Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Complaints (2003)

98 consumer complaints on file.

#10186334March 28, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
MY VEHICLE HAD REPEATEDLY SHOWN A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FOR A MISFIRE CODE. EVERY TIME I GET THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT,THE CAR VIBRATES AND LOSES AT LEAST 45% POWER. I FEEL THAT THE CAR IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR FOR DIAGNOSIS 7 PLUS TIMES. HELL, THEY EVEN REBUILT THE ENGINE IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PROBLEM! THAT OBVIOUSLY DID NOT CURE THE PROBLEM. NOW I AM OUT OF WARRANTY.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184129March 4, 2007
POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
I AM CURRENTLY ON THE 5TH TRANSFER CASE FOR MY 03 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION 8. I HAD 2 GO OUT UNDER WARRANTY, ANOTHER REBUILT AND NOW I AM ON MY LAST ONE. THE FIRST WENT AT ~33K, REPLACED AND BROKEN WITHIN A MONTH REGULAR HIGHWAY DRIVING. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10180975January 29, 2007
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED AND ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE THE 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION HE TURNED ON THE IGNITION WHILE IN NEUTRAL AND THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER STATED EVERYONE WITH THE SAME VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10175732December 10, 2006
POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH MY TRANSFER CASE ON MY 2003 MITSUBISHI EVOLUTION UNEXPLAINABLE BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD WHINING NOISE, ALTHOUGH ONLY HAVING ROUGHLY 13,500 MILES. AS I PULLED THE CAR OVER I COULD HERE THAT THERE WAS A METALLIC CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE TRANSFER CASE ALSO. TO CORRECT THIS THE TRANSFER CASE WILL NEED TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10175271December 6, 2006
POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
AFTER ONLY 8057 MILES ON MY 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION, MY TRANSFER CASE STARTED TO WHINE QUITE BADLY. AFTER READING SOME TECH ARTICLES, I FOUND THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON FAILURE. I ALSO KNOW THAT MITSUBISHI HAS HAD TRANSFER CASE RECALLS IN THE PAST DUE TO THEIR POOR REAR SEAL DESIGN. THE RECALLS WERE BASED OFF OF LAWSUITS AND DEATHS TO INDIVIDUALS DRIVING THEIR VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN ALL FOUR WHEELS HAVE LOCKED ON THEM CAUSING CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. BASED ON MITSUBISHI'S TRACK RECORD, AND THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF LIFE THREATENING CONDITIONS UNDER TRANSFER CASE FAILURE, IT IS A NEGLIGENT ACT FOR THEM TO OVERLOOK THIS PROBLEM. A RECALL IS NECESSARY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY! *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10172604November 3, 2006
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT USED. STILL HAS REMAINING FACTORY POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. VEHICLE HAD CLUTCH PROBLEMS WHEN I TOOK DELIVERY OF VEHICLE IN JULY. DEALER WAS INFORMED OF PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY AFTER TEST DRIVING VEHICLE. DEALER PROTESTED A REPLACEMENT. HAD SERVICE RECORDS PULLED FOR VEHICLE. CLUTCH WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY FOR FIRST OWNER. DEALER REPLACED DISC AND PRESSURE PLATE. LEFT ASSEMBLY LINE THROWOUT BEARING ON VEHICLE. STATED THAT IT IS A "NON-WEAR" ITEM. THROWOUT BEARING FAILED TO DISENGAGE CAUSING DISC FRICTION MATERIAL TO BE "SPUN" SOME TIME BACK. DEALER WAS INFORMED OF THIS INCIDENT. AGAIN, PROTESTED REPLACEMENT STATING IT IS A "NON-WARRANTY ITEM". CLUTCH IS CONSIDERED A WEAR ITEM, EVEN THOUGHT IT IS THE INTEGRAL LINK IN THE POWERTRAIN ASSEMBLY. CLUTCH COMPLETELY FAILED AND LEFT THIS AUTHOR STRANDED 45 MILES FROM HOME, ON THIS DATE. DEALER AGAIN NOTIFIED AND ONCE AGAIN, I WAS DENIED A CLAIM. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10161206July 1, 2006
