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U.S. public vehicle records

2003 Mitsubishi ECLIPSE SPYDER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

27 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

92,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 20 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 27 complaints (14.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Fuel system concerns311.1%
Transmission and shifting27.4%
Braking behavior27.4%
Engine operation13.7%
Electrical and battery issues13.7%
Steering behavior13.7%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags
4
Unknown Or Other
4
Structure
3
Structure:Body
3
Electrical System
2
Tires
2
Engine
1
Engine And Engine Cooling
1
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags4
Unknown Or Other4
Structure3
Structure:Body3
Electrical System2
Tires2
Engine1
Engine And Engine Cooling1

Air Bags: 4; Unknown Or Other: 4; Structure: 3; Structure:Body: 3; Electrical System: 2; Tires: 2; Engine: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
3
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
3
75,000 to 99,999
4
100,000 to 149,999
8
150,000 and above
2
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0003
25,000 to 49,9990
50,000 to 74,9993
75,000 to 99,9994
100,000 to 149,9998
150,000 and above2

Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 8; 150,000 and above: 2

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (8). 7 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2002
1
2003
4
2005
1
2006
2
2007
4
2008
2
2009
2
2010
1
2011
2
2013
2
2015
1
2016
2
2017
3
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20021
20034
20051
20062
20074
20082
20092
20101
20112
20132
20151
20162
20173

2002: 1; 2003: 4; 2005: 1; 2006: 2; 2007: 4; 2008: 2; 2009: 2; 2010: 1; 2011: 2; 2013: 2; 2015: 1; 2016: 2; 2017: 3

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 3 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10008571 · 2003-01-27 (January 27, 2003)

NAR 02/13/2003. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT STARTING PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE WOULD CRANK BUT WOULD CATCH TO START. IN ADDITION, SOMETIMES AS THE CONSUMER TRAVELED DOWN A HILL THE VEHICLE WAS JUST SHUT OFF BY ITSELF, IT WOULD TAKE AT LEAST 30 SECONDS FOR THE VEHICLE TO START AGAIN. IT TOOK THE DEALER SEVERAL TRIES TO DUPLICATE THE CONSUMER PROBLEM. THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FUSE BOX, FUEL PUMP RELAY, PRONGS AND WIRES WHICH CAME FROM THE FUSE BOX TO SHUT THE RELAY OFF SO THE VEHICLE WOULD RUN OUT OF GAS, THE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008571 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10206884 · 2007-10-25 (October 25, 2007)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER. THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHEN IT WAS STARTED. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AND ABOVE, THE VEHICLE STALLED. WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL, BUT COULD EVENTUALLY BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND FILTER FAILED, WHICH PREVENTED FUEL FROM REACHING THE ENGINE. BOTH COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE STILL OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY WITH THE DEALER. THE POWERTRAIN, DEALER INFORMATION, AND PURC…

Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10206884 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10994220 · 2017-06-09 (June 9, 2017)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, THE VISOR ON THE VEHICLE DETACHED. THE VEHICLE'S TOP WAS DOWN AT THE TIME AND CAUSED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG TO BLOW IN THE WIND, WHICH HINDERED THE CONTACT'S VIEW OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER BUT, DUE TO THE DISTRACTION OF THE AIR BAG BLOWING, THE CONTACT STRUCK A CULVERT, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG…

Owner-reported narrative. 135,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10994220 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11001575 · 2017-06-27 (June 27, 2017)

TAKATA RECALL: MY VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 15V338000.ON OCTOBER 29, 2016, I WAS DRIVING TOWARDS MY HOME. AFTER BEING IN THE STOPPED POSITION FOR THE DURATION OF THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL AT THE INTERSECTION OF FM 518 AND FM 1128 IN PEARLAND, TEXAS, THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I PROCEEDED DOWN 1128 TOWARD MY HOME. AFTER PROCEEDING ABOUT1 BLOCK, MY PASSENGER AIRBAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO PASSENGER IN MY VEHICLE AND NOTHING ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, EITHER.THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD. I HAD THE WINDOWS OPEN AND TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 136,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11001575 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10051723 · 2003-12-10 (December 10, 2003)

WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK.*MR THE CONSUMER HOPES MITSUBISHI BECOMES AWARE OF THE PROBLEM OCCURRING WITH THEIR CARS. *CB *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10051723 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10187145 · 2007-04-05 (April 5, 2007)

APPROXIMATELY 1-YEAR AGO, I PURCHASED A 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SYDER FORM A DEALERSHIP WITH APPROXIMATELY 65,000 MILES ON IT. I CHECKED THE RECORDS AND CONTACTED THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND EVERYTHING WAS IN ORDER. THE CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND SERVICED. WHEN I PURCHASED THIS CAR IT HAD A MINOR CRACK IN THE DASH BOARD. IT WAS ABOUT 1 INCH LONG. WEEKS LATER, IT GREW. ALSO OTHER CRACKS STARTED TO APPEAR. WHILE IN THE GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT, I PARKED NEXT TO ANOTHER SPYDER AND NOTICED IT'S DASH WAS CRACKED IN THE EXACT SAME…

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10187145 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10186142 · 2007-03-26 (March 26, 2007)

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPIDER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 25 - 30 MPH ON A NICE DAY WHEN THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. SHE STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS AND THE ALTERNATOR WERE THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE. THIS HAPPENED ON DECEMBER 23, 2006. THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD, LOST POWER, AND COASTED OUT OF TRAFFIC. SHE STATED THAT THE HORN BEGAN HONKING, AND SHE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. SHE COULD SEE FLAMES COMING OUT FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED BY ITSELF BEFORE THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10186142 at NHTSA ↗