Mitsubishi ECLIPSE SPYDER problems and owner complaints

THE THRUST WASHER IS WELDED TO THE CRANKSHAFT IN MY CAR. FOR WHATEVER REASON, THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE THRUST WASHERS THAT CAUSE THERE TO BE AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF PLAY IN THE CRANKSHAFT. THIS CAUSES WHAT HAD BEEN TERMED THE "CRANKSHAFT WALK". AMONG OTHER SYMPTOMS, COMMON AND WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR WAS THAT THE 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION STARTED TO LOCK UP ON ME WHERE I COULD NOT EVEN GET THE CAR IN GEAR. THE MOVEMENT IN THE CRANKSHAFT CAUSED THE CRANKSHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR TO GO OUT, AND WHEN IT DID, I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT …

Owner-reported narrative. 232,110 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007353 at NHTSA ↗

LEFT REAR WHEEL HARDWARE ATTACHING THE WHEEL, BACKING PLATE, BRAKE CALIPERS TO REAR AXLE FAILED. THERE WERE FOUR ATTACHING BOLTS THAT SHEARED OFF UNDER STRESS OF CRASH AVOIDANCE THAT CAUSED THE REAR WHEEL TO FALL OFF AND LOSE CONTRO OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 30,650 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090712 at NHTSA ↗

TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING SO I STOP DRIVING IT. WHEN I TESTED IT OUT AGAIN, IT WAS EVEN WORST AND I CAN'T EVEN GO PAST 40 MPH. SO FAR THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY REPAIRS DONE TO THE CAR SINCE I WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT THERE ARE TRANSMISSION RECALLS ON THE AUTOMATIC 97 GS ECLIPSE AND WAS ADVISE NOT TO DRIVE IT ANYMORE BECAUSE IT CAN RESULT IN A ACCIDENT. DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS CAR DOES HAVE A RECALL ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. HTTP://WWW.AUTOSITE.COM/CONTENT/OWN/SERVICE/INDEX.CFM/ACTION/RECALLSVIEW/SERIESID/509.…

Owner-reported narrative. 101,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10132942 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM SCHOOL ON A MAJOR HIG WAY WHEN I HEARD AN AWEFUL NOISE COMING FROM UNDER MY CAR, IT SOUNDED AS IF I WAS DRAGGING SOMETHING. I GOT OFF AT THE NEXT EXIT AND LOOKEDF UNDER MY CAR BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THERE SO I CONTINUED HOME. WHEN I WAS BACK ON THE HIGHWAY THE NOISE STARTED UP AGAIN BUT THIS TIME MY STEERING STARTED TO GO. I IMMEDIATLY BROUGHT IT TO THE SHOP WHERE THEY PUT IT ON A LIFT. THE MECHANICS STARTED TO CHECK SHAKE EACH TIRE, WHEN HE GOT TO THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE THE TIRE WAS VERY LOOSE. ACCORDING TO THE THE THREA…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 762182 at NHTSA ↗

I HAD PARKED THIS AUTO AND WENT INSIDE TO SLEEP- WAS AWAKEN BY HORN GOING OFF IN AUTO- WENT OUT TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WHEN I OPEN THE DOOR ALL I SAW WAS A BLAST OF SMOKE THAT HIT ME IN THE FACE. FIRE CHIEF SAID IT WAS A ELECTRICAL FIRE THAT STARTED BEHIND THE DASH WHERE THE INSTRUMENTS ARE. THE INSURANCE TOTAL THIS CAR OUT EVERYTHING WAS MELTED IN THE AUTO- I BOUGHT THIS AUTO 15 DAYS AGO USED

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 748315 at NHTSA ↗

TRANSMISSION STICKING BETWEEN 40-60 MILES PER HOUR AT 3000 RPMS AND HAS A PROBLEM SHIFTING DOWN CAUSING THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT TO COME ON. THE PROBLEM HAPPENS ON THE SAME 2 ROADS IN THE SAME EXACT SPOT. I HAD THE PULSE GENERATORS IN THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND ONE WEEK LATER IT WAS DOING IT AGAIN. I AM TRYING TO DETERMINE IF IT IS AIR INTAKE RELATED SINCE IT HAPPENS ONLY AT THOSE 2 SPOTS ON THE ROAD. TRANSMISSION WAS DIAGNOSED OK (ON COMPUTER UNHOOKED TO THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS IN THE CAR) I AM TAKING IT BACK IN TODAY TO HAVE …

Owner-reported narrative. 107,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10263972 at NHTSA ↗

THE FUEL FILLER NECK RUSTS SEVERELY AROUND THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE CAUSING LARGE AMOUNTS OF FUEL TO LEAK ON THE GROUND AND GASOLINE VAPORS TO ESCAPE. THE FILLER NECK ASSEMBLY IS CONSTRUCTED OUT OF METAL AND INCLUDES A LARGE TUBE/PIPE FOR THE FUEL TO ENTER THE GAS TANK, AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER SMALLER METAL PIPES. THE FILLER NECK ASSEMBLY EXTENDS FROM THE FILLER DOOR, WHICH IS SITUATED IN THE REAR PASSENGER QUARTER PANEL, DOWN AND ACROSS TO THE FUEL TANK WHICH IS SITUATED IN THE UNDERCARRIAGE. THERE IS A PARTICULAR POINT WHERE THE PIPES IN THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 148,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10575199 at NHTSA ↗

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 ↗

SINCE I PURCHASED MY CAR BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2001, A 2001 MITSUBISHI SPYDER GT, I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY CLUTCH SLIPPING WHEN STARTING IN 1ST GEAR, WITH EXTREME STUTTERING AND SHUTTERING OF MY VEHICLE AND HAVE INFORMED MY DEALERSHIPS (WOBURN MITSUBISHI WOBURN, MA AND PETER FULLER-WATERTOWN MA) OF THE PROBLEMS IN WRITING. THEY ALL BLOW ME OFF TELLING ME THAT NOTHING COULD BE WRONG THIS EARLY ON, WITH SO FEW MILES ON THE CAR. WELL THE CAR IS STILL STUTTERING, EVEN HAS STALLED OUT, EVEN WHEN GIVING PLENTY OF GAS. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN OV…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028564 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HESITANT TO START AND EXHIBITED AN OVERPOWERING GASOLINE ODOR. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE STARTED, IT WOULD SPUTTER AND STALL SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 127,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10432234 at NHTSA ↗