ANY EXPLAINATION. I LET HIM KNOW ABOUT THIS AND HE STILL INSISTED THAT I WAS ABUSING THE CLUTCH AND WOULD ONLY ALLOW AN INSPECTION IF I PAID THE LABOR FOR A TEARDOWN FIRST. BASICALLY, THE DISTRICT MANAGER OF MITSUBISHI WAS UNREASONABLE AND WOULD NOT LISTEN TO MY CONCERNS. *AK
Source: NHTSA WEB SITE