NHTSA Complaint #10197650 — 2003 MITSUBISHI GALANT

I HAVE A 2003 MITSUBISHI GALANT PURCHASED NEW WITH 12 MILES. I HAVE KEPT UP MAINTENANCE ON MY CAR AND HAVE A MANUFACTURER AND EXTENDED WARRANTY (BOUGHT FROM THE DEALER) BOTH COVERING MY CAR UP TO 100,00 MILES. MY CAR HAS 91,000 MILES. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND NOTICED THAT MY FOOT WAS ON THE GAS PEDAL BUT THE CAR WAS SLOWING DOWN. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN EXITING THE FREEWAY TO THE RIGHT TO ATLEAST TRY TO REACH THE EMERGENCY LANE BEFORE THE CAR DIED ON THE FREEWAY. WHILE GETTING OVER SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT THE HOOD ENTERING THE CAR THROUGH THE AIR VENTS, BY THE TIME I CROSSED 4 LANES; MY CAR LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BLOW UP. I JUMPED OUT THE CAR DUE TO FEAR ONCE I WAS ABLE TO DRIFT TO THE SIDE. I HAD IT TOWED TO AN AUTO MECHANIC SHOP WHERE THEY TOLD ME MY ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION WERE BLOWN. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO A MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS AND WAS INFORMED (AFTER A WEEK OF GETTING THE RUN AROUND FROM MITSUBISHI, THE DEALER, AND THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY) THAT NONE OF THE MAINTENANCE WOULD BE COVERED. SO, I THE CONSUMER HAVE TO PAY AN OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE OF $3500. I WAS TOLD BY MITSUBISHI THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE RADIATOR, (TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS STUCK) WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION TO GO OUT AND SINCE THE RADIATOR IS NOT COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER OR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THEN NONE OF THE REPAIRS WERE COVERED. IT TOOK THE DEALER 2 WEEKS TO START WORK ON MY CAR. *TR