Problems with 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer VISIBILITY

When i first got the lancer in 2003 one of the first things i noticed was that the knob for the air and heat was really difficult to turn. i took it into the dealer and was told that it was "just a little sticky" and if i kept turning it, it would work itself out and be fine. i avoided using it as much as possible because it never got better. a year or so later i had to take my vehicle in for a factory recall and during that visit i once again asked about the knob. the tech looked under the panel and said it was just sticking a bit and put some grease on the gears and said to just work it, turning it back and forth, and it would work itself out. it was fine for a couple days but went back to the way it was shortly there after. finally, a few weeks ago, while on my way to the airport to pick up a friend, i went to turn the heat on and the knob just snapped off. this time when i took it in to the dealer they told me since the rod that connects the knob to the gears inside was what snapped it would be about $500-$600 to repair. he even asked why i never had it looked at and fixed before it snapped off. i told him i did numerous times and was blown off each time. but now that it is an actual problem they are willing to fix it, for a fee of course. upon doing some research i realized that other people have had this problem with their lancers and have had similar problems trying to get it fixed. this is cause for complaint, the dealer was not willing to fix it when i mentioned the problem numerous times while the vehicle was under warranty. now this has turned into a costly problem that i believe is a defect in the vehicles. *tr

Heater knob does not turn to hot and no heat.... cold weather in canada

I have a 2003 mitsubishi lancer. approx 4 years ago the temp control knob for the heating/ac became very hard to turn from cold to hot and vice versa. shortly thereafter the whole knob and stem snapped off and broke. i replaced the whole heater/ac control but the problem still persisted. i have learned to live with this inconvenience in the southern ca climate. now my son needs to have this vehicle in philadelphia, pa where he needs to be able to use the heater/defroster. as i have been researching this issue, this seems to a design problem that mitsubishi has known about since march, 2004 with tsb-04-55-003 and tsb-04-44-003. as i am well out of warranty, i asked mitsubishi service advisors if they will help with the cost of $700 - $1100 for repairs. i also contacted mitsubishi customer service but none are willing to help. i feel that misubishi should recall and fix this issue for safety reasons (cannot use defroster) and for the fact that these are not isolated issues. thank you. *tr

2003 mitsubishi lancer purchased in fall of 2003, ac/heater control knob was difficult to turn & eventually broke off. since the unit is now stuck on a/c the defogging system does not work properly making it hazardous to drive the vehicle in winter months. i find the inoperable of the ac/heater control knob to be a life threatening risk. will a life have to be lost before a recall is considered? how many more complaints will go unheard? the consumer should not be expected to fork up $900-1200 for a temporary fix to only have the issue reoccur. *tr

Ac/heater knob is defective, can't change between a/c and heat to effectively use defroster. *nm

Temperature control knob broke completely off. at first it was hard to turn and when it was switched over to heat for winter, it broke off. went to mitsubishi dealership; was told they get that at least 3 times a week then we were quoted around $900 to fix(parts plus labor). sound to me if they get 3 a week then maybe they shouldn't be charging anybody and fixing it seeing as it is defective. *jb

My heater knob is broke. it has been very hard to turn since i bought this car. it was used but this is my second car of the same type. it had the same problem in the car before this one and there was only a 1 year difference in them. i am not the only person with this problem. most of the people i know on the internet forum has the same problem with this car. *jb

Add my bumble bee to the growing list of lancers with broken off heater/a.c. knobs due to the badly designed and faulty component coupled with in an inept service department. should have made this complaint when it first happened instead of just waiting for the recall that never happened. *tr

Dt*: the contact stated the heating and cooling control knob fractured. the vehicle was taken to the service dealer, who determined that the heating and cooling control knob was redesigned and that there were none of the original knobs in stock.*ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 mitsubishi lancer. the adjuster knob for the defroster was very difficult to turn and eventually failed. the dealer stated that the temp control cable needed to be replaced. there is a tsb nhtsa item number 10006466. the failure mileage was 27,000 and current mileage was 29,200.

Temperature knob of mitsubishi lancer doesn't go towards heating. *tr

Heater control knob turns very hard and now does not work at all. *tr

I took our 2003 oz rally lanser to the dealer for a recall. i told them the heating and cooling knob was hard to turn from hot to cold and from cold to hot. i felt like it would break if you force it. they put oil on the knob and said they are all like that on this model. it is now so hard to turn we try not to because it will break. i have read all the complaints on this model and it sounds like a lot of people are having the same problem, but some of them have broken the knob stating that it cost them 500-900 dollars to get fixed. i fell that this should be a recall if that knob was to break in a ice storm you would not be able to turn the defroster or heater on. in the mid-west that could be a safety issue. *tr

The hot/cold switch broke off. since i bought this car it has been difficult to turn the switch for temperature control. both knobs are damaged and now im not able to control the direction of the air neither the temperature. this has to be a manufacture defect since. during my research online i've found many similar problems like this one. mitsubishi should make a recall and fix it . *tr

The consumer experienced sudden acceleration . the consumer stated that when applying the brakes, the vehicle accelerated. the consumer contacted the manufacturer, who also was at a loss for an explanation as to why this defect occurred. *ak the accelerator pedal would stick, the heater controls would bind up when turned on and at times the accelerator pedal would go to the floor. *sc *jb

2003 mitsubishi lancer - difficulty turning the temperature knob. had it fixed at the dealer just enough so that i could turn the knob, but is still very difficult and he warned that if i use it too much it will likely break. apparently mitsubishi is aware of the problem but refuses to issue a recall. *tr

I have the same problem with the heat/cold knob and the vent knob. i complained to the dealer and they quoted me almost $1900 to fix. yeah right!!! this is a solution.... not a complete fix but i get heat in the winter and a/c in the summer. i have to reached up under the dash and move the controls at the heater box. if you still have a knob turn it while you are moving the plastic arm from underneath. the vent control is a little harder to get to but it's up there, just a little higher and it's smaller so it's harder to get leverage. hope this helps all of you. look under from the driver side. you'll see the cables and they're connected to a plastic rotary arm thing. it works... yes it's a pain... beats dishing out major bucks for something that's not our fault. *tr

Heater selector from hot to cold does not work properly. after a short time, did not work at all; bent cable. purchased new cable, bent new cable. found problem to be not in knob, but in the actual lever/gear the cable turns. estimate it needs a new heater core (best guess from service shop). *jb

Windshield weather stripe malfunctioned. as a result, windshield became loose. consumer was concerned that windshield will fall out. the part was replaced six times, however the problem still recurred. *ak

I have two issues which seem to have both already been reported. 1. while driving the transmission will idle high while driving, but the vehicle is not speeding up. then without warning the transmission catches, and the car lurches forward. this is a random issue that happens daily with the vehicle. servicing the transmission has not fixed the problem and continues to be a problem to this day. 2.the heater/ac control know became very difficulty to change between heater and a/c. the switch has finally broke off, and now i'm unable to switch between heater and a/c. i have done research and this also seems to be a problem that has not been resolved. i have found most other auto owners have paid for the replacement, but only to have the same problem occur again. i have done research on both of these issues and is has been reported as far back as 2004, and at this point i do see any recalls by mitsubishi to fix either of the problems. *tr

Since we purchased the car we have been complaining; but told that the knobs are a little hard to turn and there is no problem. the controls finally became inoperable; which puts our safety at risk. hvac controls have been designed with a mechanical flaw which makes the defrosting, heating, and ac components difficult to operate and eventually become inoperable. tsb 055-003 has been issued putting the repair on the consumer for a design flaw which put motorist at risk especially in inclement weather. *tr