Transfer Case Recall - IMPORTANT, Pleas Read!!!!

[Hocky]

To answer, my above post, the car is finished with a new xfer case today. ~15 days isn't too bad considering that they had to manufacture a new case for me. It worked out well since I broke the original one on Sunday and have it back up and running today. :-)

[nfgn820]

hey if i didn't get a recall notice in the mail since i'm the whatever number owner of this car..how can i get it done?

[Sean Johnson]

Just call your local dealership and have them run your vin number. When it show that the recall hasn't been done, they shouldn't have any problem doing it.

[James]

Is there any compelling reason to get the recall done on a transfer case that _isn't_ leaking? (I'm guessing not as it would probably cause problems if/when it does start leaking, right?)

[Drummer]

I should bring my 94 TT in for this recall?

[blusilvr]

if the cars get pulled apart for the recall, why put the old TC back in if it has 100k miles? Might as well put in a new one to be safe, it is less than a tranny

[Sedona]

Interesting....

I spent the entire day today speaking to a number corporations, most notably Mitsubishi Corporation who is by the way up their wazoo in lawsuits right now due to recalls. From what I have learned the recall is only good for vehicles whose VIN number is on the list for the year of the recall; i.e., the 1994 VR4 have a list that consists of 15000 VINs and your VIN number must be on that list for the recall to be honored.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/
To the left select Search under the title Safety Recalls Then type in the year of your ride and its make, etc., etc and you'll get the results of how many vehicles they have determined have this issue. Yes the brakes lines are now a newly added item as well. I spoke to a gentlemen at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ and he said you have to take it to a mitsubishi dealer who'll then look up your VIN to see if it's on the list and if it is they are supposed to make the change. Now, the other side of this coin is that either the seals are bad or the case is leaking which mine has started to do so. Unfortunately here is another website reporting these issues
http://www.mitsubishisucks.com/cars/...sa/3000gt.html. They get into real detail and explain that Mitsubishi does all they can to wriggle their way out of honoring this recall so get ready for a lot of run-arounding. I have been trying to get this resolved for two years. If the dealer refuses or whatever you want to call it (does not comply, whatever) then you are supposed to call Mits Corp at 1-888-648-7820. Press 0 cause you probably don't have an account since your vehicle is now considered antiquated (sorry) your dealing with corporate america - remember this point! I called the number and tried to get the part number but the guy caught onto me and backed out with a "that's not my department" reply and then said "I don't recall which department can supply you with that info".

I called a parts company (http://www.rockauto.com/) and luck of all luck there was a rep there that had just bought a 3kgt-VR4 but he was fortunate to have come upon a dealership that had ethics and they immediately looked up his VIN located it on the list and immediately changed the transfer case for a new one. Now the thing is this lad indicated that when they change the transfer case the new one has a different serial number that indicates it was part of a recall swap. He couldn't recall the number (damn) but the info was good to know. He said he's had several freinds that were going through the same BS and that you just have to keep hammering at Mits Corp and the dealership of choice whose life you want to make miserable until they give and do what they should - change the thing and stop screwing people around.

I have yet to find the VIN list. Only the dealerships and Mitsubishi have it (mmmm I wonder why). If it wasn't for all the money I've already forked over for the struts and fuel lines I would just fork over the money and buy the part from 3sx.com they have it and the seals I have a mechanic that can do the work for a reasonal price. The dealerships want $5000 for the part alone At least that's what one dealer told me. Also there is this supposedly agreed upon date which after 2002 owners were supposed to be knowledgeable about. So if you don't get it in during that recall period for I guess your VIN Mits Corp is also using that as an excuse to say Oops! you missed out - sorry.

Anyone that owns a Mitsubishi up to 1999 should take their vehicle to a Mits dealership and find out if their VIN is on the list and if so according to nhtsa.dot.gov the dealer should get to work. Watch the dealer doesn't report that there was nothing wrong with it cause that's what happened to me and he closed the case without my knowledge so now Mits Corp is saying the case once closed cannot be reopened again - It's supposedly a done deal. But according to the guy I spoke to at nhtsa.dot.gov that's not how it works. If your VIN is on the recall list it means something must be done because the part is bad period! Otherwise your VIN wouldn't be on the list. He said if the dealer gives you crap about it then call nhtsa.dot.gov and create a complaint against the dealership (sort of like the BBB reporting). He also said that we should start creating BBB reports against Mits Corp as well if we start getting the shaft. Then the show begins and you keep plugging til hopefully you get justice. Welcome to the dark side of Corporate America!.

Also www.misubishisucks.com wants to have complaints lodged at their website as well so that they can start sending tons of complaints to the FTC.

So there you have it the long and short of it.

Tomorrow I take my vehicle to a dealership. I already have a report from a reputable mechanic that indeed my TC is leaking. So they can't play me. If they try to weasle out them I place my complaint with nhtsa.dot.gov which I started already then I place one at mitsubishisucks.com then I call Mits Corp and start pestering them; I'll see. Everybody else "Together we stand, divided we fall". Power to the People.

[Sedona]

Good News!

I called the dealership here locally that has done some work for me and got the warranty rep. She looked up my VIN and noticed that it was closed by the previous dealership that did my maintenance who without my knowledge posted to Mits Corp that they checked my TC and didn't see any issues with it and closed the case as a "no issue".

But the chick at the dealership said no problem. She said a dealership has the option to reopen the case when the defect/s surfaces and replace the seals or replace the TC altogether. I of course want a new one not a rebuilt or some new seals forget that crap. Anyway she said it doesn't matter how many years have passed since you bought it or how deep you are in the ownership line - as long as that VIN pops up when the dealer checks the VIN list and even if another dealer looked at it and said it wasn't leaking during his watch, once it starts acting up the recall is supposed to be honored by any Mits Dealership.

She explained that the point is the part is defective on vehicles with a particular VIN (who knows, mabey on all of the vehicles built during that particular assembly year) and even if its ok now is not the point - its just a matter of time before an issue surfaces so why bother waiting for something terrible to happen and just fix the damn things NOW while it is still safe to drive.

Common sense. But the world is leaking common sense in the ozone and is possibly part of the green house effect - you think!

Anyway - I don't believe in luck. You just got to find a dealership that has SOME ethics and will honor the recall/warranty. Mits Corp can't help you and they know that. They have a call center that takes these calls and the call center says well you need to take it to the dealer and get them to look up your VIN then they decide what needs to be done. Mits Corp put this in the hands of the dealerships and it's the dealerships that are left with honoring the recall. With everyone else its just moaning and groaning and they aint mechanics. If you have to go to another state that's close to you to find a dealer who will honor the recall - do it.

Oh by the way my VIN didn't fall under the Right and Front Wheel-side brake hose crack which results in brake fluid leakage. Make sure you have them check you VIN's for that issue too.

[Sean Johnson]

Good news. A little work & it seems to have paid off. Congrats

[scrapiron7]

I'm getting the run-around from the dealer here in Austin. A shop that did my front end work last week said my TC is leaking. I called the local dealer and provided my VIN. They said my recall was performed in 1998.. Somehow I really doubt that. Mitsu of America is getting a call next.