MitsubishiGalant20083.8L/mitsubishi/galant/2008/3-8l/

2008 Mitsubishi Galant — 3.8L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 Galant 3.8L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 3.8LTransmission Automatic (S5)

The 2008 Mitsubishi Galant is a passenger car powered by a 3.8L engine and an S5 automatic transmission. This configuration delivers an EPA-rated 17/25/20 mpg and requires 4.9 quarts of 10W-30 or 5W-20 API engine oil. With zero recalls and only six owner complaints primarily focused on the structure, this model year sits near the low end of the 1990-2012 complaint history, which peaked in 1994 with 263 complaints.

Model year2010200920082007200620052004

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.9 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/25/20 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24 · 550 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 24 · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnHEADOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215-60R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterMZ690072
Engine air filterMR571396
Fuel filterMN176269 alt 1770A122
Spark plug1822A002 alt MN158596
Front wiper bladesMZ690946 alt MZ693021
Serpentine beltMN187016 alt MN187015
ThermostatMD194988 alt MD315301

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S5)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length189.8 in
Overall width72.4 in
Overall height57.9 in
Wheelbase107.1 in
Curb weight3351 lb
Track (front / rear)61 / 61 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 25 / 20 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume99 cu ft
Cargo volume13 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

No 2008 road test on record; the results below are same-engine tests from nearby model years, each shown under its own year.

6.1–7.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.10 sec — 2007 Ralliart Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2007Ralliart Sedan 3.8L V66.10 sec14.80 sec258 hpFWD
2007Ralliart Sedan 3.8L V66.10 sec14.40 sec258 hpFWD
2007Ralliart Sedan 3.8L V66.40 sec14.90 sec258 hpFWD
2004GTS Sedan 3.8L V66.70 sec15.30 sec230 hpFWD
2004GTS Sedan 3.8L V67.20 sec15.35 sec230 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.9 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 22.0-29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6. 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

Automatic Transmission FluidMitsubishi Diamond Queen SP-III
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity8.9
Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-20
Engine Oil Capacity4.9 qt
Power Steering FluidGenuine Mitsubishi PS fluid
Power Steering FluidUse Mitsubishi PS fluid

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts136 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts54 ft-lbs
Main Bearings54 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug22.0-29.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs10 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)680 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.30-1.38 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.70 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca

Service checks

Engine Compression162
Engine Oil Pressure4.3 psi @ Idle, 43-100 psi @ 3500 rpm psi
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25-31 ft-lbs / 28-36 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle67-81 ft-lbs / 42-48 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.080; Rear: 0.080 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0016 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.394 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.394 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.33 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
120 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90-9420 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages
158 ft. lbs.58 ft. lbs
2Loosen all bolts completely in reverse order.
315 ft. lbs.15 ft. lbs
490 degrees.90 degrees
590 degrees.; Apply engine oil to bolt threads and under bolt head. If using new bolts, turn additional 60 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 at 105,000 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 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Driveshaft (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
At 60,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miFuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
At 105,000 miSpark Plugs (replace) · Timing 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 2008 Galant represents a dramatic improvement over the problematic mid-1990s, when complaints peaked at 263 in 1994 and remained elevated through 2001. Following a steady decline from 2002 (142 complaints) through 2007 (24 complaints), the 2008 model year achieved the lowest complaint count in the entire dataset at just 6—fewer than any year on record. Unlike the 1999-2001 period which saw 9-11 annual recalls and ongoing investigations, the 2008 model recorded zero recalls and zero NHTSA investigations, matching the clean record of 2007 and 2009. With crash and fire complaints both at zero and only 37 TSBs on file—consistent with surrounding years—the data suggests the 2008 Galant benefits from mature production and resolved teething issues. This combination of minimal consumer complaints, no safety recalls, and zero crash/fire incidents makes 2008 arguably the most reliable model year within this generation's timeline.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
37
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
6
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 6 complaints on record, top 5 components.

Structure2
Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System1
Steering,Suspension,Electrical System1
Engine1
Air Bags1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 37 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
DEALER LETTER2023-07-21EquipmentThis is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has…
TSB-23-00-0042023-04-24StructureThis Technical Service Bulletin provides instructions and material safety data sheets for…
TSB-23-00-0012023-04-24EquipmentThis Technical Service Bulletin reviews the regulations that require a label showing the…
DEALER LETTER2023-04-21EquipmentThis is a Dealer Letter sent to dealers informing that Mitsubishi Technical Training has…
TSB-22-54-0032022-04-07Exterior LightingThis Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between…

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 2008 Galant 3.8L take?

4.9 qt of ABOVE 100 degreesF 10W-30 SM API, BELOW 100 degreesF 5W-20 SM API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 Galant have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 3.8L get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 25 highway / 20 combined mpg.