NHTSA Complaint #10188825 — 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER

WHEN I FIRST GOT THE LANCER IN 2003 ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I NOTICED WAS THAT THE KNOB FOR THE AIR AND HEAT WAS REALLY DIFFICULT TO TURN. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS "JUST A LITTLE STICKY" AND IF I KEPT TURNING IT, IT WOULD WORK ITSELF OUT AND BE FINE. I AVOIDED USING IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT NEVER GOT BETTER. A YEAR OR SO LATER I HAD TO TAKE MY VEHICLE IN FOR A FACTORY RECALL AND DURING THAT VISIT I ONCE AGAIN ASKED ABOUT THE KNOB. THE TECH LOOKED UNDER THE PANEL AND SAID IT WAS JUST STICKING A BIT AND PUT SOME GREASE ON THE GEARS AND SAID TO JUST WORK IT, TURNING IT BACK AND FORTH, AND IT WOULD WORK ITSELF OUT. IT WAS FINE FOR A COUPLE DAYS BUT WENT BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS SHORTLY THERE AFTER. FINALLY, A FEW WEEKS AGO, WHILE ON MY WAY TO THE AIRPORT TO PICK UP A FRIEND, I WENT TO TURN THE HEAT ON AND THE KNOB JUST SNAPPED OFF. THIS TIME WHEN I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME SINCE THE ROD THAT CONNECTS THE KNOB TO THE GEARS INSIDE WAS WHAT SNAPPED IT WOULD BE ABOUT $500-$600 TO REPAIR. HE EVEN ASKED WHY I NEVER HAD IT LOOKED AT AND FIXED BEFORE IT SNAPPED OFF. I TOLD HIM I DID NUMEROUS TIMES AND WAS BLOWN OFF EACH TIME. BUT NOW THAT IT IS AN ACTUAL PROBLEM THEY ARE WILLING TO FIX IT, FOR A FEE OF COURSE. UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH I REALIZED THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR LANCERS AND HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS TRYING TO GET IT FIXED. THIS IS CAUSE FOR COMPLAINT, THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO FIX IT WHEN I MENTIONED THE PROBLEM NUMEROUS TIMES WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. NOW THIS HAS TURNED INTO A COSTLY PROBLEM THAT I BELIEVE IS A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLES. *TR