2002 Mitsubishi Diamante Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System:heater Core Problems

NHTSA component category: VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE · data through 07/14/2026

62Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System:heater Core complaints

50.4%Of all 123 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:heater core ranks on this vehicle

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE62 · 50.4%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING18 · 14.6%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM16 · 13%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM8 · 6.5%

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM5 · 4.1%

Share of the 123 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante overview page.

What owners report

“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…”NHTSA complaint 10230393 — filed 06/09/2008

“STARTED SMELLING "MAPLE SYRUP" IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. WINDOWS WERE FOGGING UP EASILY. THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY DEALER TO BE THE HEATER CORE LEAKING ANTIFREEZE, AND…”NHTSA complaint 10225281 — filed 04/21/2008

“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…”NHTSA complaint 10223759 — filed 04/08/2008

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System:heater Core complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante have visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:heater core problems?

Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System:heater Core is the most-reported problem area on the 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante: 62 of 123 complaints on file (50.4%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2002 Mitsubishi Diamante have in total?

123 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 4 involved a crash, 0 involved a fire, 11 reported injuries, and 2 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:heater core category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.