NHTSA Complaint #10245358 — 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCER

PAINT ON THE SIDES OF THE CAR HAS THOUSANDS OF ROCK CHIPS AT ONLY 9000 MILES. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN THROUGH GRAVEL AND HAS NOT BEEN SUBJECTED TO EXTREME ROAD CONDITIONS. I FIRST NOTICED THE DAMAGE OCCURRING AT ABOUT 5000 MILES AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT HE AGREED THAT IT SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING AND THOUGHT IT WAS A DEFECT IN THE PAINT. THEY CONTACTED MITSU USA AND WERE TOLD THAT THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE FOR ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION. FURTHER INVESTIGATION HAS REVEALED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE GTS MODELS AND IS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW. BECAUSE THE CAR IS WIDER AT THE REAR THAN THE FRONT AND NO ROCK DEFLECTORS WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE DESIGN, THE REAR OF THE CAR IS LITERALLY GETTING SAND BLASTED BY THE FRONT TIRES. THE ONLY RECOURSE I WAS OFFERED WAS TO HAVE THE CAR REPAINTED AT MY OWN EXPENSE WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WOULD NOT REOCCUR. MITSUBISHI NEEDS TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS PROBLEM, REPAIR THE DAMAGED AREAS AND INSTALL ROCK DEFLECTORS AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. *TR