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Mitsubishi Galant

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Comments

  • usaysousayso Member Posts: 25
    My '04 LS had the same glovebox glitch... I'm surprised the Mivec 4 cyl. only gets you 19 miles to the gallon.... BUT I've heard that the Mivec are a thirsty upgrade... For instance the Car and Driver review for the '06 Eclipse GT had the Mivec V6 reaching only 15 mpg...

    http://www.caranddriver.com/roadtests/9634/2006-mitsubishi-eclipse-gt-v-6.html

    I had the previous generation '00 Eclipse RS with manual and 2.4 liter 4 but no Mivec heads and I got around 24 City 29 Hwy. Torquey motor.

    Anyway stop in and let us know how you're doing and Thanks for posting...

    Happy Motoring!
  • galantfanaticgalantfanatic Member Posts: 10
    Thank you both (also to scottindfw) for the welcome.

    Yes, the MIVEC is thirsty indeed. I could round off to twenty for some of it, but I was hoping for twenty one. Knew this wasn't going to be a gas miser before buying it though. Plus side is it's a thrill to drive.

    I knew that the cost of ownership ratings were high, but I cannot understand the low resale value (depreciation). Seem to be reliable and safe. Most owner's love them (including this one), they rate as well as Toyota and Honda by most consumers and overall, yet they just don't hold the value from what I read.

    The "experts" tend to rate them a point lower than other cars in the class though, so maybe that has something to do with it? Or just the law of supply and demand, the "name" and reputation of Honda and Toyota?

    Time will tell how well mine holds up, I wonder about the silver (faux titanium) trim holding up over time, and the rubber that lines the trunk and doors seams is thin. Still, most survey's show the O4's holding up above average in every area, though CR says brakes are below average and body intergrity is average. All generalizations though.

    Like the old song by Queen says: "I'm in love with my car..." :P
  • galantfanaticgalantfanatic Member Posts: 10
    My TPMS light will stay on in the morning for the first ten minutes or so of driving. I've had the tires adjusted at the dealership a couple times. They tell me it's the cooler tires heating up. Once it goes off it tends to stay off the rest of the day.

    I'm wondering if maybe I don't have a sensor that's too sensitive though? Anyone else had this happen? From what I can tell from reading the manual, the ten minute thing can happen in certain situations. It does not do it all the time in the morning, just most times. AFAIK there is no leakage. :confuse:
  • watsonruwatsonru Member Posts: 3
    Is your TPMS one wireless Generation2 system? And its brand? I think I know TPMS rather well, and hope to answer your question. :blush:
  • galantfanaticgalantfanatic Member Posts: 10
    I don't know the brand. How would I find that out? The manual does state that it's wireless.
  • outlander1outlander1 Member Posts: 5
    Just past 60K on an 03 Gallant ES 4cyl. Sedan My driving does not call for severe condition driving and my owners manual says 100,000 miles. I did buy this used and don't know the previous owner. All indications are that it was properly maintained. Any thoughts on this because I am hoping to put this off if possible for another year or 12k miles. Thanks
  • astrock42astrock42 Member Posts: 3
    My understanding is that yaw in most Galants is controlled by a Yaw Stability Controller... essentially your problem is computer based, not physical/mechanical...I don't know how to fix the problem but any automotive professional could fix it.
  • astrock42astrock42 Member Posts: 3
    I drive a 1995 Galant ES. I love the car and I have had it in my possession since day one. At almost 200,000 miles it's still going strong. I am curious as to what the recalls for my car have been. I understand there were 2. I'd be greatful for any input.
  • astrock42astrock42 Member Posts: 3
    To answer your final question..although I'm sure it has been answered already by now... Galants are indeed notorious for throwing their timing belts, only if you let them go too long. And a shimmy isn't anything to worry about, you may need new tires or a slight alignment adjustment. Is the shimmy a fast shimmy or slow one from left to right? If it is a fast shimmy I'd say it's tires but if it's a slow one... my galant does it as well and mine is fit as a fiddle.
  • shakol2shakol2 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1995 Galant and it has 155 thousand miles on it i had an oil change and a engine tune up it was driving like brand new when i first got it then it became to drive sluggish not bad but enough to notice so we kept on trucking and after a week or so of every day driving it started to kick really bad and when you accelerate it studders and dont want to go but after a few seconds kicks back in and goes well now as we speak it wont go and when it idles it is so rough you get a headache from all the vibration and when you put into gear it kills right away can someone please help me solve this problem no dealers around here can please someone i am desperate
  • jsegura72jsegura72 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2005 Galant GTS, thinking of installing HID Lights on my car, has anyone incounter any problems? :)
  • usaysousayso Member Posts: 25
    Please let us know how it works for you...
    I'm waiting for the new led lamps coming out in 2009! Of course by that time I'll have sold my 2004 LS for something else but....

