NHTSA Complaint #10233402 — 2003 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER

I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER TWICE IN 2006 ABOUT A "SQUEAK" THAT I HEARD FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHILE DRIVING. THE FIRST TIME A SERVICE TECH DROVE THE AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT COULDN'T HEAR ANYTHING. THE SECOND TIME...THE SAME AND YOUR SERVICE DEPARTMENT DID NOT CHECK IT OUT ON MY REQUEST. THE PROBLEM IS THAT I WASN'T SIMPLY THAT I WAS HEARING THINGS. AT THIS POINT, THE SQUEAK IS SO PRONOUNCED THAT IT CAN BE HEARD FROM THE INSIDE AND FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I FOLLOWED DUE DILIGENCE, SO TO SPEAK, AND SOUGHT HELP DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD, BUT WAS NOT HELPED NOR SATISFIED. ON A RECENT BRAKE INSPECTION AT SEARS, I WAS TOLD THAT THE SUSPENSION WAS THE CULPRIT. I SUSPECTED THIS ALL ALONG. TO DATE I HAVE AGAIN VISITED MY MITSUBISHI DEALER AND THEY HAVE ARRIVED AT A COST TO REPAIR AND REPLACE THE REAR UPPER CONTROL ARMS AND BOTH LOWER BUSHINGS. THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE TAKING CARE OF THIS A LONG TIME AGO RATHER THAN TELLING ME THAT THEY DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING. ON MY VISIT TODAY, I WAS TOLD THAT IT ISN'T REALLY A SAFETY ISSUE. IN MY VIEW, WHEN A VEHICLE SQUEAKS AS THOUGH SOMETHING IS COMING APART....IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. ON A RECENT BRAKE INSPECTION AT SEARS, I WAS TOLD THAT THE SUSPENSION WAS THE CULPRIT. I SUSPECTED THIS ALL ALONG. TO DATE I HAVE AGAIN VISITED MY MITSUBISHI DEALER AND THEY HAVE ARRIVED AT A COST TO REPAIR AND REPLACE THE REAR UPPER CONTROL ARMS AND BOTH LOWER BUSHINGS. THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE TAKING CARE OF THIS A LONG TIME AGO RATHER THAN TELLING ME THAT THEY DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING. ON MY VISIT TODAY, I WAS TOLD THAT IT ISN'T REALLY A SAFETY ISSUE. IN MY VIEW, WHEN A VEHICLE SQUEAKS AS THOUGH SOMETHING IS COMING APART....IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR