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Mitsubishi F4A51 Automatic Transmission Hazard Problem

Target:
Automatic 2000-05 V6 Eclipse, 2001-05 V6 Stratus RT, 1997-2003 V6 Galant
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Mitsubishi F4A51 Automatic Transmission Hazard Problem



I am writing on behalf of the issue concerning the safety and reliability of Mitsubishi and Dodge vehicles and their owners that contain the Mitsubishi F4A51 Automatic Transmission (2000-2005 V6 Eclipse, 2001-2005 V6 Stratus RT, 1997-2003 V6 Galant)




The main issue seems to be a manufacturing defect in the wave/cushion spring located in the transmission. Mitsubishi has designed the wave spring as a fragile two coil piece which has been known to repeatedly break causing catastrophic failure in the transmission. This in turn poses a threat on the driver and passengers. When this wave spring breaks, actual pieces of the wave spring make it through Mitsubishi%u2019s also faulty transmission filter and lodge themselves in the pump gear, causing the gear to actually break. After the pump gear has been broken inside the transmission, all forward and reverse gears immediately stop function and in most instances the vehicle shuts off. This could result in potential harm or even death of the driver and/or passenger as the vehicle loses all moving power which can cause an accident with other vehicles on the road. Mitsubishi has recently created an updated version of the wave spring without issuing a recall, which now is a one piece instead of the coil setup and has a less chance of breaking. To many Mitsubishi/Dodge owners this update was discovered after they have had their vehicle in a transmission shop with a hefty bill to pay even though it was Mitsubishi%u2019s fault for engineering a faulty part in their transmission. All one person would need to find out about this issue is search the internet with the transmission code (F4A51) and this issue is well documented, even researched by Transmission Digest (a specialty magazine). Not only is this a large inconvenience to most, it is also a hazard to ones life. Mitsubishi should recall all vehicles which contain the F4A51 automatic transmission to perform the wave spring and filter update or reimburse those who have already had it done at their cost. This is an issue that needs to be addressed as if you own a vehicle with the F4A51 your vehicle WILL eventually need this repair, if you are still around to do it.

Mitsubishi F4A51 Automatic Transmission Hazard Problem



I am writing on behalf of the issue concerning the safety and reliability of Mitsubishi and Dodge vehicles and their owners that contain the Mitsubishi F4A51 Automatic Transmission (2000-2005 V6 Eclipse, 2001-2005 V6 Stratus RT, 1997-2003 V6 Galant)




The main issue seems to be a manufacturing defect in the wave/cushion spring located in the transmission. Mitsubishi has designed the wave spring as a fragile two coil piece which has been known to repeatedly break causing catastrophic failure in the transmission. This in turn poses a threat on the driver and passengers. When this wave spring breaks, actual pieces of the wave spring make it through Mitsubishi%u2019s also faulty transmission filter and lodge themselves in the pump gear, causing the gear to actually break. After the pump gear has been broken inside the transmission, all forward and reverse gears immediately stop function and in most instances the vehicle shuts off. This could result in potential harm or even death of the driver and/or passenger as the vehicle loses all moving power which can cause an accident with other vehicles on the road. Mitsubishi has recently created an updated version of the wave spring without issuing a recall, which now is a one piece instead of the coil setup and has a less chance of breaking. To many Mitsubishi/Dodge owners this update was discovered after they have had their vehicle in a transmission shop with a hefty bill to pay even though it was Mitsubishi%u2019s fault for engineering a faulty part in their transmission. All one person would need to find out about this issue is search the internet with the transmission code (F4A51) and this issue is well documented, even researched by Transmission Digest (a specialty magazine). Not only is this a large inconvenience to most, it is also a hazard to ones life. Mitsubishi should recall all vehicles which contain the F4A51 automatic transmission to perform the wave spring and filter update or reimburse those who have already had it done at their cost. This is an issue that needs to be addressed as if you own a vehicle with the F4A51 your vehicle WILL eventually need this repair, if you are still around to do it.

