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Mitsubishi Galant VIN Number Check

Decode a Mitsubishi Galant VIN free with NHTSA vPIC. See the NHTSA recalls for that model year, then read what owners have reported.

VIN prefix4A3JA3

Free decode plus the NHTSA recalls for its model year. 17 characters, no I, O or Q.

Vinny, the VinNumber key mascot
Mitsubishi Galant

About the Mitsubishi Galant

Mitsubishi sold the Galant in the US for model years 1990–2012. Across those years NHTSA lists 23 vehicle recall campaigns and 1,749 owner complaints. The 1999 has the most complaints of any model year (215). EPA rates it at 19–24 mpg combined. A free VIN decode gives you NHTSA vPIC’s record for the car (model year, engine, plant) and the NHTSA recalls for its model year. It won’t show theft, flood or lemon-law history.

US model years1990–2012
EPA classCompact Cars
NHTSA recall campaigns23
Owner complaints1,749 at NHTSA
Mitsubishi Galant photographed at a US vehicle auction
Auction lot photo, for illustration
Generations

Mitsubishi Galant at a glance

One generation in the data, 1990–2012: 23 NHTSA recall campaigns and 1,749 owner complaints.

1 / 1
Galant
1990–2012Compact Cars
Mitsubishi Galant (1990–2012)

Photo: IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

19901995200020052010
1990–2012

Mitsubishi Galant

EPA classCompact Cars
EPA combined mpg19–24
NHTSA recalls23

Engines (EPA)

  • 2.0 L 4-cyl · 1990–1993
  • 2.0 L 4-cyl (turbo) · 1991–1992
  • 2.4 L 4-cyl · 1994–1997, 1999–2012
  • 2.5 L 6-cyl · 1995, 1997
  • 2.3 L 4-cyl · 1998
  • 3.0 L 6-cyl · 1999–2003
  • 3.8 L 6-cyl · 2004–2009

Drive & transmission (EPA)

  • AWD/4WD, FWD
  • manual (1990–1999), automatic (1990–2012)

Known issues to check

Brakes (378)Powertrain (transmission, driveline) (252)Suspension (249)6 high-risk recall campaigns

Mentions in 1,749 NHTSA complaints.

Sample VIN pattern · Galant4A3AJ56G?RE······NHTSA vPIC decodes it as a 1994 Mitsubishi Galant GS, built in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois
Check a Galant VIN

Sources: EPA · NHTSA · vPIC

NHTSA campaign data

Which Galant model years each recall covers

NHTSA data

NHTSA has 23 campaigns on file for Galant model years 1990–2012, and the 2001 shows up in more of them than any other year (7), ahead of the 2000 (6). Move the line to your model year to see which apply.

2001
Air bag inflator, fire risk or do-not-drive/park-outside advisorySafety recall
Pick a row
What to ask

Source: NHTSA recall database, vehicle campaigns only; row text is NHTSA’s summary. A listed year does not mean every car is covered, so check the VIN.

Transport Canada recalls for these model years were checked against this list; each one matches an NHTSA campaign shown here. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · Transport Canada.

Owner reports · NHTSA complaints

What Mitsubishi Galant owners report

NHTSA data

Complaints peak with the 1999 (215 of 1,749). Tap any bar or generation.

1,749NHTSA complaints, 1990–2012
252mention a crash
72mention a fire
186injuries reported
Owner complaints by model yearGalant: 1,749 complaints · most for the 1999 (215)

Top complaint areas · Galant

Mentions in 1,749 complaints, 1990–2012.

Brakes378
Powertrain (transmission, driveline)252
Suspension249
Air bags234
Engine and cooling208
Electrical system197
Crashes 252Fires 72Injuries 186

1990–2012

NHTSA data summary

The 1999 is the outlier. On its own it has 215 of the ’s 1,749 complaints (12%), more than any other Galant model year. By area, nothing stands out. Brakes lead with 378, with the powertrain (252) and the suspension (249) close behind.

Counts: NHTSA complaints file, records to October 1, 2026, one count per complaint; areas are NHTSA component groups.

Owner complaints · by model year

Galant complaint breakdown by model year

NHTSA data

Every Galant version is counted together. Tap a year to see its top systems.

1,749complaints, 1990–2012
252mention a crash
72mention a fire
186injuries reported
5complaints report a death
Most complaints: 1999 (215), 1995 (209), 1994 (198)
’90198’94209’95215’99’00’05’10

1999 · 215 complaints

Crashes 30 · fires 10 · injuries 17 · complaints reporting a death 1

Service brakes96
Suspension26
Electrical system21
Power train16
Structure16

Systems as NHTSA names them; a complaint can list several. Source: NHTSA complaints data, records to October 1, 2026.

EPA fuel economy & emissions

Galant CO₂, smog rating and yearly fuel cost

EPA data

EPA lists 64 Galant versions for model years 1990–2012. The lowest tailpipe CO₂ is 370 g/mi (2012). Pick a model year and powertrain to see each version.