    Hey... Thanks to all for posting here..
    I'm just ranting BUT we do appreciate your time here and we have some very astute folks with answers....

    Happy Motoring!
  • ashwinirashwinir Member Posts: 12
    I have a 2004 LS and I am pretty happy. I get the oil changed every 3000-3200 miles and wax it and maintain it well. Inside city driving, I get 300 miles on a full tank of premium. On highway, it is 400 miles.

    I had the defective glovebox problem and it was fixed by the dealership here in Toronto.

    The only problem I have and maybe it is a perception problem is that the brakes seem to be "ungreased"...when I put the car into reverse on the inclined driveway and release the brakes, their is like a 'groaning' noise. That's all.
  • galantfanaticgalantfanatic Member Posts: 10
    My glove box is better now, but not perfect. The dealership has a meeting/seminar thing they do with customers once a month, and I went recently. The service manager offered to try to fix it more by adjusting the dash instead of the box itself, said it would take a couple of hours maybe. I'm gonna take them up on that.

    After talking with them the tire pressure monitor issue is resolved as well. I know they don't cost much, but they even threw in a digital tire gauge that I like much better than my analog one, which might have even been defective, as I get higher readings with it than the digital.

    I too have the groaning noise on inclines when going into reverse. When we tried to recreate that in and around the dealership with the service manager in the car, it would not do it. On my driveway it does it almost every time. I didn't know if it was the brakes or tranny. I was told some noise is normal, and have seen that in literature as well. They said I could bring it back and try again to recreate this. We used some steep driveways in the area that they know of, it would not do it on them. I wonder if this could be something it does when the car is "cold" as opposed to "warm"?

    The more I drive the vehicle, the more I like it. I've made minor adjustments to the seat and steering will tilt settings, and it's more comfy than I first thought. I just love it!

    In the meeting they gave us a schedule of maintenance. It's for severe conditions, as the heat here qualifies for that. 3750 between oil changes (06) or three months. It's good to change it a bit earlier though.

    My only other question would be why the CD player won't play CD-Rs, but says MP3 on it and has no jack for an external player. The manual says to use only factory discs (i.e., those with the "compact disc digital audio" label), and not to use CD-Rs. Not a big deal, but I wonder. I'll go through the manual again and see what it says.

    Thanks for the reply and information. I hope your LS continues to do you right, and that you enjoy it. I drove one, and that six is pretty zippy, I was just worried about the mileage. Now that my tires are not border-line under inflated, I'm getting about 21MPG in the city, vs the low to mid 19s I was getting before. In retrospect I was pretty ignorant about tire inflation.
  • ashwinirashwinir Member Posts: 12
    Hi GF:

    Hmm..you could have a point about warm vs cold. But I've never tried it anywhere but on the house driveway, where it is always cold! But there is some amount of groaning regardless. Even when putting it into drive after work (car is cold) on flat surface. It doesn't happen on other cars, does it?

    On my system, I play CD-RWs just fine.

