The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, DIRT AND WATER CAN INTRUDE.
The risk
THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE RUBBER BOOTS, AND IF THE BOOT IS DAMAGED, THEY WILL REPLACE THE LOWER LATERAL ARM AND BALL JOINT ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Eclipse | 1995, 1996 |
| Mitsubishi Galant | 1994, 1995, 1996 |
| Mitsubishi Spyder | 1996 |
Components: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Eclipse | 1995 | 307 | 5 |
| Mitsubishi Eclipse | 1996 | 159 | 4 |
| Mitsubishi Galant | 1994 | 198 | 3 |
| Mitsubishi Galant | 1995 | 209 | 5 |
| Mitsubishi Galant | 1996 | 136 | 3 |
| Mitsubishi Spyder | 1996 | 2 | 2 |
Other suspension recalls in 1999
36 of the 392 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1999 concerned the suspension; MITSUBISHI AMERICA filed 49 campaigns in all.
| 99V332000 23 Nov 1999 | BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY |
| 99V300000 10 Nov 1999 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC |
| 99V014003 27 Oct 1999 | COUNTRY COACH INC |
| 99V295000 26 Oct 1999 | FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION |
| 99V014004 29 Sept 1999 | HME, INCORPORATED |
| 99V215000 9 Aug 1999 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 99V214000 9 Aug 1999 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 99V128003 15 Jul 1999 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1999