Problems with 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante VISIBILITY

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

Foggy window, antifreeze smell through vent, passenger side floor damp/wet. was told by dealer that heatercore o-rings and heatercore possibly needs to be replaced. looking for alternative solution to resolve the problem. *tr

I own a 2002 mitsubishi diamante car, i bought this car in 02 since the 1st day i bought the car there was problems. the computer in the car went crazy my check engine light,,cruise control,anti lock brake, tcl light all started flashing . i took the car back to the dealer & they replaced the computer but it didn't work they put 3 computers in since then, these lights are still on till this day. in 06 my trans blew i took the car back to the dealer they replaced my trans the car still doesn't ride right. my a/c turns on but nothing comes out sometimes. in the winter the inside of my car becomes a fog all over my windows and it wont stop fogging up. a smell is coming out of my vents like a coffee smell & im inhaling this smell whenever im in the car i have to go to a doctor to get checked out to see if i have health issues .my sun roof leaks when it rains,i took my car back to the dealer to have all these issues fixed but they never did i purchased the car in 02 the warranty lasted 02-05 b/c that is when my warranty expired. when i call they tell me i have to pay out of pocket b/c the warranty expired. this isn't fair to any mitsubishi owner i shouldn't have to pay to have my car fixed now after the warranty when all the same problems have been recurring since i purchased the car and they never fixed it to begin with. i can understand if i was the only person with these problems i decided to search the internet to see if anyone else owned my make and model of my car to see if they had similar problems sure enough i came across a website called www.carsurvey.org/viewcomments_review_76426.html there's over 50 people with the same problems i have with my car.mitsubishi should fix these problems and stand by there cars. i called corporate headquarters today & was told there's nothing they can do b/c its out of warranty. *tr ...

The heater core. i start smelling an antifreeze smell inside the car then the check engine soon light came on. also the tcl is on. the dealer said that it is a wheel sensor that will run me $625. the heater core is $1,200. every one that i talk to on the email sight is having the same problem. please help! thanks. *tr

The windshield fogs up for no reason and i am not able to defog it. it is very hard to see any time the heat is on. i am told it may be the heater core. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 mitsubishi diamante. the check engine light began illuminating, the heater coil was leaking, and the windows were steaming. the contact smelled a foul odor coming from the vehicle. a mechanic diagnosed that the heater core needed to be replaced. the failure mileage was 67,800 and current mileage was 67,990.

Windshield fog, sweet syrup smell. *tr

2002 mitsubishi diamante 65k miles. failure of heater core/ heater core gaskets/ o-rings. windshield will not defog, strong coolant odor and residue on windshield and side windows. resulted in dangerously low visibility while driving. windshield too foggy for safe driving. strong smell of antifreeze in passenger compt. had to open windows in sub freezing temp to get fresh air to passenger compt while driving. cost to repair estimated $800-$1100. problem appears to be widespread based on complaints filed at this nhtsa site as some complaints are categorized under different component names but have same problem descriptions. greater than 60 complaints by my count for 2002 model year alone on relatively low number of vehicles sold in us. *tr

Fall of 2007, noticed increased fogging of windows that did not go away with defroster, fresh air. began to smell sweet, syrupy smell. november 07, heat refused to work, checked antifreeze level, very low. windows continuing to not be cleared. oily film covering windows. currently, i have not had complete failure of heater or computer module. i have researched this problem on the diamante owners web site. my problems mirror exactly as fellow posters. november 29, 2007, i pulled back the carpet to inspect computer module and heater core area, there is gunky green ooze on the floor and on the computer module. i am currently in the position of researching the best way to have problem fixed, whether at the dealer, another auto shop, or self repair. *tr

My heater core requires replacement. a few weeks ago my windshield became hazy and difficult to defrost. i did not realize it was from toxic anti-freeze leaking into the car. *tr

Bad heater core, leaking o-rings. *jb

2002 mitsubishi diamante heater core leakage. *tr

Heater core problem. window fog. anti freeze smell in side of cabin. extended warranty is not cover.only 28800 miles 2002 diamante. *jb

Windows will not defrost and odor coming from vents. also puddle of anti-freeze on passenger floor. did not think problems where related but they are. heater core gasket leaking and causing the problems. $1 gasket and $700+ labor. this is a scam from the dealership, exploit a unsafe defect and then charge an arm and a leg to get it fixed. next they will charge for the air we breathe. *jb

Leakage of antifreeze ( engine coolant) into the passenger compartment of vehicle. the coolant smell was apparent within the car. *nm