    I bought this car in Oct 2004 when the gas prices hadn't exploded as they did in 2005 and especially after Katrina. Looking back now, a 4-cylinder Galant would be pretty zippy too. The original 2003 4-cylinders I used to rent up here are what made me look at the car in the first place because they were so much zippier than the Corollas.
  • ashwinirashwinir Member Posts: 12
    I also notice that when I'm putting the car into reverse, the transmission seems "hard" and not really fluid. And then the groan from the brakes.
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    This car is real zippy around town & the shifts are pretty seamless, but the seats kill it for me. I've got pretty severe back & neck problems and just can't get comfortable. Luckily, I've only got it for a couple of more days. Just wish it had more seat controls so I could manipulate it better.
    Don't think Honda or Toyota has anything to worry about here...the Accord & Camry really are a step above. Don't get me wrong, the Galant is a great "appliance" with a cost to match I'd suspect. But if I had to buy a midsized car right now, Mitsubishi wouldn't even be on the radar.
    Don't mean to offend anyone here, just my impressions of driving the car around town today. A bit underwhelming actually.

    The Sandman :(
  • galantfanaticgalantfanatic Member Posts: 10
    Which version are you renting? The DE, ES, LS, or other? I wonder how many more seat controls the other two you mention have? Angle of the seat back, seat height and seat spacing relative to the steering wheel are pretty much standard. Maybe the other two have more settings for these?

    Over time I've tweaked my settings on the seat and it's become more comfy for me. I test drove an Accord and Camry, but really test drove a Civic much more. I did like the seats in the Civic, just wish it had a bit more hip room. It's a smaller car though. The telescoping steering it had was one feature the Galant could sure use! I can't remember it having any more seat controls than the Galant.

    I'm not offended by the step above comment, and most "experts" feel the same, thus the higher marks and recommendations for those other two. I'd say the masses agree with you, which is one reason that Accords and Camrys outsell the Galant. Part of that is also brand name buying, i.e., the reputation of Honda and Toyota.

    It wasn't just cost that made me choose the Galant, though that was a factor. Honda and Toyota dealers were very high pressure, and left a bad impression. One Honda dealer tried to sneak in a paper to sign that stated if I liked the car I'd buy it! This was just to test drive the thing!

    The Honda and Toyota dealers would not come down much, if any, off the sticker prices. And this in spite of the fact that the 07 Camry was due on their lot in a week. I couldn't get the great financing terms from them that Mitsubishi gave, either. All I heard was how it would be made up in residual value. I visited many dealers.

    I'm the kind of person that analyzes decisions long after they've been made. The more I drive the Galant, the more I love it. Being different than the masses has appeal. The Galant exterior is so much more to my liking than the Camry, Accord or Civic. It drives like a dream.

    Other than "because they don't have to" I can't figure out why Toyota and Honda don't match Mitsubishi's warranty. That was a big factor in my decision. My research showed the Galant to be reliable (real from previous models and predicted for the new), so it wasn't as if "you're going to need it for sure" was in the equation. What was in the mix was the other two makes breaking down. If you are the one in a thousand that needs the repairs after 36k or three years, that excellent reputation won't help.
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    Just flipped the Galant for a Sonata at Enterprise and I'm quite impressed. Drives great and super comfy for the bad back, so I'm now a happy camper. Wouldn't even mind if my Sentra never came home. A bit more visual appeal than the Galant to my taste also.
    If you'd have asked me about any Korean car 5 years ago I'd have said "no way". But now...I'd probaly very seriously consider it!!!!

    The Sandman ;)
  • galantfanaticgalantfanatic Member Posts: 10
    So which version of the Galant were you driving?
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    It has a sunroof and comfortable cloth seats...no power or leather. We just got home and opened the sunroof while getting ice cream. What a blast. I know one thing now...I'm definitely ready for a new ride!!!!

