2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER Visibility Problems

A/C HEATER NOB BROKE OFF AFTER SWITCHING IT FROM COLD TO HEAT. *TR

I HAVE TWO ISSUES WHICH SEEM TO HAVE BOTH ALREADY BEEN REPORTED. 1. WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION WILL IDLE HIGH WHILE DRIVING, BUT THE VEHICLE IS NOT SPEEDING UP. THEN WITHOUT WARNING THE TRANSMISSION CATCHES, AND THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD. THIS IS A RANDOM ISSUE THAT HAPPENS DAILY WITH THE VEHICLE. SERVICING THE TRANSMISSION HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM AND CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM TO THIS DAY. 2.THE HEATER/AC CONTROL KNOW BECAME VERY DIFFICULTY TO CHANGE BETWEEN HEATER AND A/C. THE SWITCH HAS FINALLY BROKE OFF, AND NOW I'M UNABLE TO SWITCH BETWEEN HEATER AND A/C. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND THIS ALSO SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. I HAVE FOUND MOST OTHER AUTO OWNERS HAVE PAID FOR THE REPLACEMENT, BUT ONLY TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM OCCUR AGAIN. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON BOTH OF THESE ISSUES AND IS HAS BEEN REPORTED AS...

AS WITH SO MANY OTHER LANCERS NOTED HERE, MY WIFE'S 2003 LANCER'S TEMP CONTROL KNOB HAS BROKEN. OVER A PERIOD OF A FEW YEARS THE KNOB CONTINUALLY GOT HARDER TO TURN AND RECENTLY JUST BROKE OFF. I ALSO GAVE HER A PAIR OF NEEDLE-NOSE PLIERS TO TURN THE PLASTIC NUB THAT IS LEFT, ALTHOUGH I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THIS WILL WORK AS EACH TIME SHE DOES IT WEARS DOWN THE PLASTIC SOME. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A WIDE-SPREAD PROBLEM AND NOT JUST A NUISANCE, AS MY WIFE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO DEFROST HER WINDOWS AS NEEDED FOR VISIBILITY. SHAME ON MITSUBISHI FOR NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE ISSUE, LET ALONE FOR NOT FIXING IT. *TR

THE HEATING/COOLING KNOB HAS BEEN HARD TO TURN SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. IT WOULD HAVE TO BE FORCED TO SWITCH FROM WARM TO COOL. EVENTUALLY THE KNOB BROKE OFF. MITSUBISHI WAS CONTACTED AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED BUT SINCE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT. THE CABLE WAS REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT SOLVED, IT WAS STILL JUST AS HARD TO TURN. APPROX 1 1/2 YEARS LATER THE KNOB BROKE OFF AGAIN RESULTING IN NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL TEMPERATURE AND ENGAGE THE DEFROSTER. *TR

2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER: THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB BROKE OFF ITS SHAFT, AFTER OVER TWO YEARS OF THE CONTROL BEING SO DIFFICULT TO TURN THAT IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCOMLISH. THE WIRE RUNNING FROM THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL (KNOB) TO THE VENT FLAP THAT CONTROLS HEAT/COLD BENT AS WELL, LEAVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT A WAY TO CHANGE THE TEMPERATURE (STUCK IN COLD POSITION NOW). THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AS I AM UNABLE TO DEFROST/CLEAR MY WINDSHIELD WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE, WHICH RESULTS IN CONTINUOUS POOR DRIVING VISIBILITY. *TR

