NHTSA Complaint #10209806 — 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER

MY STEERING COLUMN WAS SLIGHTLY LOOSE, BUT A MECHANIC ASSURED ME THERE NO PROBLEM. ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER, THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN FELL INTO MY LAP AS I ATTEMPTED TO INSERT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION. I WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE COLUMN BACK INTO PLACE AND GET THE CAR ACROSS THE STREET TO A MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND HAD TOO MANY MILES. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A WARRANTY ISSUE AND TOLD THE PERSON AT THE DEALERSHIP MY BELIEF. I ALSO ADVISED HIM THAT I HAD HAD CARS THAT WERE TOTALED OUT IN ACCIDENTS AND THE STEERING MECHANISM NEVER FELL OUT. IN ADDITION, I HAD ONE CAR THAT I PUT CLOSE TO 200,000 MILES ON IT, BUT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN FALLING OUT. I CONTACTED MITSUBISHI AND GOT THE SAME RESPONSE REGARDING WEAR AND TEAR AND THE OUT OR WARRANTY SITUATION. *TR