    The Sandman :)
  • pschoopschoo Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone know how to program a key fob for a 2003 Galant 2.4L? Can't understand why this is such a secret. Is it THE MAN trying to keep us paying or what. Also are there any recommendations for timing belt replacement for the 2.4L? :)
    I own a 1998 and a 2003 Galant and love them both. Hard to beat for the money. I love it when people say the Camry and Accord have higher resale. They should you paid more for them in the first place. The percent of depreciation is pretty constant on all the cars.
  • usaysousayso Member Posts: 25
    For those that appreciate the newest technologys like standard side curtain airbags, traction control, mp3 inputs, etc only new will do. These safety enhancements weren't available 4 years ago on standard autos only luxury vehicles. And this has been the case about new vs used for the last 20 years. The once optional technology is now standard as in air, power windows, cruise control and remote locks....

    Now the best way to beat depreciation on the new vehicle is buy low. If you buy the new car that's on sale, the loss leader you will usually not only get the best deal, you also get the fastest haggle free service as well. Buy the price leader! Search vehicles which have rebates available. Last year's vehicle still on the lot really can have large rebates and if you currently own the same brand many manufacturers have loyalty rebates as well. Example... An '04 Mitsu Galant LS V6 ($22,000) bought last January '05 had $6,000 of rebates plus another deep discount (under invoice and hold backs!) for being last years model. AND it came with FREE maintainance for 44 months plus a 10 year powertrain, 5 year bumper to bumper warranty. Sold for $13,999.... Try that with a current V6 model Accord or Camry, won't happen.

    Kelly Blue book will provide you with "trade in" (realistic) values 4 years hence. An '05 V6 Accord $24,500 MSRP would likely sell for $23,700. A 2001 Accord LS V6 model would be worth $9,060 Trade-in. Accord depreciated $14,640..... The '04 Galant LS V6 ($13,999 after rebates) would be worth $8,450. The '04 Galant depreciated $5,550. You save $9,085! Does buying new make more sense now. See how distressed inventory can work to your advantage. Buy Low, sell lower!

    And here's how you do it. Arrive early Saturday at the dealership while the salesmen are in their meeting. Find the leader car in the lot, check the VIN. Make sure it's the one listed in the paper. Decide if you can live with the color. Remember it's the interior color that you will REALLY be living with. Also keep in mind a secondary car on the lot as well in case negotiations stall. Tell the salesmanager ( you'll meet him or his assistant as the salesmen are still in that meeting) that you're not, NOT in love with the car and can take it or leave it. That there's another nice price leader you can land on in his same lot or at another dealer all together. This is important to have an alternative choice. You'll be rushed through the process and home with the latest technology by 10:30AM. First sale of the day is win win. You get treated like gold because your first, the salesfolks get a chance to make 2 more sales that day and win whatever contest the managers have on to reward high sales for the day. Ah new car smell and the latest gadgets and lowest depreciation. Now who's laughing. Folks will wonder why you're smiling....

    Happy Motoring!
  • yummyyummy Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1998 galant. I have had issues with stalling over the last six months. When I took it to the shop, they said I needed my fuel injectors flushed. I had this done and it was fine for about 2 months. It started hesitating again, but when I took it back to the shop, it was fine. They suggested bad gas, so I now use Exxon only. 2 months later, I am having the same issue. When the car is in idle, it hesitates as if it wants to cut off. The shop suggested using a gas treatment. I have done that, but it still wants to cut off. No one seems to know what the problem is. Any suggestions?
  • scottindfwscottindfw Member Posts: 4
    GalantFantatic -

    I'm glad to hear you're still enjoying your Galant. I still like mine too. I've seen lots of nice new cars on the road, but I haven't yet had that "I wish I had bought that instead..." feeling that I've had with other car purchases.

    I too get my oil changed every 3K miles, but my dealership does the 'Tires for Life' program and I have to get my oil changed every 3K miles and have my tires rotated & balanced every other oil change to qualify. Although I get annoyed when the service advisor tries to sell me an expensive "This is what we recommend..." package that goes well above and beyond what the manual states.

    I had some very minor issues at first with the front seat. My previous car (Chrysler Sebring) had excellent lumbar support, but once I made some adjustments to the seats, I was able to get more comfortable behind the wheel.

