NHTSA Complaint #10161340 — 1993 MITSUBISHI 3000GT

I HAVE A 1993 MITSUBISHI 300 GT VR4. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE (PURCHASED 2001) THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE POWER TRAIN. AFTER BEING NOTIFIED I TOOK THE CAR TO BE SERVICE ON THE TRANSFER CASE AT CARMAX MITSUBISHI IN STERLING, VA. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR IT SEEMED TO BE WORKING PROPERLY BUT SHORTLY AFTER STARTED TO HAVE A PROBLEM AGAIN WITH THE TRANSFER GEARS IT WAS MAKING GRINDING NOISES WHILE SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND OR WHILE GOING IN REVERSE, ALSO THERE WAS A CLUNKING NOISE WHILE REVERSING, THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE REAR WHEELS HAS ALL THE SYMPTOMS THAT WERE THERE BEFORE IT WAS TAKEN TO BE SERVICE FOR THE RECALL. THE DEALER THAT SERVICED MY CAR AT THE TIME (7-25-03) ADDED A NOTE ON THE SERVICE SLIP STATING THAT THE TRANSFER CASE SPINDS WERE WORN OUT AND NEEDED IT TO BE REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER DEALER AND THEY SAID THE SAME BUT THEY COULD NOT HELP ME BECAUSE THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED ON MY CAR WHICH ONLY INCLUDED ADDING TRANSMISSION OIL TO THE CASE A $130.00 SERVICE. MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY GARAGE FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS WITH ONLY 72,000. AS MANY OWNER'S MY OPINION THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT DESIGNED TO HANDLE THE HORSE POWER, AND IT IS A CORPORATE DECISION TO REPLACE RATHER THAN FIX THE ORIGINAL UNIT AT AN UNREASONABLE COST. MANY HAVE REPLACED TRANSMISSION UNITS MORE THAN ONCE WHICH GIVES A GOOD INDICATION OF THE INADEQUACY. HERE IS THE RECALL NUMBER. WHAT SHOULD I DO? NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V143001 COMPONENT: POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE) DETAILS: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A CONDITION EXISTS THAT ALLOWS OIL TO LEAK FROM THE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE TRANSFER CASE. CONSEQUENCE: LOW OIL LEVELS IN THE TRANSFER CASE COULD CAUSE BEARING DAMAGE AND RESULT IN DRIVE TRAIN LOCKUP, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. CORRECTIVE ACTION: A PROPOSED REMEDY AND OWNER NOTIFICATION SCHEDULE HAS NOT YET BEEN PROVIDED. *JB