NHTSA Complaint #702689 — 1993 MITSUBISHI EXPO

IN AUGUST 1998, MY WIFE GOT IN HER VEHICLE TO START AND WARM UP HER ENGINE PRIOR TO DEPARTING FOR WORK. WHEN SHE TURN OFF IGNITION HER MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE REMAINED IN THE FORWARD POSITION. APPARENTLY, THE MOTOR FOR RETRACTING THE SHOULDER BELT RAN IN REVERSE., INSTEAD OF PULLING OR PLACING TENSION ON THE CABLE TO RETRACT, THE CABLE WAS COMPRESSED. WITH THE SYSTEM ALREADY IN THE FORWARD POSITION, THE CABLE WAS FORCED OUT OF ITS TRACK. WHEN LOOKED AT BY LOCAL DEALER, THE SHOP MANAGER THOUGHT THIS MAY FALL UNDER A RECALL NOTICE (SR-97-002). WE HADN'T RECEIVED A NOTICE AND WEREN'T SURE WHAT HE WAS REFERRING TO. THE REGIONAL MANAGER HAPPENED TO BE IN TOWN WHEN WE TOOK OUR MINI VAN IN. HE LOOKED AT THE FAILURE AND DENIED THE FAILURE AS BEING ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL. HIS REASONING WAS THAT THE MOTOR FAILED. OUR COST FOR REPAIRS WOULD BE $700. ON NOVEMBER 30, 1998 WE RECEIVED A SECOND NOTICE OF RECALL. WHEN READING THE NOTICE I FELT THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN ERROR IN THE FIRST DECISION MADE BY THE REGIONAL MANAGER. I QUESTIONED PERFORMANCE MOTORS ABOUT THE MALFUNCTIONING SWITCH. MY BELT FAILED IN THE FORWARD POSITION. WAS THERE POTENTIAL FOR A SHORT OR MALFUNCTION IN THE RECALL SWITCH TO CAUSE THE DAMAGE WE EXPIERENCED? THEY COULDN'T TELL ME WHAT TESTS WERE CONDUCTED TO GENERATE THEIR CONCLUSSIONS. ON JANUARY 5, 1999, I CALLED MITSUBISHI CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT FILE REFERENCE #245316. AFTER DESCRIBING MY SITUATION, CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT, ALEX, THOUGHT MY VEHICLE WARRANTED ANOTHER LOOK. ON JANUARY 9, 1999 AT 8:00AM I ARRIVED FOR MY APPOINTMENT. THE REGIONAL MANAGER HAD ALREADY CONTACTED THE DEALER AND DENIED ANY CLAIM. I ASKED IF ANYONE HAD LOOKED AT MY DOOR SWITCHES AS PER THE RECALL? THEY HAVE NO RECORD. JANUARY 19TH, CALLED CORPORATE OFFICE AGAIN. ASKED WHY MY SWITCHES HAVE NOT BEEN LOOKED AT. CORPORATE WAS TO GET BACK WITH ME BY THE 21ST. TO DATE, I'VE HEARD NOTHING, I HAVE A RECALL NOTICE & A FAILURE, THERE'S BEEN NO INSPECTION. *AK