    I have not had the groaning experience, but we live in an apartment and I don't usually have to park on incline. I'll pay closer attention next time I find myself in that situation. I can play CD-Rs on my stereo without any problems (we buy the Sony CD-R audio discs), but I have encountered a rather odd issue with my stereo. I have to turn the volume up louder than I used to, and I really don't think I've suddenly developed any hearing issues.

    Happy driving and enjoy your weekend!
  • pschoopschoo Member Posts: 2
    Ask them to check the EGR valve next time. It could cause the problem and it's not something they look or think about at very often.
  • mirde98mirde98 Member Posts: 95
    Just 1 thing i will say....I WILL buy one!
  • galantfanaticgalantfanatic Member Posts: 10
    If I could afford it I would buy one as well. I'm gonna try to get the dealer to let me test one when they get them. I have to know!

    I need to go to the Mitsubishi web site and see if they have it up there. Any other color choice?
  • galantfanaticgalantfanatic Member Posts: 10
    Nice to hear that your purchase is doing so well for you. I'm driven to thrill when behind the wheel.
  • mahirimahiri Member Posts: 26
    Hello,
    I am debating between a 2003 Galant with 75K and a 2000 Galand with 52K. The cars have all of the same possible options. Any thoughts on which one to go with?
  • elgatolocoelgatoloco Member Posts: 92
    I saw one on the line a few months ago that was the sunset pearlescence color, same as the Eclipse. Ayyyy caramba!
  • galantbuyergalantbuyer Member Posts: 1
    I found this car I'm thinking about buying. It's a 99 with 156k. Does anyone know how well they do with this kind of mileage? I test drove it and everything seems fine. Any comments or suggestions before I buy?
  • matsi13matsi13 Member Posts: 1
    i need a special tool to get the oil pump cover off of a 1995 galant s 2.4 single overhead cam. it is a type of socket. i've tried the dealerships in my area and they say they cant help. none of the tool trucks have it. it is a specific mitsubishi tool. if you know any info... please email me directly and let me know. :confuse:
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Actually, if someone can help you they will post the answer here instead of emailing you. That way the information will be available to the entire community, both now and in the future.

    I hope we can help.
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    Sorry for the late response, but my 99 Galant LS V6 has 115K miles and has been quite reliable. Not perfect; I've got some metal that's vibrating around 1600RPMs when the engine is cold (probably a bent heat shield) but otherwise everything in the car is in fine shape. No cracks in the leather, everything works from the AC to the stereo to the sunroof. A couple of door dings and a tiny amount of chipped paint in the hood from rocks are the only blemishes on the outside.

    I come here and read about the latest cars and while I want one, I can't justify taking on a payment when my Galant just works day in and out.