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We signed the "Mitsubishi F4A51 Automatic Transmission Hazard Problem" petition!
# 136:
3:28 am PST, Nov 21, Name not displayed, Arizona
# 135:
12:46 pm PST, Nov 19, Steve Ronin, Pennsylvania
# 134:
12:06 pm PST, Nov 14, Shaun Barlow, Ohio
How do car makers get away with this! Got in one morning no drive no reverse. Can't change the filter cause there isn't one. Only 3 years left to pay.....for a car that doesnt run
# 133:
9:35 am PDT, Oct 27, Name not displayed, Connecticut
# 132:
10:06 pm PDT, Oct 13, Name not displayed, California
Very dangerous. I lost all power in traffic going uphill. I had to coast my car backwards and downhill into a side street to get out of the way of cars swerving around me at 50 mph.
# 131:
7:21 am PDT, Oct 5, Name not displayed, Texas
How old is this petition??
# 130:
11:05 am PDT, Aug 30, Corinne Corona, Arizona
# 129:
12:46 pm PDT, Aug 23, Name not displayed, Illinois
What a sad day ,I just disected my transmission due to the fact that all the fluid rushed out all at once.The culprit? A piece of wave spring wedged in the pump gear!!! which caused pressure on the case that the gear resides in making the case crack and dump all the fluid.When it happened i was in the far left lane of a busy toll road with no forward power just coasting trying to avoid the fast moving traffic barely making it to the shoulder with my child and my wife screaming at me in sheer panic.Thankfully we survived that experince.To say that this issue is a hazzard is putting it kindly ,we were terrified and truly thought we would die on that road.
# 128:
9:35 pm PDT, Aug 22, Landon Springs, Georgia
WoW, I cant believe this, my galant is in the shop now, with a 2500 dollar bill to pay!!! this makes me mad especially since I have kept my car in excellent condition.
# 127:
1:46 am PDT, Aug 21, Robin Nolan, New Mexico
my transmission was blown on the freeway how scary!
# 126:
8:58 am PDT, Aug 20, Name not displayed, Australia
This problem is not limited to Mitsubushi as Hyundai also use this transmission (or a variant) in the 2001 Santa Fe and I have had the same failure.
# 125:
9:08 pm PDT, Aug 4, All cars Break, Australia
2000 TH executive. went for transmission oil change, found two pieces of wave ring on magnetic sump plug, estimated 1200.00 dollers to pull apart and replace with aftermarket thick one piece ring, will this one break too, dont know, not happy
# 124:
3:40 pm PDT, Aug 2, KEN GENEREUX, Canada
DAMN NEAR GOT KILLED IN CALGARY ALBERTA ON GLENMORE TRAIL AND REMOVED TRANSMISSION PERSONALLY AND FOUND BROKEN WAVE SPRING HAD ENTERED PUMP AND BROKE GEAR. MITSUBISHI WANTS NOTHING TO DO WITH HEARING ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND WILL FILE A REPORT ON THIS WITH TRANSPORT CANADA. NO ONE WANTS TO REPAIR THESE TRANSMISSIONS EITHER SO GOOD LUCK TO ANYONE WHO SURVIVES THIS FAILURE OTHER THAN TO BUY A REBUILT ONE OFF OF EBAY. SHOULD MENTION I AM A LICENCED TECHNICHIAN AND CAN NOT BELIEVE THERE IS NO RECALL! WONDER HOW MANY HAVE BEEN KILLED WITH THIS F4A51 TRANSMISSION FAILURE.MINE WAS ON A 2001 MITSU SPYDER GT
# 123:
7:12 pm PDT, Jul 27, Name not displayed, California
Sorry to hear that many of you are having problems with your transmissions, Yep Mitsubishi got me too with the same type of problem with the A604 transmission in the 99 eclipse GS non turbo. So far it's still working but it too is designed like a time-bomb ready to go and take the motor with it. Trust me the government knows about it but won't do anything with all the corporate lobbyist and the money the spend sad truth is we have lost control of our country and it's markets.
# 122:
1:47 am PDT, Jul 27, Robert Pierce, Pennsylvania
03 eclipse gt, only 90k miles. transmission blew. no way to work now. got fired. thanks mitsubishi.
# 121:
10:08 pm PDT, Jul 26, Name not displayed, New York
I have a 2002 Dodge Stratus R/T. I had complained to the dodge dealer within the last month about the condition of my transmission; winding out in third gear, klunking occasionally, etc... They told me that I should get my transmission serviced, but obviously there was a greater problem. 2 days ago my transmission made a huge thunking, good thing I was going at a low speed, otherwise I would have lost control of my car. I tried to get the car moving, would not go into any gear. I ended up pushing the piece of crap off the road. 109,000 miles and the transmission has run poorly every since I had the car. Calling dodge tomorrow to try to get it fixed under warranty. Hopefully they will fix it
