NHTSA Complaint #10078606 — 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION

1. THIS CAR IS COMPLETELY STOCK AND DRIVEN BY AN ADULT WHO DOES NOT RACE OR ABUSE ANY OF THE CARS MECHANICAL SYSTEMS. 2. THE ISSUE I HAVE IS WITH A OBD-II 'ENGINE WARNING' CODE CELL 0300 I REPEATEDLY GET WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I EXPERIENCE THIS WARNING UP TO 5 TIMES A DAY DURING MY 20 MILE FREEWAY COMMUTE. THE CEL WARNING COMES ON MOST OFTEN DURING VERY LIGHT ACCELERATION INPUTS (5-15% THROTTLE) WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN SPEED WITH THE OTHER TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD. WHILE GENTLY TOUCHING THE THROTTLE, THERE IS A SUDDEN AND VIOLENT ENGINE MISFIRING THAT SLOWS THE CAR DOWN CONSIDERABLY. THIS MAKES ME A SAFETY HAZARD ON THE STREETS BECAUSE THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE AGAIN UNTIL I LET OFF THE THROTTLE COMPLETELY THEN JAB IT VIOLENTLY (50% OR MORE THROTTLE). THIS ERROR REPEATS EACH TIME I USE GENTLE THROTTLE INPUTS ON THE FREEWAY. AS A RESULT, I DRIVE AROUND WITH MY "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT LIT ALMOST 100% OF THE TIME. IN THE STATE OF CA, IF YOUR ENGINE LIGHT IS ON WHEN YOU GO FOR YOUR ANNUAL SMOG/EMISSIONS TEST, YOU ARE INSTANTLY FAILED! MY CAR WOULD FAIL AN EMISSIONS TEST IN THIS STATE BECAUSE THE EQUIPMENT IS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. 3. I APPROACHED THE DEALER WITH THIS ISSUE. THEY REPLACED THE COIL PACKS AND THE SPARK PLUGS TO SEE IF THAT WOULD FIX THINGS. AND WHILE THEY WERE VERY CORDIAL ABOUT FINDING THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM, AND FIXING IT UNDER WARRANTY, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIX MY CAR. THEY ALSO DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING THE ECU TO THROW THIS ERROR CODE. SO I AM CURRENTLY DRIVING A 1 YEAR OLD CAR THAT IS STILL SHUDDERING VIOLENTLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CREATING A ROLLING ROADBLOCK WHEN SHUDDERING, AND IS AN INSTANT FAIL WHEN IT COMES TIME TO DO A SMOG CHECK. THIS PROBLEM OBVIOUSLY EFFECTS THE SAFETY OF MY VEHICLE AND THE RESALE VALUE OF MY VEHICLE AND NEEDS TO ADDRESSED RIGHT AWAY.*AK