2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE STEERING COLUMN DETACHED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

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

WHEN DRIVING MY LANCER EITHER ON CITY OR HIGHWAY, IT REFUSES TO SHIFT. THE RPMS GO UP, BUT THE CAR WONT ACCELERATE. IT ACTUALLY SLOWS DOWN AS IF I'M PRESSING ON THE BRAKES (AND IM NOT) THEN OUT OF NOWHERE THE GEAR WILL SHIFT AND THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY. IT DOES THIS ALL THE TIME. THE LAST TIME IT DID IT I RAN INTO A CAR. THIS IS A HUGE HAZARD. WHEN I STEP ON THE BRAKES THE CAR ALMOST STOPS, THEN JUMPS FORWARD ABOUT 2 FEET BEFORE ACTUALLY STOPPING. THIS IS A HORRIBLE THING TO DO TO A DRIVER. THE CAR LITERALLY HAS A MIND OF IT'S OWN AND THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I'VE SEEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND ALL OF THEM SAY THAT THEIR TRANSMISSION DIED COMPLETELY THUS LEAVING THEIR CAR PERMANENTLY MOTIONLESS. I CAN'T EVEN LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THIS FIXED...I CAN ONLY LOOK FORWARD TO.....NOTHING. I CAN'T SELL THE CAR NOR GET A NEW ONE BECAUSE I'VE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY ON THIS LANCER AND NOTHING FIXES IT. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE BRAKE PADS, THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, THE TIRES, THE GAS PEDAL LINE, AND AIR IN THE BRAKES... I HAD ALL OF THESE THINGS REPLACE AND NO CHEAP COSTS AND IT'S STILL NOT FIXED. PLEASE! ORDER MITSUBISHI TO RECALL THIS DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION! IT SHOULD BE A CRIME TO SELL SUCH A DEFECTIVE AND DEADLY PRODUCT. MITSUBISHI SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED! ALSO, WHEN THE CAR'S RPMS ARE ABOVE 4000, THE POWER STEERING DIES AND I CANNOT TURN LEFT OR RIGHT, THUS I LOSE ALL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE HENDERSON NV DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO TYPE OF RECALL AND EVERYTHING SHOULD BE FINE....I'VE NEARLY CRASHED AND PROBABLY COULD HAVE LOST MY LIFE COUNTLESS TIMES. COUNTLESS. MITSUBISHI SHOULD BE BANNED FROM MAKING VEHICLES IN AMERICA! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER. THE STEERING COLUMN FELL IN THE CONTACT'S LAP WHEN SHE PLACED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, SHE NOTICED THAT THE COLUMN FELT LOOSE. SHE WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. TWO WEEKS LATER, BEFORE SHE ARRIVED AT THE DEALER, THE STEERING COLUMN FELL COMPLETELY OFF. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND IT SEEMED AS IF SOMEONE WAS PULLING ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE HAS SINCE BEEN REPAIRED. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, SHE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE STEERING COLUMN AND SHE FEELS THAT IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,624 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07

MY STEERING COLUMN WAS SLIGHTLY LOOSE, BUT A MECHANIC ASSURED ME THERE NO PROBLEM. ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER, THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN FELL INTO MY LAP AS I ATTEMPTED TO INSERT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION. I WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE COLUMN BACK INTO PLACE AND GET THE CAR ACROSS THE STREET TO A MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND HAD TOO MANY MILES. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A WARRANTY ISSUE AND TOLD THE PERSON AT THE DEALERSHIP MY BELIEF. I ALSO ADVISED HIM THAT I HAD HAD CARS THAT WERE TOTALED OUT IN ACCIDENTS AND THE STEERING MECHANISM NEVER FELL OUT. IN ADDITION, I HAD ONE CAR THAT I PUT CLOSE TO 200,000 MILES ON IT, BUT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN FALLING OUT. I CONTACTED MITSUBISHI AND GOT THE SAME RESPONSE REGARDING WEAR AND TEAR AND THE OUT OR WARRANTY SITUATION. *TR

2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER. AXLE BEARING FAILED ON PASSENGER SIDE. I REPLACED IT. INNER TIE ROD TORE OUT OF OUTER TIE ROD. I REPLACED THEM. FOR SAFETY REASONS I DECIDED TO REPLACE THE CORRESPOND DRIVERS SIDE PARTS. WHEN I STARTED TO REMOVE THE HUB ASSEMBLY THE DRIVE AXLE FELL FROM THE CAR IN THREE PIECES. NO LOCAL OR NATIONAL CHAIN COULD LOCATE THE AXLE WHICH THEY ALL SAID COST ABOUT $75.00.MITSUBISHI TOLD ME IT WOULD BE $753.00. WHILE I AGREE THAT I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO REPLACE THE FAILED PART, I ALSO FEEL A FILE SHOULD BE OPENED SINCE THIS REPRESENTS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE, AND VEHICLE WOBBLED FROM FOUR TO SIX INCHES TO EITHER SIDE. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES SINCE OWNING VEHICLE. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN INFORMED.*AK