NHTSA Complaint #10178884 — 2002 MITSUBISHI LANCER

WHEN I PURCHASED MY CAR TWO YEARS AGO, I REALIZED THAT THE HEATER CONTROL KNOB IN MY CAR WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE. AFTER SPEAKING WITH MANY PEOPLE THAT OWN THE SAME VEHICLE AS MYSELF, I LEARNED THAT IN MANY CASES, THE KNOB TO THE CONTROL BREAKS, PREVENTING THE OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE TO SUCCESSFULLY CHANGE FROM COLD TO WARM. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE PRIMARILY DUE TO THE DIFFICULTY TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD OF FROST. THERE IS NOTHING BEING DONE BY THE MANUFACTURER TO ALLEVIATE THIS PROBLEM (SUCH AS A RECALL) AND MANY DEALERSHIPS ARE ATTEMPTING TO CHARGE AROUND $1000 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, I HAD BELIEVED THE PRIOR OWNER HAD SIMPLY CAUSED THE KNOB TO MALFUNCTION DUE TO MISTREATMENT; HOWEVER, THIS BELIEF HAD NO WAY OF BEING TESTED SINCE I HAD NEVER SPOKEN TO THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER TALKING WITH MANY OWNERS OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE, I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS A POTENTIAL SAFETY RISK FOR MANY PEOPLE, AND SHOULD PROMPTLY BE HANDLED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *NM