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
3RD GEAR SYNRO WENT BAD AFTER 32000 MILES. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10160553June 23, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
P0300 MULTI-CYLINDER RANDOM MISFIRE. AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS MADE MY MITSUBISHI, THIS PROBLEM HAS NEVER BEEN FIXED. ON AVERAGE, THIS HAPPENS 3-4 TIMES DAILY, EVERYDAY AND HINDERS DRIVEABILITY. MITSUBISHI HAS ISSUED PARTS TO BE WARRANTED AND HAS DENIED ALL RESPONSIBILITY. MITSUBISHI HAS QUOTED THAT THE SES (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT) IN NO WAY, WHEN ILLUMINATED, AFFECTS DRIVEABILITY, VALUE, MECHANICAL FUNCTIONS OF THE VEHICLE. THEREFORE, IN SHORT, THEY ARE CLAIMING THAT THE LIGHT IS JUST FOR SHOW. I HAVE WRITTEN PROOF FROM MITSUBISHI WITH THAT STATEMENT DENYING ALL CLAIMS AND NOT TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10151709March 3, 2006
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE BRAKES WHICH SEVERELY LIMITS STOPPING ABILITY. INTERMITTENT SEVERE VIBRATION IN FRONT END OF VEHICLE DURING LIGHT TO MODERATE BRAKING, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (45-70 MPH). VIBRATION AND RESULTING LOSS OF TRACTION AND CONTROL OF VEHICLE VERSUS ROAD SURFACE GREATLY REDUCES STOPPING CAPABILITY OF VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM ALSO APPEARS TO NEGATIVELY EFFECT ABS OPERATION SINCE SMOOTH BRAKING CANNOT BE APPLIED AND THEREFORE ABS WILL NOT ENGAGE IN MOST INSTANCES. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED SEVERAL TIMES BY DEALER, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN SLOW AND UNCOOPERATIVE IN RESOLVING THE PROBLEM. I HAVE ALSO FORWARDED THE DEALER AND THE REGIONAL SERVICE DIRECTOR COPIES OF POSTINGS ON SEVERAL VEHICLE/MAKE RELATED WEB FORUMS (E.G. EVOLUTIONM.NET) DESCRIBING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH BRAKING IN THIS VEHICLE ACROSS THE US. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10150620February 19, 2006
STRUCTURE:BODY
PAINT ON MY 03 EVO BEGAN FLAKING OFF, ROCK CHIPS BY BOTH BACK PASSENGER DOORS, 24K MILES AND I HAVE TOO MANY ROCK CHIPS EVERYWHERE, MY 98 CAVALIER DOESN'T HAVE THIS MANY ROCK CHIPS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10150621February 19, 2006
POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
03 EVO HEARD GRINDING NOISES IN MY TRANNY OR TRANSFER CASE AREA @ 15K MILES.. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WON'T CHECK IT IF ITS NOT BROKEN..THEY DID REPLACE A DRIVE SHAFT BUT NOISE WAS STILL THERE.. MY CLUTCH IS NOW SLIPPING @ 24K.. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10145508December 17, 2005
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
