NHTSA Complaint #10191160 — 1999 MITSUBISHI GALANT

AM WRITING TO YOU BECAUSE MITSUBISHI MOTORS WAS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS PRODUCTS. ON AUGUST 27,1999 I PURCHASED THE BLACK GALANT. THIS WAS MY FIRST NEW CAR PURCHASED,, AND WHILE IT HAS REMAINED MECHANICALLY SOUND, FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS I HAVE WATCHED THE PAINT DISAPPEAR. I HAD SERVICE WORK PERFORMED AT SAM SWOPE MITSUBISHI. IN 2003 I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PAINT, AND WAS TOLD ONLY IF THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER THE 3 YEAR, 36,000 MILE WARRANT, AND OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS SERVICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES HAVE SEEN THE PAINT DISAPPEAR. I ASKED SEVERAL TIMES IF MITSUBISHI WAS REPAIRING THE PAINT, M AND WAS TOLD ONLY IF THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER THE 3 YEARS, 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. IN OCTOBER 2006 I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER AGAIN. THIS TIME PICTURES WERE TAKEN BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AND SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER. AFTER ABOUT TWO WEEKS THE RESPONSE THAT I RECEIVED FROM THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS THAT MITSUBISHI WOULD NOT PAY TO FIX THE PAINT BECAUSE THE CAR WAS TOO OLD, AND THAT NO OTHER COMPLAINTS MADE BY ME WERE FOUND. I COMPLAINED TO MITSUBISHI MOTOR CUSTOMER RELATIONS DEPARTMENT IN MAY OF 2005. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE EMPLOYEE I SPOKE WITH STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE PAINT WAS PROBABLY ENVIRONMENTAL, AND THAT BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OVER THE 3 YEAR, 36,000 MILE MARK THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. I COMPLAINED AGAIN IN DECEMBER 2006. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE EMPLOYEE STATED,THAT MY CAR WAS TOO OLD, AND THAT NOTHING WOULD BE DONE ABOUT THE PAINT. THE GALANT CAME TO THE DEALER WITH A CHROME PEN STRIPE. WHEN I PURCHASED THE GALANT I HAD THE PEN STRIPE REMOVED BY THE DEALER BECAUSE THE OUTER LAYER OF THE PEN STRIPE WAS PEALING OFF. THIS WAS PROOF THAT THERE WAS A FLAW IN THE MANUFACTURING/FINISHING PROCESS. THE PAINT AROUND WHERE THE PEN STRIP WAS LOCATED DISAPPEARED WHILE THE PAINT UNDER WHERE THE PEN STRIPE WAS INTACT AND IN GOOD SHAPE. *AK