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2001 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

crash · 521862 · 2005-02-15

Vehicle

Make
MITSUBISHI
Model
MIRAGE
Year
2001
Manufacturer
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
Component
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
Miles at failure
50,000
Speed
5 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

I PURCHASED A NEW MIRAGE FROM A DEALER IN 2001. I MIGHT HAVE HAD ABOUT 53,000 MILES ON THE CAR WHEN I STARTED HAVING BRAKE PROBLEMS. I DECIDED TO LOOK INTO IT AFTER I HAD MY FIRST ACCIDENT, IN WHICH I ENDED UP REAR ENDING SOMEONE. I GOT NEW TIRES AND HAD THE DAMAGE REPAIRED. ABOUT A MONTH LATER, I HAD ANOTHER ACCIDENT RESULTING IN REAR ENDING SOMEONE. THE CAR WAS MAKING FUNNY NOISES WHEN I STOPPED. I TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID MY BRAKE PADS WERE WORN COMPLETELY THROUGH, AS A RESULT OF MY CALIPERS FAILING TO RELEASE, WHICH ALSO WORE MY ROTORS OUR. IN ADDITION, HE SAID THE WRONG SIZE CALIPERS WERE ON THE CAR (THEY WERE THE ORIGINAL SET). I WAS SHOCKED. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT I DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR ANOTHER MILE BEFORE GETTING NEW PADS, ROTORS, AND CALIPERS. I WAS FURIOUS--I COULDN'T AFFORD THE ENTIRE JOB, SO I HAD THE BRAKE PADS REPLACED AND IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO A MITSUBISHI DEALER FOR A SECOND OPINION. THEY SAID MY CALIPERS WERE FINE AND MY ROTORS JUST NEEDED TO BE SHAVED. ABOUT A MONTH LATER, I REAR ENDED SOMEONE ELSE. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO A DEALER AND HAD THE BRAKES INSPECTED. THEY SAID THEY LOOK FINE. I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR 7 YEARS WITH NO PRIOR ACCIDENTS, THEN I GET 3 IN A ROW. MY INSURANCE IS THROUGH THE ROOF. I DRIVE EXTRA SLOW WITH PLENTY OF SPACE BETWEEN ME AND THE NEXT CAR. I DON'T KNOW WHEN MY BRAKES WILL WORK PROPERLY AND THEY KEEP TELLING ME THEY ARE FINE. TODAY, I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALER FOR A BRAKE INSPECTION--THE NOISE AND VIBRATION IS VERY

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10110559
Machine
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