Mitsubishi Galant Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 1999 draws 4.02 complaints per run and the 2005 1.06, a 3.8-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age, so 39.8% land after the 5-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Service Brakes, with 244 complaints, typically at 2 years.

Mitsubishi Galant years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Mitsubishi Galant — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2012	1.4	7	5	yes
2011	1	3	3	yes
2010	1.14	8	7	yes
2009	1.22	11	9	yes
2008	1	4	4	yes
2007	1.25	20	16	yes
2006	1.58	19	12	yes
2005	1.06	19	18	yes
2004	1.66	53	32	yes
2003	3.46	97	28	yes
2002	3.46	90	26	yes
2001	2.59	119	46	yes
2000	3.13	100	32	yes
1999	4.02	165	41	yes
1998	2.47	37	15	yes
1997	2.27	59	26	yes
1996	2.57	108	42	yes
1995	2.46	155	63	yes
1994	3.85	158	41	yes
1993	1	7	7	yes
1992	1.48	34	23	yes
1991	1.59	46	29	yes
1990	1.15	15	13	yes
1989	1.1	11	10	yes
1988	1.25	5	4	yes
1987	1.33	4	3	yes
1986	1	3	3	yes

ROWS 27·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Among the 13 Mitsubishi Galant years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 1999, 1994, 2002; the three worth hunting are 2005, 2007, 1992.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Mitsubishi Galant — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	173	15.6%	covered
1 year	140	28.1%	covered
2 years	115	38.5%	covered
3 years	96	47.1%	covered
4 years	145	60.2%	covered
5 years	110	70.1%	you pay
6 years	90	78.1%	you pay
7 years	65	84%	you pay
8 years	50	88.5%	you pay
9 years	29	91.1%	you pay
10 years	25	93.3%	you pay
11 years	25	95.6%	you pay
12 years	24	97.8%	you pay
13 years	10	98.7%	you pay
14 years	9	99.5%	you pay
15 years	6	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 5 years / 60,000 miles. Only 60.2% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 39.8% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (10 years / 100,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 24% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Mitsubishi Galant, the early trouble is Service Brakes and Hydraulic — reported at around 2 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Power Train at 4.4 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Mitsubishi Galant — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Service Brakes	244	2 yrs	39	4
Hydraulic	224	1.8 yrs	35	4
Power Train	197	4.4 yrs	7	5
Suspension	175	5.3 yrs	9	—
Air Bags	162	4.2 yrs	118	2
Electrical System	135	4.7 yrs	2	25
Engine And Engine Cooling	124	4.1 yrs	2	20
Structure	118	4.9 yrs	5	1

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Galant's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Corolla draws 5.16, the Lexus IS 1.31 and the BMW M3 1.49, against 2.49 for the Galant.

FIG.05·Mitsubishi Galant — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Galant	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota Corolla	12,389	219	1981–2026
Lexus IS	47	118	2001–2026
BMW M3	565	78	1988–2026
Acura TLX	893	41	2015–2026
Ford Focus	22,576	138	2000–2026
Subaru WRX	290	17	2015–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Mitsubishi Galant

Recalls67 campaigns Fuel economy24 mpg best Common problems2,032 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space14 cu ft Used prices176 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car1985–2012

Frequently asked questions

Is the Mitsubishi Galant reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 2.49 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which Galant years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 1999, 1994, 2002. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2005, 2007, 1992. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Galant problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age. The most reported system is Service Brakes, typically at 2 years, followed by Hydraulic.

Will the warranty cover Galant problems?

Mostly yes: basic cover is 5 years / 60,000 miles, and 60.2% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 24% of the complaints here.

Is the Galant more reliable than the Toyota Corolla?

Yes: 2.49 complaints per production run for the Galant against 5.16 for the Toyota Corolla.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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