    Oh, I average about 24-25MPG in mostly city driving from the V6. Normal highway is 26-27, but I just did a pure highway tank at 29MPG.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • shahiraminshahiramin Member Posts: 1
    Yeah i just recently bought a 200 mitsubihi galant and i really want to do some work on this baby. I need one of you car geniuses to tell me where to start. Thanks
  • ris10ris10 Member Posts: 2
    My left front light went out and I took it to Advance Auto Parts, bought the light, opened the hood and saw the same problem. The clerk there came out with tools in hand and replaced the light for me. Using a pair of pliers, he removed the lighting housing by hand, then unscrewed the wiring that attaches to the lighting. After completion, all was okay until about a month later with the light went out again. This time I decided to do it myself, until I wiggled the wiring and the light came back on. I got a pair of pliers, tightened the nut holding all in place and all has been fine since. My answer to you is to take it to one of the national auto supply parts stores in your city, many will loan tools or actually assist you in replacing simple parts like this.
  • ris10ris10 Member Posts: 2
    I bought my 2002 Galant LS in September of last year from my nephew's wife, who had used it to travel 300 miles round trip once a week to drive to school on Monday and return home on Friday. It had 67,000 miles on it. Since then I average about 6000 miles per month using it as a business vehicle. Right now the odometer is on 124,210. This model, while designated the LS on the trunk, actually has the 2.4 ltr engine, and is loaded, sunroof, airbags, premium sound, etc. I've been very surprised at the durability of this car, with few exceptions. It averages about 28 miles per gallon on regular fuel, slightly better on premium, even in this hot Texas weather with the air conditioning running full time. PROBLEMS: Right headlight "burned out", had the local Advance auto store replace it for me (I couldn't figure it out, duh); after that the light stopped working after 1 month but I determined it was loose wiring, I jiggled and shoved the wiring in to the housing and no problems since. AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING. I get an occassional problem with the heating control: does not function. No problem here in summer, but back in Jan thru Mar I could not get the heat on. Datyimes it was hot, so I ran the AC, but mornings then were nippy, so I wanted heat. But turning from Cold to Hot did not work. Try as I might, rotating the knob back and foth, it did not work. Then by accident, I discovered a fix. I had pulled in to a convenience store to get coffee and when I came back out, I restarted the car, this time rotating the knob slowly and WALLAH! IT WORKED. Since then when I have this problem I do the following: pull over and stop the car, turn off the ignition and wait about 2 minutes, then restart the car. Then I rotate the heat knob back to cold and then slowly back to hot. You will actually hear a fast clicking noise as the gate inside the mechinism opens. No problem after that. ONE OTHER PROBLEM I HAVE...the check engine light stays on. Shortly after buying the car, I took it to my Ford Mitsubishi dealer and he said it was a tranmission warning light but he would not know for sure until he opened it up, meaning $$$$$ later. I took it over to AAMCO transmission for a second opinion and he told me the light read TORQUE converter. He put it on his computer, and said the converter was operating within acceptable limits and that the message had a history of coming on. He said unless I wanted to spend the money or unless I noticed a decernible problem, to ignore the light if it came back on. Well, it did, that afternoon. BUT....that's been 9 months ago. The light is on all the time, but the car runs great, performs very well and like I said, gets great gas milege. About the only other problem, the remote key fob broke in half, I didn't have another spare and I only have one key to the car. I have since found out that another key will cost me $140.00 and another remote entry unit $100.00. As for the remote entry, I can get an aftermarket system with two units for about the same money, but I have not yet bought another ignition key. Overall, I love the car for milege. But with my 6'4" frame, I still love my Dodge 1500 quad cab betteer. If only it got better than 12 miles per gallon........
  • suncolonysuncolony Member Posts: 2
    Folks, here's my dilemma. My car was running wonderfully. I have a 2002 Galant ES that I bought used in 2003 with under 35k miles. The only problem I've ever had with it is a sticky starter. I've always taken care to keep up on my maintenance obviously to prevent problems. So, yesterday I brought my car to a shop to get the timing belt changed. It was still the original belt and I had reached 82.5k miles on the car (in previous maintenance checks i was told i could probably go to 90k on the timing belt).
    I asked them to let me know what else needed to be replaced since I had not needed to replace anything on my car since buying except for my brakes. In addition to the wheel rotation, alignment, oil and air filter change, they suggested taking care of the water pump, the balance belt, upper and lower radiator hose and two serpentine belts. I suppose some of these belt changes go hand in hand with a timing belt change. I feel like i can trust these guys and they charge a fair price for work done. What do you think? They said putting back in the old pump may create problems because once it's taken out of the car to replace the belts it may not fit snuggly back in. As for hoses they just said they were getting old.
    Well I went ahead with it because I didn't want anything to happen to my car. But of course, after the repairs my car now has problems that I've never had before. My engine sounds a little deeper and louder than I'm used to. And now it shakes and trembles a little when I drive and a lot when I sit idle. In the past 30 hours I must have stalled out 7 or 8 times. I hear a squealing sound now when I press the gas (not every time though). I brought it back to the autoshop this morning and they said that they should have warned me but when this type of work is done they had to cut the power which reset the 'computer' (i assume they are refering to the OBD since all my warning lights come on when i stall). I this normal? They said it would take a while for the computer to relearn how to accelerate and sit idle which is why my car is stalling out and trembling. As for the squealing and the louder engine they didn't think there was anything wrong. If this is "normal" how long do i have until my car runs like it used to? :cry:
  • sky23213sky23213 Member Posts: 300
    Regarding the previous posts requesting info and opinion on the older Galants: mine is a 2001 ES, now with close to 107K. I consider it a good example of how a car is as good as the maintenance done. Car still runs and rides nice, and as far as repairs, I think for all that time and mileage I've spent on repairs no more than 1K, including around 500 on replacing inner tie-rods just recently. I'm pretty happy with the car, hope it will last another few years with the mileage we put on it. Will continue to maintain it well and would not be surprised if it takes me past 150K.
    Re: suncolony's post. Although the dealers charge more and try to push repairs the car does not really need, I tend to use them for major services like timing belt replacement, since their staff have more experience working on your type of car, so chances for a screw up are smaller. I think the shop that worked on your car messed up something, not necessarily with the timing belt. From what I've heard if the replacement is not done right the car would not run at all, but I'm not sure. For sure it should not stall, and I think they are trying to sneak out of correcting whatever they did. New belts will stretch and squeal after a few months, which is corrected by a simple adjustment under $80. (Somewhere earlier on this thread I think I shared that in detail). I replaced my timing belt at 60K, I think did other belts too along with that, but they were pretty cheap, so I'm not sure, but recently was told they look great, so I probably did. I did not replace the water pump at that time, but the common opinion is that it's not a bad idea to do it when you replace the belt since there's no extra labor to be charged (they're taking it out anyway). I plan to do that at 120K.
    Hope this helps. Let us know. I'd be happy to go into more details.
    Chris
  • oskwioskwi Member Posts: 88
    I had a 1996 Galant and was able to put 185,000 miles on it before selling it to a neighbor who put well past 200,000 miles on it.

    Timing belt replacements are recommended at 60,000 miles for the Galant's interference engine. I did my first one at the dealership and a second one with an independent shop. After the first one, there was no difference in the car's sound/drive but the second one was much like you described...minus the stalling. The engine was noticeably rougher. I made a vow to always get the major engine work done by the dealership and currently get all my minor/major car repairs done at my Mazda dealership (01 Protege). I feel better doing this and you have more recourse should anything happen that was done by a certified dealership technician.

    I am currently in the market for a new/newer car and have decided against any new Mazdas. I am seriously considering another Galant...car is definitely safer than my current car, yet is still efficient, full of warranty and I know what to expect with a Mitsubishi engine. Mitsubishis are rather misunderstood since their looks are always a little removed from the look of many Hondas/Toyotas...but I like being "different" and for me personally, the insurance will be cheaper on a Galant than on an Accord or Camry.
  • suncolonysuncolony Member Posts: 2
    after your second timing belt replacement with the independent shop, did you go to a dealership and were they able to fix the problem or did it 'self-correct' as my independent is hoping for?
  • oskwioskwi Member Posts: 88
    I actually had the belt and water pump replaced right before I moved from Oshkosh, Wisconsin (hence my name oskwi) to Buffalo, New York...so I never had contact with the independent shop or dealership in Appleton, Wisconsin again. The car performed well on the highways, but was noticeably louder during stop and go traffic. When I got back to Buffalo, I sold the car to a neighbor and bought a new/used Mazda Protege. I did not want to take the Mitsubishi through another Buffalo winter at 185,000 miles. All I can tell you is that the car did not "self-correct" as you asked when I had it, but my neighbor had no problems with it in the almost three years they owned it and were able to drive over 200,000 miles.

    I have found over the years, that cars rarely "self-correct" after repair work. What you observe after a repair is most likely what you'll be forced to live with...this was the case with a Buick, a Chevy, a Mitsubishi and even the current Mazda I have.

