2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER Complaints

2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER: THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB BROKE OFF ITS SHAFT, AFTER OVER TWO YEARS OF THE CONTROL BEING SO DIFFICULT TO TURN THAT IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCOMLISH. THE WIRE RUNNING FROM THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL (KNOB) TO THE VENT FLAP THAT CONTROLS HEAT/COLD BENT AS WELL, LEAVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT A WAY TO CHANGE THE TEMPERATURE (STUCK IN COLD POSITION NOW). THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AS I AM UNABLE TO DEFROST/CLEAR MY WINDSHIELD WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE, WHICH RESULTS IN CONTINUOUS POOR DRIVING VISIBILITY. *TR

2003 LANCER OZ RALLY, STEERING COLUMN FELL DOWN IN MY LAP. FACTORY SAID TO BAD, OUT OF WARRANTY AND NO RECALL ISSUED. MY LOCAL DEALER WANTS 700+ DOLLARS TO FIX IT, THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS THE CAR ONLY HAS 64,000 MILES. *TR

NO HEAT/DEFROST IN MITSUBISHI LANCER (2003) USUALLY, ITS KIND OF HARD TO TURN, BUT IF YOU TWIST THE KNOB FAST ENOUGH, YOU'LL HEAR THIS SLIDING SOUND BEHIND THE CENTER CONSOLE SIGNIFYING THE CHANGE FROM COLD TO HEAT. THE KNOB IS NO LONGER DOING THAT, NO MATTER HOW I TURN IT. I WILL TURN IT THE FULL 180 DEGREES, AND IT WON'T "POP" INTO PLACE" AND IT'LL END UP TURNING BACK TO ABOUT 160 DEGREES (THE DIAL LOCATION). *TR

ON JAN. 10, 2011 I WAS DRIVING MY FRIENDS 2003 MITSUBISHI, LANCER. AS WE WERE LEAVING THE DOCTORS OFFICE PARKING LOT I ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT THE PARKING LOT EXIT, A SLIGHT INCLINE BEFORE A BUSY STREET. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS FIRM BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO ROLL FORWARD. EVEN THOUGH I WAS PRESSING THE BRAKE AS HARD AS I COULD I WAS UNABLE TO STOP AND THE FRONT END OF THE CAR WAS SMASH BY A SEMI TRUCK. MY FRIEND AND I WERE UNHARMED BUT SHAKEN UP. AFTER CHECKING FOR RECALLS I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK THE BRAKE FAILURE WE EXPERIENCE IS THE SAME AS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN #09V077000 FOR THE 2008-2009 MODEL OF THE MITSUBISHI LANCER. *TR

MY DAUGHTER'S 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER ES NO LONGER PROVIDES HEAT. AS IN MANY OTHER CASES, THE KNOB HAS BROKEN OFF!! WHY IS THIS NOT THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL? SHE HAS NO HEAT, IT'S WINTER, AND SHE HAS NO MEANS TO DEFROST HER WINDSHIELD. FOR A WHILE SHE WAS ABLE TO TURN THE MECHANISM USING NEEDLE-NOSED PLIERS. NOW, EVEN THAT DOESN'T WORK AND SHE HAS NO HEAT, NO MEANS TO DEFROST HER WINDSHIELD AND WINDOWS RELIABLY, AND THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER OZ RALLY(NA). THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER WAS LEAKING FLUID; THE FOLLOWING DAY THE CLUTCH PETAL WAS NO LONGER OPERABLE. THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED OR DIAGNOSED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 68,000. UPDATED 04/12/11*LJ

TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. EVENTUALLY, THE CONTROL KNOB BROKE AWAY FROM THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR BENEATH, AND NOW THE TEMPERATURE CANNOT BE CHANGED. A SHORT INTERNET SEARCH HAS SHOWN THIS TO BE SUBJECT OF A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ISSUED IN 2004. *TR

THE HEAT/AC KNOB ON MY 2003 MITSUBISHI HAS BEEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THIS IS ESPECIALLY HAZARDOUS WHEN TRYING TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD. I'VE REPORTED THE ISSUE SEVERAL TIMES TO MITSUBISHI AND THEY HAVE STATED THAT THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE MORE I RESEARCH, THE MORE I FIND THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR OTHERS. THIS KNOB HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO USE FROM DAY ONE. *TR

AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING KNOB WAS HARD TO TURN, UNTIL IT FINALLY BROKE COMPLETELY OFF. NOW I HAVE NO HEAT IN MY VEHICLE AND IT VISUALLY IMPAIRS MY DRIVING WHEN IT IS COLD AND FROSTS UP. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING I CAN DO, EXCEPT TRY TO DRIVE THROUGH IT. *TR

THE HEATER CONTROL KNOB IS BROKEN. I CAN'T ROTATE THE KNOB FROM COLD TO HEAT. IT BEGAN GETTING REALLY DIFFICULT TO TURN ABOUT A YEAR AGO, UNTIL I COULD NO LONGER ROTATE IT ABOUT A MONTH AGO. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS ARE YOU CAN'T SWITCH THE AIR FROM COOL TO WARM IN CASE YOU'RE DRIVING SOMEWHERE AT NIGHT AND NEED TO TURN ON THE HEATER FOR A LITTLE WHILE. YOUR WINDOWS FOG UP. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM, OTHER THAN MY MECHANIC MESSED WITH THE CABLE INSIDE AND NOW MY KNOB IS PERMANENTLY STUCK ON HEAT, WHENEVER I TURN THE FAN ON. A NEW PART FROM MITSUBISHI IS OVER $500. ARE THEY GOING TO ISSUE A RECALL? I KNOW THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OTHER MITSUBISHI LANCER OWNERS WITH THIS SAME SITUATION ON THEIR HANDS. *TR