Noticed anti-freeze smell within the vehicle. windshield fogging up and heater was not working properly. took to dealership and was told o-rings needed replaced. advised work was completed, charged $652.97, and the next day still experiencing the same problems. contacted the dealership. they are going to investigate further. *jb

Windows fogged up, maple syrup smell coming from heater. respiratory sickness after incident. *nm

Heater core in '02 mitsubishi diamante leaked causing windows to fog and anti-freeze to leak into passenger compartment. *jb

Heater core leaking. *nm

2002 mitsubishi diamante purchased from wallace mitsubishi in kingsport tn. in july 2006. mileage 45000 miles. foul odor from vents, windows fogged with greasy film, impossible to see through windows. garage mechanic determined the cause to be heater core malfunction. repairs to cost between $700.00 to $800.00 . i'm not the only one with this problem. the should be a recall. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the defroster failed and would not defrost the windshield. the dealership determined a clip in the system came loose and the clip was reconnected. now, six months later, the problem has returned and the dealership determined the clip needs to be replaced.

Excessive fogging of interior windows and failure to clear up have resulting in very unsafe driving conditions. my wife was driving with our children and just missed getting hit by a tractor trailer the other day. in addition the smell of antifreeze is disgusting! brought the car to the dealer and spent nearly $600 to repair "o rings". does not seem right to have as many complaints on this issue without having the manufacturer properly address the issue. someone is going to get killed or severely injured sooner or later. i guess we should wait for that to happen before we hear from nhtsa and mitsuibishi. *nm

Noticed bad odor in the vehicle followed by the windows fogging up and the heater not working a few days later. repair shop stated that the heater core needs to be replaced. this is unusual for cars that are only a few years old and have low mileage. repair would be around $1000.00. i have the 2002 diamante and this part was very hard to find. even the dealership had to order it. can anything be done to help with this cost. just a struggling man trying to provide for a family in a honest way. please help!!*jb

Could not clear the inside of the windshield. smell like rotten eggs when i turn on the heater. the check engine light came on. the lights indicator on both the n and d were flashing. the automatic transmission shifting was difficult. dealer's mechanic found that the automatic transmission relay had been damaged by coolant leaking onto the ecu from the heater core. coolant was also found to have leaked under the passenger side carpeting. replaced the heater core and the relay to a tune of $1,500 bill. car has 50,000 miles .dh. *nm

Heater core hoses leaked by 34k miles - seeping anti freeze into passenger side carpet, smelling of syrup, and fogging up windows when they needed to be defogged. also, tires were noisy from first drive. at 36.5k miles they are very bad, vibrating entire car and making extreme road noise. *nm

Dt: the contact states there is a leak coming from the heater core. this causes anti-freeze to come inside the vehicle. the anti-freeze is obstructing his vision and he is breathing anti-freeze. the vehicle has not been to a dealership. *jb

Dt: the contact stated while driving the windows would constantly be foggy. the vehicle was smoking under the dashboard. also, coolant leaked inside the vehicle through the dashboard. the contact took the vehicle to a dealership to have the vehicle checked. they discovered the problem to be the heater core, it needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted. no repairs were made.*ak

The vehicle is a 2002 mitsubishi diamante ls. the windows in the vehicle have been constantly foggy in a dry environment. when wiping windows down, i noticed that the condensation was oily. i have also noticed a syrup smell in the vehicle. the defroster has not been working properly, so i investigated online to find out if it was a common failure. what i found out was that the syrup smell and oily condensation was most likely due to a leaky heater core. i took the vehicle to a local mechanic who found that the o-ring seals for the heater core were failing. they pressured tested the core to be sure it was not failing also. the old parts are not available. the defroster was not related and only sparked my investigation into the oily condensation. *jb

Fog and mist on the inside of the windshield. coolant levels dropped and refills were required, followed by a problem in the automatic transmission shifting and finally a check engine light warning. mechanic found that the automatic transmission relay had been damaged by coolant leaking onto the ecu from the heater core. coolant was also found to have leaked under the passenger side carpeting. *jb