MY DAUGHTER'S 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER ES NO LONGER PROVIDES HEAT. AS IN MANY OTHER CASES, THE KNOB HAS BROKEN OFF!! WHY IS THIS NOT THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL? SHE HAS NO HEAT, IT'S WINTER, AND SHE HAS NO MEANS TO DEFROST HER WINDSHIELD. FOR A WHILE SHE WAS ABLE TO TURN THE MECHANISM USING NEEDLE-NOSED PLIERS. NOW, EVEN THAT DOESN'T WORK AND SHE HAS NO HEAT, NO MEANS TO DEFROST HER WINDSHIELD AND WINDOWS RELIABLY, AND THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. EVENTUALLY, THE CONTROL KNOB BROKE AWAY FROM THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR BENEATH, AND NOW THE TEMPERATURE CANNOT BE CHANGED. A SHORT INTERNET SEARCH HAS SHOWN THIS TO BE SUBJECT OF A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ISSUED IN 2004. *TR

MITSUBISHI 2003 HEATING KNOB IS NOT WORKING.. *TR

AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING KNOB WAS HARD TO TURN, UNTIL IT FINALLY BROKE COMPLETELY OFF. NOW I HAVE NO HEAT IN MY VEHICLE AND IT VISUALLY IMPAIRS MY DRIVING WHEN IT IS COLD AND FROSTS UP. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING I CAN DO, EXCEPT TRY TO DRIVE THROUGH IT. *TR

MY 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER HEATER KNOB BROKE OFF AND I AM UNABLE TO GET THE DEFROSTER TO WORK. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM AS THIS IS A MATERIAL DEFECT IN HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF LANCER AUTOMOBILES. PLEASE HELP FORCE MITSUBISHI TO RECALL AND FIX THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. *TR

2003 LANCER - HEATER-A/C CONTROL KNOB BROKE AND CANNOT ADJUST TEMPERATURE. THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD PROMPT A RECALL BY MITSUBISHI - WHY HAS THIS NOT HAPPENED BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS LISTED ON THIS SITE? SHOULD THIS BE FORWARDED TO SOME CONSUMER GROUP OR THE NTSB TO INVESTIGATE? *TR

THE HEAT/AC KNOB IN MY 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER WILL NOT TURN. IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR YEARS, BUT FOR FALL/WINTER 2009 I HAD TO HAVE A MECHANIC CRAWL UNDER THE DASH AND FORCE IT WITH PLIERS, THEN I LEFT IT THAT WAY ALL WINTER. NOT VERY SAFE OR CONVENIENT. I'M LOOKING AT A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR FROM MITSUBISHI WHICH THEY SHOULD PAY FOR. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, YOU CAN'T DEFROST YOUR WINDOWS WITHOUT HEAT, NOR SHOULD YOU HAVE TO USE SUCH LOUSY EQUIPMENT. MITSUBISHI NEEDS TO STEP UP AND ISSUE A RECALL, I'VE SEEN THIS COMPLAINT ALL OVER THE INTERNET. *TR

SINCE THE DAY I PURCHASED THE CAR,THE KNOB FOR THE AC/ HEATER WAS HARD TO TURN. THEN ABOUT 2YRS AGO I CANT TURN IT WITHOUT THE CAR BEING PARKED. IT TOOK ALL MY STRENGTH TO TURN. MOST OF THE TIME I WOULDN'T USE MY HEAT. THEN ONE NIGHT MY WINDSHIELD WAS FOGGED UP. I TRIED DRIVING WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN. BUT I HAD TO STOP TO TURN THE HEAT ON FOR THE DEFROSTER.DRIVING ACROSS A BRIDGE WITH FOGGED UP WINDOWS IS SCARY. WHEN I TURNED THE KNOB IT BROKE OFF. I HAVE TRIED TO GET USED PARTS FOR IT BUT IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THESE CARS. AND THE DEALERS WHAT BETWEEN $700 AND $900 TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITH THEIR CARS. *TR

I'D BEEN HAVING DIFFICULTY TURNING THE TEMPERATURE KNOB ON MY 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER FOR A WHILE. THEN, IT BROKE OFF. I FOUND OUT THAT MITSUBISHI IS "AWARE OF THE PROBLEM", EVEN MAKING A REPAIR KIT, BUT THEY HAVEN'T ISSUED A RECALL, & IT COST ME $888 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED!!!!! A KNOB!!!!!! I THINK MITSUBISHI SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR SHODDY WORKMANSHIP & ISSUE A RECALL. *TR

