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KLUNK
KLUNK

2002 Mitsubishi Diamante

The Verdict

67 Solid Pick

The 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante has 133 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (69 complaints) and engine (45 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 67/100, it earns a "Solid Pick" rating. If you're shopping for a Mitsubishi Diamante, consider the 2004 model year which has 97% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2004 has 97% fewer complaints

View the 2004 Mitsubishi Diamante dashboard →

67

Klunk Score: Solid Pick

Fewer complaints than most vehicles. Generally dependable, but check the top problems below.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

Recalls 1

Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.

02V100001 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE MAIN UNDER HOOD ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS MAY HAVE INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE ENGINE CONTROL HARNESS AND THE EXHAUST HEAT SHIELD. AS A RESULT, THE HARNES...

Risk

THE MELTING OF THE HARNESS INSULATION COULD RESULT IN GROUNDING OF THE CRANK ANGLE SENSOR WIRING, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO RUN ERRATICALLY OR STOP SUDDENLY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE HARNESS FOR DAMAGE AND, IF NONE IS EVIDENT, WILL TIE THE HARNESS BACK TO PREVENT THE HARNESS FROM EVER COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE HEAT SHIELD. ANY HARNESS THAT SHOWS EVI...

Reported Jul 4, 2002

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
20003044103
20015740143
20026946459
20033464205
200400003

By Category

Body
69
Engine
45
Transmission
9
Electrical
6
Brakes
4

By Severity

1
54
2
66
3
7
4
5
5
1

Worst Problems

Complaints

Transmission 1

I WAS DRIVING MY MITSUBISHI ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY BRIDGE ON 7-28-2017 AND SUDDENLY THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AND I WAS STUCK AND HAD NO POWER OF MOVEMENT,MY WIFE AND 3 Y.O.CHILD WERE PASSENGERS IN THE CAR,LUCKILY THE STATE PATROL CAME AND ASSISTED US.THE DEALER TOLD US THAT THIS CAR WAS MECHANICALLY SOUND AND HAD NO PROBLEMS OR ISSUES.THEY LIED TO US AND BY DOING SO THEY PUT OUR LIVES IN DANGER.THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG WAS ALSO MISSING WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR.

109mo ago
Transmission 2

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WOULD NO LONGER PROPEL THE VEHICLE. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY NO RECALL HAS BEEN MADE. THIS IS A VERY HAZARDOUS ISSUE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE. SHE HAD TO COAST THE CAR OVER AND WAS RAPIDLY LOOSING SPEED, A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE PROBLEM IS A FAULTY PART IN THE TRANSMISSION CALLED A WAVE SPRING. IN EVERY F4A51 MITSUBISHI TRANSMISSION, THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE. THE WAVE SPRING BREAKS, BYPASSES THE FILTER, ENTERS THE PUMP GEARS AND BREAKS THE PUMP, ENDING IN TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IT IS A COSTLY REPAIR, $1800-$2000. IT IS A FAULTY DESIGN, AND A BETTER AFTERMARKET WAVE SPRING WAS EVENTUALLY ENGINEERED. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR

137mo ago
Electrical 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V100001 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.) THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,289.

138mo ago
Transmission 2

DRIVING ALONG AT 35MPH ENGINE RPM SUDDENLY ALMOST RED LINED LOST POWER AND LOST ALL FORWARD AND REVERSE GEARS.HAD TO TOW THE VEHICLE! *TR

140mo ago
Transmission 2

THE CAR JUST STOPPED. THE GEARS WERE NONFUNCTIONAL. *TR

158mo ago
Engine 4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A PASSENGER VAN. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE MISFIRES, NEEDED SPARK PLUGS, A FUEL PUMP, A FUEL INJECTOR, AN EGR VALVE, AND THE ENGINE SURGED ERRATICALLY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 12/06/12*LJ UPDATED 12/6/2012 *JS