Galant1990–2012

19–24 mpg · CO₂ 370–468 g/mi

2012
24combined MPG
370CO₂ grams per mile (tailpipe)
$2,800EPA yearly fuel cost
5/10Smog rating
1 = worst · 10 = cleanest
not ratedGreenhouse gas rating
Bin 5 · LEV-II LEVEmission standard
Cleanest gas version of 2012: Galant · Auto (S4), 4 cyl, 2.4 L — 24 MPG · 370 g/mi
Best (lowest) CO₂ by model year
300350400450500199019952000200520101990 · Gas: 4041991 · Gas: 4041992 · Gas: 3861993 · Gas: 4041994 · Gas: 3861995 · Gas: 3861996 · Gas: 3861997 · Gas: 3861998 · Gas: 3861999 · Gas: 3862000 · Gas: 4232001 · Gas: 4232002 · Gas: 4232003 · Gas: 4232004 · Gas: 3862005 · Gas: 3862006 · Gas: 3862007 · Gas: 3862008 · Gas: 3862009 · Gas: 3862010 · Gas: 3702011 · Gas: 3702012 · Gas: 370
Gas

Annual fuel cost is EPA’s estimate at its current fuel-price assumptions (15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving), so older years are priced at today’s fuel prices. Smog rating and emission standard can differ by sales area (federal vs. California); both are shown. Greenhouse-gas ratings start with the 2013 model year. Source: fueleconomy.gov.

Compare rivals

Galant vs Ford Focus vs Toyota Corolla

NHTSA + EPA data

Take 1990–2012. NHTSA lists 23 recall campaigns for the Galant, against 24 for the Ford Focus and 37 for the Toyota Corolla. Pick a range to compare.

Mitsubishi Galant

Model years 1990–2012

NHTSA recall campaigns
23
NHTSA owner complaints
1,749
EPA combined mpg
19–24
Engines (EPA)
4-cyl 2.0, 2.3, 2.4 L · 6-cyl 2.5, 3.0, 3.8 L
Also listed
turbo
Drive (EPA)
AWD/4WD, FWD

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

  1. Brakes 378
  2. Powertrain (transmission, driveline) 252
  3. Suspension 249

Ford Focus

Model years 1990–2012

NHTSA recall campaigns
24
NHTSA owner complaints
13,510
EPA combined mpg
20–32
Engines (EPA)
4-cyl 2.0, 2.3 L · Electric
Drive (EPA)
FWD

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

  1. Electrical system 3,746
  2. Powertrain (transmission, driveline) 2,182
  3. Engine and cooling 1,536

Toyota Corolla

Model years 1990–2012

NHTSA recall campaigns
37
NHTSA owner complaints
9,451
EPA combined mpg
21–31
Engines (EPA)
4-cyl 1.6, 1.8, 2.4 L
Drive (EPA)
AWD/4WD, FWD

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

  1. Air bags 4,225
  2. Steering 1,003
  3. Engine and cooling 993

NHTSA recalls (vehicle campaigns for all powertrain versions; equipment and tire campaigns left out), complaints (not sales-adjusted) and 5-Star overall ratings for the latest year rated for all three; EPA mpg, engines and drive. Rivals: same EPA class, picked by VinNumber.net.

Mitsubishi Galant VIN number location

Where to find the VIN on a Galant

Tap a spot. Every location should show the same 17 characters.

Silver Mitsubishi Galant (ninth generation) sedan, front three-quarter view, with the VIN locations marked

Photo: Hans Haase, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

Illustration: VinNumber.net

Photo: Cutlass, CC0; edited and VIN pins added by VinNumber.net

The Galant was discontinued after 2012, making all remaining examples over a decade old. The VIN sits at the lower driver's windshield, on the door jamb sticker, and inside the trunk lid.

  1. Windshield plateRead it through the glass at the base of the driver's side windshield.
    Source: 49 CFR 565.13(f) (NHTSA): VIN inside the passenger compartment, readable through the glazing next to the left windshield pillar
  2. Door jamb labelOpen the driver's door: the certification label on the B-pillar lists the VIN.
    Source: 49 CFR 567.4 (NHTSA): certification label with VIN at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge
The title, registration and insurance card show the VIN as well. All locations should match.
FAQ

Common Mitsubishi Galant VIN questions

Which Mitsubishi Galant model years have the most owner complaints?

The 1999 leads with 215, ahead of the 1995 (209) and 1994 (198). Those first two alone make up 24% of the 1,749 Galant complaints filed with NHTSA, not adjusted for sales.

How many recalls has the Mitsubishi Galant had?

NHTSA’s recall records show 23 vehicle campaigns for model years 1990–2012, leaving out equipment and tire campaigns.

Which Mitsubishi Galant recalls are high risk?

NHTSA’s record names a fire risk in 00V-237, 01V-295, 01V-069, 03V-442, 08V-454 and 10V-066. Each should show as closed on a VIN check.

What fuel economy does the Mitsubishi Galant get?

It varies. EPA rates the 1990–2012 Galant at 19–24 mpg combined, depending on engine and drive (fueleconomy.gov).

How does the Mitsubishi Galant compare with the Ford Focus and Toyota Corolla on recalls?

For 1990–2012 models the Galant has 23 NHTSA recall campaigns. The Ford Focus has 24, the Toyota Corolla 37. Complaints run 1,749, 13,510 and 9,451 in that order, with no sales adjustment.

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