THE TEMPERATURE KNOB WILL NOT TURN FROM COOL TO HEAT RESULTING IN THE FAILURE TO HEAT THE WINDSHIELD. IN TURN, ANY FROST, ICE, OR FOG WILL NOT BE REMOVED AND HINDERS VISION. *TR

SINCE WE PURCHASED THE CAR WE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING; BUT TOLD THAT THE KNOBS ARE A LITTLE HARD TO TURN AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THE CONTROLS FINALLY BECAME INOPERABLE; WHICH PUTS OUR SAFETY AT RISK. HVAC CONTROLS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED WITH A MECHANICAL FLAW WHICH MAKES THE DEFROSTING, HEATING, AND AC COMPONENTS DIFFICULT TO OPERATE AND EVENTUALLY BECOME INOPERABLE. TSB 055-003 HAS BEEN ISSUED PUTTING THE REPAIR ON THE CONSUMER FOR A DESIGN FLAW WHICH PUT MOTORIST AT RISK ESPECIALLY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. *TR

2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER. TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY. I CAN'T TURN THE HEAT ON. WHEN I TURN THE KNOB FROM COLD TO HOT THERE IS A LOT OF TENSION AND I'VE ALREADY BROKEN ONE KNOB TRYING TO FORCE IT TO TURN THE HEATER ON WHEN IT'S COLD OUT. THE ONLY WAY TO TURN THE HEAT ON IS TO LOOK FOR A LEVER TO THE RIGHT OF THE GAS PEDAL AND MANUALLY TURN THE HEAT ON. THIS IS NOT SAFE WHILE DRIVING. ALSO, THE WINDSHIELD WON'T DEFROST IF THE HEATER ISN'T ON. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR AND HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. I HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

TEMPERATURE KNOB OF MITSUBISHI LANCER DOESN'T GO TOWARDS HEATING. *TR

UNABLE TO TURN TEMP CONTROL SWITCH FROM HEAT TO A/C. UNABLE TO DEFROST WINDOWS. MITSUBISHI QUOTED $1200 TO FIX. HAVE HAD TO PULL CAR OFF THE ROAD TO WIPE DOWN WINDOWS BECAUSE THE WINDOWS HAVE FOGGED UP WHILE DRIVING AND THERE IS NO WAY TO TURN DIAL WITHOUT CRAWLING UNDER THE DASH AND MANUALLY PULLING IT FROM A/C TO HEAT. *TR

2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER PURCHASED IN FALL OF 2003, AC/HEATER CONTROL KNOB WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN & EVENTUALLY BROKE OFF. SINCE THE UNIT IS NOW STUCK ON A/C THE DEFOGGING SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY MAKING IT HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN WINTER MONTHS. I FIND THE INOPERABLE OF THE AC/HEATER CONTROL KNOB TO BE A LIFE THREATENING RISK. WILL A LIFE HAVE TO BE LOST BEFORE A RECALL IS CONSIDERED? HOW MANY MORE COMPLAINTS WILL GO UNHEARD? THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO FORK UP $900-1200 FOR A TEMPORARY FIX TO ONLY HAVE THE ISSUE REOCCUR. *TR

WE HAVE A 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER AND THE HOT/COLD SWITCH BROKE OFF. IN TRYING TO RESEARCH THIS, I FOUND 100'S OF ONLINE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED WEBSITE HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2003/MITSUBISHI/LANCER. IT IS ALSO NOT POSSIBLE TO GET THE WINDOWS TO DEFROST IN THE VEHICLE DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. THAT IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. THE COMPANY SHOULD BE DOING A RECALL FIX ON THESE... *TR