# 120:
12:11 pm PDT, Jul 26, Name not displayed, Australia
# 119:
4:27 pm PDT, Jul 25, Lea Spencer, California
I was on my way to work and my 2003 Mitsubihi Diamante with 66400.miles did not want to go forward but it did for a few minutes in order for me to get out of traffic. The car would not go in reverse. The car had to be towed the service person had a ruff time getting it off the truck which resulted in him shacking it off the truck. An expense I was not wanting I have to get a used transmission. Mitsubishi is aware of this and should do a recall for this transmission.
# 118:
5:54 pm PDT, Jul 20, Name not displayed, Illinois
# 117:
4:32 pm PDT, Jul 20, Joe Martin, California
Already paid Chrysler $1000.00 to install a used F4A51 transmission after 105000 miles that has just failed in the same fashion a year later. If you dont love the car just junk it. We love ours so here goes another hair pulling experience. If you order online get full shipping insurance and a warranty.
# 116:
4:46 pm PDT, Jul 13, Brian Beckwith, Missouri
# 115:
12:11 am PDT, Jul 10, Jared Bunn, Washington
I have a 2003 Mitsubishi Diamante LS. It has the F4A51 transmission and has just gone south with about 90K on the odometer. The transmission shop said it was the clutch, but not a mention of a possible broken wave/cushion spring. It has not had a catastrophic failure yet. I am looking for a used transmission to replace the current one.
# 114:
11:12 am PDT, Jul 5, Amy Garinger, Kansas
# 113:
8:25 pm PDT, Jun 29, Derek Triplett, California
# 111:
7:24 pm PDT, Jun 22, Ian Beard, Iowa
I own a 2002 Dodge Stratus R/T and recently My transmission seized up and instantly i lost control of the vehicle and about slammed into a guard rail on the side of the highway. I just got done spending $3100.00 on my transmission and I only paid $4500.00 for the whole car. It's not right for someone like myself should have to expeience 6 months after i purchased the vehicle.
# 110:
6:56 pm PDT, Jun 22, Jeffery Davis, Texas
The same thing that is described here just happened to my wife's 2001 Mitsubishi Galant V6 (112,000 miles) on June 20, 2009. The casr lost power and she was almost hit on the freeway. Thankfully, she managed to make it to the shoulder and the car would not move forward or backward. I am now looking at a minumum of $2200 to repair. Mitsubishi must fix this problem by issuing a recall.
# 109:
2:04 pm PDT, Jun 15, Name not displayed, Wisconsin
# 108:
11:40 am PDT, Jun 15, Don Fischer, Wisconsin
EVERYONE--File a complaint with the FTC, I did. Go to: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ No need to put any personal info in form. Copy and paste the info above in step 5. You will get a complaint number in the end. Mine is 23090308. Wisconsin Don.
# 107:
8:36 am PDT, Jun 14, Delissia Workman, Tennessee
Same problem with 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT. Car in shop right now waiting on an estimate. While driving the car reved up when I looked down my Drive light was still on and the Nuetral light was blinking. If this is a default in the Automatic Transmission- The costs should be on the manufacturer and not the owner. This needs to be corrected immediately.
# 106:
8:38 am PDT, Jun 6, Justin Burke, Illinois
# 105:
9:20 pm PDT, Jun 3, Brad Stolper, Wisconsin
For more impact, add a personal comment here
# 104:
7:21 am PDT, Jun 3, Theresa Burrell, Texas
Purchased this car used and it was great, until 1 day a month later it wouldn't go into gear. Purchased this for my teenagers to use and now it is in the shop with them telling us it will cost $3000.00 to repair it. I didn't pay that much for it! And, we also have the oxidation problem on the hood and roof. Very disappointed. Fix the transmission problems!
# 103:
10:07 pm PDT, May 19, Elizabeth Gonzalez, California
Please take responsability for your mistake. And help prevent more accidents by recalling this vehicles.
# 102:
5:13 pm PDT, May 13, Alfred StLouis, Massachusetts
# 101:
10:26 am PDT, May 13, Jim Markley, West Virginia
My 01 Gallant recently did this exact thing...The car has only 80000 miles on it and i still OWE on it, it is otherwise a fine car that I truly enjoy but this is quite a hardship on me finiacially.
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