167mo ago
Engine 3

THE HEATER CORE IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. THE WINDOWS IN THE CAR FOG UP SO BAD I COULDNT DRIVE THE CAR...HAD TO PULL OVER AND WIPE THE WINDOWS DOWN. BUT THE THING IS...I DIDNT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEMS WAS...UNTIL I REALIZED THE WINDOWS WERENT JUST BEING FOGGED BY THE COLD, ECT IT WAS A TOXIC MIST FROM A HEATER CORE PROBLEM...I PULLED OVER 2 TIMES BECAUSE I GOT SICK...I NOTICED A MIST COMING OUT OF THE VENTS....SO ALL IN ALL I CALLED MITSUBISHI AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS.THIS HEATER CORE PROBLEM CAN LEAD TO ACCIDENTS, SICKNESS, AND OTHE EXPENSIVE PROBLEMS IN THE CAR! THE FUMES ARE EXTREMELY TOXIC!!! THERE ARE 1000'S OF COMPLAINTS AND BLOGS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM...I'M SURE THERE ARE 100,000+ COMPLAINTS ABPOUT THIS PROBLEM. AND MITSUBISHI REFUSES TO HELP OR DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. I TOLD THEM, IS THIS GONNA TAKE A FATAL ACCIDENT FOR THEM TO DO SOMETHING?" THEY REPLIED, "IM NOT ANSWERING THAT!" I TOLD THEM THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THIS PROBLEM. THEY REPLIED, "SORRY BUT YOUR WARRANTY IS UP WE CAN'T DO NOTHING ABOUT IT." THIS HEATER CORE PROBLEMS LEADS TO FAULTY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, HAZERDOUS PROBLEMS, SICKNESS, INTERIOR OF THE CAR CAN BE RUINED BECAUSE ANITFREEZE LEAKS THROUGH THE DASH BOARD...WHERE MITSUBISHI PLACED THE HEATER CORE. MADE NO SENSE TO PLACE A HEATER CORE ABOVE THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENT OF THE TRANSMISSION. THEY REALLY MESSED UP HERE AND WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. I THINK THAT THE MEDIA SHOULD GET INVOLVED BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY WONT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IF SOMEONE DOESNT SPEAK UP! *TR

190mo ago
Electrical 4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AS A RESULT AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 88,000. UPDATED 12/15/10. *LJ UPDATED 12/27/10

193mo ago
Engine 2

JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WITH A 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE, I HAVE HAD HEATER CORE PROBLEMS. ANTIFREEZE LEAKING/SMELL AND WINDOWS FOGGING UP. COST TO REPAIR EXCEEDS $1000. IF EVERY ONE OF THESE VEHICLES HAS THIS SAME ISSUE, WHY HAS IT NEVER BEEN RECALLED? AND WHY DOES MITSUBISHI GET AWAY WITH ALL CARS HAVING THIS DEFECT? AND WHY HAS THIS INVESTIGATION NOT RESULTED IN ACTION? IS THERE ANOTHER AGENCY THAT CAN GET RECALL ACTION FROM MITSUBISHI? *TR

195mo ago
Engine 1

MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE 2002 HAS FAULTY O-RINGS AND IS WIDELY PUBLICIZED TO CAUSE MAJOR HEATER CORE PROBLEMS AND ANTI-FREEZE LEAKAGE. *TR

197mo ago
Engine 1

MY FRONT WINDSHIELD WAS FOGGING UP EVERY TIME I USED THE HEATER AND A SMELL OF COOLANT INSIDE MY CAR--NASTY FILM WAS LEFT, FOUND OUT IT WAS A HEATER CORE PROBLEM. SOMETIMES THE FOG WOULD TAKE 20 MINUTES TO CLEAR UP WITH DEFROSTER ON HIGHEST SETTINGS. THESE PROBLEMS ARE ALL OVER THE INTERNET WITH MITSUBISHI DIAMANTES. I AM SURPRISED THAT THESE HAVE NEVER BEEN RECALLED FOR SAFETY REASONS. *TR

201mo ago
Engine 1

HEATER CORE AND O RINGS. *TR

202mo ago
Brakes 2

ABS CONTROL MODULE. *TR

202mo ago
Engine 1

OUR 2002 MITSUBISHIS DIAMANTE VR-X HAS BEEN MISTING FROM THE HEATER CORE FOR A FEW YEARS. THE PROBLEM IS BAD GASKETS (O-RINGS) THAT JOIN THE HEATER CORE WITH THE LINES FOR THE HEATER HOSES. THE HEATER CORE IS INSTALLED RIGHT OVER THE PCM UNIT. IF IT LEAKS BADLY ENOUGH, THE PCM AND TRANSMISSION RELAY WILL BE DESTROYED. IT (HEATER CORE) FAILED SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND WHEN WE WENT TO MITSUBISHI DEALER, THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT. THEY QUOTED US $1400.00 FOR REPAIRS. ON THE INTERNET, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT NO ONE HAS GOTTEN ANY SATISFACTION FROM MITSUBISHI. I PUT SOME RADIATOR STOP-LEAK IN AND THIS SEEMED TO HELP SOMEWHAT, BUT IT IS STARTING TO MIST AGAIN WITH ANTI-FREEZE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THIS IS A TOXIN AND IS DANGEROUS TO INHALE AND WILL JEOPARDIZE MY FAMILY'S HEALTH. *TR

