U.S. public vehicle records

2000 Mitsubishi ECLIPSE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

306 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

70,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2000 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 105 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Wheels:Rim is the most frequently named component, appearing in 93 of 306 complaints (30.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	22	7.2%
Steering behavior	17	5.6%
Braking behavior	14	4.6%
Transmission and shifting	8	2.6%
Engine operation	6	2.0%
Fuel system concerns	3	1.0%

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.

Wheels:Rim

Wheels

Structure

Tires

Structure:Body

Unknown Or Other

Exterior Lighting:Headlights

Electrical System

Wheels:Rim: 93; Wheels: 35; Structure: 17; Tires: 15; Structure:Body: 14; Unknown Or Other: 13; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 9; Electrical System: 8

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 22; 50,000 to 74,999: 24; 75,000 to 99,999: 24; 100,000 to 149,999: 18; 150,000 and above: 8

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (24). 201 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.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2014

2015

2016

2018

2020

2021

2022

2000: 26; 2001: 52; 2002: 66; 2003: 32; 2004: 39; 2005: 21; 2006: 21; 2007: 10; 2008: 15; 2009: 4; 2010: 2; 2011: 4; 2012: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 3; 2016: 3; 2018: 1; 2020: 3; 2021: 1; 2022: 1

Pattern summary

Wheels:Rim leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 22 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 17 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 14 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 10010108 · 2003-03-07 (March 7, 2003)

WHILE HAVING THE BUMPER FIXED MY COLLISION SHOP DISCOVERED THE WIRING HARNESS IS MELTING. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 99V333001 -- RECALL DATE : NOVEMBER 23, 1999 -- COMPONENT: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BATTERY:CABLES -- EXCEPT THAT I DO NOT HAVE A V-6 ENGINE. I BELIEVE ANOTHER RECALL SHOULD BE INITIATED TO COVER ECLIPSE'S THAT DO NOT HAVE THE V-6 ENGINE AS IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM AND POSES THE SAME RISKS AS THE EARLIER RECALL.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010108 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10016490 · 2003-04-25 (April 25, 2003)

WIRING HARNESS FOR THE HEAD LAMP ASSEMBLY SMOKED AND BURNED. HEAD LAMPS INOPERABLE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 51,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016490 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10033783 · 2003-10-01 (October 1, 2003)

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN THROUGH WATER PUDDLES THERE IS A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FOR A FEW SECONDS. THIS FAILURE OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. *AK *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 7,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10033783 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10038943 · 2003-09-15 (September 15, 2003)

DEFECTIVE ALLOY WHEELS ON MY 2000 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GT: MY CAR HAS MERELY 16,000 MILES IN OVER 3 YEARS OF USE AND 3 OF THE 4 WHEELS ARE SLIGHTLY BENT TO NOTICABLY BENT. I WAS WALKING AROUND MY CAR WITH SOMEONE WHEN HE NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT BEND IN ONE OF THE RIMS. THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL IS OBVIOUSLY BENT AND VIBRATION IS FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I HAVE REGULARLY MAINTAINED THE AIR PRESSURE IN MY TIRES TO AVOID THIS PROBLEM, YET IT HAS HAPPENED ANYWAY. THE WHEELS ARE UNACCEPTABLE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10038943 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10046723 · 2003-11-10 (November 10, 2003)

THE BRAKES SQUEALED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. DEALER AND INDEPENDENT SHOP REPLACED THE BRAKES PADS AND ROTORS TWICE, HOWEVER, THE NOISE STILL OCCURS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10046723 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10072476 · 2004-05-12 (May 12, 2004)

TWO OF MY WHEELS ON MY 2000 MITUSBISHI ECLIPSE HAVE SIGNIFICANT BENDS ON THEM FROM NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. AS A RESULT OF THE WHEELS BEING BENT IT CREATED UNEVEN WARE IN MY TIRES AND BRAKE ROTORS. I HAVE HAD THE TWO WHEELS STRAIGHTENED BY A WHEEL SHOP ON TWO OCCASIONS AND PAID $75 FOR EACH ONE.

Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10072476 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10063875 · 2004-03-25 (March 25, 2004)

THE DESIGN OF THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THE TRANSMISSION SYNCHROS AND THE CLUTCH MECHANISM HAS BEEN FAULTY WHICH CAUSES THE FOLLOWING PARTS TO FAIL A LOT EARLIER THAN ANY NORMAL VEHICLE. - THE CLUTCH PLATE GETS WORN BEFORE TIME - THE THROW OUT BEARING (TOB) HAS A RATTLE - THE CLUTCH HAS A RATTLE - THERE IS VERY HARD GEAR SHIFT INTO THE 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. THE 2ND GEAR IS VERY HARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN ITS COLD START.(THAT IS NOT PARTICULARLY COLD AT THE END OF THE MONTH OF MARCH IN HOUSTON, TEXAS) - IT IS ALSO DUE TO THE "POOR" SYNCHRONIZERS IN …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10063875 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10075335 · 2004-06-14 (June 14, 2004)

I HAVE A 2000 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE THAT HAS 34000 MILES ON IT, AND ABOUT A MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT IT THE 2ND GEAR IN THE TRANSMISSWION KEPT GRINDING WHEN SHIFTING AND I FOUND OUT THAT A LOT OF OTHER OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM SO I WAS WONDERING IF THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF A RECALL FOR THE PARTS INVOLVED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 34,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10075335 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10018845 · 2003-05-17 (May 17, 2003)

CAR STALLED AT A STOP LIGHT FOR NO REASON AND HAD DIFFICULTY STARTING AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING, CAR WOULD SUDDENLY LOSE THEN REGAIN POWER. HAS HAPPENED 6 TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN THE LAST 3 DAYS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 29,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018845 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10235057 · 2008-07-20 (July 20, 2008)

1. I WAS FILLING MY GAS TANK THE OTHER DAY WHEN I SPOTTED A HUE LEAK UNDER THE CAR. 2. THE FILLER TUBE ON MY MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE 2000 IS TOTALLY RUSTED (DEALER REPORT) AFTER NOT EVEN 8 YEARS SINCE MANUFACTURER. THE GAS FILLER IS CRACKED. THIS IS A HIGH RISK TO BOTH MYSELF AND OTHER TRAFFIC PARTICIPANTS SINCE A LEAK IN THE GAS SYSTEM DUE TO THE INAPPROPRIATE MANUFACTURING (TOTALLY RUST IN LESS THAN 8 YEARS) COULD RESULT INTO SOMETHING VERY TRAGIC. 3 IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LEAK HAS BEEN SEEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE MITSUBISHI DEALERSHIP, THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 121,875 miles reported. Look up ODI 10235057 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10236614 · 2008-08-01 (August 1, 2008)

VEHICLE STALLED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND WOULD NOT RE-START. UPON TROUBLESHOOTING REASON FOR NO FUEL SUPPLY, FOUND BURNT CONNECTOR PIN ON FUEL PUMP HOUSING. FUEL PUMP TESTED GOOD. HEAT FROM POOR CONNECTION HAS MELTED THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP HOUSING. I CAN SMELL GASOLINE VAPORS. SPARKING CONNECTIONS OR HOT, MELTED PARTS IN THIS AREA IS A PROBLEM. I HAVE PHOTOS TO DOCUMENT DAMAGE. THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 49,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10236614 at NHTSA ↗