NHTSA Complaint #10235947 — 2001 DODGE STRATUS COUPE

I AM WRITING ON BEHALF OF THE ISSUE CONCERNING SAFETY AND RELIABILITY OF MITSUBISHI/DODGE VEHICLES CONTAINING THE F4A51 AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE (2000-05 ECLIPSE, 2001-05 STRATUS RT, 1997-2003 V6 GALANT) THE MAIN ISSUE SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE WAVE/CUSHION SPRING LOCATED IN THE TRANSMISSION. MITSUBISHI HAS DESIGNED THE WAVE SPRING AS A FRAGILE TWO COIL PIECE WHICH HAS BEEN KNOWN TO REPEATEDLY BREAK CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IN TURN POSES A THREAT ON THE DRIVER/PASSENGERS AS WHEN THIS WAVE SPRING BREAKS, ACTUAL PIECES OF THE SPRING MAKE IT THROUGH MITSUBISHI'S ALSO FAULTY TRANSMISSION FILTER AND LODGE THEMSELVES IN THE PUMP GEAR, CAUSING THE GEAR TO BREAK. WHEN BROKEN, ALL FORWARD AND REVERSE GEARS IMMEDIATELY STOP FUNCTIONING AND IN MOST INSTANCES THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. THIS COULD RESULT IN POTENTIAL HARM OR EVEN DEATH OF THE DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGER AS THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL MOVING POWER WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WITH OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. MITSUBISHI HAS RECENTLY CREATED AN UPDATED VERSION OF THE WAVE SPRING WITHOUT ISSUING A RECALL, A NOW ONE PIECE DESIGN INSTEAD OF A COIL SETUP WHICH IS PRONE TO BREAKING. TO MANY MITSUBISHI/DODGE OWNERS THIS UPDATE WAS DISCOVERED AFTER THEY HAVE HAD THEIR VEHICLE IN A TRANSMISSION SHOP WITH A HEFTY BILL TO PAY EVEN THOUGH IT WAS MITSUBISHI'S FAULT FOR ENGINEERING A FAULTY PART. ALL ONE PERSON WOULD NEED TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS ISSUE IS SEARCH THE INTERNET WITH THE TRANSMISSION CODE F4A51 AND THIS ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED, EVEN RESEARCHED BY TRANSMISSION DIGEST. NOT ONLY IS THIS A LARGE INCONVENIENCE TO MOST, IT IS ALSO A HAZARD TO ONES LIFE. MITSUBISHI SHOULD RECALL ALL VEHICLES CONTAINING THE F4A51 TRANSMISSION TO PERFORM THE WAVE SPRING AND FILTER UPDATE OR REIMBURSE THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD IT DONE AT THEIR COST. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS IF YOU OWN A VEHICLE WITH THE F4A51 YOUR VEHICLE WILL EVENTUALLY NEED THIS REPAIR, IF YOU ARE STILL AROUND TO DO IT. *TR