NHTSA Complaint #10025249 — 2003 MITSUBISHI GALANT

I HAVE A '03 MITSUBISHI GALANT (AUTOMATIC) WHICH NOW HAS APPROX 8000 MILES. AT APPROX. 4500 MILES THE VEHICLE BEGAN HESITATING UPON HARD ACCELERATION, SUCH AS WHEN ENTERING A FREEWAY. THE VEHICLE ALSO HESITATES WHILE DRIVING IN "STOP AND GO" TRAFFIC, SUCH AS WHAT IS DONE WITH IN-TOWN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. AT FIRST I BELIEVED I HAD FILLED THE GAS TANK WITH BAD GASOLINE. THE VEHICLE ACTED LIKE IT HAD A CLOGGED FUEL FILTER/LINE. I CONTINUED DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHILE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. A WARNING LIGHT FINALLY CAME ON AND I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT ON 6/9/03. I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR APPROX 3 WEEKS TO MAKE THE REPAIRS. DIAGNOSIS: INTERNAL TRANS FAILURE UPON INSPECTION FOURND 4TH GEAR CLUTCH PAST CLEARANCE OUT OF SPEC AND CLUTCHES BURNED. REPLACED 4TH GEAR CLUTCHES AND RESET SNAP RING CLEARANCE. INSP 2ND BRAKE PISTON AND REPLACED O-RINGS. REMOVED VALVE BODY. INSP AND FOUND CHECK BALL WEARING THROUGH SEPARATOR PLATE. REPLACED VALVE BODY SEPARATOR PLATE. REPLACE SEAL FROM VALVE BODY TO 2ND BRAKE. I PICKED UP MY VEHICLE 6/27/03. AFTER DRIVING FOR ONE DAY, I AM EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. WHEN TRYING TO GET ONTO A FREEWAY AND/OR MANUEVERING THROUGH IN TOWN TRAFFIC, THIS VEHICLE IS POSING A HAZARD FOR MYSELF AND/OR OTHER DRIVERS. I WILL RETURN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AS SOON AS I DETERMINE WHAT MY OPTIONS ARE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR TO LET ME KNOW IF I NEED TO REPORT THIS TO ANOTHER AGENCY. THANKS. *AK