My car is well kept and garaged at night. In november 2012, I was having trouble with the car and was told by my mechanic of 20 years that my "total front end" on the car needed replaced. This required the replacement of gaskets, an oal flex, rack & pinion, and a wheel alignment. It was a very expensive job with the explanation given that it was "worn out." now, the steering is a problem with strange sounds and the periodic movement of the steering wheel when driving. An inspection of that disclosed that now, the "intermediate shaft on the steering wheel" needs replaced. After researching the internet, I am finding out that there have been several cars recalled for this problem and would like to know if that is the case for this car. I have not received any notices for this. I love my car but am wondering why such an expensive car (at the time of purchase) is having all of these problems now. I was even told that the suspension will be another future problem because they manufacturer purposely sealed them when they were made which makes them impossible to service and will require replacement. This was never told to me when I purchased it. Please advise if I have any recourse with the manufacturer for these repairs. Thank you.
The worst 1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Seat belts12
- Transmission12
- Wheels7
- Brakes2
- Electrical1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Seat belts12
- Transmission12
- Wheels7
- Brakes2
- Electrical1
- Engine1
- Steering1
- Suspension1
- Tires1
- Visibility1
Recalls 1
Power train: transfer case (4-wheel drive)
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles, a condition exists that allows oil to leak from the all-wheel drive transfer case.
- Risk
- Low oil levels in the transfer case could cause bearing damage and result in drive train lockup, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the transfer case for indications of oil leakage or damage. Vehicles that have oil leakage will have the transfer case resealed and re-fill the transfer case to the proper level, or replaced the transfer case if there is evidence of damage. Owner notification is expected to begin december 9, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact mitsubishi america at 1‑888‑648‑7820 or mitsubmishi caribbean at 1‑787‑251‑8715.
Recall number 02V143001 · Recall details
See all 1 recalls for the 1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT
Defect investigations
Transfer case lockup
There is no summary currently available
PE02013
Technical service bulletins for the 1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT 40
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between normal dew...
- This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
- This is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers
- This TSB contains troubleshooting steps for diagnosis of various customer complaints relating to the audio...
- This is an index of Tech Talk newsletter articles released in 2012.
- This Technical Service Bulletin updates the door adjustment procedure in the Body Section of the...
- 5-SPEED transfer case assembly identification
- Obd-ii drive cycle
- New and revised information relating to readiness test status descriptions and procedures
- This bulletin contains obd-ii drive cycle procedures and warranty claim information for obd-ii drive cycle...
1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6‑cyl | FWD | 16-17 | 22-23 | 18-19 |
| 3.0L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 15-16 | 22-23 | 18 |
What 1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Seat belt retractors stop working over time, causing extreme slack on the seat belt. There is no tightness left on seat belt, even when wearing while driving. If a crash were to occur, the seat belt would not be able to do it's job.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 mitsubishi 3000gt. While driving 60 MPH the vehicle stalled without warning. She was able to move the vehicle on the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the garage for diagnostic testing which indicated that the transmission transfer case wasn't sealed properly causing the fluid to leak. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer in april of 2003 for recall 02v143001 power train:transfer case (4-wheel drive), but the vehicle was not serviced. The manufacturer stated that the recall was performed; therefore they will not offer any assistance. The failure and the current mileages were 180,000.
I own a 1997 mitsubishi 3000gt and the seat belt restraint system for the drives and passenger side fail to retract. The only way to resolve the problem is to remove the seatbelt while driving and manually feed the belt back into the system.
I own a mitsubishi 1997 3000gt vr4, and a 1996 3000gt base model. On both cars there was tremendous slacks in the seat belts. I worry that if not recalled they would do little to protect me in a collision. Please investigate this.
Mitsubishi has not honored their responsibility on the recall the federal safety agency campaign id 02v143001 for my 1997 3000gt vr4. The local zone rep has turned it done without a personal visit . I have forced a meeting with him for thursday jan 18th but I have been told it is a waste of my time by the local dealer. My car had the oil leak and after running dry I have had damage to the transfer case leaving the car in an unsafe condition. Most disturbing was the fact that the dealer told my 18 year old son it was safe to drive home. If the gears had locked up he could have been seriously hurt. I hope you can help me put pressure on mitsubishi to act responsibly.
My driver and passenger side seat belts will not retract normally. They require some extra force. It started where it only happened every now and then and now it is all the time. I have not done anything to correct this yet.
The seat belt in my 1997 sohc 3000gt does not always retract and sometimes locks up when I lean forward. I have been in numerous close calls due wiggling out of the predicament.
Vehicle: 1997 mitsubishi 3000gt vr4 the front seat belts do not retract properly, thereby leaving enough slack in the seat belt to deem it unsafe when driving. This was also a problem on my '94 3000gt and I have heard many other complaints about this from many other owners. This is obviously a manufacturer's defect and it should be recalled, as it effects the safety of the driver and passengers.
1997 mitsubishi 3000gt vr-4 seat belts don't retract when you release them and you have to feed it back into the panel.
Compare the 1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT
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Questions about the 1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT
Is the 1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT reliable?
Owners have filed 35 complaints about the 1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT, 35.0 times a typical 3000GT model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT?
Seat belts, with 12 complaints, typically around 96,000 miles. Next is transmission (12).
How many recalls does the 1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT have?
1 recall, covering power train.
What year does the Mitsubishi 3000GT have the most seat belts problems?
The Mitsubishi 3000GT model years with the most seat belts complaints are 1994 (36 complaints), 1992 (28 complaints) and 1993 (19 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT get?
Official estimates for the 1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT range from 18 to 19 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.0L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 16-17 city and 22-23 highway.
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