NHTSA Complaint #10257538 — 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER

2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER OZ RALLY - HEATER CONTROL KNOB NOT PROPERLY WORKING. PURCHASED VEHICLE USED IN MARCH 2007, NOTICED CONTROL KNOB HARD TO TURN. TOOK INTO DEALERSHIP TO FIX A RECALL ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD & GASKETS, HAD THEM ALSO CHECK THE A/C TEMP KNOB BECAUSE IT WAS HARD TO TURN FROM HEAT TO COLD. WARRANTY DID NOT COVER, WAS STILL OPERABLE, SO DID NOT GET REPLACED. EVENTUALLY THE KNOB COMPLETELY BROKE OFF IN DECEMBER 2007, PAID TO REPLACE HEATER CONTROL ASSY #MN185137HB (LUCKILY WARRANTY COVERED PARTIAL - TOTAL COST 347.27, WARRANTY COVERED 247.27, PAID 100.00) AFTER KNOB WAS REPLACED THE HEATER WAS WORKING FINE. AGAIN,EVENTUALLY THE TEMP CONTROL KNOB WOULD NOT STAY ON HEAT, WOULD RETURN MIDWAY BETWEEN HOT & COLD. DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED REPLACING: HEATER BLEND DOOR (7801A360 - $80.22) & LINK & LEVER (7801A110 - $30.03), WITH AN ADDITIONAL 8 HOURS OF LABOR WOULD BE $850 + TAX. AFTER REVIEWING OTHER COMPLAINTS, I HAVE NOTICED MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, SPECIFICALLY DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO USE DEFROSTER. THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE REVIEWED. *TR