NHTSA Complaint #10449247 — 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER

THE DEFROST/AIR CONDITIONER/HEAT CONTROL SWITCH HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY FROM DAY ONE. IT IS A FIGHT FOR HOURS TO GET THE CONTROL TO TURN. WAS TOLD IN 2003 THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD WORK ITSELF OUT WITH USE IN DUE TIME, IT NEVER DID. NOW THE SWITCH IS STUCK BETWEEN THE HEAT AND THE AIR CONDITIONING MARK AND I CANNOT GET IT TO TURN TO EITHER. I CALLED THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST AROUND $1,400.00 TO FIX THE MANUFACTURING DEFECT. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED IN 2005 CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM, BUT, THE DEALER WAS NOT OBLIGATED , ACCORDING TO THEM, TO CHECK EACH CAR IT COVERED FOR THE PROBLEM. I FEEL NHTSA SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL CONCERNING THIS DEFECT, BECAUSE IF ONE CANNOT USE THEIR DEFROSTER WHILE DRIVING WHEN NEEDED, THEN IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM IF THEY CANNOT SEE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD! *TR