    Hopefully, you can pursuade the independent mechanic to "fix" the problem...although I would be hesitant as he/she sounds unfamiliar with the nuances of a Japanese engine.

    Good luck.
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    The self-correction is actually the trans re-learning your driving habits so it can adjust it's shifting pattern to your driving style. Fuzzy logic was the term they used for it, IIRC. That shouldn't be related at all to a rougher running engine and under no circumstances should the engine be stalling.

    I had my dealer replace the timing belt and other belts at 60K. When I hit 120K in a couple of months I'll have them do the same and probably go ahead with the water pump as well.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • cenorbcenorb Member Posts: 1
    Hello all, my first post, hope it is in the right section.
    My 2001 Galant 4cyl ES w/88k has been great, very few problems, have maintained it according to the manual. Recently I've noticed a thump/squeak from rear left tire area when going over bumps. Any thoughts on most likely problem? Never been in an accident, shocks seem OK(no excessive bounce) pulled the tire off and yanked on SB and control arm nothing seemed loose or too worn. Bushings? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    On most cars, the AC runs whenever a defrost mode is selective. This is because the AC acts as a dehumidifier and thus can speed the clearing of fog from the windows.

    Easy way to test: With the car parked & idling, turn on AC normally. You should note the compressor kicking in as it will induce some drag on the engine. Turn the AC off and wait a minute or two. Now turn on the defrost. You should note the same engine drag.
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • lopesdopelopesdope Member Posts: 1
    I was wondering if anyone knew what was causing this problem. My 2002 Galant doesn't charge the battery while it runs. When I first turn it on it has almost full voltage, but as I leave it running, it will eventually go down and I'll loose all the electrical in my car, which shortly stalls the car. I just bought it at a used car lot, and I didn't want to waste hundreds of dollars on a shady mechanic. Does anyone know what is causing this?
  • metalmatmetalmat Member Posts: 1
    My GF drives a 2001 Mitsubishi Gallant and it is having some problems right now. I was wondering if any car experts could help me out on this one.

    1. Car has a hard time starting up, and sometimes will not and have to wait 5 minutes. I am thinking it is either the battery of the starter. The starter seems to barely turn and the car turns over slowly.

    2. Steering wheel shakes alot while driving, especially at high speeds.

    3. There is some sort of crazy electrical problem. The front left headlight always goes dim, even when replacing the light bulb. When she turns her car off and back on, the odometer always resets, and your have to always turn the cd player on and put the factory code in.

    4. The cigarette lighter and inside light does not work.

    5. Recently the cd player started to refuse working, when you turn it on it just says "off" on the display and turns itself back off.

    I will bring the battery to Autozone to get it checked out this afternoon, and will also check all the fuses. This car sucks
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    Battery failing, genertor failing, loose belt are the top three things I'd look at. Fourth would be something constantly on & draining the battery (light, fan, etc.).
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    1. Dunno, but could be related to 3.
    2. Check wheels/tires/alignment/warped brake rotors.
    3. Check ECM for error codes. Electrical problems are one of the worst things to hunt down.
    4. Check the fuse panel, or could be related to 3.
    5. Probably related to 3; it might not be getting adequate power.

    I'm hoping you only have 2 problems - the shaking & one electrical gremlin that's causing all of the rest.

    I think AutoZone will read your ECM for error codes for free or cheap; it doesn't hurt to ask or to discuss the issues with their shop manager.

    My 99 Galant LS V6 update:

    This morning I did the last oil change before 120K miles (116.7K). I've been thinking lately about trading it in, but I can't bring myself to do so. I will replace 2 tires in the next month, and spend a moderate price on the 120K service interval in 3 or so months, but otherwise everything on the car still works and I can't justify taking on a payment when there's no real reason to get rid of my Galant. So the plan for the moment is to keep the Galant for a while longer and hope in the mean time that the automakers start selling a midsized non-hybrid, non-diesel, non-premium gas sedan that can get 30+ city, 40+ highway mileage with 230+ HP. ;)
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
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