2005 Mitsubishi Galant Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2005 Mitsubishi Galant ranks 6th out of 8 model years with a complaint index of 29 and earns a Good verdict. It had 26 complaints, 3 recalls, and no do-not-drive campaigns, with brakes and structure/body issues most common.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 29/100
- #6 of 8 Galant years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 26
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 3
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 1
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 1
- Top issue
- Brakes
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 21
- 18.5 city / 26 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
Top 2005 Mitsubishi Galant problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Brakes6 (23%)
- Structure & Body6 (23%)
- Electrical System4 (15%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (15%)
- Engine3 (12%)
- Airbags2 (8%)
- Fuel System2 (8%)
- Other2 (8%)
- Steering2 (8%)
- Seat Belts1 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Anti-lock brake master cylinders allowed fluid bypass, causing anti-skid systems to actuate unexpectedly or fail during emergency stops.
- Electrical wiring harnesses chafed against the engine, causing shorts, sparking, smoke, and stalling.
- Steering experienced total power steering failure with fluid leaking under the hood at low mileage.
- Front-end vibration and steering wheel shimmy appeared shortly after purchase, worsening at highway speeds between 70 and 80 mph.
- Rear passenger seat belts failed to unlock after use, trapping occupants.
- Fuel system stalling occurred after refueling, which dealers attributed to an overfilled tank saturating the filter and canister.
- Airbags failed to deploy in a rear-end collision at approximately 40 mph, resulting in injuries.
2005 Mitsubishi Galant recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 08V454000Sep 9, 2008Fuel System45,988 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Mitsubishi is recalling 45,988 my 2005-2007 endeavor, galant, eclipse coupe, and my 2007 eclipse spyder vehicles. The bracket that is the attachment point for the left rear fuel tank mounting strap may have been improperly formed during a metal stamping process. The process may have caused the metal to have a split in the area where the bolt that holds one of the two fuel tank straps to the underside of the vehicle is located. In the event the fuel tank is full and the vehicle is subject to a severe collision, the bracket may break and allow the fuel tank to drop down, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect to see if the left rear fuel tank strap mounting bracket has splitting beyond a specific limit. Vehicles with moderate to severe splitting will be repaired using a reinforcement cap, a special structural adhesive, and a rivet to reinforce the fuel tank mounting bracket. The recall began on september 20, 2008. Owners may contact mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037.
- NHTSA 08V276000Jun 20, 2008Electrical System73,000 vehicles
Electrical system:ignition
Mitsubishi is recalling 73,000 my 2004-2006 gallant passenger vehicles. During vehicle use, the ignition key interlock cable (which is a component of the interlock system) may allow the interlocking cam to fall forward and allow the ignition key to be removed from the ignition switch when the gearshift mechanism is not in the park position.
Risk: If the driver does not shift to park before removing the key and fails to engage the parking brake, the vehicle could roll and a crash could occur.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and correct these vehicles for the reported condition. The recall began on september 2, 2008. Owners may contact mitsubishi at 1-888-648-7820.
- NHTSA 05V409000Sep 15, 2005Brakes2,901 vehicles
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with anti-lock brakes, the brake master cylinder, which controls the fluid pressure to the vehicle's brakes, may allow brake fluid to bypass internally during stopping.
Risk: This may result in a partial loss of braking, increased stopping distances, and could lead to a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder. The recall began on october 3, 2005. Owners may contact mitsubishi at 1-800-222-0037.
2005 Mitsubishi Galant fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 18.5 MPG
- Highway
- 26 MPG
- Combined
- 21 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,500
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2005 compared with other Galant years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2005 Mitsubishi Galant reliable?
- NHTSA data gives the 2005 Galant a complaint index of 29 and a Good verdict, ranking 6th best out of 8 model years for this model.
- What are the most common problems with the 2005 Mitsubishi Galant?
- Brakes and Structure & Body issues each account for 6 of the 26 complaints (23% each), followed by Electrical System and Suspension, Wheels & Tires issues at 4 complaints each.
- Does the 2005 Mitsubishi Galant have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 3 recalls: a fuel tank strap bracket issue, an ignition key interlock cable defect, and a brake master cylinder fluid bypass problem. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- What year Mitsubishi Galant should I avoid?
- Based on complaint index, the 2007 (86) and 2009 (100) model years carry Avoid verdicts, both worse than the 2005 model's index of 29.
- At what mileage do 2005 Galant problems typically occur?
- Median mileage at failure across sample data ranges widely by system, from about 11,334 miles for brake complaints to 76,000 miles for suspension issues, with an overall median mileage at failure of 31,000 miles.