NHTSA Complaint #10453739 — 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION

THE HEATER CONTROL KNOB (HOT/COLD ADJUST) WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THIS WAS NOTED TO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR. IN ADDITION, THE MAGAZINE, MOTORTREND, IDENTIFIED THIS ISSUE IN ITS REVIEW OF EVO VS STI. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE PART WAS KNOWN TO SOMETIMES STICK BUT WOULD BE FINE. ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO, 12/4/11, THE KNOB COMPLETELY BROKE OFF. THE ISSUE WAS COVERED BY A TSB, HOWEVER, THE DEALER DID NOT STATE THAT THE ISSUE WAS KNOWN TO HAVE A FIX. THIS IS A COMMON CAUSE FAILURE FOR ALL 03 LANCERS AND OUTBACKS. THE MANUFACTURE HAS CHOSEN NOT TO ISSUE A RECALL, BUT IS CURRENTLY WAITING UNTIL THE PART COMPLETELY FAILS AND HOPES IT HAPPENS AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRES SO IT WILL BE COVERED BY THE CUSTOMER. THIS ISSUE CAUSES 2 PROBLEMS. ONE, IF IT IS SELECTED TO COLD, YOU CANNOT DEFROST THE WINDOW UNLESS YOU REACH UNDER THE DASHBOARD TO ADJUST TEMPERATURE, OR, US A PAIR OF PLIERS TO ADJUST THE DIAL, AND THUS CREATING A SIGNIFICANT DRIVING HAZARD. TWO, FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT THE KNOB HAS NOT BROKEN OFF, IT CREATES A HAZARD BY FOCUSING THE DRIVERS ATTENTION MORE ON CLIMATE CONTROL AND NOT ON THE ROAD. THE TSB THAT WAS ISSUED DOES FIX THE PROBLEM BUT SO FAR, MITSUBISHI WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL ON THEIR DEFECTIVE PART NOR INFORM THEIR CUSTOMERS IF A FIX FOR A PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED ISSUE BECOMES AVAILABLE. *TR