RecallRadar

HomeMitsubishiGalant → 2003

2003 Mitsubishi Galant Recalls & Complaints

3

open safety recalls on record

Critical

167 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.79 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical03V442000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump

FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL PUMP PRESSURE. THOSE VEHICLES EXHIBITING HIGHER THAN NORMAL FUEL PUMP PRESSURE WILL RECEIVE FUEL PUMP MODIFICATIONS. THE RECALL BEGAN DECEMBER 3, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI AT 1-800-222-0037 OR MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-800-981-0452.

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL RETURN LINE HOSE FITTING ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP MAY BE RESTRICTED, CAUSING EXCESSIVE FUEL PRESSURE TO BUILD UP IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. EXCESSIVE FUEL PRESSURE MAY RESULT IN A LEAK IN THE FUEL RETURN HOSE.

Serious04V428000

Equipment:Other:Labels

THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Remedy & full details

MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN WILL MAIL A CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTAINING A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION AND A GRAPHIC OF THE BI-LINGUAL DASHBOARD AIR BAG WARNING LABEL. IN ADDITION, ALL CURRENT 2000-2004 NATIVA OWNERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG ALERT LABELS FOR THE SUN VISORS. THIS RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH OR APRIL 2005. THE NOTIFICATION TO THE NATIVA OWNERS IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL OR MAY 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MITSUBISHI CARIBBEAN AT 1-787-251-8715.

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' THE BILINGUAL ENGLISH/SPANISH REMOVABLE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS AFFIXED TO THE DASH AND TO THE SUNVISOR DO NOT MEET THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Serious09E025000

Exterior Lighting:Headlights

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Complaint volume

167 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

23Crashes
4Fires
16Injuries
1Deaths

Across 167 complaints. Severity Index 0.79.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Visibility · Defroster/De…21 · 13%Electrical System11 · 7%Structure · Body11 · 7%Structure10 · 6%Engine And Engine Cooling…9 · 5%Visibility9 · 5%Visibility · Defroster/De…8 · 5%Unknown Or Other6 · 4%
  1. Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Heater Core — 21 reports
  2. Electrical System — 11 reports
  3. Structure:Body — 11 reports
  4. Structure — 10 reports
  5. Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System — 9 reports
  6. Visibility — 9 reports
  7. Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System — 8 reports
  8. Unknown Or Other — 6 reports
  9. Air Bags — 6 reports
  10. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor — 5 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (6) · 1996 (4) · 1997 (2) · 1998 (2) · 1999 (6) · 2000 (7) · 2001 (8) · 2002 (3) · 2003 · 2004 (1) · 2005 (3) · 2006 (1) · 2007 (1) · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 (1) · 2011 · 2012

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.