U.S. public vehicle records

2002 Mitsubishi ECLIPSE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

73 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

45,593 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 39 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Wheels:Rim is the most frequently named component, appearing in 20 of 73 complaints (27.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	5	6.8%
Braking behavior	3	4.1%
Transmission and shifting	2	2.7%
Electrical and battery issues	2	2.7%
Fuel system concerns	2	2.7%
Engine operation	1	1.4%

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

Electrical System

Air Bags:Frontal

Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Wheels:Rim: 20; Wheels: 10; Structure: 9; Tires: 4; Electrical System: 3; Air Bags:Frontal: 2; Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 2

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: 11; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 3

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (11). 34 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

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2002: 11; 2003: 6; 2004: 12; 2005: 9; 2006: 8; 2007: 5; 2008: 6; 2009: 4; 2011: 4; 2012: 3; 2013: 1; 2014: 2; 2015: 2

Pattern summary

Wheels:Rim leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting 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 10072943 · 2004-05-21 (May 21, 2004)

I HIT A SMALL HOLE IN THE ROAD WHICH CAUSED MY WHEEL TO BEND AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS WILL BE THE 3RD WHEEL I AM REPLACING FOR THE SAME REASON. I WAS NOT DRIVING ERRATICALLY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I FEEL THE CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUSTAIN THIS ORDINARY ROAD HAZARD. ALSO, THE CAR/STEERING WHEEL VIBRATE AT CERTAIN SPEEDS. I HAVE HAD THE ALIGNMENT DONE, TIRES REPLACED/BALANCED. NOTHING HELPS THIS CONDITION. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10072943 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10152971 · 2006-03-17 (March 17, 2006)

I JUST PURCHASED A 2002 ECLIPSE FROM A SMALL DEALER. BEFORE I HAD PURCHASED THE CAR, THEY PUT 2 BRAND NEW TIRES ON THE FRONT. THE NIGHT I PICKED UP THE CAR, I HAD TO TRAVEL ON A FEW HIGHWAYS TO GET HOME. AS I WAS GETTING BACK ON THE HIGHWAY, I TRAVELED OVER A ROUGH SPOT IN THE ROAD, BUT I ONLY FELT THE LEFT SIDE GOING OVER IT. A LITTLE WHILE WENT BY AND AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS PULLING TO ONE SIDE. I KNEW SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT BECAUSE I SPECIFICALLY REMEMBERED HOW STRAIGHT THE STEERING WAS WHEN I P…

Owner-reported narrative. 45,593 miles reported. Look up ODI 10152971 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10175262 · 2006-12-05 (December 5, 2006)

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM BOTH FRONT BRAKES. ALSO, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNALS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A DEALER.

Owner-reported narrative. 51,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10175262 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10426841 · 2011-09-22 (September 22, 2011)

WHILE DRIVING NORTHBOUND ON 95 IN VIRGINIA (ABOUT 20 MINS OUTSIDE OF RICHMOND) MY 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE'S ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK. THE CAR ENDED UP OVERHEATING AND THE BRAKES FAILED (THE FRONT DRIVER ROTOR ACTUALLY RIPPED APART) BEFORE I PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 172,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10426841 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10120326 · 2005-05-09 (May 9, 2005)

DT: STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS SHIFTING AND STARTED HEARING A NOISE SOUNDING LIKE METAL SPINNING. WAS TOLD BY TWO DEALERS THAT THE NOISE WAS NORMAL. HE HAS HAD THE REVERSE SYNCHROS, PRESSURE PLATE AND CLUTCH REPLACED. WORK DONE AT DEALER WHERE HE BOUGHT IT. WAS TOLD BY MANUFACTURER THAT THEY WILL RESEARCH THE PROBLEM. IN LATE FEBURARY CAME TO STOP WHEN HE WENT OT TAKE OFF HE HEARD LOUD METAL CLANKING NOISES AND SHEARING NOISES. PARKED IT THEN. HIS DEALER WENT OUT OF BUSINESS AND HAD TO TAKE THE CAR TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO SAID IT WAS THE INPUT S…

Owner-reported narrative. 64,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10120326 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10459013 · 2012-05-19 (May 19, 2012)

TRANSMISSION STOPS FUNCTIONING DUE TO WAVE/CUSHION SPRING FAILURE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 135,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10459013 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10059025 · 2004-02-26 (February 26, 2004)

BULBS IN HEADLIGHTS AND/OR BULB HOLDER MELT CAUSING WIRING TO MELT AND EXPOSED WIRE CAUSING EXTREME ELECTRICAL DAMAGE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10059025 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10195949 · 2007-07-10 (July 10, 2007)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COLUMN SWITCH LEVER BECAME DETACHED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE VEHICLE. THE LEVER WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM RECALL # 99V305001 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING). THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 83,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 72,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10195949 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10452265 · 2012-03-19 (March 19, 2012)

WE WERE DRIVING AND CAR JUST DIED. BUT IT STILL WANTED TO START JUST ACTED LIKE DIDN'T HAVE GAS. TO BUT WE JUST FILLED UP. SO WE FIGURED FUEL PUMP. REPLACED IT AND NOTHING STILL SO THEN WE CALL A DEALER AND HE SAYS MOST COMMON THING THAT HAPPENS IN THESE CARS IS COMPUTER GETS FRIED. *JS

Owner-reported narrative. 132,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10452265 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 8021798 · 2002-10-29 (October 29, 2002)

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE GAS TANK HAS A HOLE IN IT. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8021798 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 760828 · 2002-04-17 (April 17, 2002)

A RANDOM CODE FAILURE IN THE COMPUTER LEAD TO REPEATED ENGINE STALLS AT STOP, AND LEAD TO OTHER SPARK PLUG FOULING AND EGR VALVE FAILURE. PROBLEM REPEATS AFTER CODE IS CLEARDED. BEEN REPAIRED 5 TIMES NOW, A 6TH ON THE WAY. NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 760828 at NHTSA ↗