2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER OZ RALLEY . THE HEATER HOT AND COLD SELECTOR WILL NOT SWITCH FROM HOT TO COLD. YOU HAVE TO REACH UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE DASH AND MOVE IT FROM HOT TO COLD. IF NOT THE SELECTOR SWITCH WILL BREAK. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED IT ONCE. NO SOLUTION IN SIGHT. BY THE WAY I AM A MECHANIC BY TRADE WITH 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. ALSO THE PLUG COMING OFF THE DASH HARNESS HAS SEEMED TO HAVE GOTTEN HOT AND AS A RESULT THE PLASTIC IS DETERIORATING ALLOWING A SHORT BETWEEN THE WIRES. WHICH IN TURN CAUSES THE FUSE FOR THE HEATER CONTROL LIGHTS AS WELL AS THE RIGHT FRONT AND REAR MARKER LIGHTS TO BURN OUT. *TR

WE HAVE A 2003 MITSUBISHI LANCER AND THE HOT/COLD SWITCH BROKE OFF. IN TRYING TO RESEARCH THIS, I LITERALLY FOUND 100'S OF ONLINE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. WE LIVE IN MN, AND IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO GET THE WINDOWS TO DEFROST IN THE VEHICLE DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. THAT IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. THE COMPANY SHOULD BE DOING A RECALL FIX ON THESE...SINCE GETTING IT FIXED DOESN'T FIX THE PROBLEM AT ALL, THE SWITCH BEHAVES THE SAME WAY AFTER ABOUT 90 DAYS OF USE. *TR

THE AIR/HEATING UNIT BUTTON ON THE DASH BROKE OFF COMPLETELY. IT WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN THE KNOB TO HEAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN IT TO THE RIGHT. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. THEY SAID THAT THEY'VE HAD MANY CAR OWNERS BUYING THE UNIT BECAUSE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2003 LANCER. THE UNIT ITSELF IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO BUY AT A COST OF $379.00. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE LABOR. THE LABOR WAS QUOTED AT $549.00, BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE DASHBOARD/ TRIM OUT AND OFF TO REPLACE THE UNIT. I JUST REPLACED THE UNIT AND THE SAME PROBLEM HAS STARTED AGAIN. THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY PROBLEMS. I HAVE EXPERIENCED. THE CAR WILL JERK AND HESTITATE AND LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE GEARS WILL SHIFT AND I WILL LOSE MOMENTUM WHILE DRIVING. YOU CAN HEAR...

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...

ALL THREE BRAKE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING WITH NO WARNING. 1. NORMAL DRIVING TO AND FROM WORK, UNSURE OF ANYTHING LEADING UP TO FAILURE. WAS ALERTED BY ANOTHER DRIVER THAT WAS BEHIND ME WHILE DRIVING AND THEN PULLED UP NEXT TO ME AT A LIGHT. WAS LUCKY THERE WAS NO CRASH. 2. LIGHTS ARE COMPLETELY OUT, HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET THEM BACK ON 3. HAVE CHECKED THE FUSE AS LABELED IN THE MANUFACTURERS HANDBOOK, CHECKED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, CHECKED THE LIGHT BULBS, ALL ARE IN OK FASHION AND WORK WHEN TESTED SEPARATELY. *TR

AT NIGHT DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN, UNABLE TO TURN OFF AIR CONDITIONER AND SWITCH ON WINDSHIELD DEFROST BECAUSE HEATER, TEMPERATURE DIAL BROKE OFF. *TR

ADD MY BUMBLE BEE TO THE GROWING LIST OF LANCERS WITH BROKEN OFF HEATER/A.C. KNOBS DUE TO THE BADLY DESIGNED AND FAULTY COMPONENT COUPLED WITH IN AN INEPT SERVICE DEPARTMENT. SHOULD HAVE MADE THIS COMPLAINT WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED INSTEAD OF JUST WAITING FOR THE RECALL THAT NEVER HAPPENED. *TR