I am filing this complaint with the nhtsa department on behalf of myself and over 40 other owners of the 2002 mitsubishi diamante automobile. the back ground on all of these complaints can be viewed at www.mycarstats.com . it is my feeling that these mitsubishi customers were under the impression that filing a complaint on mycarstats.com was the same as filing one with the nhtsa. if you would take the time to view the various stories under the complaints section, sub headings engine cooling systems and visual systems, you will see the magnitude and the similarities of the problem. you will also find a similar collection of complaints under other vehicle model years, as mitsubishi built this vehicle with the same problem, for many years. the main problem is in the faulty design of the o rings that were to seal the engine coolant from leakage as it enters the cabin heater core. this is a problem that mitsubishi recognized and actually issued a service bulletin advising dealers of a repair kit designed to eliminate the leaks that are sure to develop. as you will learn from reading the complaints of the many owners on the www.mycarstats.com web site, this leaking problem has cause these owners to spend in the area of $800 to $1200 in repairs on vehicles with relatively low miles. in many cases the miles are as low as 40,000. the lower costs of repair are usually found at independent repair shops with the higher costs normally attributed to mitsubishi dealerships. most complaining owners only mention the accumulation of anti-freeze vapor on windows and the saturation of the vehicles floor covering. some also report damage to the vehicles computer system. i ask only that you visit the www.mycarstats.com web site and review the extensive list of almost identical complaints. i feel that after doing so you will feel, as i, that mitsubishi owns their customers reimbursement for the problems their faulty design has caused. *jb

I purchased 2002 mitusbishi diamante ls with 35000 miles from the mitsubishi dealer in san bernardino, california. after driving off i noticed a smell of maple syrup. i also noticed that my eyes burned and itched when the heater was on. this was likely due to the white cloud that came from the heater duct. it was also causing cloudy windows that made safe navigation impossible. the carpet i starting to puddle with antifreeze on the passenger side. i took it in for a routine oil change, and had the dealer mechanic check the smell. they informed me that the heater core was leaking, and would need to be replaced. their quote was $1060 and was not covered by my bumper to bumper warranty. this is a health hazard and the leaky heater core could cause massive damage to the computer that controls the engine. they will not correct the problem even thoug it wa a problem at drive off.*ak

Windshield would not defrost. vapor blowing from vents. called to get cost estimate-$765 from dealer. called other repair shops--they said they've done 4 repairs in the last 6 months on mitsubishi's for this problem. *nm

'02 mitsubishi diamante; heater core failure; 2nd owner eff. 2/05; bought from same dealer that leased to 1 person; found many other owners suffering same issue on google to site: http://www.diamanteowners.com/forum/index.php?s=918c701e5465c87381ccae0aa22c20a3&showtopic=3615 i have been quoted $1200 by 2 dealers and $900 by a mechanic/independent. the dealer that leased the car to '1st owner' and sold it to me at end of lease told me that they are working on two diamantes per week for heater core replacement! why is there no recall yet??? this leak - per brad/sale and service dealer states that if i fail to fix immediately - 10 hours of labor - radiator coolant will leak into passenger foot well/flood and the leakage goes over my computer that runs the car! 2 repairs a week is unacceptable!!! please help!!! i have a toddler and teenager riding daily with me smelling the radiator fluid that steams inside windshield (cannot use heater). this fogging occurs even when heater not in use (although much milder in condensation). bought car in mint condition -used- at same dealership that issued lease/all scheduled maintenance performed. i cannot afford this obvious defect that needs full 'recall' status - please help! p.s. personally, i have wanted this car for 6 years - to have this issue, and obviously just before a recall will / "*has** to be made is so terribly stressful and disappointing. *nm updated 07/17/2012 *js

My wife noticed little clouds of white smoke coming from the vents when the haeter/defroster was turned on, we could also smell something that smelled like syurp or antifreeze. the windows do not defrost anymore, which is a major safety hazard. i am told that this most likely from a broken heater core. if not replaced antifreeze can leak into the cars computer, which could cause a serious accident by shutting down the entire car. the estimated cost of repair is $400-$1000. i have read many complaints about this problem. i hope something can be done to fix this serious and potentially deadly situation. *ak

Failure in the heater coil with less than 50000 miles antifreeze leakig into passenger compartment and fogging window.*ak

Had trouble defrosting windshield, build up of film on windshield, antifreeze on passenger side floor, headaches. *tr

The first time my 5 year old son drove in this car, he vomitted. everytime he rides in it he becomes nauseous. the car's windshield fogs up and a sickly sweet smell comes out of the vents. the windshield is covered in a permanent haze. we noticed these symptoms but had not given it a second thought since the car was new and had no reason to suspect major problems. the car was recently in the shop for 1 week, when we picked it up we really noticed the sweet smell and alerted the shop. after inspection the shop diagnozed it as a heater core problem, a leak that is vaporizing and condensating on the windshields. the anti-freeze fumes are noxious, and after some research we have found that mitsubishi has been aware of the problem and has even issued 2 tsb about the problem. mitsubishi fails to correct the problem by fixing the car. because of the noxious nature of the fumes, the number of complaints on record, mitsubishi should be forced to recall these cars and to fix the problem. if nhtsa refuses to help all of us who have been screwed by another large corporation, why am i paying my taxes, so that you can protect corporate interests like all other federal agencies? the incident is everyday. *jb