CLUTCH FAILED AT 16K MILES AFTER 18 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. THE DEALER OFFERED TO EXAMINE IT FOR POSSIBLE WARRANTY COVERAGE, BUT BECAUSE OF PARTICIPATION IN AUTOCROSS EVENTS, THE WARRANTY CLAIM WOULD HAVE BEEN DENIED. HOWEVER, AUTOCROSSING DID NOT CONTRIBUTE ANY SIGNIFICANT WEAR TO THE CLUTCH ANY MORE SO THAN NORMAL EVERY DAY DRIVING. AS A 25 YEAR, SEASONED DRIVER OF MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, THIS WAS THE FIRST CLUTCH I'VE EVER HAD FAIL ON A VEHICLE. BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM OTHER EVO OWNERS, VIA THE EVOLUTIONM.NET WEB SITE, I REPLACED THE CLUTCH WITH A NON-STOCK CLUTCH DUE TO THE INHERENT WEAKNESS OF THE STOCK PART. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10134603August 29, 2005
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
FAILURE OF 5TH GEAR. MITSUBISHI HAS A CURRENT TSB RELEASED ON THIS FAILURE AND DENIED REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. THE WARRANTY CLAIM WAS DENIED DUE TO THE FACT THAT AN AFTERMARKET CLUTCH, OF HIGHER QUALITY WAS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE AFTER FAILURE OF MANUFACTURER INSTALLED CLUTCH. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10130673July 31, 2005
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
SINCE I HAVE HAD MY 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION VIII I HAVE HAD 4 PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE DRIVETRAIN. FIRST AT 1300 MILES, MY CLUTCH WENT OUT. IT WAS NOT WARRANTED EVEN THOUGH THE MITSUBISHI WARRANTY SAID 12000 MILES OR 12 MONTHS. THEN AGAIN AT ABOUT 14000 MILES THE CLUTCH FAILED AGAIN, AND IT WAS STILL NOT A WARRANTY PROBLEM. FINALLY AT ABOUT 30,000 MILES AROUND THE MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY THIS YEAR THE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL BLEW, CAUSING THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. FORTUNATELY THAT WAS WARRANTED, ALTHOUGH I STILL HAD TO PAY FOR A THIRD CLUTCH. I WAS WITH OUT MY CAR FOR OVER A MONTH WHILE I HAD TO WAIT FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND A TRANSMISSION TO REPLACE MINE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10125388June 15, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OTHER FUEL TYPES:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I OWN A 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION THAT WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP IN THE MIDDLE OF 2003. THE CAR HAD RUN FINE UNTIL ABOUT MAY 12TH OF THIS YEAR. THE CAR STARTED PERFORMING ODDLY. THE TURBO AND ENGINE WOULD NOT PROVIDE FULL POWER AT RANDOM TIMES WHILE DRIVING. I WAS INFORMED BY MECHANICS THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE A VACUUM LINE LEAK OR HOSE LEAK. ACTING ON THEIR ADVICE, I PURCHASED FROM THE DEALERSHIP REPLACEMENT FACTORY VACUUM HOSES AND REPLACED THEM ON THE CAR. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I THEN DECIDED TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP BEING THAT THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND TOLD THEM THE PROBLEM. DURING THIS TIME THE ENGINE HAD ALSO PICKED UP A SLIGHT TICKING SOUND. AFTER TWO DAYS I WAS CONTACTED SAYING THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM OTHER THAN MY INTERCOOLER HOSES BEING A LITTLE LOOSE FROM HAVING REMOVED AND REPLACED THEM TO DO THE HOSE INSTALL. I WAS THEN CHARGED 200$ FOR LABOR. I PICKED THE CAR UP AND IMMEDIATELY UPON HEADING HOME COULD FEEL THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE/TURBO AND TICKING. I TOOK THE CAR BACK IMMEDIATELY AND LET THE SERVICE MANAGER HEAR THE TICKING AND INFORMED HIM THAT THE CAR WAS STILL HAVING ENGINE PROBLEMS. HE ASKED ME TO BRING IT BACK ON MONDAY AND THEY WOULD THEN ADDRESS THE ISSUE. I RETURNED MY VEHICLE TO THE SHOP THAT MONDAY AND WAS NOT CONTACTED UNTIL I CALLED THEM ON THURSDAY ONLY TO BE TOLD MY WARRANTY WAS NOT BEING HONORED BECAUSE SOMEONE HAD BEEN 'MESSING AROUND' NEAR THE TURBO (THE LOCATION THE VACUUM LINES WERE REPLACED). I INFORMED THEM WHY THEY WOULD SEE THAT AND I WAS TOLD I WOULD NEED TO OPEN A CASE WITH MMNA TO APPEAL THEIR DECISION. THAT APPEAL WAS ALSO REJECTED AS THE DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE OF THAT LOCATION WOULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I HAD TO SAY. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO THE CAR TO FIX THE PROBLEM, AND I AM LEFT WITH HAVING TO PAY OUT OF POCKET NOW TO DIAGNOSE AND FIX A PROBLEM WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124944June 10, 2005
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
CLUTCH STARTED SLIPPING AFTER 12,000 MILES. NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10111719February 17, 2005
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
THE LOW BEAMS ON THE VEHICLE DO NOT LIGHT FAR ENOUGH AT NIGHT MAKING THE ABILITY TO SEE THE ROAD DIFFICULT. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED BY CONSUMER. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10106407January 15, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY P300 ERROR CODE COMES ON MY LANCER EVOLUTION RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING AROUND. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10106340January 14, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CHRONIC P0300 RANDOM MISFIRE IN 5TH GEAR UNDER PARTIAL THROTTLE. BUILD DATE OF VEHICLE IS FEB 03. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10106249January 13, 2005
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
1) I AM IN THE MILITARY DEPLOYED TO AFGHANISTAN... 1 MONTH BEFORE I DEPLOYED MY STOCK CLUTCH WAS SLIPPING. THIS IS NOT COVERED BY MITSUBISHI'S WARRANTY. I WAS READING ON MY FORUMS AND THERE WERE AT LEAST 2 TO 300 PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM ALL AROUND 5000 MILES ON THE CAR REGARDLESS OF HOW THE CAR WAS DRIVEN. I PURCHASED A NEW CLUTCH, $1300 AND HAD THE DEALERSHIP INSTALL IT FOR $800 FIGURING THAT THEY WOULD WARRANTY THERE WORK. I DEPLOYED TO AFGHANISTAN, CAME BACK AND ABOUT 2 MONTHS OF DRIVING THE CAR MY CAR WAS MAKING A HI SQUEALING NOISE. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE CLUTCH. ALTHOUGH THEY DID NO OTHER INSPECTION. I ORDERED A NEW CLUTCH HAD THEM INSTALL IT... SAME PROBLEM CONTINUED. SO I PAID ANOTHER 700 FOR A NEW CLUTCH FOR NO REASON. THEN THEY REDIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. THEY REPLACED THAT UNDER WARRANTY... PROBLEM WAS FIXED. I WAS BABYING THE CAR FOR A WEEK OR SO BECAUSE OF THE CLUTCH BREAK IN PERIOD IS SUGGESTED 1000 MILES. WHILE DOING 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR NOISE CAME BACK JUST AS BAD AS BEFORE... CALLED MITSUBISHI AND THEY REFUSED REPAIR BY ORDER OF THE DISTRICT REP. 2. THE NOISE HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE AND HAS CAUSED MY CAR TO BE SLUGGISH NOW. I WOULD LIKE MY DRIVETRAIN TO HAVE A THOROUGH INSPECTION AND FIXED WHERE NECESSARY. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR MY CLUTCH THAT I HAD TO BUY THAT WASN'T FAULTY TO BEGIN WITH. I ALSO THINK MITSUBISHI NEEDS TO ADHERE TO A WARRANTY ON THERE DRIVETRAIN. REGARDLESS IF YOU INSTALL AN AFTERMARKET CLUTCH IN YOUR CAR, THE DRIVETRAIN SHOULD BE COVERED. WHO IN THERE RIGHT MIND WOULD PAY FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW STOCK CLUTCH AND FLY WHEEL IF ITS JUST GOING TO GO BAD AT THE SAME TIME YOU NEED YOUR OIL CHANGE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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