NHTSA Complaint #747188 — 1995 EAGLE TALON

THE CRANKSHAFT THRUST BEARING BECOMES SEVERLY WORN DUE TO A *KNOWN* DESIGN FLAW IN THE OILING SYSTEM (MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE DESIGN FLAW AS EVIDENCED BY THE TSB'S SENT TO ITS DEALERS REGARDING THE ISSUE). THIS WEAR EVENTUALLY CAUSES EXCESSIVE LATERAL PLAY IN THE CRANKSHAFT WHICH DAMAGES THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR MOUNTED EXTERNALLY TO THE ENGINE BLOCK (THIS FAILURE HAS BEEN KNOWN TO OCCUR AS EARLY AS 10,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER OR AS LATE AS 100,000 MILES). THIS WILL, WITHOUT WARNING, KILL THE ENGINE. ON AN EXPRESSWAY DOING 70MPH, IT'S A DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS TASK TO NEGOTIATE 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC DOING HALF THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT IN A CAR COASTING ON ITS OWN DEAD WEIGHT WITH NO POWER-ASSISTED BRAKES OR STEERING (I'VE HEARD OF MORE THAN ONE INSTANCE WHERE THE FAILURE CAUSED AN ENGINE FIRE). THIS PROBLEM ONLY AFFECTS THE *TURBO* ENGINE DESIGNATED "MITSUBISHI 4G63 2.0L TURBO" IN THE EAGLE TALON AND MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE MANUFACTURED DURING AND AFTER THE 1995 MODEL YEAR. I KNOW OF 3 OTHER TURBO TALON/ECLIPSE OWNERS IN THE OKLAHOMA CITY AREA ALONE THAT HAVE HAD THEIR CAR JUST *DIE* WHILE DRIVING. SOME HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM "FIXED" UNDER WARRANTY ONLY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RETURN AFTER THE WARRENTY HAD EXPIRED. THE FAILURE RATE IS PRETTY MUCH 100% AND *WILL* HAPPEN TO *EVERY* 4G63 EQUIPPED TALON AND ECLIPSE MADE DURING AND AFTER THE 1995 MODEL YEAR EVENTUALLY. UNFORTUNATLY, THE NUMBER OF TALON'S AND ECLIPSE'S ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED WITH THE OPTIONAL TURBO ENGINE IS A TENTH THE NUMBER EQUIPPED WITH THE BASE MODEL ENGINE MANUFACTURED BY DAIMLER CHRYSLER WHICH DOES NOT EXHIBIT THIS PROBLEM. THAT, ALONG WITH THE UNREPORTED WARRENTY REPAIRS, FALSE ACCUSATIONS BY DEALERS THAT OWNERS HAVE "NEGLECTED" THEIR VEHICLES, AND SEEMINGLY WIDE VARIATION ON THE MILEAGE THAT IS ACCRUED BEFORE THE FAILURE OCCURS HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO PROVE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD, IS A DESIGN FLAW, AND POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.