Mitsubishi, U.S. Unit to Recall 1.3 Million Autos Worldwide

Mitsubishi Motor Corp. and its U.S. subsidiary said Thursday they are recalling more than 1.3 million vehicles worldwide, including 961,000 in North America--for a variety of problems. The recalls are expected to cost the company more than $146 million.

Mitsubishi has been haunted by scandal in Japan after admitting last year that it had systematically concealed customer complaints in Japan and other overseas markets for years that could have led to safety recalls.

Federal safety regulators in Washington, however, have given Mitsubishi’s U.S. operations a clean bill of health. In a report issued last year in the wake of the Japanese revelations, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Cypress-based Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America has followed all U.S. safety recall rules.

The new recalls were announced separately in Japan and the U.S.

“In Japan, Mitsubishi already has fallen on its sword, publicly apologized for its sins and given the ultimate apology with the resignation of its president last November,” said auto industry marketing analyst George Peterson of Tustin-based AutoPacific Inc. “In the U.S., most consumers are not aware of the Japanese problems, so the issue here hinges on how quickly and honestly they handle things.”

The U.S. recall involves a potentially damaged steering system component that can lead to premature wear. Mitsubishi says it is unaware of any fatalities or injuries linked to failure of the part, although two minor crashes involving steering failure have been reported in Japan.

Mitsubishi vehicles included in the recall are 1994 to 1998 model year Galant sedans; 1995 to 1999 model year Eclipse sport coupes and 1996 to 1999 model year Eclipse Spyder convertibles.

Almost 350,000 of the U.S. vehicles in the recall are cars made by Mitsubishi for Chrysler Group and marketed under the Dodge, Chrysler and Eagle brands. Chrysler Group vehicles recalled include the 1995 to 2000 model year Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger and the 1995 to 1998 model year Eagle Talon.

While publicly announcing the U.S. recall Thursday, Mitsubishi won’t notify vehicle owners directly until April. At that time, certified letters will be sent, asking owners of affected vehicles to make an appointment with their local dealer for an inspection and repair at no cost.

The company said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been notified and that the recall is being handled in cooperation with the federal agency.

The expanded U.S. recall is a follow-up to a previous campaign, announced in 1999 when Mitsubishi Motors found that some rubber “boots” covering the ball joints in the lower front steering systems of vehicles assembled at its U.S. plant in Normal, Ill., had damage that could allow moisture to enter the ball joint, causing premature wear.

Though the initial recall focused on torn or damaged boots, some ball joints that passed inspection later were found to still be affected by moisture-related wear.

Older vehicles with high mileage are more likely to show premature ball-joint wear, mechanics say. In extreme circumstances, the ball joint could separate and lead to loss of steering control.

Mitsubishi said customers who have questions or concerns before receiving notification should contact their local Mitsubishi dealer or call Mitsubishi Motors’ customer service line at (888) 648-7820. For questions related to Chrysler Group products, customers can call Chrysler’s customer service line at (800) 992-1997.

The 412,000 vehicles being recalled in Japan and other markets include 232,000 with the same potential ball-joint problem affecting those built in Illinois, as well as vehicles with potentially faulty turbochargers, air bags and fuel tanks.

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Associated Press was used in compiling this report.