MitsubishiGalant19972.4L/mitsubishi/galant/1997/2-4l/

1997 Mitsubishi Galant — 2.4L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1997 Galant 2.4L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 2.4LTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1997 Mitsubishi Galant 2.4L is a passenger car powered by a 2.4-liter engine and a four-speed automatic transmission, carrying EPA fuel-economy ratings of 19 city/26 highway/22 combined mpg and requiring 4.5 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-30 API oil at each change. Within the 1990–2012 model run, owner complaints reached a high of 263 for 1994 and a low of three for 2011, leaving the 1997 model's 89 complaints and three recalls in the lower-middle of the historical spread, with suspension flagged as the top complaint area. That placement makes it a moderately reported year rather than a clear outlier, so a researcher should treat the suspension complaints and recall count as the primary items to investigate.

Model year201220112010200920082007200620051997

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/26/22 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 26 · 490 CCA battery, OE oil filter MZ690072. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 26 · 490 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnTAILOEM · verified
Tire size4WD:P225-75R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterMZ690072
Engine air filterMB906051
Fuel filterMB868451
Spark plugMS851357
Front wiper bladesMZ690946 alt 8250A174
Serpentine beltMD186124 alt MB568899
ThermostatMD315301

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 26 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, 85W-90 · 80W-90 in the differential, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Differential Gear Oil85W-90 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.8 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Power Steering FluidUse Mitsubishi PS fluid

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or StudsDOHC: 14 ft-lbs; SOHC:
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts18 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts98 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head BoltsM8 fastners: 36 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub167 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)SOHC: 750 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)SOHC: 100 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance0.9-1.2 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance20,000-29,000 ohms
Spark Plug Gap0.028-0.035 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing5, Not adjustable degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.44-1.52 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type56
Oil Capacity4.10 oz
Standard BCI Group Number26
Standard BCI Cranking Performance490 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test23 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature177-183 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)47.0-50.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)38.0 psi
Engine Compression192-145 PSI. 14 Maximum variation PSI.
Engine Compression139-185 psi
Engine Oil Pressure4.2 psi @ Idle, 43-85 psi @ 3000 rpm psi

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket36-43 ft-lbs / 65 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle40 ft-lbs / 65-80 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.080; Rear: 0.080 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Runout Limit0.0031 in / 0.0024 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.394 in / 0.945 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90-10015 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages
158 ft. lbs.58 ft. lbs
2Loosen all bolts completely.
315 ft. lbs.15 ft. lbs
490 degrees.90 degrees
590 degrees.90 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 60,000 miBalance Shaft Drive Belt (replace) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (replace)
Every 100,000 miTiming Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The federal record shows complaints peaked in the mid‑1990s, reaching 263 in 1994 and 249 in 1995 before beginning a decline. In 1997 the Galant logged 89 complaints, 3 recalls, no investigations and 41 technical service bulletins, which is roughly half the 1996 total of 170 complaints and slightly above the 1998 figure of 62 complaints. This places 1997 on the descending side of the complaint arc, indicating improving reliability relative to the earlier high‑volume years but still higher than the later low‑point years. The top complaint areas for 1997 were Suspension (17), Power Train (11), Engine & Engine Cooling (9) and Air Bags (8), with 9 crash‑related and 1 fire‑related complaints recorded. Overall, the downward trend suggests that a 1997 model offers a moderate complaint level, making it a reasonable used‑car choice compared with earlier, more problematic years.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
41
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
89
Owner complaints
9 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 89 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Suspension17
Power Train11
Engine & Engine Cooling9
Air Bags8
Service Brakes, Hydraulic7
Electrical System5
Steering3
Latches/Locks/Linkages2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

00V421001Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball JointReported 18/12/2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE RUBBER BOOTS ON THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINTS OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, DIRT AND WATER CAN INTRUDE. ALSO, MMC HAS ADDED THE POTENTIAL OF… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LOWER LATERAL ARM BALL JOINT FOR WEAR. BALL JOINTS THAT EXHIBIT WEAR BEYOND THE ESTABLISHED TOLERANCE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY DESIGNED LATERAL ARM…

07E055000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel PumpReported 26/07/2007

CERTAIN AIRTEX FUEL PUMP MODULE ASSEMBLIES, P/N E7081H, SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE WALL OF THE FLARED FITTING OF THE FUEL PUMP IS NOT THICK ENOUGH TO PREVENT THE MATING… Remedy: AIRTEX WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JULY 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AIRTEX AUTOMOTIVE AT 800-880-3056.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 41 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB-22-54-0032022-04-07Exterior LightingThis Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between…
TSB-21-00-0102021-04-23EquipmentThis Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to provide instructions and Material…
TIN-21-00-0032021-03-15EquipmentThis Technical Information Notice was sent to dealers reminding them of the importance of…
TT-20-00-0022020-08-28Electrical SystemTech Talk is a service newsletter that was sent out to dealers. It covers various topics…
TIN-20-42A-0012020-08-13StructureThis Technical Information Notice was sent to dealers informing that MMNA has recently…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Galant. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1997 Galant 2.4L take?

4.5 qt of ABOVE 0 degreesF 10W-30 SL API, BELOW 100 degreesF 5W-30 SL API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1997 Galant have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 2.4L get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 26 highway / 22 combined mpg.