202mo ago
Transmission 1

I HAVE A '02 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE AND I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS OUT OF THE HEATER CORE LEAKING AND NOW ITS AFFECTED MY ECU (COMPUTER) I CALL THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WANT OUTRAGEOUS PRICES TO FIX OR EVEN CHECK MY CAR.. I THINK THAT SINCE ITS A PROBLEM FROM THE DEALER THEY SHOULD RECALL THESE CARS.. I KNOW I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER MITSUBISHI AND I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND THEM TO A FRIEND.. WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM? *TR

203mo ago
Engine 3

MY 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE HAS O RING FAILURE IN THE HEATER COIL. I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS THAT THIS IS COMMON ON THIS MODEL AND WOULD LIKE A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES DUE TO THE EXTREME NATURE OF THE ISSUE. WITH THE FAILURE OF THE O RINGS COME POTENTIAL ANTI FREEZE VAPORS ENTERING PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND CAUSING PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO ALL PASSENGERS. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE CAR TO OVERHEAT IN THE MIDDLE OF HEAVY STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND CAUSE ACCIDENTS AND/OR DEATH. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE HEATING ELEMENT TO NO LONGER WORK AND PASSENGERS IN THE EXTREME WINTER CLIMATES MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO PHYSICAL HARM OR DEATH. LASTLY, THIS IS A RAMPANT KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED AT DEALER COST. MY CAR COST ORIGINALLY $30,000. AND I WOULD EXPECT THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT TO MAKE THESE COMPANIES BACK UP THE VEHICLES THEY ARE SELLING TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC AND MAKE THEM SAFE AND WORTH THE MONEY THAT IS SPENT ON THEM. *TR

206mo ago
Engine 1

HEATER CORE LEAKS INTO CAR STEAMS UP WINDOWS AND LEAKS ON THE COMPUTER AND CHANGES THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING. *TR

208mo ago
Body 2

THE BUCKLES IN BACK OF THE CAR SEAT DOES NOT HOLD THE STRAPS IN PLACE THEY COME LOOSE JUST BY CARING THE CAR SEAT. I ENTERED IN A DIFFERENT MODEL NUMBER THEN WHAT MY CAR SEAT MODEL NUMBER IS BECAUSE YOU DO NOT HAVE IT IN YOUR SYSTEM MY MODEL NUMBER FOR MY CAR SEAT IS 22-325 PAC GB1B. SORRY BUT I NEEDED THIS COMPLAINT PUT IN IMMEDIATLY BECAUSE I DO NOT NEED ANYTHING BAD HAPPENING TO MY BABY BECAUSE OF HIS CAR SEAT THAT HAS A SERIOUS DEFAULT THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=2002, MAKE=MITSIBISHI, MODEL=DIAMANTE). *TR

208mo ago
Engine 1

THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL, OWN A 2002 MITSUBISHI DIAMANTE. I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THE ANTI-FREEZE SMELL AND THE SMOKE COMING THROUGH THE VENTS IS BECAUSE THE HEATER CORE HAS GONE BAD. THE QUOTE I RECEIVED WAS FOR $1100. MY ANTENNA JUST STOPPED WORKING ON ME ALSO. IT DOESN'T GO DOWN ANYMORE, BUT THE MOTOR STILL SOUNDS LIKE ITS WORKING. WE ARE ALL HAVING TOO MANY OF THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE COMPANY SHOULD BE LIABLE. *TR

211mo ago
Engine 2

IT HAPPENED OUT OF NO WHERE. NO SIGNS OR WARNINGS TO HELP PREVENT THIS PROBLEM. THE HEATER CORE LEAKS UNCONTROLLABLY. IT'S A LONG LABOR JOB AND HAPPENS PRETTY EARLY IN THE CARS LIFE SPANS. THE PARTS ARE CHEAP TO REPLACE BUT THE CONSEQUENCES ARE DRASTIC. *TR

211mo ago

133 total

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